TMAC Travels Newsletter - September

The distractions of summertime are beginning to fall away and many of us are turning our full attention back to the work world. The shoulder season of travel usually means a busy time for those in our business and I am hearing of new travel plans and an unveiling of attractions and promotions. We are always looking for new topics to tackle for the TMAC newsletter - please reach out and let us know if you have suggestions or questions. The newsletter is an information portal about what's happening in the organization but it can also play an education role through our PD articles. We'd love to hear from you.

- Josephine Matyas TMAC Travels editor
jmatyas@sympatico.ca

President's Report

The new 2015/2016 national board is ramping up to investigate and recommend some exciting new initiatives over the next few months.

In the meantime, we are making every effort to reach out to each committee chair to ensure that: 1) we have a mutual understanding of the role each committee plays within TMAC and what, if anything, needs to be clarified, added or revised; 2) determine that the chair is willing to continue in the role they are currently playing (or not), and: 3) determine what, if any, additional resources and support are required.

In the next issue of TMAC Travels, we will introduce you to all of these hard-working and committed volunteer chairs and provide those of you who are thinking of stepping up, the opportunity to do so. In the meantime, however, please feel free to reach out to Maureen Haley (maureen.haley@aboutdci.com), who has offered to continue as chair of the volunteer committee to explore what areas might interest you.

Exciting plans are well underway for the 2016 Conference and AGM hosted by Destination Cape Breton Association (DCBA). Great new ideas are being explored and more details will be revealed over the coming months. The new and improved 2016 Sponsorship Package is being developed and will be available in the next month or so.

The RFP for 2018 is currently being vetted by a small team of TMAC industry experts to ensure we have a comprehensive document to attract future hosts of our Conference and AGM.

We are reviewing our process for the 2016 Membership Handbook and will be asking for volunteers to assist on this committee shortly.

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Ontario chapter's M&M event, hosted by Chelsea Hotel and was delighted to be approached by a few members with some great suggestions for TMAC. Although it is not possible to implement all great ideas, the more we have, the stronger we become as an organization. Watch out for a survey or two coming your way to help guide us in our priorities.

At any time and for any reason, please feel free to reach out to me with your thoughts!

Have a wonderful fall...wherever you are!

Positive, pro-active and productive!

- Elizabeth Kerr, TMAC president

elizabeth@thewitcorporation.ca

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Finance Report

I have reviewed the most recent financial statements and have the following comments:

Revenues as of July 31st were $312,699. This is up by $100,000 from this time a year ago ($214,047) but in line with our 2015 budget figure of $310,397. Most of the gain can be attributed to a significant increase in conference revenues ($172,622 vs. $107,168). Membership revenue is up as well by approx. $20,000.

Expenses incurred as of July 31st were $155,217 compared to $176,792 in 2014. Our budgeted expenses were $247,721. The big difference is in admin expenses which to date are $83,848 vs. the budgeted amount of $146,617. Conference expenses are also lower by $30,000. All of this is great news but let's not get too excited as more expenses will be incurred between now and the end of the year.

Currently our net income is $157,482 compared to $37,254 last year and our budgeted amount of $62,676. Again, this looks great but I remain cautiously optimistic about hitting our target of $62,676 by Dec. 31^st. Hopefully this will be TMAC's best year in a long time.

- Grant Fraser, TMAC national treasurer

gfraser@golf-management.org

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Website Update

Many of you have been asking about the new TMAC website. As of June 1^st, we've moved to a new platform, which will require you to use your email to login. Old login information should be discarded. So, the next time you're trying to access the online Member Directory or the Member Forum, please go to www.travelmedia.ca, click LOGIN in the top right corner, then click REQUEST NEW PASSWORD, enter your registered email and await instructions.

As the new site is still under construction, we ask that you be patient with any glitches you experience and, of course, report them back to us. Your go-to person is Olga at info@travelmedia.ca.

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Chapter News

ALBERTA & N.W.T. - No report at this time.

- Debra Smith, Alberta & N.W.T. chapter chair

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ONTARIO - Mark your calendars for the Ontario Fall Munch & Mingles!

October 20 - Visit Florida Venue TBA

November 24 - Colorado Tourism - Venue TBA
December 8 - December Holiday M&M - Host and Venue TBA

It's been a lovely, long summer in Ontario. Plums, peaches and apples are
available at markets across the province. We held a success road trip on July 21st to the Waterloo Region filled with fun, food, and exclusive chef demonstrations!

We were treated to an amazing M&M on September 15th courtesy of the Chelsea Hotel in Toronto. As part of their 40th Anniversary, we enjoyed tacos, grilled corn, and homemade chips & salsa from their outdoor food truck and viewed the renovated rooms. Thanks to Tracy Ford for another successful event!

We are looking for a host and venue for our popular December Holiday M&M. Any inquiries can be directed to jerry@lma.ca.

- Anne Marshall, Ontario chapter co-chair (2014/2015)

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BRITISH COLUMBIA - The B.C. chapter is coming off the high of our successful meet-up at the annual Summer Sizzler event. This tim

BC co-chair Barb Sligl hanging out on a press trip to the Cariboo Chilcotin coast

e, we mingled poolside atop the patio at the Westin Grand in Vancouver, sipping local wine and sampling nibbles, courtesy of our fab host. We had a great turnout, including visiting members from Ontario and across the border in Washington. We also had a number of non-members join us - a good window on drawing potential new TMACers as we gear up for our membership drive this fall. More to come on this!

And a belated shout-out to our B.C. chapter members who won big at the recent TMAC Awards, announced in Peterborough in June. Congratulations to Remy Scalza for two first-place wins for Best Action Photo and Best Story about Travel in Canada. And kudos for second-place wins go to Hans Tammemagi for Best Evocation of a Place Photo, Chris McBeath for Best Outdoors/Adventure Feature, John Lee for Best Service Feature and Cinda Chavich for two second-place nods for Best Food & Drink Feature and Best Environmental/Responsible Tourism Feature. Thanks for representing B.C. in such fine form!

- Barb Sligl, vice-chair, TMAC B.C. chapter

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ATLANTIC - The Atlantic Canada chapter held its annual meeting on July 19 in Charlottetown, P.E.I. The weekend included visits to various parts of the island, highlighting just a few of its many attractions. At the annual meeting, discussion focused on member recruitment specifically for our chapters and professional development sessions. Our next event is Sept. 9^th in Halifax - a half-day workshop on maximizing potential reach on social media channels with tips on photography and videoing with Dave Bouskill and Deb Corbeil of The Planet D (www.theplanetd.com).

- Pam Wamback, Atlantic chapter chair

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Member News

An all-new second edition of Moon Handbooks: Ontario, a 450-page guide to great experiences around the province by media member Carolyn B. Heller, is now available from Avalon Travel Publishing. If any TMAC members are interested in a review copy, please contact Carolyn at carolyn@cbheller.com.

Sandra Phinney (media) teamed up with Melanie Chambers (TMAC member from Toronto) to do what's called The July Project - travelling around their own neighbourhoods doing un-touristy things for the entire month of July. They blogged every day about their experiences, have pitched several different stories to various publications and are now in the process of working on a book celebrating their experience and what they've learned.

Congratulations to Anne-Marie Forcier (Rideau Heritage Route) on her July wedding held - where else but? - at Chaffeys Lock on the Rideau Canal.

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Unsung Heroes: Grant Fraser

Twenty years ago, Grant Fraser researched and published his first book, 50 of Ontario's Greatest Public Golf Courses. Following that foray into writing about the world of golf, Grant published Golf Access, which he eventually sold so he could dedicate more time to writing for golf magazines such as Ontario Golf News, Flagsick, The Traveling Golfer and Fairways.

Grant is currently the president of the Golf Management Institute of Canada (GMIC), an online school that offers professional development and training courses to the golf industry in partnership with Wilfred Laurier University. He also teaches in the professional golf management program at Niagara College, a position he's held since 2000.

And, as if that's not enough, Grant occupies a seat on TMAC's board of directors as our national treasurer. You know how it is: when you need someone to do a job, look for someone who's busy. Someone who not only has what it takes and does everything well, but can also pull things off with pizzazz and panache.

"I joined TMAC in 2009 thanks to past member Val Schroeder and Anita Draycott, Cathy Stapells and Michele Sponagle - all of whom encouraged me to join," Grant says. "The time has gone by quickly and I've enjoyed the great places and wonderful people I've met over the last few years."

Being treasurer is a huge responsibility but one that Grant seems to relish. "I've served on the board of other organizations such as the GMIC and the Golf Journalists Association of Canada - in a variety of roles including treasurer. Regardless of the size of the organization or its for-profit or not-for-profit status, you still have to track what revenue you generate and what expenses you have to pay," says the golf aficionado. "TMAC is doing this better now, something I think I've been able to help accomplish working with three past presidents (Michele Sponagle in 2013 and 2014 and Jo Matyas and Mark Stevens in 2015).

Grant believes that it's important to get involved. He realizes that people are busy in their professions but he says that if people start off by volunteering to be on a committee, this can be hugely beneficial to an organization. "That's how I got started. Dale Dunlop asked me to join our finance committee after our conference in Wales. After he finished his term as treasurer, I joined the national board and took over from him. TMAC wouldn't be where it is today without all the help we receive from all of our volunteers - provincial and national."

Asked about challenges, Grant believes that one of the biggest ones right now is to recruit more members. "We also need to evolve and to keep up with the times. And we need to take ownership for the health of TMAC. I treat the finances of this organization as if it were my own business."

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TMAC Travels - Newsletter Submission Guidelines

TMAC Travels is published bi-monthly. Publication of solicited and unsolicited articles is not guaranteed. Final content is decided by TMAC Travels' editorial board and the national board. Submissions should fit into one of the following categories:

MEDIA MEMBER NEWS
Professional news about you: books published, awards won, new markets obtained, positions attained, requests for travel-related information (story-specific requests ONLY), contact/profile information updates/changes.
Social notices about you: weddings, babies, non-industry awards and so on (at the editor's discretion and with a 50-word limit; these must be things directly connected to the member).
NOT allowed: requests for comps (airfare, accommodation, tickets, etc.), assignment requests, promotion of stories already written.

INDUSTRY MEMBER NEWS
Professional news about you/your company: announcement ONLY of new products, new clients, travel-related info requests, contact/profile updates/changes.
Social notices: as per media, above.
NOT allowed: press releases, promotion of anything beyond new products, new clients or awards. (For information on distributing electronic press releases to all media members for a fee of $100 + HST, please contact TO Corp at info@travelmedia.ca).

The newsletter also seeks chapter news and info on press trips (short descriptions with dates, rough itineraries, requirements - e.g. assignment letter) as well as tips, news and updates submitted by members.

PLEASE NOTE NEW SUBMISSION SCHEDULE

Items must be sent, with "TMAC TRAVELS" in the subject line, to Josephine Matyas at jmatyas@sympatico.ca. Items may be edited for length, grammar or clarity.

ISSUE	DEADLINE
November/December 2015	October 20
January/February 2016	December 15
March/April 2016	February 17
May/June 2016	April 21