Letter to the Editor: Why I Chose ABA over NTA

 Reply to our last post from Mel Tye, Founder and CEO Tye Tours.

I did not drop my NTA membership out of protest, but because the value of the benefits no longer matched the money invested for my NTA dues. The China inbound program was only the most recent benefit that went from a benefit to a cost. My 20 years membership at NTA helped my business grow and flourish and the numerous friendships formed through NTA will always be treasured. My membership was dropped because when I was asked to justify the companies membership in both ABA and NTA I could no longer justify both memberships. When forced to chose ABA gave me better value because of superior networking opportunities at the Marketplace, superior educational opportunities, and more value for the dollars invested. If the NTA convention was run like Contact last summer, I might still be a member, but the NTA convention is not well run and has not been well run in many years. You can spin it any way you want but it is all about return on investment. NTA just doesn’t get it that when one has to stand in line to obtain scraps of food, the opportunities for networking diminish. NTA doesn’t get that if a venue is not conducive to do doing business, because of no place to sit, or noise level then the opportunity to build relationships goes away. NTA doesn’t get that lack of caffeine in the afternoon, means less productive appointments. The sponsorships that used to be at NTA have migrated to ABA because of a better return on investment. Dropping my NTA membership was not about a protest but economics.

I hear the buzz from the NH delegation,” to lets figure out how to raise funds to purchase a booth at the ABA market place.” Where at NTA I have never heard even the slightest talk about having a state booth on the floor. When I joined NTA 20 years ago there was always the opportunity to meet and get to know the industry leaders in one on one settings. I will never forget the all night discussions that used to take place the last night of the NTA convention and not wanting to leave to pack to go home. The chance to engage the industry leaders in mind expanding discussions offered validity to my own beliefs. These talks encouraged me not to follow the paths of others, but to blaze new trails. These discussions gave me the confidence to become a leader, not a follower in business and in life. These discussions became extinct at NTA as did most membership benefits of value. Every organization must grow leaders and these discussions were often the crucible where new leaders emerged.

I firmly believe that electing people to any board of directors who do not have the ability to speak in public diminishes the roll of the director. A person who can’t speak in public can not represent me or my company in a board room.

I believe NTA is chasing memberships for revenue and has forgotten about providing benefits of value to retain the current membership.

These are the reasons I dropped my NTA membership, not out protest but because of a different belief system and business model. My ability to network and do business with my colleagues at the ABA marketplace and the ability to engage in intellectual discussions during the marketplace trumps any benefit any other association can offer me. Almost all of the benefits I received as an NTA tour operator are now available through ABA.at an affordable cost.

I hope that as other members are forced to choose that egos get out out of the way and we have two separate strong industry Associations with a unified North American Travel Market place. A unified North American travel trade show makes economic sense to everyone accept those afraid of change, or loss of identity.

Those that don’t recognize that having two travel trade shows in the same month will force the members to choose the stronger show, just aren’t dealing with reality. I have made my choice and encourage others to be vocal with their view points.

BE A LEADER, BE A FRIEND, BE OF SERVICE

MEL TYE ctp/ ctis
TYE’S TOURS

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