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This week in Opportunities:

Business Owners Mix Business with Pleasure When Traveing
Survey: 92% of Travelers to Take Summer Vacation
Opportunities Watch!
Executive Movers! See who's going where?
Travel Executive Employment Report

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OPPORTUNITIES NEWS & TRENDS

Business Owners Mix Business with Pleasure When Traveing

Two-thirds of small business owners (67%) are planning to take at least one full week of vacation this summer, according to the OPEN from American Express 2006 Semi-Annual Monitor. But out of sight does not mean out of mind for the more than half (54%) of respondents who plan to check in with their businesses at least once a day while on holiday. Conversely, 25% of business owners say they will not check in at all while on vacation. What causes vacation anxiety among business owners? A growing number (46%, up from 42% in 2005) say they fear that an important client or customer will receive inadequate service while others are at the helm. Respondents also say they worry about missing an important new business opportunity while away (31%), judgment calls their staff might make (26%) and who will manage the business in their absence (21%). On average, 31% of small business owners say they will mix business with pleasure to save time and money -- down from 34% in 2005 -- according to the OPEN(SM) 2006 Semi-Annual Monitor. When compared to men, a much higher percentage of women respondents say they plan to combine work with vacation -- 38%, versus 27%. Smaller firms are more likely to combine business and pleasure than those that generate more than $200,000 (35% versus 30%, respectively). Business owners in the West are much more likely to take a weeklong break than their counterparts in the North Central states (73% versus 56%). More women (72%) than men (64%) will do the same. Owners of firms that generate greater than $200,000 in annual revenue are more likely to treat themselves to at least one week of vacation this summer (70%), versus those whose businesses generate less than $200,000 in annual revenue (64%).

Survey: 92% of Travelers to Take Summer Vacation

TripAdvisor has announced results from a summer travel survey of more than 2,300 respondents, revealing that the great majority of travelers are taking vacation this summer and intend to spend at least half their annual vacation time during that period. The survey data was analyzed by third party independent market research firm, Questus. Key finding include:

• 92 percent of travelers intend to take a vacation this summer
• 70 percent of travelers said the rising cost of fuel will not interfere with their travel plans
• 54 percent of travelers plan to take at least half of their annual vacation time this summer
• 63 percent of travelers are planning to leave their home country for vacation this summer
• 78 percent of travelers plan to travel by airplane for vacation this summer and 78 percent also intend to travel via car this summer
• 29 percent of travelers intend to spend more money on their summer vacations in 2006 than they did in 2005
• 28 percent of travelers intend to take more vacation time this summer than last
• 52 percent of travelers plan to visit a beach destination and 49 percent plan to visit a major metropolitan area this summer
• More travelers are planning to go to Florida than any other destination for vacation this summer, followed by California and Las Vegas
• The most popular destinations outside the U.S. are Italy, Canada and France
• If given a chance to vacation at any beach destination in the world, regardless of cost and distance, the Polynesian Islands were the top choice among travelers followed by the Hawaiian Islands and the Greek Isles
• 71 percent of travelers plan to stay at a hotel during their vacation this summer, up from 2005

OPPORTUNITIES WATCH!

HGVC Breaks Ground on Largest Timeshare Resort in Waikiki

A ceremonial ground-breaking last week marked the official start of construction for The Grand Waikikian, a 38-story timeshare and retail development at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort and Spa. When completed, The Grand Waikikian will be the largest timeshare resort in Waikiki. The Grand Waikikian will be operated by Hilton Grand Vacations Company, the timeshare division of Hilton Hotels Corporation. It is the company's fourth timeshare development in the State of Hawaii. Upon anticipated completion in late 2008, The Grand Waikikian will join HGVC's existing 236-unit Lagoon Tower and 72-unit Kalia Tower projects at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, and the recently opened 120-unit Hilton Grand Vacations Club at Waikoloa Beach Resort on the Big Island. Projected to include 331 units, The Grand Waikikian will be built on a site adjacent to the Lagoon Tower and will feature 34 floors of one-bedroom and two-bedroom timeshare suites, plus an additional four floors of retail, office and guest amenity space. The top five floors of The Grand Waikikian tower will be designated as exclusive penthouse levels with spectacular views, added amenities and expanded guest facilities including a private check area, concierge and lounge on the 35th floor. The penthouse floors will also feature a selection of 3-bedroom suites with panoramic ocean views. The Waikikian project will include a retail shopping arcade, beachside restaurant and super pool with three slides and a "lazy river" theme designed especially for families. Hilton Hotels Corporation is also making improvements to a number of public areas adjacent to the development, including extensive work to the Village's famed salt-water lagoon. According to Mark Wang, HGVC Senior Vice President for Hawaii & Asia, the architectural design of the Grand Waikikian will evoke the ambience of a grand hotel, while offering guests the convenience and comfort of a luxury condominium.

OPPORTUNITIES EXECUTIVE MOVERS!

AIRLINES: Republic Airways Holdings Inc. has announced the appointment of Timothy P. Dooley to the position of Vice President, Financial Planning & Analysis. He will continue to report to Hal Cooper, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Dooley joined the Company in 1998 as Manager, Financial Planning and Analysis. He was promoted to Director, Financial Planning and Analysis in January of 2001. Before joining Republic, he was a senior auditor for Ernst & Young, LLC. Dooley received his B.S. degree in Accounting and Marketing from Indiana University's Kelley School of Business in Bloomington Indiana...Aeromexico, Mexico's largest airline, announced the appointment of Carlos Caso as Market Manager of Northern California and the Pacific Northwest for Aeromexico USA. Caso is a seasoned manager with more than 35 years in the airline industry and will lead Aeromexico's growth in providing commuter, business and leisure service from Northern California and northwestern U.S. states to points throughout Mexico. Prior to joining Aeromexico, Caso was Regional Sales Director for Mexicana Airlines and managed and enhanced sales, customer service and operational facilities for both passenger and freight businesses.

HOTELS & RESORTS: Bruce Wardinski, Chairman and CEO of Barcelo Crestline, has announced two promotions within the company's executive management team. James Carroll has been promoted to the role of Chief Financial Officer. Carroll previously served the company as SVP & Treasurer. Tom Baker, formerly SVP, Owner Relations, will now serve the company as EVP & Chief Investment Officer. In conjunction with these promotions, both gentlemen will also serve in the same functions on behalf of Playa Hotels & Resorts, S.L. (Playa), a privately held Spanish company focusing on the acquisition and development of all-inclusive beachfront resorts in Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean...Interstate Hotels & Resorts has announced that it has promoted Samuel E. (Ted) Knighton to president, hotel operations. He will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the company's hotels in the U.S. and Canada. A 16-year veteran with Interstate, Knighton previously was executive vice president of operations-full service division, where he had operational responsibility for approximately 70 full-service hotels with annual revenues in excess of $1 billion. Prior to that, he was executive vice president operations of Interstate's Crossroads division, which encompassed approximately 110 hotels in the select-service, extended-stay and mid-market segments. His career includes operations positions with Radisson Hotels International and with Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Knighton holds a bachelor's degree in hotel administration from Cornell University... Marriott International, Inc. has announced that David A. Rodriguez has been appointed Executive Vice President, Human Resources, Marriott International. Rodriguez succeeds Brendan Keegan, who will retire from the company in August. He will have corporate-wide responsibility for human resources, including oversight for Marriott's global portfolio of hotel and vacation ownership brands. Prior to his new role, Rodriguez held the position of Executive Vice President - Lodging Human Resources since 2003. In this capacity, he had human resources management responsibility for North America Lodging as well as corporate-wide responsibility for the areas of talent management and organizational capability. In 2004, Rodriguez was appointed to the Board of Directors' Committee for Excellence which focuses on diversity and inclusion. Rodriguez joined Marriott International and assumed the role of Senior Vice President, Staffing & Development in 1998. In 2000, he was appointed a corporate officer. Prior to joining Marriott International, Rodriguez held several senior roles in human resources at Citicorp (now Citigroup) from 1989- 1998. Mr. Rodriguez began his career with Assessment Systems Inc. and later joined Avon Products where he focused on the evaluation of human resources strategies and programs. Rodriguez graduated from New York University and also holds a Ph.D. in industrial/organizational psychology from that institution... Jumeirah, a Dubai based luxury hospitality group, has announced the appointment of Francis Killory as Vice President of Development Asia Pacific. Killory will be responsible for growing the Jumeirah portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts in Asia Pacific's major cities and international resort locations. In his new role, Killory will oversee Jumeirah's growth initiative from the Group's Development office in Shanghai, China, where the company recently signed its first PRC flagship property in China's financial capital, the 338-room HanTang Jumeirah Shanghai, which is scheduled to open in mid 2008. Killory has been active in Asia Pacific hotel development for 15 years, and has previously served in senior development positions with Inter-Continental, Meridien Hotels & Resorts, and Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific. He is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, and holds a MBA from Cornell University and an MSc in e-Commerce from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

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