2010 Members Needs Assesment Results

In early 2010, RSAA members completed a member needs and information assesment.  The results of that assesment can be found here.

Did you know there are beaches in New York City?!

Harbor Experience Companies (New York Water Taxi, Circle Line Downtown, Water Taxi Beaches)

New York City is a beach town! That’s right! Our New York Water Taxi Beaches at South Street Seaport, Long Island City and Governors Island are all an “Urban Oasis” in the Big Apple! Available for private groups, semi-private groups, catering, team building workshops, student fun, nightlife, photo/film/TV shoot, or just a bite to eat!  For more information on South Street Seaport Beach, Governors Island Beach and Long Island City Beach click here.

South Street Seaport Beach - This urban beach venue in the Financial District/South Street Seaport neighborhood of Manhattan features a million dollar view of the iconic Brooklyn Bridge and the East River, a sandy beach, covered tent area and various activities such as miniature golf, ping pong and a dance floor. With fun in the sun during the day and a nightclub atmosphere at night, this unique outdoor Downtown Manhattan event space is a great choice for a relaxed, downtown atmosphere.  

Once the sun sets, the space becomes a playground for the 21+ crowd, with rotating DJs and parties all week long. The on-site restaurant offers a variety of beach fare, from the award-winning Motz Burgers to authentic Baja Fish Tacos to a Raw Bar. The kitchen can also provide a wide variety of menu choices for your private and semi-private parties.

Governors Island Beach - Easily accessible by public ferry from Manhattan or Brooklyn, or by private charter from numerous locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn or Queens, this urban beach and activity venue is located on NYC's totally unique Governors Island and features spectacular views of Downtown Manhattan and the New York City harbor. Your guests can enjoy sun, fun, food and the various activities the beach has to offer, including volleyball and basketball.

The beach boasts 300 tons of sand spread over 20,000 square feet. A large tented area also allows you to catch some shade and a separate stage makes the space a great choice for New York City concerts and performances. The location's 2 restaurants can meet all your private party catering needs, offering All American BBQ, Pig Roasts, Clambakes, and more. A grassy courtyard is also available complete with picnic tables and a park like feel.

Long Island City Beach – Water Taxi’s first beach!! Convenient to Midtown Manhattan, this urban beach in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens, NYC features the most spectacular views of the Midtown Manhattan skyline, over 44,000 square feet of sandy beach, volleyball courts and a tented area with wooden floor.

Our Long Island City Water Taxi Beach features amazing outdoor space and organized games of volleyball and soccer add to this lively atmosphere! Having hosted some of the hottest dance parties this side of the equator, this unique outdoor Queens event space is a great choice for any group in New York City! 

The Story of Blair Hotels
by Judie Blair

Blair Hotels locally owns and operates 5 hotels in Wyoming. Three of these hotels are located at the Buffalo Bill Village Resort in Cody Wyoming, only 52 miles from Yellowstone National Park. This resort features the Holiday Inn, Comfort Inn and the original portion of the resort, the Buffalo Bill [Cabin] Village. Although each hotel has its own identity and character, together they offer you Western “Blue Jean” Hospitality.  For more information on Blair Hotels go to www.blairhotels.com.

Blair Hotels is my husband (Ted Blair) and mine, it is the management firm for my father-in-law’s company (QBEC – stands for Quin Blair Enterprises Corp.) and we are the owner / operators of our hotels.  Presently there are five hotels in the corporation … the Buffalo Bill [Cabin] Village in Cody, Wyoming was purchased in the early 1960’s.  At the time it consisted of 120 individual log cabins and 120 campsites (today there are 83 individual cabins, the “big cabin” is now a guest house at my father-in-laws, and we use the remaining 36 campsites for our fabulous senior summer workampers).  Early in ownership my father-in-law attended a bus tour convention (precursor to ABA) and met a man named Lyle Anderson.  Mr. Anderson owned Anderson Bus Lines in Pennsylvania … he suggested that Quin market to bus tours going to Yellowstone and thus a partnership between the tour industry and our hotels was borne.  His first year of tours the single bedroom cabins rented for $4.00 per night, a two bedroom for $6.00 and the “big” cabin for $12.00 (it included a kitchen and living room!).

In 1971 my father-in-law purchased a Holiday Inn franchise from a friend of his (Kemons Willson) and opened the hotel in 1972.  This arrangement was a first in many ways … he was the first Holiday Inn owner allowed to own hotels outside of the franchise and the first to operate a campground in conjunction with the hotel.  In the late 1970’s he purchased the Holiday Inn, Laramie, Wyoming (which was later sold), in 1981 he opened the Holiday Inn, Riverton, Wyoming.  Between 1972 and 1982 the Holiday Inn in Cody was expanded to it’s current size, 189 rooms.  In the early 1990’s Ted and I built the Comfort Inn, Cody, Wyoming and purchased our guest ranch, The Ranch at Ucross, near Sheridan and Buffalo, Wyoming.  Today, over 60% of our business comes from tour operators including motorcoach, FIT, fly drive and incentive travel.  Another 15-20% is through Meeting/Convention and SMERF bookings.

Ted and I met in 1981 after I relocated from Wisconsin to Wyoming and were married in 1984.  In my “previous life” I owned/operated an import/export consulting business … which is a fancy way of saying I was a marriage broker between the supplier and the demander.  The “funniest” thing I ever sold was a bridge from the state of Pennsylvania to the country of Peru.  Today, our oldest son, James Blair, operates the Holiday Inn, Cody.  In 2006 the hotel received a renovation award from IHG and a ten year franchise renewal; this summer it completed it’s “re-launch” with the new signage, bedding package, etc.  We have two younger sons, Quintin who recently graduated from UNLV Magna cum laude in both hotel management and honors college.  He is planning to pursue a masters in business at Stamford.  Our youngest son, Taggart, is attending UNLV and majoring in hotel management as well.

India’s Outbound Travel to the U.S. Skyrockets (PDF)

Smita Joshi Smita Joshi is a postgraduate in management with 5 years of progressive experience. Prior to joining the US Commercial Service in September 2005, Smita worked in the private sector in IT sales and distribution and Telecom – advertising and promotions. At present, she is working as a Commercial Assistant and handles industry sectors like Franchising, Printing & Printing Equipment Industry, Travel & Tourism, Book Publishing, Graphics, Veterinary Products. In addition she also assists in sectors like Pharmaceutical, Healthcare, Education and Biotechnology.

Archive

What You Need To Know About…Spain (PDF)

Italian travel and tourism market 2006 (Simonetta Busnelli, Bio)

Mexico market information (Power Point presentation)
Mexican arrivals by airline (pdf)

Targeting the Aussies Down Under ( Janette Davie, Bio)

Hallo aus Deutschland, Greetings from Germany! (Rita Hille, Bio)

Utilizing Mexican Tour Operators to Jumpstart Your Business ( Aileen Crowe Nandi and Diego Ontañon, Bios)

The Netherlands (Jane Zoutendijk, Bio)