[Benefits of Membership]

Working with industry partners keeps members in touch and provides a professional edge. The Texas travel industry as a whole benefits when we present a strong, unified position on public issues. In addition, TTIA members have unique opportunities to participate in one-of-a-kind marketing programs. Join your peers in developing the tourism industry by becoming a member of TTIA.

Some of the benefits of membership in TTIA include:

Marketing Opportunities for Members Only

• Texas Travel Fair for Travel Counselors
  Each year, Texas' professional travel counselors at the state's Travel Information Centers, city visitor centers, AAA offices and state parks guide millions of visitors to area attractions. For the past 25 years, TTIA's Travel Fair has provided the tourism community the opportunity to meet face-to-face with a majority of these travel counselors. This event is a celebration of the valuable service travel counselors provide to the tourism industry, and the beneficial relationship we share.
• "See Texas First" Newspaper Insert
  Distributed annually to more than one million households in Texas and surrounding markets, the Sunday newspaper insert provides TTIA members with direct access to travelers. Written in "advertorial" form, the insert allows participants to send exactly the message they want. A response card generates direct inquiries from potential visitors. Distributed twice a year, in the spring and fall, this program typically generates in excess of 300,000 responses.
• Texas Brochure File Folder
  A cooperative marketing effort for TTIA members, the brochure file folder is distributed to more than 6,000 travel agents, travel writers, tour operators and AAA offices. Each listing includes a photo of the member's brochure and descriptive copy. Reply cards allow interested recipients to order brochures or additional information. Mailing labels are provided for easy follow-up.

Education, Information and Networking

• Tourism Unity Dinner
  Each year, the Unity Dinner provides the tourism community the opportunity to show strength in numbers. Celebrating the importance of tourism as a major growth segment of the economy, the Unity Dinner furnishes members with the opportunity to interact with elected officials and other major players in the industry. Held in Austin, the event recognizes the importance of the legislative process in achieving our goals.
• Texas Travel Summit
  Held each September, Summit is TTIA's annual conference and trade show. Each year, more than 500 delegates from the Texas travel industry meet to discuss ideas, issues and trends To learn how to promote tourism more effectively To network with other industry professionals To listen to state and national authorities on travel and tourism and To see the latest in products and services available to them. Travel Summit is held in cooperation with the Texas Department of Economic Development Tourism Division, Texas Department of Transportation's Travel and Information Division, and other state agencies and trade associations involved in the tourism industry.
• Public Affairs
  TTIA and its members have been a positive force in helping to acquire sufficient funding for tourism marketing and visitor services in state government. In order to maintain funding and ensure that dollars are wisely spent, TTIA monitors legislative activities and informs the membership when action is required. Additionally, TTIA works with local communities to assist them in securing tourism support. TTIA acts in cooperation with other tourism entities in the state to develop awareness of the benefits of tourism and to keep the industry healthy.

Publications and Other Resources

• Texas Explorer
  TTIA's monthly newsletter provides information on association activities, useful data on the tourism industry in Texas, insight into trends and issues, and updates on happenings in the tourism industry.
• Directory of Grant Writers and Guide to Grant Writing
  TTIA members are able to purchase the TTIA Directory of Grant Writers, an invaluable resource for any organization that is applying for grants in the state of Texas. The book includes grant writing guide, a directory of organizations that can help, a comprehensive list of websites, and the contact information, resume and background information of professional grant writers across the state. 
• Marketing Starter Kit
  All TTIA members will receive a free copy of the TTIA Marketing Starter Kit. This publication offers over a hundred pages of concrete advice and suggestions from some of the travel and tourism industry's seasoned pros. 
• Online Services
  The @texas website, (www.tourtexas.com), is a comprehensive site for members and visitors that provides travel destinations, attractions and other Texas marketers with a complete, simple solution for building and gaining exposure on the Internet. All TTIA members are eligible for a free link on the @texas website to your organization's site as well as many discounts on other online services. To submit your listing as a member, use this form.
  
  DestinationTexas.cc is the Website for the Total Texas Experience. The all-inclusive site was developed in an effort to take the promotion of the state of Texas to a much higher level. The site brings various elements including travel, attractions, hospitality, newspapers, restaurants, entertainment, manufactures of Texas products and gourmet foods, as well as other related businesses together under one umbrella in a unified effort to promote the Total Texas Experience.
  

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