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This week in Opportunities:

Hawaii Expected to Have Ample Lift Despite Airline Shutdowns
Opportunities Watch!
Opportunities Networking!
Executive Movers! See who's going where?
Travel Executive Employment Report

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OPPORTUNITIES NEWS & TRENDS

Hawaii Expected to Have Ample Lift Despite Airline Shutdowns

Hawaii tourism officials and a leading aviation analyst believe that strong demand for Hawaii travel will cause airlines to add service that will compensate for the recent shutdown of Aloha Airlines and ATA Airlines this week. "Hawaii remains an extremely popular vacation destination with January and February hotel occupancy averaging more than 80 percent statewide and increases in arrivals over the same period a year ago," said John Monahan, president and CEO of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB), the state's tourism marketing agency for North America. "We believe that airlines will respond to this strong demand for Hawaii and that visitors and residents will continue to enjoy convenient travel between the U.S. mainland and around our state."

Scott Hamilton, a Washington state-based aviation industry expert with Leeham Company LLC, said, "I don't see any threat to Hawaii's tourist market from the mainland from the failures for ATA and Aloha Airlines. At most there will be a short-term decline in seats from the U.S. mainland to Hawaii. Hawaiian Airlines has already announced some new service and it wasn't too long ago that Alaska Airlines entered Hawaii markets from the Mainland. I believe you'll see some selected route additions such as these. The bigger threat, if any, will be from fuel pricing."

Yesterday, Hawaiian Airlines announced that effective May 1, it will begin daily Boeing 767 service to Oakland, a major market for Hawaii travel formerly served by Aloha Airlines and ATA. "The primary focus for the next few days will be to help stranded ATA passengers find return flights to the U.S. mainland," said Monahan. "Many of Hawaii's hotels are offering special rates to ticket holders who are forced to extend their stays and the state is working closely with the airline community to find ways to get people home."

Just today, the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), the state's tourism agency, issued a request for proposal for airline services to accommodate passengers who are unable to secure alternative flights following the shutdown. HTA will help underwrite flights for the next few days due to the unique conditions in this situation.

HVCB is keeping travelers informed of airline and hotel options on its website at GoHawaii.com. According to HVCB, most of the visitors stranded by the closure of Aloha Airlines on March 31 have either returned to the U.S. mainland or have bookings to do so. Travel between the islands is proceeding remarkably well due to the addition of almost 10,000 seats by the remaining three major interisland carriers.

OPPORTUNITIES WATCH!

New “European-style” Hotel Near Branson, Mo. Announced

At a press conference held last week in John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts’ headquarters city of Springfield, Mo., Mr. John Q. Hammons announced his plans to develop a new, European-style hotel at the burgeoning 7,500-acre Branson Creek, Branson, Mo. area’s premier master planned community. The six-to-nine-story, 180-to-200-room/suite hotel will include meeting space and will be two miles from the new Branson Regional Airport, the first privately developed and operated commercial airport in the United States. Located off of U.S. Highway 65 at 1001 Branson Creek Blvd., adjacent to the Branson Creek Golf Course, the hotel site is slated for construction in fall 2008, with an opening expected in summer 2010. Branson attracted approximately 8.4 million visitors in 2007 (Branson Chamber of Commerce and CVB). The hotel will join Hammons’ 13 existing properties in Missouri as well as two previously announced for development in the state, including the 12-story, 320-room/suite Chateau on Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach and another property in Springfield. Branson Creek is also home to the new Branson Regional Airport, scheduled to open in May 2009. Just eight miles south of the center of Branson, the airport will have a 7,140-foot runway capable of commercial aircraft traffic from almost anywhere in the United States.

OPPORTUNITIES NETWORKING!

Conference to Focus on Leveraging Exchange Rate to Increase Japanese Tourism

How American Companies Can Leverage a 20% Decrease in the Value of the US $ to Attract More Japanese to North America Will Be a Focus at the 17th Annual Active America Travel Summit, April 17-19, 2008 at the Renaissance Marriott Hotel in Detroit. Each spring for the past 16 years, Active America Travel Summit, sponsored by Northwest Airlines and produced by North American Journeys, brings together Northwest Airlines’ top Japanese tour operator and travel agent clients with U.S. and Canadian destinations and suppliers to build new programs for the coming season. This year’s Summit will be held at the Renaissance Marriott in Detroit and will feature sessions educating U.S. suppliers on the latest trends in the Japanese marketplace as well as one-on-one marketplace appointments where suppliers meet Japanese tour operators face-to-face to build new programs. During the past twelve months the value of the U.S. dollar declined 19.2% to the Japanese Yen, creating renewed interest in North America as a bargain destination for dining and shopping among the Japanese. Additionally, this year Masahiro Isogai, Chief Consultant, Japan Tourist Marketing Company, a leading consulting firm, will provide a special report on the current state of the Japanese travel market. Mr. Isogai serves as chief editor of the JTB Report, the most popular report on Japanese overseas tourists. His extensive marketing experience and reputation for providing straightforward, sensible opinions make him highly sought after as a guest speaker and columnist. Northwest Airlines, with 28.4% market share of seat capacity Japan to the U.S., uses Active America to familiarize their top Japanese clients with destinations in their U.S. route system and this will be the first time the event has been held in Detroit, Northwest Airline’s largest hub. In addition to the seminars and appointments, the Detroit CVB will host the delegation to dinner evenings at the Henry Ford Museum and the new MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. Additionally, Alamo Rent A Car, a sponsor for the past 13 years, will host a two hour fly-drive car rally through the streets of Detroit. Those interested in attending or learning more about Active America may go to www.activeamerica.net or call (415) 339-0578 for more information.

OPPORTUNITIES EXECUTIVE MOVERS!

AGENCIES: The board of directors of Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) has named Douglas Anderson president and chief executive officer, effective immediately. Anderson, who joined the company as executive vice president and chief financial officer one year ago, succeeds Hubert Joly, who became president and chief executive officer of Carlson, the majority shareholder of CWT, on March 1 of this year. Anderson is a U.S. citizen with extensive international experience. He has worked in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe for 18 of the last 20 years. Mr. Anderson spent 25 years at UPS, based in the United States, Hong Kong, London and Brussels, and in his most recent position was senior vice president, Finance, and chief financial officer, UPS Logistics Group. He also worked in Geneva for the SITA Group, the IT and telecommunications service provider to the air transport industry, as senior vice president and chief financial officer. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska. Anderson will be based in Paris and report to the CWT board of directors.

AIRLINES: Alaska Air Group has announced the election of Kris Kutchera as vice president of information technology and strategy management. In addition to continuing her oversight of IT applications, Kutchera assumes responsibility for managing the resources needed to fulfill the company's strategic goals. This includes oversight of the company's Project Management Office and its process improvement group. Kutchera, who joined Alaska Airlines in May 2005, has more than 15 years of leadership experience in information technology. She began her career at Boeing Computer Services and Capgemini America before moving on to leadership positions at Washington Natural Gas (now part of Puget Sound Energy), Fluke, and, most recently, at F5 Networks, where she served as vice president of IT. Previously at Alaska Airlines, Kutchera served as managing director of IT applications, which provides computer applications and business intelligence tools to Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air. She earned a bachelor of science degree at the University of Wisconsin - Madison and is enrolled in the Executive MBA program at the University of Washington... Alaska Air Group, the parent company of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, has also announced the appointment of four managing directors to support the airlines' operations and their focus on executing long-term plans. Wayne Newton has been promoted to managing director of station operations for Alaska Airlines. A 20-year veteran with the company, he assumes responsibility for overseeing operations, policies and procedures at Alaska Airlines' 59 airport locations in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Previously director of station operations - California, Newton has also served as Seattle operations director, ramp manager and in other positions related to the airline's ground operations. Todd Sproul becomes Alaska Airlines' managing director of operations support. As a leader in the Customer Service - Airports Division, Sproul and his team will focus on the airline's safety and compliance efforts, performance oversight and vendor contracts, ground service equipment, financial reporting, and staff and schedule planning. Sproul joined Alaska Airlines in 1988 as a ramp service agent and has held a variety of positions in customer service and ground operations, most recently overseeing airport affairs in the Corporate Real Estate Division. Peggy Willingham has been promoted to managing director of strategy management for Alaska Air Group. She will work with the company's Executive Committee and other officers to oversee execution of corporate strategy and key initiatives. Willingham, who joined Alaska Airlines in 1990 as a risk management specialist, formerly served as director of ground safety and environmental affairs, director of the company's Project Management Office and director of strategic planning. Andrew Harrison has been named managing director of planning for Alaska Air Group. Harrison, who joined Alaska Airlines in 2003, will be responsible for the company's network and schedule planning and alliance activities with business partners, while retaining his oversight of financial planning and analysis... UAL Corporation, the holding company whose primary subsidiary is United Airlines, has announced that Samuel Moultrie has been named vice president of Common Services in the Information Services Division. In this newly created role, Moultrie will be responsible for providing strategic leadership to all of United's technology infrastructure efforts and will establish new processes and standards that will contribute to the company's competitiveness. Moultrie joins United from Electronic Data Systems (EDS), where he was vice president and Chief Technology Officer within the CIO function, responsible for all IT Common Services, Engineering and Architecture efforts that supported the company's employee applications and systems. Prior to EDS, Moultrie served in strategic technology leadership positions at Southwest Airlines, The Home Depot and First Data Resources through The Feld Group, Inc., a privately held information technology management consultancy later acquired by EDS. Moultrie has also held several other technology management positions in the transportation industry including Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad and CSX Corporation.

HOTELS & RESORTS: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has promoted Denise Coll to President of its North America Division. In her new role, Coll, who most recently served as Senior Vice President of Operations for the Division, will oversee operations, sales and marketing for more than 450 hotels in the U.S., Canada, U.S. Virgin Islands, Bahamas, French Polynesia and British West Indies. She reports to Matt Ouimet, President Hotel Group Coll began her career in hospitality 30 years ago with ITT Sheraton Corporation serving as a reservation manager at the Sheraton Boston Hotel in 1977. She quickly rose through the ranks working in a variety of increasingly senior technology, human resources and operating roles including Director of User Design and Training; Vice President and Area Managing Director; Vice President, Director of Staff Services and Senior Vice President and Area Director of Operations, North America Division. In 1998, Coll joined Boston’s Seaport Companies, a subsidiary of Fidelity, as Chief Operating Officer and in 2003 was named Senior Vice President/General Manager overseeing the Seaport Hotel & Seaport World Trade Center. In 2004, Coll joined Starwood Hotels & Resorts as Regional Vice President of Operations for New England and was ultimately promoted to Senior Vice President of Operations for the North America Division in 2005. Coll earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Simmons College. She has served as Chairman of the Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau and currently serves on the advisory boards for the Boston University School of Hotel Administration and the University of Amherst... JMJ Hospitality has announced that it has named award-winning hotelièr and entrepreneur Bernard de Villèle as President of the company. De Villèle will be based in Dubai and will be responsible for all JMJ Hospitality projects including development of hotels and branded residences globally. De Villèle has spent three decades serving as a senior executive and in general management capacities with some of the leading global brands including most recently with TAJ Hotels. His background also included stints at Hilton International, Intercontinental, Four Seasons, Rosewood, The Savoy Group, and Orient Express hotels. Some of the highlights of his career were the opening of the Lanesborough Hotel in London, the transformation and re-branding of La Samanna hotel in St. Martin French West Indies and the creation of 51 Buckingham Gate voted by Condé Nast Johansens as the “Most Elegant” London hotel in 2005. JMJ was the first U.S.-based real estate developer to break into the Dubai market. The company is developing the Rosewood Dubai hotel and was recently named developer and brand manager for the Le Diamond Ivana Trump projects, a unique property concept that will span across the Middle East and India. JMJ also expects to be involved in about 30 additional projects over the next eight years in the Middle East. The rapid growth in the region and high hotel prices has spurred investment and development, largely in Dubai... Century Casinos, Inc. has announced that the company has appointed Paul Campbell as new Managing Director of its South African subsidiary Century Casinos Africa (Pty) Ltd. starting on April 1, 2008. As Managing Director of Century Casinos Africa, Campbell, who has been working as General Manager of The Caledon Hotel, Spa and Casino for two years, will be responsible for the management of Century Casinos' South African operations comprising The Caledon Hotel, Spa and Casino, Century Casino Newcastle and the food & beverage company Celebrations. Besides his role as General Manager of Century Casinos Caledon, Campbell has more than 16 years experience in the gaming and entertainment industry, where he mainly held Management and Senior Management positions such as Director of Slots for Storm International in Moscow or Deputy Slots Manager for GrandWest Casino & Entertainment World, Sun International, in Cape Town... Architectural Interior Designer Jerry Beale has been named Senior Vice President of Design and joins Roger Thomas to assume the creative leadership of Wynn Design and Development, wholly owned subsidiary of Wynn Resorts. Beale will commence with the company on April 21, 2008. Beale comes to Wynn from the Los Angeles office of Wilson & Associates, where he has worked as Design Principal since 1990. Beale is widely acclaimed for his work on high-end hotel interiors and luxury residential designs around the world, including the Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles, California; the Four Seasons Aviara Resort, Carlsbad, California; the Fairmont Hotel historic restoration in San Francisco, California; the Tokyo Twin Parks Towers in Japan; the Pool Villas for Caesars Palace, Las Vegas; the Mansion at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada; Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada; and the Royal Park Hotel at Landmark Tower, Yokohama, Japan. Beale has also worked as Senior Associate at Intradesign where he was senior designer for the Fairmont Hotel projects in San Francisco, California; San Jose, California; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas, Texas; and New Orleans, Louisiana. He also worked with Val Arnold on many celebrity residences in California. Beale studied at the Southern California Institute of Architecture in Santa Monica, California, and the University of California in Los Angeles, California.

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