International Travel Show in NYC Oct 28-30 Showcases Offerings, Innovations for Travelers

At the upcoming International Travel Show, Oct. 28-30 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in NYC, I Love NY, one of the sponsors, will showcase such destinations as Watkins Glen in the Finger Lakes, where you can enjoy exquisite hiking and camping © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

With tourists and travelers of all stripes returning to the skies, seas, roads, excitement is building for the International Travel Show, where travel industry players showcase their offerings and innovations. The International Travel Show will celebrate “The Future of Travel” from Friday, Oct. 28 to Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, with presentations, exhibits and cultural performances from global destinations, cruise lines, hotels, travel products and services to entice and inform consumers, travel trade, and media.

The three-day event’s format features travel trade and media exclusive sessions on Friday before opening to consumers the following two days.

A headline session for travel trade day will be a panel discussion on Sustainable and Responsible Tourism from high-level topic experts who have been leading major initiatives to mitigate negative impact of travel on the planet, including  Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism for Jamaica; Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Group; Shannon Guihan – Chief Sustainability Officer & Head of TreadRight-The Travel Corporation; Asta Lassesen, CEO Hurtigruten Expedition and Terry Dale, President and CEO of U.S. Tour Operators Association.

Among major travel industry players set to enliven the International Travel Show with interactive, entertaining, and informative exhibits:

Hotels & Resorts

An international benchmark for sustainable tourism, family-run Iberostar Hotels & Resorts offers unforgettable experiences at more than 100 properties in the best locations around the world. With all-inclusive resorts in Spain and Mexico, Sandos Hotels & Resorts strives to be unique and taps widespread community practices for efficient use of energy and natural resources to reduce its ecological footprint. Mexico-based Palace Resorts offers all-inclusive luxury at nine properties and low-carbon tourism that goes far beyond sustainability. Le Blanc Spa Resortsin Cancun and Los Cabos are adults-only gems, as evidenced by recent awards from Trip Advisor and a Readers’ Choice from Condé Nast Traveler.

Cruise Lines

The world’s third-largest cruise line, MSC Cruises is the leader in many corners of the globe, including Europe, South America, the Gulf, and Southern Africa, and boasts a strong presence in the Caribbean, North America, and the Far East as well. Celebrity Cruises aspires to impress, providing the best vacations possible and opening the world to make lives better while inspiring others to do the same. Known for driving innovation at sea, Royal Caribbean Internationalhas been redefining cruise vacationing for more than 50 years and still proudly pushes envelopes. The leading small ship travel company, Viking offers river, ocean, and expedition voyages on every continent and has 250+ awards, including a 2022 Travel + Leisure “World’s Best” and 2021 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice.

Tours and Expeditions

Australia-based Aurora Expeditions has been a leader and innovator in a competitive travel genre for 30 years, and it has a World Travel Award as “World’s Leading Polar Expedition” to show for it. The Travel Corporation provides travel experiences of a lifetime from a family of 40 award-winning travel and hospitality brands across 70 countries all over the globe. Psssst – Secret Italia Tours is a family boutique tour company offering a range of tours throughout Italy and Europe, from small group and private tours, to gulet cruises and custom itineraries. The Travel Bureau of Nepal organizes treks, expeditions, canyoning, culture tours, Shaman tours, and trips to Tibet, Bhutan, and Ladakh in India.

Destinations

I Love New York (ILNY), a sponsor of the travel show, is showcasing destinations including Finger Lakes Regional Tourism Council offering hiking, biking, wine tasting and more; and the Catskills such as Sullivan County Visitors Association,  named one of the best small towns to visit in 2022 for hiking, boutique hotels, and breweries by Travel + Leisure.  

Florida will be all over the International Travel Show with Visit Tampa Bay, the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Visit Central Florida, which promotes Polk County, working to drive tourism to the Sunshine State.  Sweet Home Alabama is the Alabama Tourism Department’s effort to promote the state nationally and internationally.

Across the Hudson River, the New Jersey Division of Travel & Tourism makes sure the Garden State blooms with visitors, vacationers, and tour groups.

The Caribbean will be widely represented at the International Travel Show. The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism communicates for all of the islands – close to 30 inhabited – of the unique and exciting destination. St. Martin and St. Maarten will promote the many unique, diverse, and friendly experiences waiting on “the Friendly Island” in the northeast Caribbean Sea. The Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Tourism is making the islands the premier island destination by delivering distinctive and diverse experiences while enriching the lives of residents and visitors. The British Virgin Islands Tourist Board has much to promote about its breathtaking islands surrounded by the sparkling sea, including Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, and Jost Van Dyke. The Jamaica Tourist Board is positioning the island nation as the preeminent tourist destination in the region.

Asia is represented by Tourism Malaysia, a melting pot of cultures offering urban exploration in one of its major cities, relaxation on the beaches, hiking in Borneo, or scuba diving around one of 800+ islands. And the name Wonderful Indonesia says it all, with a commitment to promote destinations in an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, and no end of experiences for local and international travelers to jump into between them.

Farther afield, Visit Estonia represents a small country that can make a big impression on travelers, with over 2,000 islands and Tallinn, its capital, as the best-preserved medieval city in Northern Europe.

The International Travel Show (ITS2022), presenting sponsor Travel + Leisure, is a prominent travel industry trade and consumer travel event in New York City featuring educational seminars and activations, a major exhibition with cultural and regional pavilions showcasing hundreds of travel companies and destinations from around the world. ITS2022 brings together the travel industry to address issues that are key to the future of travel and tourism, provide educational and informational seminars to travel professionals and the traveling public and serve as a platform for emerging solutions for the global tourism marketplace.  For more information, visit www.nyInternationalTravelShow.com   

Travel + Leisure Co. is a leading membership and leisure travel company, with nearly 20 travel brands across its resort, travel club, and lifestyle portfolio. The company provides vacation experiences and travel inspiration to millions of owners, members, and subscribers every year through its products and services: Wyndham Destinations, one of the largest vacation ownership companies with more than 245 vacation club resort locations across the globe, and one of the world’s foremost membership travel businesses that includes the largest vacation exchange company and subscription travel brands, travel content and travel services. Learn more at travelandleisureco.com.

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Top 25 ‘Extraordinary Minds’ in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, Revenue Optimization to be Honored at HSMAI Adrian Awards, Jan 21

HSMAI’s Top 25 for 2018. This year’s honorees will be presented at the Adrian Awards gala on Jan. 21 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel, New York City (c) Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

HSMAI’s Adrian Awards Dinner Reception and Gala, January 21, 2020, at the New York Marriott Marquis, recognizes inspiring best practices in sales and marketing for the hospitality industry. This multifaceted-event celebrates lifetime achievement; award-winning approaches to advertising, public relations, and digital marketing; and the teams that make it all happen. This black-tie networking extravaganza allows key constituents within the hospitality industry to connect with one another. With a crowd of nearly 1,000, it is a networking and celebratory event unlike any other.

The HSMAI Adrian Awards competition is comprised of multiple categories in three entry divisions: advertising, public relations, and digital marketing. Gold winners are celebrated at the Adrian Awards Gala Dinner Reception, which is co-sponsored by HSMAI, a leading hospitality and travel industry sales and marketing association, Google and TravelClick, and their work is showcased on-screen as part of the Gala opening. All winning entries are showcased in the online winner’s gallery.

One of the events of the evening is honoring the HSMAI Top 25 leaders in sales, marketing, and revenue optimization of hospitality, travel, and tourism organizations for their accomplishments in the preceding 18 months. Selected by a panel of senior industry executives, “Top 25” awardees are high achievers who stand out through their creativity and innovation, cutting-edge campaigns and programs, triumph in challenging situations and efforts that resulted in dramatic gains.

The HSMAI Top 25 Extraordinary Minds 2019 are as follows:

• Tammie Carlisle, Head of Hospitality, Milestone Inc.
• Leah Chandler, Chief Marketing Officer, Discover Puerto Rico
• Alex Ferdinand, Senior Director, Worldwide Sales, Best Western Hotels & Resorts
• Christen Garb, Vice President, Revenue Management-Americas, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
• Thomas Garzilli, Chief Marketing Officer, Brand USA
• Valerie Gavin, Vice President, Hotel Sales & Marketing, North & Central America, Accor
• Lisa Giaimo, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, OTO Development
• Kristie Goshow, Chief Marketing Officer, Preferred Hotels & Resorts
• Lauren Grech, CEO & Co-Founder of LLG Agency & LLG Events, and Adjunct Professor at New York University
• Linda Gulrajani, Vice President, Revenue Strategy & Distribution, Marcus Hotels & Resorts
• Patrick Harrison, Chief Marketing Officer, Visit Tampa Bay
• Matt Jones, Head of Analytics, Travel, Google
• Jonathan Kaplan, Vice President, Global Sales Strategy, IHG Hotels & Resorts
• Nancy Kern, Vice President of Marketing, Coral Tree Hospitality
• Jayna Leach, Vice President of Marketing, Visit Panama City Beach
• Caroline MacDonald, Vice President, Global Sales & Marketing, Rosewood Hotel Group
• Rene Mack, President, Percepture
• Starla Middlebrooks, Director, eCommerce Services, Marriott International
• Frank Passanante, Senior Vice President, Hilton Worldwide Sales Americas, Hilton Worldwide
• Derek Price, Director of Business Development, North America, Expedia Group Media Solutions
• Karin Salinas, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Baha Mar
• Monica Salter, Vice President of Corporate Communications, Outrigger Hospitality Group
• Phil Yi, Vice President, Marketing, Omni Hotels & Resorts
• Tony Yousfi, Vice President, Sales, MGM Resorts International
• Lou Zameryka, Director, Global Chains, Booking.com

Nominations for the Top 25 are reviewed by a panel of industry experts selected by HSMAI from among its membership and/or Board of Directors. HSMAI selects judges who have demonstrated exceptional leadership ability and have outstanding knowledge of the hospitality industry. Judges are held to the highest standards of integrity and commitment to honoring those individuals that have shown extraordinary leadership in our industry over the last 18 months. The entire judging process adheres firmly to these guiding principles and judges must recuse themselves from scoring any nomination that may present a conflict of interest. Nominations are scored on a scale of 1-10 for the results of their leadership for specific sales, marketing, and revenue management initiatives.

The evening celebration also includes:

» Gold Dinner Reception co-sponsored by HSMAI, Google and TravelClick, an Amadeus company, celebrating the Gold, Silver, and Bronze award winners
» Adrian Awards Platinum & Best of Show
» Corporate Social Responsibility Awards
» The Facebook Mobile Video Award
» Lifetime Achievement Awards: Lee Pillsbury, Bjorn Hanson
NEW! – The HSMAI Foundation Awards for Outstanding Efforts in Attracting, Developing & Engaging Hospitality Talent

Join the celebration honoring this year’s Top 25 by attending the HSMAI Adrian Awards Dinner Reception & Gala, January 21, 2020, at the New York Marriott Marquis.

Learn more and register.

The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is committed to growing business for hotels and their partners, and is the industry’s leading advocate for intelligent, sustainable hotel revenue growth. The association provides hotel professionals and their partners with tools, insights, and expertise to fuel sales, inspire marketing, and optimize revenue through programs such as HSMAI Digital Marketing Strategy Conference, Adrian Awards, and Revenue Optimization Conference. Founded in 1927, HSMAI is a membership organization with more than 5,000 members worldwide and 40 chapters in the Americas Region. Connect with HSMAI at www.hsmai.org, HSMAI Facebook, HSMAI Twitter, HSMAI YouTube.

See also:

HSMAI 2018 Adrian Awards Honor State-of-Art Travel Marketing Techniques that Get Back to People-to-People Basics

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SkiCom Announces 12 Winners of Dream Jobs at 6 Top Ski Destinations

Alex Broadstock and Kris Roller from Brooklyn, NY were selected by Ski.com for a Dream Job at Niseko United ski resort in Japan.

Twelve candidates have been chosen by Ski.Com to document what it’s like to experience it all at six top destinations around the world

Aspen, Colo.– Ski.com, one of the largest providers of ski vacations in North America, announced the 12 new hires for the second year of The Ski.com Dream Job.

Out of more than 1,500 applicants, Ski.com hired 12 mountain enthusiasts to document what it’s like to experience six top ski destinations in North America, Europe and Japan. In addition to being selected for an all-expense paid VIP experience, each individual new hire will receive $2,000; flights on United Airlines; gear from Stio, Black Crows, Giro and GoPro; custom forecasts from OpenSnow; and the opportunity to save our snow with Protect Our Winters.

“In the second year of The Ski.com Dream Job, we are blown away by the significant amount of submissions we received from people with a deep passion for skiing and snowboarding, mountains and travel,” said Dan Sherman, Ski.com’s chief marketing officer.”. “We are thrilled to send 12 talented content creators around the world for a VIP experience at six of the world’s top ski destinations. We can’t wait to watch as their adventures starting this January.”

Beginning in January, 2020, Ski.com will be sending teams of two to each of the following six locations: Aspen Snowmass, Colo.; Jackson Hole, Wyo.; Big Sky, Mont.; Banff and Lake Louise, Alberta; Chamonix, France; Niseko, Japan.

Ski.com Dream Job New Hires:

Chamonix Mont Blanc, France

Jack Botti and Max Rhulen from Bend, Oregon

Jack and Max bring strong photography and cinematography credentials to their bucket-list destination of Chamonix, France. As seen in their application video, they are both expert skiers with a passion for going big in powder and the park. Jack, grew up skiing in Oregon and Max grew up skiing the slopes of Colorado. Their sense of having fun in the mountains is infectious and Ski.com can’t wait to watch their Chamonix experience through their talent for capturing content and skiing big lines.

Application video: http://youtu.be/VtYsJOaFmW0

Niseko United, Japan

Alex Broadstock and Kris Roller from Brooklyn, NY

Alex and Kris are roommates, friends, skiers and accomplished content creators living in Brooklyn, NY. Alex was born in Taiwan and raised in Ohio and has continued to follow his passion for travel and inspiring others through his content. Kris grew up in New Hampshire, has been skiing since the age of three and is a former youth ski instructor. As documented in their submission video, Alex and Kris have captured breathtaking content from around the world but have yet to capture Niseko, Japan – an internationally renowned ski destination for deep powder.

Application video: https://vimeo.com/369188787

Aspen Snowmass, Colo.

Andrew Muse, Ashley LaMarre and Kicker the dog from Park City, Utah 

Andrew Muse has a huge following on his YouTube page, documenting his travels around the world often with fellow content creator and girlfriend Ashley and his internet famous dog named Kicker. Andrew and Ashley’s bright personalities and love for skiing will be a great fit for Aspen Snowmass, where they will have the opportunity to ski all four-area mountains and experience some of the best apres-ski, dining and nightlife in North America. Aspen is an incredibly dog-friendly town, from great winter hiking to doggy meus offered at local hotels, so Kicker will fit in well as he adventures around Aspen Snowmass.

Application video*: https://vimeo.com/369056018

*Andrew and Ashley originally applied for Chamonix however Ski.com has hired them for Aspen Snowmass

Jackson Hole, Wyo. 

Aaron Macrae and Matt Chick from Montréal, Canada 

Aaron and Matt, also known as The Rolling Van Creative, applied last year and also joined Jackson Lebsack, last year’s Dream Job hire, for a leg of his trip in British Columbia on their hometown turf in Canada. This year Ski.com is sending them to capture the best of Jackson Hole, one of the most iconic towns in the Rocky Mountain West.

Application video: http://youtu.be/0-BYMJ_KRQY

Banff and Lake Louise, Alberta

Jake Burchmore and Taylor Ahearn from Crested Butte, Colo. 

Jake and Taylor are professional photographers and filmmakers based in Crested Butte, Colo. Jake was born in Aspen, Colo and grew up in Telluride, Colo. skiing some of the most challenging slopes in North America. Taylor grew up skiing in his home state of Maine but followed his passion for skiing out west to Crested Butte. Jake and Taylor are expert big mountain skiers who will be experiencing Banff and Lake Louise for the first time during The Ski.com Dream Job. Jake and Taylor will be capturing the beauty of this iconic Canadian Rockies destination and experiencing the charming town of Banff.

Application video*: https://vimeo.com/369748491

*As reflected in their video Jake and Taylor initially applied for Japan however Ski.com has chosen them for Banff

Big Sky Resort, Mont.

Celia Miller from Frisco, Colorado and Ben Saheb from Steamboat, Colorado 

Celia Miller is a former professional snowboarder, full-time content creator and was the first female snowboard judge for The X Games. Celia has teamed up with professional videographer and photographer Ben Saheb who started his career at Steamboat TV 18. Ben is currently a freelance filmmaker and is the Director of Photography at Steamboat Powdercats, Celia and Ben will be capturing everything from riding the Big Couloir off Lone Peak to riding under the stars with guided headlamp night skiing.

Application video: https://vimeo.com/369205429

During the application process, which lasted from September 17 through October 29, 2019, interested job seekers submitted videos explaining in 90 seconds or less what made them the perfect candidate for The Ski.com Dream Job. Applicants needed to have a serious desire to travel to some of the most amazing mountain destinations in the United States, Canada and Japan; be an intermediate skier or snowboarder or above and excel at documenting new experiences.

For more about The Ski.com Dream Job new hires, visit the Ski.com blog at: https://www.ski.com/blog/ski-com-dream-jobs-new-hires-2020/.

To follow The Ski.com Dream Job new hires travel the world this winter, follow along at www.ski.com/dreamjob for updates, Ski.com’s Instagram, Ski.com’s Facebook page and the hashtags #skidreamjob and #tothemountains.

Founded in 1971 in the heart of Colorado ski country, Aspen-headquartered Ski.com is one of North America’s largest providers of mountain vacation packages and an industry leader in online travel technology. The company specializes in booking custom ski vacations at more than 120 of the most popular ski resorts and heli- and cat-skiing destinations in North America, Europe, Japan and South America and offers the largest collection of mountain lodging and ski-vacation components, including discounted lift tickets, flights, equipment rental, ski school, activities and more. Ski.com’s 70 Mountain Travel Experts average 26 years of experience in the ski travel industry.

 

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Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association to Honor Best in Advertising, Digital Marketing, Public Relations

HSMAI will celebrate 25 hospitality professionals as the Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Optimization at the Adrian Awards Gala © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is honoring the Gold Winners of the 2018 Adrian Awards for outstanding advertising, digital marketing, and public relations in hospitality and travel. Platinum and Best of Show winners will be unveiled at the HSMAI Adrian Awards Dinner Reception and Gala on January 22 at the New York Marriott Marquis.

After receiving close to 1,200 entries, HSMAI is presenting Gold Awards to one of the largest groups of winners in the Awards’ history, including 104 awards in Public Relations, 25 in Integrated Marketing, 89 in Digital Marketing, and 48 in Advertising. The 200 judges for this year’s awards are prominent members of the travel industry and subject-matter experts in advertising, digital marketing, media, and public relations.

View the complete list of Gold Award winners on the Adrian Awards website.

“The Adrian Awards are a rare opportunity to recognize the exceptional work being done in travel marketing,” said Fran Brasseux, executive vice president of HSMAI. “But just as importantly, we are also putting a well-deserved spotlight on the exceptional people behind that outstanding work.”

At the Adrian Awards Dinner Reception, co-sponsored by HSMAI, Google, and TravelClick, Gold winners’ submissions will be showcased on digital displays and honored during the dinner reception. Winners of the Gold Adrian Awards are considered for Platinum Adrian Awards and the “Best of Show” Awards, the Adrian Awards’ highest honor, which will be announced at the Adrian Awards Gala. All winning work will be showcased in the Winners Gallery on www.adrianawards.com following the Gala.

Two new awards will also take center stage at the Adrians this year. The first Facebook Mobile Video Award will be handed out as well as HSMAI honors for Leaders in Corporate Social Responsibility.

The evening’s celebration will also pay tribute to the HSMAI Top 25: Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, Revenue Optimization, who will be honored in a private reception and onstage at the Adrian Awards Gala.

The Adrian Awards, the CLIOs of the hospitality, travel and tourism industry, will also celebrate lifetime achievements in hospitality sales, marketing, and public relations. Harris Rosen, President and CEO, Rosen Hotels & Resorts, will be honored with the Albert E. Koehl Award for Hospitality Marketing. Steve Bartolin, Chairman of The Broadmoor, has been selected as the recipient of the 2018 Winthrop W. Grice Award for Public Relations. Stephen Powell, most recently SVP Worldwide Sales for IHG prior to retirement, is the recipient of the inaugural HSMAI Award for Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality Sales.

HSMAI also will celebrate 25 hospitality professionals as the 2018 HSMAI Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Optimization at the HSMAI Adrian Awards Gala and at a private reception on January 22, at the New York Marriott Marquis.

Every year, 25 of the hotel and travel industry’s best and brightest are selected by a panel of senior industry executives for the HSMAI Top 25 for demonstrating innovative thinking and exceptional results in the preceding 18 months.

“HSMAI is proud to draw well-deserved attention to the remarkable contributions of these 25 sales, marketing, and revenue optimization leaders,” said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHA, president and CEO of HSMAI. “The drive and creative thinking of the Top 25 Extraordinary Minds fuel advancement and inspire innovation across our industry, in addition to contributing to the success of awardees’ own hospitality, travel, and tourism organizations.”

The HSMAI Top 25 Extraordinary Minds are as follows:

• Jennifer Andre, Senior Director, North America and Latin America, Expedia Group Media Solutions
• Dustin Bomar, Head of Industry – Travel, Google
• Ronald Castro, Chief Strategist, Roca Marketing
• Christopher Crenshaw, CRME, Vice President, Digital Data Solutions, STR
• Fred Dixon, President & CEO, NYC & Company
• David Downing, President & CEO, Visit St. Pete/Clearwater
• Erica Doyne, Vice President, Marketing, AMResorts
• Gino Engels, Co-Founder & Chief Commercial Officer, OTA Insight
• George Galinsky, Senior Vice President Marketing Communications, Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment
• Darren Green, Senior Vice President, Sales, Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board
• Chad Hallert, CRME, CHDM, Vice President of Performance Marketing, Noble Studios
• Allison Handy, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Prism Hotels & Resorts
• Adam Hayashi, CRME, Vice President of Revenue Management, AccorHotels
• Carolyn Hosna, CHDM, Senior Director, Corporate Marketing, White Lodging
• Jay Hubbs, CHDM, Senior Vice President of E-Commerce and Digital Marketing, Remington Hotels
• Jodi Kern, Senior Director, Digital Merchandising, Marriott International
• Gil Langley, President & CEO, Amelia Island CVB
• Dave Lorenz, Vice President, Travel Michigan, Michigan Economic Development Corporation
• Sarah Murov, Vice President, Public Relations & Communications, Loews Hotels & Co
• Leticia Proctor, Senior Vice President, Sales, Revenue Management and Digital Strategies, PM Hotel Group
• Julie Scott, President, Colwen Hotels
• Jim Struna, CRME, Regional Director of Revenue, Rosewood Hotel Group
• Matt Teixeira, CHBA, Director of Sales, Best Western Hotels and Resorts
• Theresa van Greunen, Senior Director Corporate Communications, Aqua-Aston Hospitality
• Cherilyn Williams, Director, Global Portfolio Marketing, Marriott International

In addition to recognizing outstanding travel advertising, digital marketing, and public relations campaigns, HSMAI’s Adrian Awards Dinner Reception and Gala offers hospitality professionals an opportunity to connect for an evening of celebration with nearly 1,000 peers from their industry. Tickets can be purchased at www.adrianawards.com.

HSMAI will also host the 2019 Digital Marketing Strategy Conference at the New York Marriott Marquis, January 23. For more information, visit www.hsmai.org/digitalconference.

See: HSMAI’s 61st Annual Adrian Awards Honor Luminaries in Travel Marketing

The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) provides hotel professionals and their partners with tools, insights, and expertise to fuel sales, inspire marketing, and optimize revenue through programs such as HSMAI Digital Marketing Strategy Conference, Adrian Awards, and Revenue Optimization Conference. Founded in 1927, HSMAI is a membership organization of more than 5,000 members worldwide, with 40 chapters in the Americas Region. Connect with HSMAI at https://www.hsmai.org, www.facebook.com/hsmai, www.twitter.com/hsmai, and www.youtube.com/hsmai1.

 

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Best in Hospitality Industry Marketing to be Honored at HSMAI Gala; Hilton CEO Nassetta to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award

The 2014 HSMAI Awards recognize the “Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing” in the hospitality industry © 2015 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association is honoring the 2014 HSMAI Adrian Award lifetime achievement award winners during the HSMAI Adrian Awards Dinner Reception and Gala, February 23, 2015, at the New York Marriott Marquis.

This year’s recipients, Christopher J. Nassetta and Geoffrey Weill, have shown dedication to the travel and hospitality industry, driving unique and noteworthy advertising, marketing and public relations initiatives.

Christopher J. Nassetta, President & CEO, Hilton Worldwide, has been selected as the Albert E. Koehl Award for Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality Marketing recipient for 2014. “Chris has shown a dedication to the hospitality industry throughout his career, and is an ambassador for the global hospitality industry,” said Robert A. Gilbert president and CEO of HSMAI. “Since coming to Hilton, he has energized their brands, with a renewed focus on guest experience, strategic marketing, culture and innovation. He is most deserving and we are excited to present him with the Albert E. Koehl Award.”

Nassetta joined Hilton Worldwide in 2007 after serving as President and CEO of Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. for seven years. Prior to joining Host Hotels & Resorts, Nassetta co-founded Bailey Capital Corporation in 1991, where he was responsible for the operations of the real estate investment and advisory firm. 

Geoffrey Weill, President of WEILL, is the 2014 recipient of the Winthrop W. Grice Award for Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality Public Relations. “Throughout his career, Geoffrey has been hugely successful,” said Robert A. Gilbert, president and CEO of HSMAI. “He is knowledgeable and supportive of his fellow practitioners, offering advice and counsel and sharing opportunities with others. Geoffrey epitomizes everything that is good about public relations and continues to promote the joys of travel for visitors from first timers to sophisticated and discerning people.”

Weill opened his agency in 1995 and has worked in the tourism public relations industry since 1976, starting with the Israel Government Tourist Office, a client he continues to represent.

The HSMAI Adrian Awards Dinner Reception and Gala, February 23, 2015, at the New York Marriott Marquis, is a multifaceted, black-tie networking extravaganza celebrating award-winning work, lifetime achievement, and the “Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing.”

The event opens with a dinner reception before the Awards Presentation that includes Adrian Awards Platinum & Best of Show; American Express Loyalty Award; Leader in Sustainable Tourism Award, presented in conjunction with National Geographic Traveler; TravelClick eMarketer of the Year; Yahoo! Yodeler of the Year ; Albert E. Koehl Award for Marketing: Christopher J. Nassetta, President & CEO, Hilton Worldwide; and Winthrop W. Grice Award for Public Relations: Geoffrey Weill, President, WEILL.

For more information, visit www.adrianawards.com/gala/gala.asp.

 

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WTH’s Sean Tolkin Sets Record for Marathon at Sea; Raises $50,000 for Make-A-Wish

Sean Tolkin, business development director at World Travel Holdings, became the first American to run a marathon at sea, doing it in record time (3 hours 43 minutes) onboard Norwegian Breakaway, and raising $50,000 to benefit Make-A-Wish®, the official charity of WTH’s CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. divisions © 2013 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Sean Tolkin, business development director at World Travel Holdings, became the first American to run a marathon at sea, doing it in record time (3 hours 43 minutes) onboard Norwegian Breakaway, and raising $50,000 to benefit Make-A-Wish^®, the official charity of WTH’s CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. divisions.

The “Run Like a Champion, Cruise Like a Norwegian” marathon was held during the CruiseOne^® and Cruises Inc.^® National Conference. As of race time, Tolkin raised nearly $50,000 for the non-profit organization, that is dedicated to helping children feel stronger, more energetic and able to deal with their life-threatening medical conditions.

“I am beyond thrilled with the outpouring of support I received from my colleagues, friends, family and passengers leading up to and onboard Norwegian Breakaway this week,” said Tolkin, whose final laps were cheered on by hundreds of cruise agents attending the conference. “This marathon blended my love of the travel industry with my passion for running all in the name of a good cause, to benefit our signature charity Make-A-Wish.”

During the time it took Tolkin to run the 26.2 miles, or 210 laps around the track, the ship, Norwegian’s newest, traveled 74 nautical miles. Hundreds of onlookers cheered on Sean during each lap, with several agents and World Travel Holdings employees joining Sean for each mile.  As a result of the marathon, Make-A-Wish will be able to grant five wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Keri Rivera, corporate alliances manager for Make-A-Wish®; Sean Tolkin, business development director for World Travel Holdings, parent company of CruiseOne® and Cruises Inc. ®; and Captain Evans Hoyt, Norwegian Cruise Line® © 2013 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Combined with $53,000 raised by the 700 agents attending the national conference, CruiseOne^® and Cruises Inc.^® raised more than $103,000 for Make-A-Wish.

CruiseOne franchises home-based travel agencies; Cruises Inc. is a host network for home-based cruise agents who are independent contractors. For more information, visit www.CruiseOneFranchise.com or www.SellCruises.com. 

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Proposed Aviation Tax Increases Harmful to Travel Industry, Consumers, Says ASTA

ASTA is warning that increasing taxes on air travel "catastrophic for an industry already struggling to recover from the recent recession which saw millions of Americans curtail their travel." © 2011 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

The American Society of Travel Agents is calling upon the federal lawmakers to look elsewhere for money to close the budget deficit, saying that increasing aviation taxes would only serve to hurt the U.S. transportation industry and the consumers who rely on it.

“To place additional taxes on airline travel might assist with closing the budget gap in the short run, but such actions will no doubt have unintended, long-term negative consequences as consumers already faced with tight budgets cut back on air travel or eliminate it altogether,” said Tony Gonchar, ASTA CEO. “The results could be catastrophic for an industry already struggling to recover from the recent recession which saw millions of Americans curtail their travel.

“It won’t be just the airlines that feel the resulting pain, but travel agencies who sell air, hotels and resorts, cruise lines and car rental companies to name a few. The resulting loss of jobs would only serve to compound our current economic troubles, rather than alleviate them,” Gonchar added.

According to a release recently issued by the Air Transport Association of America, the industry’s non-income tax burden has grown from $3.7 billion in 1993 to approximately $17 billion today. In 2010, U.S. airlines and their passengers contributed $3.4 billion in taxes and fees to the Department of Homeland Security, including $2 billion in taxes and fees to the Transportation Security Administration – a 50 percent increase from the amount collected in 2002. Taxes on ARC-settled air fares sold by travel agents increased from 9.7 percent in 2001 to 16.63 percent in 2010.

The mission of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) is to facilitate the business of selling travel through effective representation, shared knowledge and the enhancement of professionalism. ASTA seeks a retail travel marketplace that is profitable and growing and a rewarding field in which to work, invest and do business.

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