The Site International Board of Directors had a world of extraordinary destinations before them but they chose Orlando, Florida to serve as the home for 2013 Site Global Conference. The event will be held 6-8 December 2013 at the Loew’s Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando®. On an annual basis this event brings together professionals from over 40 countries who focus on creating excellence and establishing standards in the motivational experiences industry. [Read more...]
Luxury Travel Ltd (a long established specialist in luxury privately guided and fully bespoke holidays in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand) is expanding its reach with the launch of representative office in London.
PRLog (Press Release) – Jan 08, 2012 -
Hanoi, Vietnam, January 08, 2012 – Luxury Travel Ltd (a long established specialist in luxury privately guided and fully bespoke holidays in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand) is expanding its reach with the launch of representative office in London. This office will service UK and Ireland travel agents and tour operators from Jan 2012.
SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), one of the world’s leading organizations for meeting and event professionals, has selected Hotel Nikko San Francisco for its prestigious Annual Spirit Award. The Spirit Award honors an organization extensively involved in helping people in need. The award will be presented at PCMA’s 56th annual meeting, January 8-11, in San Diego.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jan. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Discover the World Marketing has created a global sales division to respond to strong growth and diversification of its client portfolio. The new division is headed by Vice President of Global Sales David Lee. Lee is responsible for managing client relationships and Discover’s vast global network operations of 85 offices in 60 countries and nearly 500 personnel. Also newly appointed to his team include Director of Global Airline Sales Steve Harrison based in London and Director of Hospitality Sales Lisa Pisaturo, based at Discover’s Scottsdale headquarters.
“These appointees bring crucial experience that enhances our position as the best outsourcing sales and marketing company for the travel industry,” said Jenny Adams, CEO of Discover the World Marketing. “With these appointments we are taking our global business to a new level. David and his global account team work directly with Discover’s offices to ensure continued excellent performance with the goal of maximizing our clients’ revenues and providing direction for our BPO center in Asia.”
Lee has 15 years of global travel industry experience including nine with American Express, where he ran new product development and global airline strategy and was a principal consultant for advisory services, managing global client relationships such as Microsoft and Intel. Lee’s previous experience includes working for Sabre and IExplore.com where he was director of business development. He is an undergraduate in International Business from Washington University in St. Louis and has a Masters from Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Harrison brings a senior level of global airline experience through his varied career with British Airways where he served most recently as general manager for Africa and the Middle East. He gained his international credentials by managing projects and programs in Mexico, Central America, India, the Middle East and Africa. With Discover, Harrison’s focus will be on managing Discover’s global airline portfolio.
Pisaturo recently worked as a marketing and operations consultant for numerous international hotel brands. She gained her hospitality experience from positions at Walt Disney Attractions and Cruise Lines and strong agency perspective at AAA of Northern California, where she was responsible for supplier relations and marketing. Her career started with Certified Vacations where, among other duties, she managed international product development. Pisaturo holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Boston University in Communications.
For more information about Discover the World Marketing, visit discovertheworld.com, or call (480) 707-5566 or +44 207 107 2303.
About Discover the World Marketing
Discover the World Marketing has earned a reputation as a leader in global travel distribution and its success in developing a worldwide network of 85 offices in more than 60 countries capable of exceptional representation performance is unmatched. With a portfolio of 71 clients utilizing its sales, marketing and business process outsourcing services, Discover the World Marketing remains a dominant innovator for the travel industry.
Partnership has Raised Awareness of Mexico as a Meetings Destination and Increased the Flow of Group Business to the Country
MCLEAN, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Cvent, the world’s largest cloud-based provider of event management, venue selection and web survey solutions, today announced that its one-year-old partnership with Mexico Meetings Network (MMN) has successfully helped to increase the flow of group meetings and events business to destinations in Mexico. Under the partnership, Cvent and MMN are working together to provide Convention & Visitor Bureaus (CVBs) and venues in Mexico with integrated online marketing packages that showcase Mexico cities and properties to highly-qualified meeting and event planners.
NEW YORK, Jan. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Jonathan Tisch, the Chairman of Loews Hotels and Co-Chairman of the Board of Loews Corporation, today announced that Paul W. Whetsell will join Loews Hotels as President and Chief Executive Officer effective January 17. He succeeds Jack Adler, who is retiring from the company.
Whetsell, who holds a Bachelor of Arts from Davidson College, has more than 35 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Most recently he served as a member of the Board of Directors of Virgin Hotels, providing strategic guidance in its operations and property acquisition activities. In 1987 he founded the original CapStar Hotel Company, which became one of the industry’s largest owners with over 110 hotels and $3 billion in assets.
In 1998, CapStar was divided into Meristar Hospitality Corporation and Meristar Hotels and Resorts, which became Interstate Hotels & Resorts in 2002. Mr. Whetsell served as Chairman and CEO of Meristar Hospitality Corporation until the company was sold in 2006. He served as Chairman and CEO of Interstate Hotels & Resorts until 2003, remaining Chairman until 2009.
“With Paul’s tenure and experience in the industry, and now in his role as our new President and CEO, we will continue to operate the unique properties in our portfolio, while also looking for additions to the company through acquisition, development and management,” said Tisch.
“I am extremely excited to be joining Jon and the Loews Hotels team. Loews has a long tradition of owning and operating high quality hotels and delivering great guest experiences,” said Whetsell. “Working in partnership with Jon, our objective is to further develop and grow the brand while delivering superior financial operating results.”
Loews Hotels Announces Appointment of Paul W. Whetsell as President and Chief Executive Officer
NEW YORK, Jan. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Jonathan Tisch, the Chairman of Loews Hotels and Co-Chairman of the Board of Loews Corporation, today announced that Paul W. Whetsell will join Loews Hotels as President and Chief Executive Officer effective January 17. He succeeds Jack Adler, who is retiring from the company.
Whetsell, who holds a Bachelor of Arts from Davidson College, has more than 35 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Most recently he served as a member of the Board of Directors of Virgin Hotels, providing strategic guidance in its operations and property acquisition activities. In 1987 he founded the original CapStar Hotel Company, which became one of the industry’s largest owners with over 110 hotels and $3 billion in assets.
In 1998, CapStar was divided into Meristar Hospitality Corporation and Meristar Hotels and Resorts, which became Interstate Hotels & Resorts in 2002. Mr. Whetsell served as Chairman and CEO of Meristar Hospitality Corporation until the company was sold in 2006. He served as Chairman and CEO of Interstate Hotels & Resorts until 2003, remaining Chairman until 2009.
“With Paul’s tenure and experience in the industry, and now in his role as our new President and CEO, we will continue to operate the unique properties in our portfolio, while also looking for additions to the company through acquisition, development and management,” said Tisch.
“I am extremely excited to be joining Jon and the Loews Hotels team. Loews has a long tradition of owning and operating high quality hotels and delivering great guest experiences,” said Whetsell. “Working in partnership with Jon, our objective is to further develop and grow the brand while delivering superior financial operating results.”
About Loews Hotels
Headquartered in New York City, Loews Hotels owns and/or operates 18 hotels and resorts in the U.S. and Canada, including its newest, the 414-room Loews Atlanta Hotel that opened April 1, 2010. Located in major city centers and resort destinations from coast to coast, the Loews portfolio features one-of-a-kind properties that go beyond Four Diamond standards to delight guests with a supremely comfortable, uniquely local and vibrant travel experience. Loews boasts some of the industry’s most innovative and successful travel programs, including Loews Loves Kids for families and Loews Loves Pets for discerning animals on the road. For reservations or more information on Loews Hotels, call 1-800-23-LOEWS or check www.loewshotels.com.
Headquartered in New York City, Loews Hotels owns and/or operates 18 hotels and resorts in the U.S. and Canada, including its newest, the 414-room Loews Atlanta Hotel that opened April 1, 2010. Located in major city centers and resort destinations from coast to coast, the Loews portfolio features one-of-a-kind properties that go beyond Four Diamond standards to delight guests with a supremely comfortable, uniquely local and vibrant travel experience. Loews boasts some of the industry’s most innovative and successful travel programs, including Loews Loves Kids for families and Loews Loves Pets for discerning animals on the road. For reservations or more information on Loews Hotels, call 1-800-23-LOEWS or check www.loewshotels.com.
New index also uncovers most-booked destinations, busiest travel weeks and top travel routes for 2011
CHICAGO, Jan. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — An improving economy and a pent-up demand for travel resulted in a strong year in 2011 for the travel industry and a bright outlook for 2012 with London, Austin and Chicago projected to be among the top destinations this year. Orbitz today released its “Look Back, Look Ahead” Insider Index, examining 2011 travel and projecting top destinations and travel trends for the year ahead.
THE 2012 TRAVEL SCENE: A LOOK AHEAD
The Orbitz team of travel experts and editors have coupled their industry experience with consumer booking data and analysis of millions of consumer searches to unveil the best destinations, top hotel perks and travel trends to watch for 2012.
Hotspots for 2012
London: London will mark its place in history as the only city to host the modern Olympic Games three times when it welcomes the 2012 games this summer. “London is expected to attract more than 10,000 athletes and hundreds of thousands more spectators for the games July 27 – Aug. 12,” said Nic Bryant, London destination expert and regional director for Orbitz Worldwide. In late June, the city will also host one of its most beloved events, Wimbledon, where spectators can watch some of the best tennis champions compete on the court.
Austin: The trendiest part of Texas only seems to grow in popularity each year and 2012 will be no different, Orbitz experts predict. Regarded as a music lover’s mecca, tens of thousands of revelers flock to the self-proclaimed “Live Music Capital of the World” every spring for the annual South by Southwest Festival, which takes place March 9-18 this year. And the excitement doesn’t end on that note. “This year, Austin is expanding outside of the music scene and dipping its toes into something new by hosting the first U.S. Formula 1 Grand Prix starting Nov. 18,” said Jerrold Broussard, Austin destination expert and regional director for Orbitz Worldwide.
Chicago: The city that attracts 40 million visitors a year is gearing up to welcome even more as it serves as the backdrop for two high-profile world events in 2012. The 12th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates will make its North American debut in Chicago in April followed by the G8 Summit in May. “The Nobel Peace Laureate and G8 are two of the biggest global annual events attracting hundreds of international high-profile leaders, dignitaries and organizations,” said Emmy Conway, Chicago destination expert and senior market manager for Orbitz Worldwide. For those who find their own version of peace on the back nine, Chicago will also host the Ryder Cup in September– a bi-annual international golf event eagerly followed by golf enthusiasts around the world.
San Diego: Whether a mountain adventurer or a coastal relaxer, there is something for everyone at a price that works in San Diego. And this year, there’s even more of a reason to visit this coastal city. The convention business is growing, but has yet to reach the peak levels attained during 2007. This, combined with an increase in supplier inventory, means great values throughout the city. “Hotels throughout the region will likely be looking to fill rooms and offer more competitive rates for leisure travelers,” said Lisa Kroll, San Diego destination expert and regional director for Orbitz Worldwide.
Washington, D.C.: A bit of a hush falls over the nation’s capital during election years with the Washington insider crowd outside the Beltway campaigning. “As candidates hit the campaign trail in 2012, more hotel rooms and flights have space available and that can add up to great deals for travelers looking to explore Washington, D.C.,” said Donna Mulligan, Washington, D.C. destination expert and regional director for Orbitz Worldwide.
Riviera Maya: Soft white sand and beautiful aqua water make Mexico’s own Riviera an oasis for travelers seeking relaxation. With its large hotel infrastructure—the biggest in Mexico—Riviera Maya has long been a shoo-in for travel deals. However, trending declines in visitors from foreign countries will make the area even more affordable in 2012. “With the combination of massive hotel availability and trending declines in European visitors to the region, travelers will be able to nab some great hotel deals,” said Antonia Pitta, Mexico destination expert and senior regional director for Orbitz Worldwide.
What Consumers Want Most in a Hotel in 2012
Orbitz prides itself on providing travelers with everything they need to know about hotels inside and out. Based on consumer search inquiries in 2011(1), Orbitz travel experts anticipate these popular perks will continue to drive consumers’ hotel booking decisions in 2012:
Convenient transportation: Whether driving or flying, travelers are looking for easy, no hassle ways to get to their destination. Free parking and airport shuttles are among the top-searched hotel amenities.
Pool: Swimming pools rank high on the list for both families traveling with kids and for those heading to spots like Las Vegas or Miami where it’s more about the scene (and being seen) than actually swimming. As one of the top-searched hotel amenities for the second year in a row, pools often determine whether a hotel option will sink or swim for a consumer.
The extras: Consumer searches show there is strong interest in hotel amenities that go beyond the basics. Four-legged companions are often seen as an integral part of the modern family. As such, search behaviors show that lots of travelers are seeking lodging that will accommodate their pets. There is also strong interest in hotels that provide spa services, fitness centers and wireless internet.
Orbitz Travel Trend Predictions for 2012
In-house travel experts at Orbitz also identified the top three travel booking trends for 2012.
Mobile: Mobile commerce is expected to nearly double in the U.S. next year(2) and many of those mobile consumers will be on-the-go travelers, Orbitz forecasts. “65% of hotel reservations made via our mobile channels are for same-day stays compared to 14% via traditional desktop browsers,” said Chris Brown, vice president of product development for Orbitz Worldwide. Orbitz also offers mobile bookers great deals with the recently launched “Mobile Steals,” exclusive, mobile-only discounts of up to 50% on hotels worldwide. Steals are available across all mobile channels including the mobile website (m.orbitz.com) and the latest versions of the Orbitz iPad, iPhone and Android apps.
Flash Sales: The number of flash sale sites rose more than 350% from July of 2009 to July 2011 and the popularity of such sites seems only to be growing.(3) “To meet consumers’ growing demand for limited-time deals, Orbitz recently launched ‘Insider Steals,’ weekly, members-only flash sales that offer 50% or more off handpicked hotels in top destinations around the world,” said Peggy Bianco, group vice president of global hotel services for Orbitz Worldwide.
Gift of Travel: Today, many consumers are finding more meaningful value in giving experiences and memories vs. products off store shelves. “We are seeing parents gifting travel for graduations and birthdays and more engaged couples are opting to register for activities for their honeymoons instead of a set of towels,” said Jeanenne Tornatore, senior travel editor for Orbitz.com. While most give the gift to help people explore somewhere new it can also be a subtle reminder, and the extra push some need, to visit loved ones who do not live nearby.
THE LOOK BACK ON 2011
The collection and in-depth analysis of U.S. consumer travel in 2011 provides a window into U.S. travel habits and preferences over the last 12 months.
Busiest Air Travel Weeks in 2011: For the third year in a row, Christmas week (Dec. 19 – Dec. 25) was the busiest travel week in 2011, followed by the week leading up to the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving week. Two summer weeks—the first week of August and the third week of June—rounded out the top five travel weeks as many consumers took advantage of the warm weather and kids being out of school.
Orbitz Insider Index: The Top Five Busiest Travel Weeks(4)
Top 2011 U.S. Destinations: The usual suspects are back atop the list of the 10 most popular U.S. travel destinations. Las Vegas and New York claimed the top two spots for the fourth year in a row. One surprise showing, however, came from Orlando, which nudged ahead of Chicago, bumping the Windy City down to number four.
2011 could be dubbed the year of the urban escape as U.S. travelers often opted for cities over sand. In fact, the following beach destinations on the 2010 list were notably absent in 2011 rankings: San Diego (#5 last year), Honolulu (#7), and Miami (#10). Meanwhile, Boston and Los Angeles—two top destinations for 2009—reemerged in 2011 and Denver (#6) and Atlanta (#8) were welcomed as newcomers.
Top 2011 International Destinations: The top three international travel destinations for U.S. travelers – Cancun, San Juan and London—held steady in the same slots as 2010. However, there was a bit of shuffling from 2010 with Paris moving up two spots to number four and Toronto climbing one spot to six. Additionally, Mexico had an impressive showing, adding three of its cities to the list.
Warm climates and adventure activities enticed consumers to hop flights to foreign destinations last year. In addition to scenic beaches, travelers benefitted from lower rates in Mexico City, Guadalajara and San Jose del Cabo, while Cancun stayed relatively unchanged.
Top 10 U.S. Travel Routes: The Big Apple took up a big slice of the Top 10 U.S. Travel Routes in 2011. New York City was the origin city for five of the top 10 route pairings last year for the second year in a row. The most popular travel route was New York to Chicago, followed by New York to Ft. Lauderdale – bumping the transcontinental New York-to-Los Angeles route down a notch from 2010 to number three. New York was again the most popular destination for travelers departing from Los Angeles and Chicago, as well.
(1) Amenities based on consumer search behavior on Orbitz.com in 2011.
(2) Mobile Commerce estimate from eMarketer, Nov. 2011
(3) Experian Hitwise report August 2011 http://weblogs.hitwise.com/heather-dougherty/2011/08/huge_growth_continues_for_flas_1.html
(4) Busiest travel weeks and individual days determined by total air bookings (domestic and international) made on Orbitz.com by 12/1/11 for travel between 1/1/11 and 12/31/11. Each seven-day period included travel booked Sunday through the following Saturday.
(5) Top U.S. destinations determined by total hotel and package bookings made on Orbitz.com by 12/1/11 for travel between 1/1/11 and 12/31/11.
(6) Top international destinations determined by total hotel and package bookings made on Orbitz.com by 12/1/11 for travel between 1/1/11 and 12/31/11.
(7) Most popular U.S. travel routes determined by U.S.-only air bookings made on Orbitz.com by 12/1/11 for travel between 1/1/11 and 12/31/11.
About Orbitz.com
Orbitz.com is a leading online travel company that enables travelers to search for and book an array of travel products and services, including flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and vacation packages. Since launching its website in June 2001, Orbitz.com has become one of the largest online travel sites in the world and has led the industry with innovations including the Orbitz Matrix Display and Orbitz Price Assurance. The Matrix Display revolutionized the way the travel industry displayed fares and makes it quick and easy for consumers to compare flights, rental cars and vacation packages. The Price Assurance program gives travelers confidence that they have the lowest Orbitz price on their flight or hotel. With Price Assurance, if another Orbitz customer books the same flight or prepaid hotel for less, we’ll send you a check for the difference — automatically. Orbitz.com also offers “Insider Steals” a weekly, members-only flash sale that provides exclusive deals of 50% or more off of handpicked hotels in top destinations around the world. On Orbitz.com consumers can search a broad range of suppliers worldwide. Orbitz.com is owned by Orbitz Worldwide. Stay connected to Orbitz.com with sale alerts, exclusive promotions and engaging conversations by following Orbitz on Facebook, Twitter and the Orbitz Travel Blog.
MEXICO CITY, June 7, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Mexico’s Meeting, Incentives, Congress, and Exhibitions business continues to grow, and has been ranked 22nd worldwide in the latest rankings by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). Mexico moved up five (5) places in the 2010 rankings from its 2009 ranking of 27th, in the number of events with a nearly 31 percent increase in meetings held in Mexico.
This comes to no surprise, as visitor arrivals to Mexico have been on the rise. Most recently, the Secretariat of Tourism (SECTUR) announced that in 2010 Mexico was the main destination for tourists from the United States by capturing 14.7 percent of overseas US tourism. This represents the highest number of U.S. travelers to Mexico since 2005, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.
“Destinations and entities continue to invest in infrastructure, equipment and services… But Mexico has much more to offer,” said Gloria Guevara Manzo, Mexico’s Secretary of Tourism, in a press release. “In order to continue our competitiveness, we will also promote less well-known destinations that can be of interest for international conventions.”
And international convention planners have clearly taken notice. In 2010, Mexico was host to 140 international conventions, many of them taking place in Mexico City. ICCA ranked Mexico City 15th on the international list of top cities for congresses and conventions, with more than 36,000 annual participants. Mexico City clinched the 5th spot in the Americas category, having hosted 43 conventions. International meetings are defined as those organized by international associations which take place on a regular basis and rotate between a minimum of three countries.
The conventions and meetings industry and tourism growth may be in part due to increased levels of investment in tourism projects. During the first trimester of 2011, more than US $900 million were spent on tourism projects in Mexico, according to the Secretary of Tourism. The investments represent a 127 percent increase from 2010. The Secretary of Tourism, has stated that “the resources were primarily allocated to projects relating to the areas of accommodations, real estate tourism, and the food and beverage industry.”
SOURCE: Ministry of the Economy, Mexico
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