Randy Julian
Chairman and CEO
National Tour Association

Motorcoach companies and tour operators have always had a special relationship.

Occasionally, it is love/hate; think of that drivers itinerary that never came in, or that coach missing well beyond the departure time. But, for the most part, the relationship is one marked by mutual trust, respect and positive financial rewards.

This brings me to the United Motorcoach Association and the National Tour Association: Our common qualities, goals and strategies, and the tremendous potential that collaboration holds for our two sister organizations and their members.

For anyone who may not know us, NTA has roughly 3,000 tourism professionals, including those from 31 nations.

We are involved in the growth and development of the tour-and-packaged-travel industry, we provide outstanding business opportunities to our members and we offer unmatched government relations services to our tour-and-travel members.

Our ranks include more than 600 tour operators and nearly 2,400 tour suppliers, such as motorcoach companies, hotels, airlines and attractions. Plus, destinations, like city and state visitor bureaus, and state, provincial and country tourism offices.

We all partner together to provide the operators clients with turnkey packages in a wide variety of tour and meeting and convention services areas.

We know UMAs and its members reputation for quality and professionalism, and we also know its members keen interest in charter and tour and travel.

Going forward together, it strikes UMA President and CEO Victor Parra and me that our two organizations could seize on the fact that we are not trade group competitors, but rather we are buyers and sellers of travel product, with each association firmly focused on the betterment of our members and definitely up to the challenge of reaching out to build a bigger and brighter tomorrow.

Over the next decade, more and more motorcoach companies will enter the charter and tour fields, most as transportation partners with tour companies doing record tour, meeting, convention, and international receptive business.

NTA is without peer in this type of business, the clear leader of the North American packaged-travel industry.

Quality motorcoach service is finite, and NTA tour operators need more transportation inventory, more alternatives, especially at peak season and especially to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers.

And, if my take is correct, UMA operators need to diversify with more over-the-road business, especially during shoulder and slow months, all in partnership with industry professionals who book, refer and operate an ever-expanding block of business together.

We at NTA look forward to speaking further with UMA leaders so we can advance our collaboration to the next level.

In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me at randyj@starpower.net if you have any thoughts to pass along.

Heres to a great 2007 for all the members of UMA and NTA.