
January 2010 Welcome We have transformed the look and feel of our previous member newsletter, E-Flash, into Connections. The desire of STS is to provide you connections that assist and improve your organization as well as your personal development. You will receive the same salient information as before, now in an easier-to-read format the first week of every month. Accountability Conversion studies show real opportunity for improving how many visitors we capture in exchange for our marketing investments. Why aren’t more of us achieving those 50%-plus conversion rates? I am STS This Alabama resident doesn't mince words. New Jobs Find an open position on the STS Web site. WhoWhatWhere? Latest news about STS members and organizations. Top 20 Events > Winter 2010 Events > Nominate an event Contact STS 404.364.9847 sts@southeasttourism.org www.southeasttourism.org	ITB Berlin Europe has come out of the recession. Guess where its citizens are heading with pent-up Euros? That's right... our shores. Without leaving your desk, you can bring Germans, Austrians and Swiss travelers to your destination. Simply use STS as your conduit as we talk to the German-language media at ITB Berlin in March. With your documents translated and ready for the German press to consume, get ready for the inquiries to pour in. The deadline to be a part of this is February 1. > More Information > Register Spring Meeting 2010 We look forward to seeing you March 22 - 24 in Nashville, Tenn., as we "Refresh.Renew.Recharge." We take stock of the past 24 months and plan for the next 12. Speakers include Phil Bruno of Treat ‘em Right, Tennessee Commissioner Susan Whitaker and Greg Keyes of Time, Inc. In addition to the conference sessions, a volunteer project, a golf outing and a tour of Music City USA are scheduled. > Registration Form > Sponsorship Opportunities > Meeting Brochure > Complete Agenda NPS, STS Shake Hands Last month, Southeast Tourism Society and the National Park Service (NPS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The objective is to open channels of communication between the NPS Southeast region and private-sector entities that promote tourism. With 66 NPS units located in the Southeast region, there are numerous opportunities for STS members to work with local parks and gateway communities. > View the press release > Read the Atlanta Journal-Constitution article Share your Message American Heritage celebrates 60 years of telling our nation’s story. AH is offering new co-op opportunities in the Spring and Fall 2010 issues. Maximize your savings and message to “Escape to the Southeast,” while reaching the demographic dominating leisure travel. The Spring issue closes Jan. 15. Contact Maria Baksy, 240.453.0900 (ext. 26) or Bob Jenkins, 240.453.0900 (ext. 22). > More Savings Take the Road Ahead With just a short five-minute investment in an online survey, you can be part of a project that pictures what destinations, attractions and lodging properties are doing now to come out on top in the challenging tourism market. Each STS member that responds will receive the tabulations. Find out how industry leaders are adapting to budget pressures, identifying their best visitor prospects, improving their marketing ROI and building their credibility with funding sources. Keep an eye out for the survey from STS in mid-January. Conferences of Interest Southeast Festivals and Events Conference February 15–17, 2010 Macon Marriott City Center Hotel www.southeastfestivals.org Early registration fee until Jan. 15: $285 Hotel Data Conference 2010 August 4-5, 2010 Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Convention Center www.hoteldataconference.com Early registration fee until March: $545 Welcome New STS Members > Brett Huske, Executive Director, Dalton-Whitfield CVB, Dalton, Ga.; bhuske@visitdaltonga.com; > * Kim Terrell, Executive Director, DeSoto County Tourism, Southaven, Miss.; kim@sodesoto.com; > * Elliott Murray, Regional Director of Sales & Marketing, Horizon Hospitality, Alpharetta, Ga.; emurray@horizonhmi.com; > Melissa Hopper, Associate Director, Travel & Tourism, Norfolk CVB, Norfolk, Va.; mhopper@norfolkcvb.com; > Donna Allen, VP, Sales & Marketing, Norfolk CVB, Norfolk, Va.; dallen@norfolkcvb.com; * new members
Southeast Tourism Society Corporate Partners

January 2010

Welcome

We have transformed the look and feel of our previous member newsletter, E-Flash, into Connections. The desire of STS is to provide you connections that assist and improve your organization as well as your personal development. You will receive the same salient information as before, now in an easier-to-read format the first week of every month.

Accountability

Conversion studies show real opportunity for improving how many visitors we capture in exchange for our marketing investments. Why aren’t more of us achieving those 50%-plus conversion rates?

I am STS

This Alabama resident doesn't mince words.

New Jobs

Find an open position on the STS Web site.

WhoWhatWhere?

Latest news about STS members and organizations.

Top 20 Events

> Winter 2010 Events
> Nominate an event

Contact STS

404.364.9847
sts@southeasttourism.org
www.southeasttourism.org

ITB Berlin

Europe has come out of the recession. Guess where its citizens are heading with pent-up Euros? That's right... our shores. Without leaving your desk, you can bring Germans, Austrians and Swiss travelers to your destination. Simply use STS as your conduit as we talk to the German-language media at ITB Berlin in March. With your documents translated and ready for the German press to consume, get ready for the inquiries to pour in. The deadline to be a part of this is February 1.

> More Information
> Register

Spring Meeting 2010

We look forward to seeing you March 22 - 24 in Nashville, Tenn., as we "Refresh.Renew.Recharge." We take stock of the past 24 months and plan for the next 12. Speakers include Phil Bruno of Treat ‘em Right, Tennessee Commissioner Susan Whitaker and Greg Keyes of Time, Inc. In addition to the conference sessions, a volunteer project, a golf outing and a tour of Music City USA are scheduled.

> Registration Form
> Sponsorship Opportunities
> Meeting Brochure
> Complete Agenda

NPS, STS Shake Hands

Last month, Southeast Tourism Society and the National Park Service (NPS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The objective is to open channels of communication between the NPS Southeast region and private-sector entities that promote tourism. With 66 NPS units located in the Southeast region, there are numerous opportunities for STS members to work with local parks and gateway communities.

> View the press release
> Read the Atlanta Journal-Constitution article

Share your Message

American Heritage celebrates 60 years of telling our nation’s story. AH is offering new co-op opportunities in the Spring and Fall 2010 issues. Maximize your savings and message to “Escape to the Southeast,” while reaching the demographic dominating leisure travel. The Spring issue closes Jan. 15. Contact Maria Baksy, 240.453.0900 (ext. 26) or Bob Jenkins, 240.453.0900 (ext. 22).

> More Savings

Take the Road Ahead

With just a short five-minute investment in an online survey, you can be part of a project that pictures what destinations, attractions and lodging properties are doing now to come out on top in the challenging tourism market.

Each STS member that responds will receive the tabulations. Find out how industry leaders are adapting to budget pressures, identifying their best visitor prospects, improving their marketing ROI and building their credibility with funding sources.

Keep an eye out for the survey from STS in mid-January.

Conferences of Interest

Southeast Festivals and Events Conference
February 15–17, 2010
Macon Marriott City Center Hotel
www.southeastfestivals.org
Early registration fee until Jan. 15: $285

Hotel Data Conference 2010
August 4-5, 2010
Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Convention Center
www.hoteldataconference.com
Early registration fee until March: $545

Welcome New STS Members

> Brett Huske, Executive Director, Dalton-Whitfield CVB, Dalton, Ga.; bhuske@visitdaltonga.com;

> * Kim Terrell, Executive Director, DeSoto County Tourism, Southaven, Miss.; kim@sodesoto.com;

> * Elliott Murray, Regional Director of Sales & Marketing, Horizon Hospitality, Alpharetta, Ga.; emurray@horizonhmi.com;

> Melissa Hopper, Associate Director, Travel & Tourism, Norfolk CVB, Norfolk, Va.; mhopper@norfolkcvb.com;

> Donna Allen, VP, Sales & Marketing, Norfolk CVB, Norfolk, Va.; dallen@norfolkcvb.com;

* new members

Southeast Tourism Society Corporate Partners

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