Posted by ABA President & CEO Peter Pantuso, May 12, 2008

If you haven’t nominated your enticing group tour attraction for ABA’s Top 100 Events In North America for 2009, this is the final week to do so – and we hope you will!

The Top 100 Program is an opportunity for destinations to showcase group tour events and attract new business. Each year, more than 400 events, festivals, shows, anniversary celebrations and countless other tourist draws are nominated for the list. A panel of judges carefully considers all of the criteria, from motorcoach-friendliness aspects of the nominated destinations to the “undiscovered gem” factor that Top 100 recognition will help change for the better, making each winning event a newly discovered gem.

Seventy percent of ABA operator members use the winners from the Top 100 publication to build their itineraries. ABA helped local destinations record nearly 300 mainstream earned media placements in six months following the announcement of the 2008 winners, and this year we’ve made the program even better.

As a new benefit for the 2009 Top 100, ABA member CVBs, private DMOs and state tourism offices can nominate two events instead of one to double their exposure.

Top 100 nominations for 2009 are due this Friday, May 16. DMOs & CVBs need only complete a short survey, and a small investment of time can lead to a great promotional experience for destinations. We’ll even help you fill it out. Call ABA at (800-283-2877) and we will help you complete it over the phone. Or email Top100@buses.org. Remember, the deadline for all nominations is Friday, May 16, 2008.

This is truly a golden opportunity to raise visibility of your attraction and get it added to motorcoach and tour operator itineraries. Don’t pass it up.