National Tour Association Urges Bush Administration to Consider Tourism as Part of Hurricane Recovery Efforts

In an effort to assist its travel and tourism partners in the Gulf Coast region, the National Tour Association sent a letter today to President Bush urging him to make rebuilding the tourism industry in the Gulf Coast a priority of his administration.

In a letter signed by NTA Chairman and CEO Ann Thomas, CTP, NTA noted that tourism restoration, development and promotion are an investment. “In a project that will have tremendous financial implications for our nation, investing in travel and tourism will generate additional tax revenues and will aide the recovery of this region.”

Speaking about the association´s decision to send the letter to President Bush, Thomas said, “NTA believes this region is one of the most important in our country as far as tourism is concerned. We want to add our voices to those encouraging President Bush to bring about recovery to this area, and make our point that tourism is a vital part of that recovery.”

Immediately following Hurricane Katrina, NTA began responding to the needs of its members. The association Web site, newsletter and online member forums continue to be utilized to facilitate information sharing and communication among members. NTA also continues to work with the Small Business Administration to establish disaster loan relief.

The National Tour Association has nearly 4,000 tourism professional members from 28 countries involved in the growth and development of the packaged travel industry. Its membership includes tour operators and the destinations and suppliers that partner with them.

The association is committed to providing business results and information to its members, while offering a collaborative, caring environment in which to build relationships. For more information, please visit www.NTAonline.com.