Starting Sept. 1, Pam Inman, former executive vice president and COO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), will begin her role as president of the National Tour Association (NTA). Travel Weekly Senior Editor Michelle Baran asked Inman what she has in store for the organization as she gears up for her new role.
Q: What attracted you to the NTA?
A: The majority of my career has been in hospitality and politics, so I was very excited to learn that NTA was in search of a new president and that they had moved away from the management company model. NTA has such a great reputation and long history of leadership in our industry. I also did some research by calling friends in the industry to get their assessment of NTA and was impressed with what I learned.
Q: What are the biggest opportunities for the NTA going forward?
A: NTA already has a broad base of engagement, and it will be exciting to find new ways of getting the members energized and involved in influencing the policies and regulations that impact the industry and their operations. Policymakers are always interested in learning about the impact that sectors of the economy have on their states and districts, and we'll have an outstanding chance at NTA to expand the visibility and knowledge of the tour industry.
Q: What kind of leadership role would you like to play as the new president of the NTA? Do you plan on shaking things up and making some radical changes, or do you plan on maintaining the course the NTA was on?
A: My focus will be on listening to what the members need to make their businesses stronger and more profitable. ... Every business has to change to be relevant in today's world, and NTA will too.
Q: Do you see NTA membership growing under your leadership?
A: Growing membership is one of my primary goals. With the changes in the membership model at AH&LA, we went from 8,900 hotel members last year to more than 16,000 through June 2014. In order to do that, however, we made major changes in the structure, leadership, governance and the dues model.
Q: What are the three things you plan to focus on most during your first year in office?
A: I'll still need time to fully assess what we have in place now, but at the outset there are three key areas: membership -- growing our numbers and strengthening our base; advocacy -- making sure we have a strong representation on Capitol Hill and in Washington, D.C., and being a stronger part of coalitions on our issues; and relevance -- expanding our international reach while strengthening our domestic markets.
Q: What are the biggest challenges facing the NTA and its membership today?
A: It's the same challenges every association faces: showing members the relevance and return on their investment. NTA has a strong base of members who have been supportive of the association, and we will focus on growing that base and providing the leadership to move NTA forward.
Q: How do you hope to help the organization and its membership overcome those challenges?
A: I have a lot of experience in moving into an organization, assessing the needs and making the necessary changes. I also have strong organizational skills. But since I don't start until September, I know I have a lot to learn about this association before I move forward.
Follow Michelle Baran on Twitter @mbtravelweekly.