Issue 88 Campground

The addition of a multimillion waterpark and other amenities has prompted Darien Lake Theme Park to create a park within a park.

Darien Lake, this spring, will be debuting a fiveacre addition to its existing waterpark and calling both the existing space as well as the new attractions “SplashTown Water Park.”

The new attractions include a series of water

slides and rides its “Swirl City” complex, some of which peak at 41.5 feet tall and run 530 linear feet.

Those additions are the centerpiece of a nearly $10 million investment Parc Management LLC, the park's Jacksonville, Fla.-based owners, is making in the popular Genesee County facility.

The Genesse County Economic Development Center, earlier this month,

approved an incentive package covering the $7 million worth of new rides in the waterpark. Darien Lake’s full plans were revealed Tuesday morning.

In addition, two other attractions — a “Flotation Station” and “Lazy Days Lagoon” — will also open this year in the expanded and renamed waterpark.

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new attractions open, weather permitting, on Memorial Day weekend.

Also in the works is the conversion of 10 rooms in Darien Lake’s Lodge into “Forts-O-Fun” themed rooms that offer children inroom, fort-themed play and sleep space along with such amenities as Playstation 3.

Darien Lake is also installing 24 “Brown Bear Cabins” in its campgrounds that allow visitors to have such modern conveniences as cable TV and wi-fi, but also enjoy the traditional campgrounds ambiance.

“Forts-O-Fun” and Brown Bear Cabins will debut when the park opens on May 8. SplashTown and its

Collectively, the new waterpark and lodging additions represent the largest investment in Darien Lake in the past decade and is expected to increase its attendance.

“Theme parks need new attractions every couple of years to keep things fresh,” said Lynn Freeman, Genesee County Chamber of Commerce president. “It keeps bringing people back.”

Freeman said Darien Lake is the major tourism driving point in Genesee County, with some estimates pegging its annual economic impact at more than $275 million.

Freeman said he expects to lure of the new

waterpark rides and attractions could give Darien Lake a 15 percent to 20 percent increase in attendance this year - and beyond.

“It adds another arrow,” he said.

Chris Thorpe, Darien Lake general manager, said the new additions will make Darien Lake’s water park “comparable with any in the country.”

Darien Lake visitors will have the option of buying

an all-access admission ticket that includes the amusement and water parks for $39.99 per person or a water park only admission ticket of $29.99 per person.

Thorpe hinted that Darien Lake will be adding additional water park and amusement rides in the coming years.

“This is all part of the natural evolution of Darien Lake and taking the park to the next step,” Thorpe said. Article: www.bizjournals.com

NEW ORLEANS — A federal jury has rejected a New Orleans man's claims that government contractors provided him with a trailer after Hurricane Katrina that exposed him to dangerous fumes.

Eight jurors unanimously decided that a trailer made

by Forest River Inc. of Goshen, Ind., and occupied by 39-year-old Lyndon Wright was not unreasonably dangerous in its construction or design.

The jury also found that Shaw Environmental Inc. of Baton Rouge was not negligent in installing Wright's trailer.

The case is the second of several trials designed to test the merits of and possibly resolve other claims over formaldehyde exposure in the trailers. A jury in September also found in favor of the companies.

Article: Associated Press

ZAPATA COUNTY, Texas -Authorities have released photos from a second Mexican military helicopter incursion into Zapata County.

The most recent incident occurred over the Four Seasons Mobile Home & RV Park and Beacon Resort Sunday at 3:30 p.m.

Zapata County Sheriff Sigifredo Gonzalez told Action 4 News that the helicopter hovered in the area for five to 10 minutes.

Several people in the RV

park were terrified and afraid by the helicopter’s presence, the sheriff said.

The helicopter bore markings of the Mexican Navy, which led Gonzalez to wonder if local officials aren’t being notified about joint operations with the Mexican military or if Mexican military officials are being used to drop off drugs or illegal immigrants.

Full Article: www.valleycentral.com

March 24, 2010 (McLean, VA) – Delivering value, experience, and the highest levels of customer service, Best Parks in America (www.BestParksinAmeric a.com) welcomes four industry powerhouse suppliers to their Strategic Partner Program.

Utility Supply Group, Texas Advertising, Suburban Propane, and TengoInternet have joined forces with Best Parks to offer affiliate resorts product/service programs and other

partnership benefits designed specifically for the Best Parks network. “Much like the high standards used for park/resort affiliation, our Strategic Partners have proven themselves to be outstanding in their areas of expertise.

We are pleased to partner with these four notable companies and look forward to their contribution to the Best Parks in America brand,� remarked David Gorin, president and CEO, Best Parks in America.

Strategic Partners are nominated by current affiliated parks and companies must have at least a five year track record of doing business in the park industry.

Strategic Partner nominees meeting the nomination criteria have an opportunity to develop an ongoing, mutually supportive relationship and association with Best Parks in America and the affiliated parks.

Developed in response to contacts from a number of companies that have reached out to Best Parks inquiring about a relationship with this new park brand, the Strategic Partner Program provides

David Gorin unique possibilities for all parties involved.

For more information on becoming a Strategic Partner or to learn more about Best Parks in America affiliation visit www.BestParks.net or contact David Gorin by phone at 703-448-6863 or email at David@BestParksinAmerica.com.

Wade Elliott: Utility Supply Group

Brian Schaeffer: Texas Advertising

ARGILLITE, Ky. — The new Ashland/Huntington West KOA Campground how has 50 more fullhookup campsites for recreational vehicles, according to owners Charles and Thelma Dameron.

“This really completes the second half of the construction of this campground,” said owner Charles Dameron. “We are ready and raring to go for the summer camping season.”

The campground, located at 80 KOA Lane in Argillite less than a mile from Interstate 64, inclues a pool, miniature golf, volleyball courts, a playground, pavilions, bigrig friendly pull through RV sites, four KOA Kamping

Kottages, two full-service Kamping Lodges and many beautiful tent sites.

There are also on-site hiking areas, as well as fishing in nearby lakes. This summer, campers can also enjoy the Appalachian arts and crafts available in the campground store, as well as regional entertainment on the campground’s Fire Pit stage.

Article: www.irontontribune.com

General Coach Canada is proud and excited to announce today; March 26, 2010 that they have joined hands with Nationwide Leasing a division of Nationwide Hotel Supply Inc. Richmond. B. C. The two companies signed an exclusive leasing and financing program for rental cabins being produced by General Coach Canada in Hensall Ontario.

“The incredible response to our line of rental cabins since their launch in the summer of 2008 has been unprecedented” says Roger Faulkner President of General Coach Canada.

Faulkner states, “When the RV industry started to slow down in 2007, 2008 the

writing was on the wall as to the future of General Coach Canada, we had to look outside the park for other products that we could build”. The other product that General Coach Canada chose to pursue is simply an extension of the top of the line Park Model they were already manufacturing.

We knew we had a winner when we were chosen as a “Preferred Vendor” for KOA (Kampgrounds of America) to build Lodges for their Canadian franchisees.

The major challenge for most campgrounds today is to locate the extra cash needed, which will enable them to purchase the cabins. This predicament is

The lease to purchase plan being launched will allow all campgrounds to now enter the extremely lucrative rental market.

prevalent due to the fact that most banking institutions in Canada routinely struggle to understand the campground model.

Over the past 20 years Nationwide Leasing has established, a proven track record when it comes to leasing equipment to the hotel and lodging industry.

That said they were anxious to entertain a lease to purchase plan for all General Coach Canada’s clients.

General Coach Canada prides itself on producing the very best park model in the industry today when one talks about quality, fit and finish, service and innovation. Their new line of rental cabins is just one more example.

For more information please contact: General Coach Canada 519-262-2600 or visit their web-site at www.generalcoachcanada.com

or Nationwide Leasing 604-277-9294 www.hotelsupplycanada.com

Yellowstone National Park concessioner Xanterra Parks & Resorts has – for years – been leading the charge to make environmental preservation and sustainable operations a top priority.

And the results – measured, documented and available to the public – prove the company’s programs are working.

Many of Xanterra’s programs are highly creative, a necessity when one’s operations are in remote areas.

For example, a team of Xanterra employees developed and installed equipment that allows 10,000 gallons of cooking oil annually to be injected into the boiler system for fuel, replacing the need for diesel fuel in the boiler and petroleum-based heating

oil. Introduced in 2008 and now being implemented in other Xanterra locations, the system significantly reduces annual carbon dioxide emissions as well as fossil fuels needed to transport the cooking oil offsite for recycling.

Xanterra received Environmental Achievement Awards from the National Park Service and Department of Interior for this project.

Last year, Xanterra diverted 73 percent of its

solid waste from landfill disposal.

Teamwork is critical for a successful environmental program and Xanterra works closely with the West Yellowstone Continued next page

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Compost Facility to turn a large part of its waste into compost. More than 2.2 million pounds of compost was produced from park waste and re-used for landscaping projects, and by farmers and residents throughout the region.

Another example of innovative sustainable operations can be found in the company’s guest room amenities.

Vegetable-based, wastereducing soaps are shaped like oval doughnuts with the middle – the part of the

soap that is often unused by hotel guests – missing.

The design change with something as simple as a bar of soap illustrates how every solution aimed at even seemingly small issues can have measurable benefits for the planet.

The new soap design is keeping tons of waste material from entering the planet.

In addition, shampoo and lotion are now in biodegradable bottles so more than 280,000 plastic bottles – and nine tons of waste – are eliminated from the waste stream annually.

Xanterra installed a massive tunnel washer and water recovery system in its laundry facility that saves 3,500 gallons of water daily. Xanterra annually washes some 2.2 million pounds of laundry.

“Sometimes the environmental challenges in a one-of-a-kind place like Yellowstone can be daunting, but our employees are utterly committed to continually finding ways to improve the environmental aspects of the way we do business,” said Beth Pratt, environmental affairs director for Xanterra Parks & Resorts in Yellowstone.

“We often find ourselves coming up with new ideas

and sometimes even developing our own machines and systems to meet these challenges.”

Another example of environmental teamwork in the park is the development of a first-of-its-kind machine to recycle propane canisters from campgrounds.

Funded by Xanterra, the National Park Service and other park partners for the specific purpose of minimizing propane canister waste, the awardwinning machine converts canisters into scrap metal.

More than 15,000 canisters were processed and diverted from the landfill in 2009.

New Berlin, PA – The Virtual Outdoor Hospitality Expo, slated for November 1-3 of this year on the Internet, has announced the names of the initial sponsors and exhibitors who have already committed to have a presence at the show.

Campground Expo, the Expo’s production company has also announced members of the Advisory Board who are assisting in the production of the event. At this writing, 20 of the most prestigious suppliers of goods and services to the industry will be at the Expo designed to provide all outdoor hospitality businesses an opportunity to learn, network, and shop from the convenience of their office or home.

Perhaps because of the low-cost of exhibiting and the absence of ancillary costs usually associated with an event of this type, the Expo has already acquired 8 Gold or Silver Sponsorships and 4 Media Sponsorships, from the initiall 21 participants.

The Gold Sponsors are: Best Parks in America & David Gorin Associates, Leisure Interactive (dba: Friend Communications), MCPS for Campgrounds, and Pelland Advertising.

Silver Sponsorships are: Checkbox Systems,

names as they formally register.

Evergreen Insurance & Leavitt Recreation and Hospitality Insurance.

Media Sponsors for the Expo include: Ask Turf & The Park and Rec Trades, Campground & RV Park eNews and Woodalls Campground Management.

The Expo is still seeking a Platinum or Title Sponsor whose name will appear above the Expo.

Exhibitors who have joined the growing list of exhibitors are: AGS, CA World Wi-Fi, Campground Automation, Campground Manager, Campground Master, Leisure Systems (Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts), Pinnacle Park Homes, Trailer Life & Good Sam Clubs and Woodalls. It’s worthwhile to notice that industry giant Affinity Group is extremely well represented at the Expo.

There are 14 other businesses, plus several state or regional outdoor hospitality associations who have committed to the Expo, but who have not yet submitted their paperwork, therefore their names have been withheld at the present time. Producers will be announcing their

Art Lieberman and Deanne Bower the Expo’s producers have been fortunate in acquiring the services of industry leaders for the Advisory Board of the Expo.

The Board has held several meetings to discuss policy, innovation, marketing and the educational portion of the event. Many of the Board members have been part of the event planning since the very idea of the Expo occurred.

Deb Kohls of Leisure Interactive will be organizing and supervising the Educational portion of the Expo which includes Keynote speakers, webinars and the “Open Forum” discussions held during the three days of the Expo.

David Gorin’s huge experience in the Campground Industry has made him invaluable to the Board. As a past President of ARVC and an instructor in campground management he has insights into that industry that few people have.

Peter Pelland has dozens of years of experience working with campgrounds and campground associations alike on their websites and in advertising.

Peter has been a sponsor of many of the State and

Art Lieberman Regional shows, particularly in the Northeast.

Jim Ganley of Checkbox Systems has been a major influence in campground’s recognition of having Wi-Fi at their facility. He also has been an advocate of assisting in informing campgrounds about PCI Compliance.

Finally, Chris Hipple of Leavitt Recreation and Hospitality Insurance has recently joined the Advisory Board. Chris has experience outside of the campground industry but in outdoor recreation adding his knowledge and ideas.

The Producers are currently working on acquiring more exhibitors and planning the blitz of advertising to possible attendees which they believe will draw a huge audience to their innovative event.

For further information on the Expo contact Campground Expo at 877-901-EXPO. Booth and Sponsorship applications are online at: www.outdoorhospitalityexpo.com.

Their fax number is 866-605-1388.

SANTA CLAUS, IN-----Lake Rudolph Campground & RV Resort will open for their 52nd season next Friday, April 2, with the addition of 12 new Super King Size Rental RVs. With the addition of these new rentals Lake Rudolph now offers three different options of Rentals RVs; 38 foot Standard Size Rental RVs, 44 foot King Size Rental RVs and the new 44 foot Super King Size Rental RVs. The Super King Size Rental RVs are similar to the King Size Rentals, but are enhanced with a full shower in the master bedroom, larger kitchen appliances including a smooth top stove and an expanded dining area that now seats six people.

All of the rentals sleep four adults and four children.

“Visiting us during our offseason is a great way for

families to save money and to enjoy the serenity of the campground before our busy summer season,” says Philip Koch, owner of Lake Rudolph Campground & RV Resort.

“This year the new Super King Size Rental RVs will offer yet another family lodging option for our guests.”

The closest lodging to Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, Lake Rudolph features 216 family lodging options including rental RVs and cabins. The campground also offers 200 full-hookup RV sites, including 100 sites with concrete pads. The resort also includes 40 tent sites with water and electric.

BROOKSVILLE — This was the trip that would bring them the jackpot.

Doris Siegel and a friend boarded a plane to Amsterdam in August 2008 for a $1 million payout, money that would finally prove that the Nigerian lottery she'd told friends and neighbors about was no scam.

Siegel and her friend met with five men who called themselves Nigerian businessmen, authorities said. They were taken to the basement of a building and told they would need another $10,000 to see the big money.

In the months that followed, Siegel's luck

SAUBLE BEACH, Ontario - The owner of Winding River Campground has appealed a decision to designate property abutting the campground for a sewage plant.

Tim Cosstick, owner of the 75-site campground, said he hired a planning consultant in his bid to have the plant moved.

In Februrary, officials approved a zoning change

turned from bad to worse, culminating in her arrest last week on organized fraud charges.

Brooksville police have accused the 78-year-old retiree of duping friends, neighbors and even her pastor out of more than $1 million.

Siegel remains at the Hernando County Jail with bail set at $50,000. But when police took her into custody last week, Turner said, Siegel pleaded with them to place her on house arrest so she could be home to answer a call she just knew was coming from one of her Nigerian business partners.

Full Article: www.tampabay.com

to allow the plant to be built on 80 acres of what is now agricultural land.

Cosstick and others have complained that the environmental assessment did not take into account the campground business nor the ability of the Sauble River to handle the effluent from the plant.

Full Article: www.owensoundsuntimes.com

Window Collisions Q: A bird keeps flying into my window. Why is it doing this? I’m afraid it will hurt itself—what should I do?

A: The behavior you mention often occurs in spring.

This is the time of year when most birds are busy establishing their territories, finding a mate, laying eggs, and raising their young.

They are very protective of their territory and will attack and try to drive away any bird they view as a possible competitor or a threat to their young.

When they see their own reflection in your window, they assume they’re seeing a competitor and so they attack their own image. Both males and females may do this, especially species that often nest close to houses, such as American Robins, Northern Cardinals, Chipping Sparrows, and Song Sparrows.

This territorial reaction may be so strong that the bird may exhaust itself, but it usually doesn't result in fatal injury.

Try covering the outside of the window with netting or fabric so the reflection is no longer visible. You can also try drawing soap streaks across the window to break up the reflection.

You will probably be able to take down the netting and remove the soap several weeks later, when passions aren't running quite so high.

North Hollywood, CA, March 30, 2010 – The RV Buddies video review of the Carriage Cameo 37FB3 is LIVE on RVBuddiesOnline.com for viewing now.

Carriage is a company known for producing elegantly designed, highquality products that they promise is “a new world of resort vehicles.”

Carriage’s Cameo fulfills that promise. “We expected a stylish, highquality RV,” says RV Buddies Host Mark

Summers, “but we never expected it at such an affordable price.”

RV Buddies took a close look at the 37FB3, a fifth wheel with the split bathroom arrangement. At 37 feet, the layout is both convenient and practical, featuring an entertainment/kitchen slide out, a dinette/sofa slide out and a queen bed on a slide out.

There’s plenty of workspace in the kitchen that features full-height

cabinets, stainless steel sinks and a linoleum floor - which is a great design feature for keeping an RV clean.

“With the quality cabinetry throughout, an optional island counter in the kitchen, a fireplace and an entertainment center, the Cameo 37FB3 really sets itself apart,” says Summers.

The vehicle features two well-appointed half baths and the bedroom comes with a standard residential-sized queen bed or an optional RV king sized bed.

“Throughout the designs and materials are neither frilly or trendy,” says Summers, “Just welldesigned quality that you will be able to live with for years to come.”

In addition to their welldeserved reputation as a company that produces quality designed and built

vehicles, Carriage is also a company committed to being "Green." Throughout the manufacturing process, materials and processes are designed to protect the environment while building a coach that will last the test of time.

It is true that the beauty is in the details. If you are looking for a quality coach that can fill all your fulltiming needs, and don't want to break the bank doing it - then the Carriage Cameo is a product that should be on your shopping list.

To see the review, photos and floor plan, go to RVBuddiesOnline.com.

Videos stream easily on any internet connection and are available 24/7 – always for free.

For more information contact Mark Summers at Mark@RVBuddiesOnline.com.

CA- Two people were shot to death early Monday inside a recreational vehicle in an unincorporated area between Corona and Lake Elsinore, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said, according to The Press Enterprise.

Early findings suggest it may have been a murdersuicide, a sheriff's investigator said.

Deputies were called about 4:30 a.m. to the Glen Ivy Recreational Vehicle Park in the 24600 block of Glen Ivy Road, where a caller reported hearing shots fired, the Sheriff's Department said in a news release.

Park security guards informed deputies that two people were found unresponsive inside one of the park's motor homes, both suffering from gunshot wounds. The deputies entered the RV and determined that the two, a

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - An early evening fire created a brief scare at the Ocean Lakes Family Campgrounds in Myrtle Beach on Sunday.

Firefighters were called to Octopus Drive shortly before 5 p.m. on reports of smoke billowing from an unoccupied trailer. A

man, 57, and a woman, 50, were dead.

Their identities and relationship to each other were being withheld pending notification of family members.

"It appears to be a murdersuicide," said sheriff's Sgt. Scott Brown, of the department's Central Homicide Unit, who was on scene with the investigation, "but we're not going to have a final conclusion until we interview family members."

Late Monday, Brown would not speculate on a motive for the shootings.

The RV park's management could not be reached for comment Monday evening. Its Web site describes the park as a full-service RV resort and campground off Interstate 15 near Temescal Canyon Road.

Full Article: www.pe.com

spokeswoman for the campgrounds says while the trailer suffered interior damage, the exterior was left untouched.

Fire officials have not released what sparked the fire. No other trailers were threatened or damaged in the incident.

We’re accustomed to being toted around from place to place on vacation — cruise ships, anyone? — but the Rotel takes the concept to new heights.

The bright red hotel-onwheels from Rotel Tours has 24 seats and 26 capsule-sized sleeping areas for trip participants.

The sleeping berths on the custom-modified Mercedes 0404 don’t exactly sound comfortable. Each bed measures six feet long, and the ceilings are just three

feet high — a claustrophobic traveler’s nightmare.

The Rotel also lacks showers, but it does have a kitchen and toilet. And when possible, the Rotel stops at shower-equipped campgrounds at its tour stops in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Think of it like a campsite on wheels.

The concept for GuestReviews.com first emerged in 2002 when Bob MacKinnon of MacKinnon Campground Consulting developed an economical and effective feedback tool to help individual RV Parks & Campgrounds improve guest loyalty and profits.

Today, GuestReviews provides web-based guest satisfaction surveys for approximately 4,000 parks affiliated with the National Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds through their GoCampingAmerica.com website. Confidential survey results are compiled on a real-time basis and made available to individual parks through password-protected access.

Bob MacKinnon - Founder Bob is a widely recognized and highly respected consultant and talented speaker. During his 40year career in the fields of hospitality and customer service, he has developed and utilized feedback tools that have directly improved guest loyalty and business performance.

Bob brings to GuestReviews his expertise in developing and utilizing state-of-the-art survey techniques, helping his clients build on their strengths and correct their weaknesses. According to Bob, “Successfully building

Bob MacKinnon customer satisfaction and loyalty is all about the customers’ perspective and whether they rant or rave about their recent experience.”

Bob's background and experience: Over 30 years managing Disney resort operations, using guest satisfaction surveys to improve services, facilities, and profits.

Hands-on development & implementation of operating and service standards for Disney Hotels and Campgrounds in Florida & California.

Over 13 years in campground consulting and operation, serving both private and public agency clients.

Nationally-recognized campground industry expert and seminar leader.

Instructor, Regent, and Chairman of the National School of RV Park & Campground Management.

Board service with ARVC, CalARVC, and the ARVC Foundation.

Please contact Bob directly at: Bob@GuestReviews.com

By Larry

Campgrounds need shelters so that campers are not caught in storms with only tents to protect them. RV parks and RV vehicles used in campgrounds also need more durable shelters, since strong winds and tornadoes make RVs unsafe.

way to be safe from these storms: stay out of them.

If caught in one, get out of it by taking shelter. If there is no shelter close by, get down on the lowest available place, such as a ditch or low spot on the ground.

Lighting and flying debris are the biggest danger.

Ideally, shelters should be within five minutes of the people who use them. If they are underground there should be air vents and clear markings so that searchers going through rubble can find them easily in case debris happens to cover them.

The best precaution is a warning system. On days when storms are predicted post a notice or fly a red flag. Strive for an hour’s advance warning for approaching storms and no less than 15 minutes. There may also be people who cannot walk, who are asleep or ill and need assistance.

There should be water, lighting, flashlights and first aid supplies and some means of communication such as cell phone.

“Mindset” about thunderstorms is the key.

In a nutshell: assume that summer storms will be violent. “Violent” means lightning, hail and strong wind. There is only one

Beyond a warning system that is effective and instant it would also be good to have a check system, whereby every camp site and RV spot is checked for people who may not have heard the warning or who need assistance.

Washington, DC - The U.S. Travel Association has announced the formation of a “Blue Ribbon Panel for Frictionless Security” to create a vision for the world’s most secure, efficient and customerfriendly air travel security screening process. The group, formed on the heels of the attempted Christmas Day bombing, features prominent security and facilitation experts, including Tom Ridge, former Secretary of Homeland Security, Robert Crandall, former president and CEO of American Airlines, Jim Turner, former Democratic Congressman and Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Dave Bronzek, president and CEO of FedEx Express and Sam

Gilliland, president and CEO of Sabre Holdings.

Recent research reveals growing traveler frustration with the air travel security screening process and a significant negative economic impact from fewer travelers flying due to unnecessary “hassles.” A February travelhorizons survey by the U.S. Travel Association revealed that 84 percent of travelers negatively equate air travel security screening with the process they experience at their local department of motor vehicles and 80 percent believe that customer service can be enhanced with strengthening security.

“The U.S. Travel Association understands

the frustration of American travelers, and we, too, believe there is a better way,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association.

“We’re bringing together the foremost experts on air security to create a vision for a process that maximizes security and minimizes the burden on air travelers. Two million Americans who travel by air daily are in need of a champion in Washington.”

The panel includes experts in aviation security, queuing, technology, privacy and economics (see below for full list of panel). U.S. Travel will also solicit the opinions of frequent travelers.

The panel will provide a fresh evaluation of the air

travel security system, exploring new technologies and best practices from around the world. Setting politics and current cost constraints aside, the panel will engage in a fact-based analysis of: •Process improvements; •Technology; •Human capital management; •Physical infrastructure; •Capital investments; and •Privacy protections.

The group expects to deliver a blueprint for a secure and efficient air security screening system to Members of Congress and the Obama Administration in the summer of 2010.