We regularly gather industry colleagues for information exchange or educational forums. The two most significant are for the focus on group tour & packaged travel. These are usually held in the autumn time frame, and in conjunction with the annual tourism conference in January. Specific upcoming events follow.

A Crash Course In Group Tour Sales
Date: Thursday, October, 22, 2009
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Place: Stearns History Museum & Research Center*

235 33rd Avenue South, St. Cloud, MN 56301
*See the museum’s link for directions and info about their special
exhibit: A T.Rex Named Sue.

Our guest speaker, Chris Harrower, offers a wealth of experience in his many group sales roles in the eastern U.S. and interaction with American Bus Association. The many perse topics he will cover in an engaging manner include:
- The Basics: Terms, Acronyms, and Definitions
- Preparing Your Property for 24 Tons of Fun
- Profile Sheets, Fam Tours and Other Marketing Efforts
- Partnerships and Your DMO
- Working the Room: Marketplaces, Conventions and Trade Shows.

You will find A Crash Course in Group Sales to be a great value: an inexpensive yet effective program, with lunchtime free for networking and visiting the museum. Time will allow for plenty of Q&A during the day. Refreshments are sponsored by the St. Cloud Area CVB and Stearns History Museum.
Cost: $60.00 (includes presentation and materials, lunch and museum admission). Special rates for those seeking overnight accommodations will be available.
Suggestion: Bring 25-30 business cards for networking.

Registration: Print and submit this form.

For more information, contact Mary Ann Steen:
651-757-1870 or maryann.steen@state.mn.us.

Other Meetings
American Bus Association 2010 Marketplace preparation meeting
Thursday, September 10, 2009
10:45 a.m.- noon

TownePlace Suites by Marriott Minneapolis Downtown
(map embedded in link)
525 North 2nd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401
612-340-1000

Each year nearly some 20 industry colleagues pool their efforts and resources in order to collectively represent Minnesota at the country’s largest event focusing on the group tour and packaged travel market. It’s a large-scale effort designed to create more opportunity to network with tour planners and operators and secure more business rolling into our state. The next Marketplace will be held in Washington, DC January 15-19, 2010. If you’re an ABA member, or interested in joining our efforts, come to this organizational meeting and get plugged in.

National Tour Association pre-conference huddle
Thursday, September 10, 2009
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

TownePlace Suites by Marriott Minneapolis Downtown
(map embedded in link)
525 North 2nd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401
612-340-1000

The other major group tour industry event, the annual National Tour Association Convention is coming up November 14-18, 2009 in Reno. Those Minnesota NTA members who will be attending are asked to meet immediately after the ABA meeting to strategize for effective efforts in Reno later this year.