JA That’s My City Contest 

Junior Achievement gratefully acknowledges the Destination and Travel Foundation, Tauck-Romano Innovative Philanthropy and Shop America Alliance for its support of the contest.

JA Worldwide^® has created program supplements to introduce students to exciting career opportunities in the travel and tourism industry, and also to demonstrate how this industry contributes to the vitality of every community in which it operates. The JA That’s My City Contest promotes further exploration of travel and tourism by providing a vehicle for students to highlight why their city or town is a great place to work, visit, and/or play by analyzing the local economy and its attractions.

Opportunity

The JA That’s My City Contest challenges young people to research the impact of travel, tourism, and hospitality on their communities. Students will engage community and industry leaders to identify the economic value of the industry in their cities and towns. As a result of this research, students are tasked to identify a need or opportunity that could be addressed through travel, tourism, and hospitality. Students will create a collateral piece to increase public awareness of the need or opportunity through promotion of potential solutions.

Criteria

• Applicants must have had at least one travel and tourism supplement as part of their JA program.

• Students are encouraged to utilize the Hospitality and Tourism Cluster on the JA Student Center as a point of research on the industry.

• Each submission must include a promotional piece of the individual or small groups’ choice. Some suggestions include a video, radio PSA, podcast, marketing packet, or web campaign.

• Each application should include a summary document detailing the results of the research that led to the selection. The summary should clearly outline the community and industry leaders engaged in the project, the research findings, a description of the need or opportunity, and the proposed solution.

Prizes

Prizes will be awarded to the best submission in each of the two categories outlined below.

Category 1 – Individual

• Attendance at the October 2010, U.S. Travel Association’s annual Marketing Outlook Forum.

• Registration, hotel accommodations, Forum meals, and airfare.

• Special meeting with the President & CEO of the U.S. Travel Association.

• Recognition before the entire conference.

• Letter of congratulations and a scroll of achievement from a senior officer of Junior Achievement and the chair of the Destination & Travel Foundation.

• Two luggage tags.

• Copy of the Power of Travel.

At the Marketing Outlook Forum, representatives from the travel industry gather for two days to hear the most recent forecasts and share the industry’s best marketing practices. The leading travel economists, analysts, and marketing experts focus on the current state of the industry and outlooks for all sectors.

Category 2 – Small Group (class, club, troop, team, etc.; maximum of five group members)

• Field visit with a behind-the-scenes tour of a significant local/regional travel, tourism, and/or hospitality facility. Onsite reception with a number of executives from different industry sectors available for interaction and networking with the group.

• Recognition of the group and its achievement through local media coverage, a declaration of congratulations from local authorities, and a plaque for the group.

• Letter of congratulations and a scroll of achievement for each participant from a senior officer of Junior Achievement and the chair of the Destination & Travel Foundation.

• Luggage tag for each participant.

• Copy of the Power of Travel for each participant.

Submission

Details of the submission process will be posted to this site in November and will include directions for download of the submission form, timeline, due dates, and review/judging criteria.

Links

JA That’s My City Marketing Brief

JA Travel and Tourism Supplements