ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- The United Motorcoach Association will hold
its Motorcoach Expo 2001 from Feb. 3 to 6 at the Atlantic City
Convention Center.
Travel agents and tour operators are encouraged to join the
2,500 attendees, according to Vic Parra, the UMA's chief executive
officer.
The UMA comprises 920 concerns that own and operate motorcoaches
and some 250 vendors, such as bus manufacturers and insurance
firms.
The UMA operator members are in the business of scheduled
transportation, charters and tours, Parra said. Some have limos in
their fleet.
Reasons for agents and tour operators who charter motorcoaches
to attend, he said, include the opportunity to inspect the new
product line, including more than 40 new buses from manufacturers
such as MCI, Prevost, VanHool, Bluebird and Setra. The inspection
will take place Feb. 5 and 6.
Agents and tour operators will have the chance to meet with the
members, Parra said. They are also welcome to join the association,
even if they do not own any vehicles.
"They are partners who are a key link to the charter business,"
he said. "We deliver the service; they sell it."
Among UMA officials are chairman Steve Van Gelder of Van Gelder
Bus Co., Jamesville, Wis., and board members Rick Hillard of
Tri-State Tours, Galena, Ill., and Godfrey Lebron of Paradise
Travel, Elmont, N.Y.
During business sessions, Parra and Dale Bunce, founder of
International Market Development, Aiken, S.C., will update
attendees on issues the motorcoach industry needs to deal with,
such as fuel and insurance costs, Parra said.
Other speakers will discuss how to keep customers without
cutting prices; leadership skills; using the Internet, and
marketing to Generation Xers and baby boomers.
Host hotels for the Expo are the Sheraton Atlantic City
Convention Center, which is sold out, and Caesars Atlantic City.
For information, call the UMA at (800) 424-8262 or Caesars at (800)
345-7253.