The only weekly newsletter detailing essential trends, news and top executive moves in travel. Opportunities is a free newsletter that provides you with the vision to "see" travel industry opportunities in the making. Whether you are in sales, business development, guiding your company's growth or managing your career, reading opportunities will give you the advantage to succeed. Opportunities is another innovative tool brought to you by Travel Career Connexxions. For more information, visit our main Travel Job resource page.

This week in Opportunities:

Online Mega-Sites Continue To Follow Growth Path
Strong First Quarter Powers Amadeus
Southwest Grows to Philadelphia
Disney Sets West Coast Sailings
InterContinental Hotels Acknowledged For Diversity
New Opportunities!
Networking Opportunities
Executive Movers! See who's going where?
Travel Executive Employment Report

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OPPORTUNITIES NEWS & TRENDS!

Online Mega-Sites Continue To Follow Growth Path

Online travel is still a hot sector, if the most recent quarterly results are any indication. InterActiveCorp (IAC), parent of Expedia, Hotels.com and Hotwire, posted better-than-expected quarterly profit, but analysts' concerns about rising marketing costs in its travel units sent its stock lower. IAC said margins at its travel services unit fell as marketing expenses climbed. New York-based IAC, which also owns Home Shopping Network, Ticketmaster and Match.com, posted net income of $38.3 million for the first quarter, compared with a loss of $110.1 million, in the same period a year earlier. First-quarter revenue rose 6 percent, to $1.47 billion from $1.39 billion a year earlier. Analysts had expected revenue of $1.44 billion. Operating income before amortization costs, which were chiefly merger-related, rose 14 percent, to $197.6 million from $173.9 million. IAC said its travel growth continued to benefit from positive online and overall travel trends. It said the international, packages and merchant hotel businesses, as well as the inclusion of Hotwire in this year's results, led the growth in the quarter. Travel revenue was up 41 percent on a comparable net basis, while bookings were up 51 percent. International bookings increased by 108 percent, and international revenue was up 79 percent, or 61 percent on a local currency basis. The international business was driven by particularly strong growth in the U.K. and Germany. Improved package offerings, consumer acceptance of the product and Hotels.com's new packages product helped drive packages revenue growth of 73 percent. Merchant hotel business continued its strong growth, with total merchant hotel revenue up 39 percent and total merchant room nights stayed up 36 percent to seven million. Meanwhile, Orbitz announced a profitable first quarter of 2004, benefiting from growth across all major product lines and led by a 141 percent increase in non-air travel revenues, including more hotel and package sales. For the quarter ended March 31, net revenues increased 42 percent to $70.3 million from $49.5 million for the first quarter of 2003. At the same time, the company reported net income of just $1.9 million, which included $1.4 million of non-cash compensation charges relating to an April 2002 restructuring of Orbitz's outstanding stock options. Excluding this non-cash charge of $1.4 million, first quarter 2004 net income would have been $3.3 million. In the first quarter of 2003, Orbitz reported a net loss of $2.4 million. For the first quarter of 2004, gross travel bookings climbed 38 percent to $1.06 billion versus $767.7 million for the same period of 2003. Finally, Priceline said its first quarter 2004 gross travel bookings, which refer to the total dollar value inclusive of taxes and fees of all travel products purchased by consumers, rose 46 percent year-over-year to $360.2 million. Revenues were $224.1 million, a 12 percent increase over first quarter 2003. Gross profit grew 31 percent to $43.4 million, compared to $33 million a year ago. Net income for the first quarter 2004 was $5.1 million.

GDS Opportunity! Strong First Quarter Powers Amadeus

Many analysts view the traditional Global Distribution System companies as dinosaurs, but at least one is not showing any signs of slowing down. Amadeus reported a strong first quarter 2004 reflecting recovery in travel, especially in North America and Asia Pacific. Comparable global reservations for this quarter grew by 9 percent to 112.5 million, excluding German leisure bookings. Revenue was up by 7 percent to 538 million euros. This, together with a limited operating expenses growth of 1 percent, permitted Amadeus to reach a net income figure, including special items, of 71.3 million euros, up almost 40 percent compared with the first quarter 2003. Given those strong results, Amadeus raised its 2004 forecast for net income to 185-195 million euros and now expect bookings to grow by 6 to 7 percent, with a revenue increase of 4 to 7 percent, compared with 2003. Overall bookings for the period were 124 million, an increase of 15.8 percent over the first quarter of 2003. MIDT (Marketing Industry Data Tapes), which track travel agency air reservations worldwide for all GDSs, show Amadeus with a global marketshare of 28.7 percent, 1.3 percentage points ahead of its nearest competitor. The Financial Times also reports that Amadeus, with a strong cash position, may be in the market for acquisitions, including another GDS, such as Worldspan or even Sabre. So keep watch on this company, which may soon be looking to fill more posts, even as some other GDSs cut back.

Airline Opportunity! Southwest Grows to Philadelphia

Southwest Airlines officially unveiled new service from Philadelphia on May 9, with 15 flights. Southwest marked the occasion with a weekend of celebration and promotion in Philadelphia celebrating the arrival of the airline's first aircraft in that city. Southwest's first flight took off just before 7 a.m. Sunday to Chicago. Southwest CEO Herb Kelleher, a Philadelphia native, kicked off the celebration by tapping a giant copy of the Liberty Bell. Southwest's entry also marks the beginning of a major battle for marketshare with US Airways, which unveiled a completely new fare structure late last month to counter the low-cost carrier's entry into the Philadelphia market. Beyond Philadelphia, Southwest will add new daily nonstop service each way between the following cities beginning Aug. 8: One flight between Las Vegas and Islip (Long Island's MacArthur Airport), one flight between Las Vegas and Cleveland, and one flight between Phoenix and Cleveland. The discounted roundtrip fares are available for purchase now through Aug. 8, and are valid for travel through Oct. 29. In addition, Southwest will enhance the existing nonstop service with the following new roundtrip flights, also beginning Aug. 8: One between Las Vegas and Orange County (for a total of four daily), one between Omaha and Phoenix (for a total of three daily), and one between Nashville and Phoenix (for a total of four daily). While many of Southwest's newly created jobs are at low levels, this airline shows no signs of slowing its growth.

Cruise Opportunity! Disney Sets West Coast Sailings

The long-awaited expansion of Disney Cruise Line (DCL) may be about to become a reality. DCL currently has two ships, the Magic and the Wonder. But last week Walt Disney Company said Disney Magic would offer a limited series of 12 seven-night cruises from California next year as part of a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Disneyland. Many observers believe the move also could lead to a series of permanent West Coast sailings. Disney Magic will sail from Port Canaveral, Fla., through the Panama Canal next year and offer cruises leaving from the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro and stopping at Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas. That could mean more positions could open up for DCL on the West Coast in port facilities. Even better, a number of analysts say DCL has asked European shipyards for bids on two more ships. While no contracts have been signed, it's clear that the line is poised for some major growth.

InterContinental Hotels Acknowledged For Diversity

If you're looking for a company with excellent policies on employment diversity, look no further than hotel giant InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). IHG, now acknowledged as the world's largest and most global hotel company, ranked 14th among the Top 50 Companies for Diversity as announced DiversityInc, a magazine and online publisher providing information on the business benefits of diversity. IHG also ranked fourth on DiversityInc's related Top 10 Companies for African Americans.

OPPORTUNITIES WATCH!

Palace Resorts Adds Four New Mexico Properties

Want a job with a major all-inclusive hotel chain that's clearly on the move? Palace Resorts just purchased four new properties in Mexico: Hotel Sierra Cancun; Hotel Continental Plaza Playacar; Hotel Plaza Las Glorias Cozumel; and Hotel Sierra Nuevo Vallarta. The hotels will continue to operate under their current names until the end of the year, when they will be integrated into the Palace Resorts brand and assume new names. All new properties will be upgraded to the standards of Palace Resorts. Palace Resorts now offers 10 resorts in Mexico and one in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. For more information on the company, visit www.palaceresorts.com.

Luxe Worldwide Adds Two Hotels in U.S., One in Tokyo

There are major opportunities even in small hotel representative companies. Luxe Worldwide Hotels is sticking to a growth path with the addition of the Kitano Arms, an extended stay service apartment complex in Tokyo; the Austria Haus Hotel in Vail, Colo.; and the Grand Pacific Palisades Resort & Hotel in Carlsbad, Calif. The Austria Haus Hotel features 25 rooms and suites, a club lounge and library, a heated pool, hot tub, and fitness center. Grand Pacific has 90 rooms and 122 fully equipped vacation villas ideal for families or corporate travelers. The 102-room Kitano Arms in Tokyo, with views of the Imperial Palace, offers apartment-sized suites with kitchens and free high speed Internet access in each suite.

Rezidor SAS to Open First Cerruti Brand Hotels

There's yet another brand name in the European hotel business. Rezidor SAS Hospitality, whose portfolio includes the Park Inn, Country Inn, Radisson SAS, Cerruti and Regent brands, announced its first Hotel Cerruti projects in Vienna, Dubai and Kuwait. The 75-room Hotel Cerruti Vienna will open this fall and will be located in a historic building in the city's downtown area. Hotel Cerruti Dubai will open early in 2005 and will be located in Dubai's Media City, the city's rapidly emerging global media hub. Cerruti properties also are under development in Dusseldorf and Brussels. Cerruti is Rezidor SAS' new lifestyle brand, a joint initiative with the international fashion house of the same name. Rezidor SAS is the sole franchiser in Europe, the Middle East and Africa for the Carlson brands Radisson, Park Inn, Country Inn and Regent. It currently includes 220 hotels in operation and under development in 40 countries. The company aims to include 700 hotels under the different brands by 2012.

Royal Caribbean Grows Bigger With New Jewel

There are more cruise ships on the horizon for Royal Caribbean International. The company's newest ship, Jewel of the Seas, was christened on May 7 in Southampton, England, before the ship's maiden voyage. Jewel of the Seas, the fourth and final entry in Royal Caribbean's 90,090-ton Radiance class, then embarked on a series of 12-night cruises from Harwich, England, to Scandinavia/Russia and the British Isles/Norwegian Fjords. Jewel of the Seas is the fourth ship in the company's Radiance class and one of three Royal Caribbean ships sailing in Europe this summer to 16 countries. The ship repositions to Boston in September for a series of five cruises in Canada and New England, and on Nov. 6 begins six- and eight- night winter itineraries to the Eastern and Western Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale. Later this week Royal Caribbean will reintroduce Empress of the Seas, formerly the Nordic Empress, after a major refurbishment. That ship will begin sailings from the new port of Bayonne, N.J. this month. Finally, Royal Caribbean announced it would completely refurbish Sovereign of the Seas. Royal Caribbean has already hired a new port director for the Bayonne facility, and more jobs could be on the way.

Wynn Resorts Prepares Further Las Vegas Expansion

Wynn Resorts unveiled the first steps of its plan for the expansion of its Wynn Las Vegas resort, even before the new property officially opens. Highlights of these preliminary steps include an additional showroom, 18 additional fairway villa suites adjacent to the golf course, acquisition of 10 lots adjacent to the former Desert Inn golf course, expanded parking facilities, and demolition of the remaining structures of the former Desert Inn to prepare for the future development of an additional casino, hotel tower and related amenities on the site. The total cost of these improvements is approximately $198 million. All of these improvements are expected to be completed by the April 2005 opening of Wynn Las Vegas. For more information, visit www.wynnlasvegas.com.

Ritz-Carlton To Open Dallas Luxury Property in 2007

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company shows no signs of halting its expansion plans. The company has now announced plans to open its first luxury hotel in Texas. The 216-room Ritz-Carlton, Dallas will open in 2007 in the city's Uptown area on McKinney Avenue. The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas will be 70 private condominiums, atop the hotel. Renowned architect Robert A.M. Stern will design the project, which is owned by Crescent Real Estate Equities Limited Partnership. The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas will be situated on the first eight floors of the building, and will include one restaurant, 14,000 square feet of meeting space, and a 12,000-square-foot spa and fitness center, with indoor swimming pool.

Outrigger Adds Luana Waikiki Resort After Renovation

There's one hotel and resort company out in Hawaii that just keeps on growing. Outrigger Hotels & Resorts has added another property to its Outrigger Condominium Collection. The Outrigger Luana Waikiki is a 217-room luxury condominium hotel boasting stylish accommodations and dramatic ocean and mountain views in Waikiki. Renovations to the property, formerly the Waikiki Terrace Hotel, will be fully completed in July. Outrigger's Condominium Collection now consists of 11 premium condominium resorts on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Hawaii's Big Island.

OPPORTUNITIES NETWORKING!

Visit USTOA's Web Site To Learn About Tour Companies

Want to find out more about careers in the tour operator industry? A good place to start is the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA). Formed in 1972, the USTOA now has more than 60 members with roughly 10 million customers and $8 billion in sales a year. USTOA's members include the country's top tour operators and wholesalers. The group's web site at www.ustoa.com describes USTOA promotional programs, the $1 million consumer protection plan, and the advantages of selling tours and packages. The web site provides advice on choosing tours, shopping tips, and the most recent press articles on USTOA. There's also information on USTOA's annual conference, held in December, considered one of best networking events in the travel industry. Attendees include top tour operators, wholesalers, destination officials, hoteliers and other top industry executives. Best of all, the web site provides links to the sites of all USTOA members, providing a good introduction to the top tour companies in the U.S. For more information, visit www.ustoa.com.

OPPORTUNITIES EXECUTIVE MOVERS!

AIRLINES: US Airways named Dave Davis as chief financial officer, effective immediately. Davis, who previously was US Airways' senior vice president of finance, replaces Neal Cohen, who decided to leave the company. Davis joined US Airways in April 2002 as vice president of financial planning and analysis and was responsible for operating and capital budgeting, divisional cost control, financial analysis, and transactions support. He has been a key participant in US Airways' restructuring, which resulted in over $1.9 billion in annual cost savings, precedent-setting labor agreements, and the raising of $1.24 billion in new financing. Prior to joining US Airways, Davis was president-financial planning and analysis for Budget Group, Inc. He previously held finance positions at both Delta Air Lines and Northwest AirlinesÖNorthwest Airlines named Gary Fishman its senior vice president-alliances, replacing Doug Birdsall, who is retiring effective July 31. In his new role, Fishman will be responsible for Northwest's global alliance strategy and partnerships. His new assignment is effective on June 1. Fishman's customer service responsibilities will be assumed by Glenn Woythaler, currently vice president-Atlantic region. Birdsall, who has been affiliated with Northwest since 1992, was appointed senior vice president-alliances in April 1999. He also has served as vice president-marketing alliances and strategic planning. Prior to Northwest, Birdsall held positions as chairman, CEO and president of Travelmation Corp.; senior vice president of marketing and planning at Continental Airlines; president, CEO and director of New York Air; and manager/director of planning systems at the former Eastern Airlines. Prior to serving as vice president-customer service planning and security, Fishman held key positions in technical operations and financial planning and analysis. Fishman joined Northwest in 1993 as director-financial analysis. Before that, he had management responsibility in market and strategic planning at Continental Airlines and its parent company. He began his career with Trans World Airlines. Woythaler has been vice president-Atlantic region since 2002, responsible for Northwest's finance, operations and sales and marketing activities in Europe, Middle East, South Asia, and Africa. Prior to that, he worked in flight operations as vice president of crew and performance analysis. Woythaler joined Northwest in 1992. He previously worked for American Airlines for seven years in financial planning and analysis, sales planning and sales programs.

HOTELS & RESORTS: Alliance Gaming Corp. named Richard Irvine as senior vice president of sales for the Company's Bally Gaming and Systems business unit. Irvine will be responsible for guiding the North American sales operations of Bally Gaming, encompassing both the United States and Canada. Prior to joining Bally Gaming and Systems, Irvine served as vice president of sales for AC Coin & Slot, a gaming-device distributor based in Atlantic City, N.J. He has also served as chief operating officer of GameTech, a supplier of electronic bingo equipment, and as president and chief operating officer of Mikohn Gaming CorporationÖSonesta Hotel & Suites in Coconut Grove, Fla., has named George Cozonis as general manager. Prior to joining Sonesta, Cozonis was the general manager at the Omni Houston Hotel. He has also been the general manager at the Omni Colonnade in Coral Gables, Fla., and at the Omni at Independence Park in Philadelphia. Originally from Athens, Greece, Mr. Cozonis attended Cornell UniversityÖKerzner International Limited said Frank Murru will join the company as chief marine officer effective May 17. In this newly created position, Murru will be responsible for planning, designing and managing the company's marine habitats, interactive marine animal experiences and aquatic-themed attractions. Murru will report directly to Kerzner's chief executive officer, Butch Kerzner and is expected to play an integral role in the planned expansion projects: Phase III of Atlantis, Paradise Island, and Atlantis, The Palm. Prior to joining Kerzner, Murru was vice president and general manager of Discovery Cove, an exclusive, reservations-only water theme park adjacent to Sea World in Orlando, FlaÖ.Rewards Network Inc., one of the nation's leading providers of credit card-based loyalty and rewards programs to restaurants and hotels, promoted Bryan Adel to senior vice president. Adel joined the company in 2003 as general counsel. He will continue to serve in that capacity, overseeing governance and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance while playing an integral role in shaping Rewards Network's long-term growth strategy. Adel began his legal career in the corporate department of McDermott, Will & Emery, then went on to join the legal department of McDonald's CorporationÖChoice Hotels International promoted Joseph Squeri to executive vice president and chief financial officer. Squeri previously had been senior vice president-development and chief financial officer. He joined the company in February 1997 and has been the chief financial officer since June 1999. He assumed responsibility for franchise sales and development in April 2002 and responsibility for brands and product development in 2004. Prior to joining Choice, Squeri was with The Carlyle Group, a leading private investment firm in Washington, D.CÖ.

Amalfi Hotel Chicago said Sydney Joung has joined as director of business development and image. The 215-room property is the flagship hotel for a new concept that marked its "soft" opening in February. Joung will manage all sales and marketing, oversee catering, and manage daily communication with the on-site reservations and revenue management team. She most recently served as a sales and marketing contractor with Kimpton Boutique Hotels in Washington, D.C., and as director of sales and marketing for The Jefferson, a Loews Hotel, in D.CÖ.Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. appointed of Robert (Bob) Fiore and Nancy Donovan as regional vice presidents for the company. Fiore, who was recently promoted to the position of vice president and general manager of the company's Black Hawk, Co. properties, Isle of Capri- Black Hawk and Colorado Central Station, will also oversee all the company's Colorado properties, which includes the Black Hawk properties as well as Colorado Grande-Cripple Creek, as regional vice president. He previously served as regional vice president of operations for the Southern region for the company. He has been with the company since 1998 and has held the positions of regional vice president of operations for the Northern region and the Southern region and vice president and general manager of Isle of Capri-Black Hawk. Donovan, who serves as vice president and general manager of the company's Isle-Bettendorf and Rhythm City-Davenport properties in Iowa, will continue in that capacity and will oversee all the company's Iowa casinos, which includes those properties, as well as Isle-Marquette in the regional vice president position. She has been with the company since 1997 and has more than 18 years of experience in the hospitality and casino industry. She has held executive positions with Lady Luck Gaming Corporation, Hyatt Grand Victoria Casino & Resort, Rising Sun, Indiana and Jumer's Casino Rock Island, IllÖ. Noble Investment Group, one of the hospitality industry's leading owner/operators of upscale and premium branded, hotels, named Thomas DeSousa as general manager of the 290-room Crowne Plaza Atlanta-Buckhead in Georgia. Prior to accepting his new position, DeSousa was general manager of the Piscataway Embassy Suites in New Jersey operated by Hilton Hotels Corporation. In his nearly two decades of hospitality experience, he has held a variety of property-level positions, including assistant general manager of the Secaucus Embassy Suites in N.J. and the Westwood, an independent hotel in Garwood, N.J.

TRAVEL AGENTS: Atlas Travel International, Inc., one of New England's largest travel agencies, has hired Mark Miller as chief operating officer to oversee day to day operations management of its corporate and leisure travel departments. Miller will report to Elaine Osgood, Atlas' president and CEO. Atlas just completed a strong first quarter closing more than $13 million in additional corporate business. Miller was most recently vice president and general manager of Teplis Travel, an $85 million corporate travel agency. He previously served as director of supplier relations for American Express Travel and held several management positions with Garber TravelÖGIANTS, the New York-based travel agency marketing cooperative, named Paul Minich to the newly created position of executive vice president and general manager of GIANTS Canada. Minich, a native of Hamilton, Ontario, will oversee all aspects of the GIANTS operation in Canada, as well as serve on the GIANTS North American management team. Currently, the GIANTS Canada roster totals nearly 700 member agencies. His professional background follows a successful path through grocery retailing, home dÈcor, automotive, and health and fitness with organizations such as Dominion Food Stores, ICI Paints, NAPA Auto Parts, and Stott Pilates.

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