TLC Newsletter

            Spring `07

Field Trip to Branson

&

Buffalo National River Area

Our Two Day Adventure

By Mary Masalskis, Junior, Commercial Recreation, St. Louis, MO

Tucked away in the Ozark Mountains on the edge of Table Rock Lake in Branson Missouri, you will find Chateau on the Lake.  This four-star, four-diamond

                                                            hotel was the first stop of TLC’s major Spring `07 field trip.  Director of Sales, Doug Wojick gave TLC a grand tour of the facility.  We started off in one of the 301 first-class guest rooms at $276/night in-season.  We were then ushered to the property’s $5.5M spa, top of the line, offering full service and barbershop.  Located in the hotel is a small movie theatre, fitness center, pool, and Crawdaddies kids club.  The hotel is known for having southwest Missouri’s largest meeting and ballroom, accompanied by 11 breakout rooms.  Outside the hotel is a marina, pool, tennis courts, and relaxing hot tub.  If you’re looking for a great getaway, this hotel is perfect! 

Second stop was a dude ranch about seven miles from Jasper in the boundaries of the Buffalo National River Area of northwest Arkansas.  As we slowly

                              trickled down the rocky road entering Horseshoe Canyon Ranch (HCR), we met owner/manager Barry Johnson and Jason Roy, former MSU student and recreation director.  Barry and family have owned the 300 acres of land for about 12 years, opening the ranch about 10 years ago.  HCR is nestled in a valley of rolling hills

                        surrounded by harsh high rock bluffs so typical along the Buffalo River.  The ranch boasts about 300 of the best rock climbing routes in the country.  After spending the night in some of the nicest cozy cabin, club members got an opportunity to test a few routes. For most students it was their first time climbing and they had a great

      experience.  A few of us stuck around with Barry and Jason to climb for a couple of hours on a few routes that were quite a task!  We also enjoyed three delicious complimentary ranch meals.  Ranch visitors can enjoy activities ranging from fishing, hiking, and canoeing to horseback ridding, archery, camping, and bonfires. The ranch, geared to families,

      offers an outdoor pool and hot tub, indoor basketball court, a recreation area, gift shop, and an indoor climbing wall.  Almost all the students agree with me in saying that this ranch was amazing and is definitely worth a repeat visit.

Our third destination was Beckham Creek Cave Haven, owned by Tao and Larry Campbell, the only resort in the world built in a living cave.  From the outside, it looks like something of your wildest imagination.  During spring and summer months

                                  there are over 250 species of wildflowers blooming on the property.  The entrance is one huge wooden arching doorway leading into a massive living area.  Once inside, your eyes get lost in all the nooks and crannies of a cave suite.  There are five bedrooms with baths and a separate honeymoon suite above these rooms, a working kitchen and recreation area above.  There also is a helicopter pad located below the pristine waterfall flowing from a natural spring near the main entrance. The main attraction located in the living room is a natural waterfall.  Tao once lived in this amazing cave.  Larry had many stories to tell about the cave’s history, one about how it survived one of the world’s largest earthquakes that sent rolling hills of earth 12 feet high to flatten everything in its path . . . everything but this cave.  The cave has been used since 1820 for various activities.  It was part of one of the earliest settlements in the U.S., once used by military draft dodgers.  It also hosts two ancient Indian burial sites, was used for bootlegging, a nuclear war shelter, and a nightclub.  The only downside to this cave is that for most of the year it leaks water so they have to hang plastic from the ceiling during heavy spring rains to protect furniture and interior decoration. 

Our final destination was a complimentary evening Branson, Missouri’s ever-adventurous Dixie Stampede.  In an indoor arena, this variety/comedy horse show is full of lots of singing, dancing, competition and food.  Once you are seated, the food

and beverage never stopped coming by our server Jennifer.  She very enthusiastically delivered a five-course meal including a whole chicken, soup, pork, potato, biscuit, corn, and apple pastry.  By the way, you eat everything without utensils!  During the meal, many different events happen in the ring right before you . . . ostrich and pig races, a magic show, and the amazing horseshoe toss.  Our very own TLC sponsor, Dr. SteveIllum participated in this event, tossing anything but your ordinary horseshoe.  He had the pleasure of tossing horseshoe-shaped toilet seats!  He put on a great show!  The whole event with very elaborate costumes is all about celebrating America and its history, and what kind of American celebration would it be without Dolly Parton singing.  She provided quite an end to our great field trip.  If we got a chance to do it all again, we’d do it in a heartbeat.

`07 Club Service Projects

Part of being in TLC is providing service to the community that relate to their interest in the field of travel and tourism.  This year's projects included:

Rountree Geocaching Tour

Members of TLC joined together to receive instruction from Mr. Keith David, Assistant, Office of Leisure Research and MSU graduate Kevin Shatswell `00, Springfield Park Board, how to operate portable GPS units (Garmin Etrex Legend), and then met with a fifth grade class at Rountree Elementary School, a few blocks from the MSU campus to teach the children how to do the same.  Then, in the Spring, Mr.    David secretly planted 9 geocaches around the Rountree campus that contained messages about the history of the school, and the family for which it was named.  Later the same day, TLC met again with the children to coach them through a GPS Tour (“History Mystery”).  Navigated by the children, one group found 6 caches in about 35 minutes, including the final cache that contained prizes (a small camera & a flashlight).  The experience was an opportunity for both groups of students to enjoy being together, learn more about the children’s home town, and be involved in an exciting and growing tourist activity!

Walnut Street Historic Homes Virtual Geocaching Tour

TLC was busy with another community service project this year.  On 2 days in March-April, members located numerous historic homes on Walnut Street in Springfield.  Using their GPS units, they plotted the waypoint coordinates for each home as a “virtual” geocache (no capsule or container, just the site).  These waypoints will soon be available on-line.

Corporate Groups Project for HCR

As a service project, TLC spent a total of over 100 hours researching Chamber of Commerce directories for Springfield, St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Dallas, Texas.  The group prepared a new “group business” directory for Horseshoe Canyon Ranch’s (HCR) marketing department in Little Rock.  It consisted of professional sports organizations, real estate companies, investment companies, insurance agencies, investment companies, car dealerships, employment/recruitment agencies, communication/satellite/cell phone/cable companies, trade show/meeting planner organizations, and advertising agencies.  The intent was to give HCR a new group business marketing database to help them fill their shoulder-season vacancies.  The Club also presented HCR with a new marketing PowerPoint presentation that can be mailed out to potential guests.

`07 TLC Research

State Vacation Packet Project

Office of Leisure Research Assistant, Melanie McKalip, sent a request for vacation packets to all 50 states in the U.S. in October `06.  This year, in an effort to learn more about travel destination brochures, TLC examined the packets and their contents in different ways.  Before opening them, they measured and weighed the packets, determined the cost of postage (bulk/non-bulk mail) to send each, and recorded the arrival date of each.  Next, they opened each packet and listed the contents of each by name.  Typically, packets contained an official state vacation guidebook, a state highway map, and sometimes a calendar of events and lodging/dining brochure.  Then, each Club member evaluated each item found in their packet(s) in a variety of different ways.  Finally, each official vacation guide was evaluated by the entire Club membership.  Mary Masalskis is currently tabulating all results on EXCEL, and will be producing a PowerPoint presentation on those results to be e-mailed to all Club members for their portfolios.

Field Trip:  Garden of Dreams & Honey Branch Cave

by Emily Thornhill

This was quite an experience that I will never forget.  It's one that I never thought I would do, but now I am so glad that I went through with it.  Since I am afraid of tight spaces, this was an adventure that I needed to overcome my fears.  All of the members were really supportive of one another, helping everyone through the entire cave.  I thought that the Crystal Room was a very "cool" place.  It's really amazing, all the natural things back in the cave.  I was hoping to see a few more crystal rooms, and live things in the cave besides just bats!  This was a very difficult task for me to complete, but I believe it was one of the "coolest" things I have ever done in my life.  The bruises all over my body show some of the grueling hardships we had to go through while in the pitch dark cave.  There was a mix of climbing, sliding, crawling and scooting which really gave us all a great workout!  I was kind of sad that the recent ice storm destroyed all of the pretty flowers in the Garden of Dreams.  I was really excited to see the Garden.  Overall, I think this was an amazing field trip and experience.  It was one I thought I never would have done, and I'm very happy I went through with it.

Club Sponsor Goes To China

By James McEntire

TLC Elections

By James McEntire

            In a recent Travel & Leisure Club (TLC) meeting, elections for officers were held. Below is the roster of elected officers for Spring `07 with their majors and favorite pastimes: 

President – Julie Kinney, Kirkwood, MO

Major- Private/Commercial Recreation

Julie enjoys a variety of sports in addition to cooking, crafts, traveling, learning about other countries, and friends.

1^ST Vice President - Yolanda Caputa, St. Louis

Major- Hotel & Restaurant Management

Yolanda enjoys a variety of  sports and hobbies, including shopping, being outside, working out, and hanging out with friends and family.

2^nd Vice President - Mike Bigley, Marshfield

Major – Private/Commercial Recreation

Mike’s major interest is boating.

Secretary – Mary Masalskis, St. Louis

Major - Private/Commercial Recreation

Mary loves handball, football and baseball, in addition to crafts, knitting, and watching Cardinal’s baseball.

Treasurer - Kelly Williams, Jefferson City

Major- Entertainment Management

Kelly enjoys playing tennis and baseball, working out, and hanging out with friends.

Photographers:

Ashley Rauschenbach & Jennifer Wirtz

Speakers

Mr. Jon Williams, Operations Manager, White Water, Branson, MO

Mr. Williams was first employed as a lifeguard at White Water when age 15, and has gradually worked his way up in Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation.  Today, as a senior in college, he commands an exceptional salary, and hopes to someday manage one of Herschend's several water parks.  He strongly recommends that students consider taking a course in facility construction and maintenance.  When asked about

"a day at the office", we could tell that Jon was smiling when he explained that he spends about 90% of his day out on the park.  During the tourist season, Mr. Williams employs about 400 part-time personnel.  Year-round, like many visitor attractions, there are only four full-time permanent staff with company benefits.  We sensed his enthusiasm and commitment to a company that has offered him a terrific career opportunity at such a young age.

Ms. Barbara Ducey Bowden, Revenue Manager, The Peabody Hotels, Orlando, FL

Ms. Bowden graduated from MSU in `83.  While a student, she served in several capacities as a volunteer in the Springfield community.  She interned in Disney's College Kingdom and Silver Dollar City in Branson.  She proceeded to work herself up at the Peabody Orlando starting at the front desk, then in Rooms, then Rooms Department manager, and then revenue manager for the corporation.  Recently, added to her current responsibilities, she is now assistant general manager of the Peabody Orlando Hotel, a 1,600-room property.  She talked about the importance of

media relations, customer service,  budgets and budgeting, revenue management, trade organizations, her own membership and leadership in the Hotel Sales Marketing Association International (HSMAI) and more.  Her goal is to become the general manager at the Peabody Orlando. 

Speakers earlier this year . . .

Ms. Anne Marie Powell-Moebes

By Julie Kinney & James McEntire

This is the first article of the Travel & Leisure Club. One of the things we want to do with the Club is introduce members to people with in the tourism industry. These will be people of great experience, from all parts of the industry, and have a great knowledge of the industry. This year, we were able to have a conference call with Anne Marie Powell-Moebes of  Travel Savers. Ms. Powell-Moebes is strategic advisor for Travel Savers.

We asked a series of questions about her experience, what she does, and the tourism industry in general. She attended Niagra University in the `70s and has worked in the travel industry for nearly thirty years. Also, she worked as operations manager for eleven years for the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) in Alexandria, Virginia. As well, she has also been chief marketing officer and consultant for Travel Savers for the past eight years. Travel Savers is a marketing consortium which independent travel agencies join in order to afford to compete with larger companies. They were originally franchised as a credit card company. They operate in 35 different countries including the U.S. In helping smaller travel agencies compete with the larger companies, they aid them in marketing, legal services, supplies, etc.

There are many more professional travel associations like ASTA, mentioned earlier. The Association of Retail Travel Agents (ARTA), has been operating since 1963 and is the largest nonprofit association to represent exclusively travel agents. TIA, Travel Industry Association, has more than 2,100 members from all parts of the travel industry. Ms. Powell-Moebes encouraged us to join whatever industry association that goes with our major interest while we are still students. Whatever association you choose to join depends on what you are interested in, and certainly join the association of the company you work for. Many of these associations provide educational programs as well as the other services. The majority of them will be in Washington, D.C. Aside from people who are directly involved with the industry, like airlines, cruiselines, motorcoach and rail, companies that supply a byproduct to the industry can also join an association. These would be companies like Samsonite, luggage manufacturer. Many of these associations have been consolidated in the last few years. They have large meetings and conferences every year. ASTA used to have a World Congress every year, but it has now turned into a trade show for them. They plan these meetings 3-5 years in advance for between 5,000-8,000 delegates. When they have these meetings they discuss issues like the state of the industry, education, licensing, how to generate more profits, and how to recruit more members.

The last couple of things she told us about the industry are that companies are looking for college graduates that have had experience in the industry while in school. She encouraged us to go on-line and look for internships and jobs in the industry. “Don’t worry about getting the internship you want in the area you want. Just start somewhere and then work toward what you want. As well, she commented that the cruiseline industry is still growing at a rapid pace. Having the chance to travel all over the world in cruise ship and enjoying beautiful weather would be a nice change from Springfield.

"Doc" Milner, Past president, national tour association

In a recent TLC meeting, Club members watched a video of “Doc” Milner, past president of the National Tour Association (NTA). His obvious love in life is to travel. That might be one of the requirements for being president of the National Tour Association. He said, “Not only is travel big business, but it’s also repeat business.” He made some important suggestions for creating that big business and then get the repeat business needed to keep it big business. “When you go to create big business, make sure it’s going to be an experience people will want to have again. If and when you go to create that tour experience, you’re going to need to be willing to create and deliver the expectations of your customers. They expect to have a good time, enough of a good time to want to come back.” One of the things that goes a long way toward making sure they have a good experience is to give them first-class treatment. If you do this from the time they enter the front door to the time they leave, and you know that you did everything to make sure they left happy, then you know that you will likely see that customer again. Use customer feedback, positive and negative, to make adjustments in your product. Use it to your advantage. There will always be something else that can be done. Every team makes adjustments at half-time. That’s just part of it. If you make that right adjustment, then you know you’ll get another chance at impressing that customer. Even if you did everything to make that customer happy and they had a good experience, cost might keep them from coming back. There are a couple of options here. First, offer them a coupon for the next tour. If you do, there’s a good chance they’ll come back. If there’s more than one person in the party, it’s just that much more important because those other people can spread the news of a good experience. The other option that you have is to go back to the drawing board to see where you might be able to make some cuts in your budget. There’s always room for improvement and there will always be room for price cuts. Milner said when he was working at an attraction the #1 question he was always asked is, “Where’s the bathroom?” Signs are important. Signs, next to word-of-mouth, are and can be the cheapest way of marketing your business.

Mr. Dennis Gaylor, National Meeting Manager, College Programs, Assemblies of God

By Stephen Mitchell, Senior

Mr. Gaylor is the "foremost meeting planner in Southwest Missouri", according to MSU grad and director of sales and catering, Christine Hiffington `90, University Plaza Hotel, Springfield.    Dennis Gaylor, national planner of meetings and events for college-age students in the Assemblies of God Church joined us as a guest speaker, along with some of his staff.  He explained that the definition of meeting planning is exactly what it sounds like --- planning meetings and events.  You can have a meeting about anything from marketing promotional events to surfing.  According to Mr. Gaylor, there are several reasons to have conferences, meetings or events including communicating information, recognizing people and their achievements, creating a plan of action, producing an outcome, learning new skills, achieving a better understanding of different points of view, etc.  These are all important.  Knowing what you want to accomplish with the meeting/event is important.  Consider how you will register those who will participate.  Choose a good site for the event.  You have to get the word out, so promotion and publicity are vital as well.  Mr. Gaylor gave us plenty of helpful trade tips.  He emphasized the need to negotiate all expenses associated with an event or meeting.  He was an excellent speaker.  We learned a lot from him, benefited from the handouts he distributed, and we’d enjoy having him return to speak again.  TLC members hosted Mr. Gaylor for lunch following his presentation.