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This week in Opportunities:

Travel Agency Job Outlook Gradually Improves
AH&LA Set To Update Diversity Survey for U.S. Lodging
Hilton Tops List for Minority Workers
NCL Christens First U.S.-Flagged Ship in 50 years
New Opportunities!
Executive Movers! See who's going where?
Travel Executive Employment Report

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OPPORTUNITIES NEWS & TRENDS

Travel Agency Job Outlook Improves--But Only Gradually

What's ahead for job opportunities in the travel agency segment? A recent article in Travel Weekly by Nadine Godwin predicted there will be growth in agency jobs, though on a somewhat more limited level. "The rehiring--after serious contraction post-9/11--has started, but there aren't as many jobs as were seen in brick-and-mortar agencies around, say, 2000," Godwin wrote. "However, it is not altogether bad news that expansion is modest. Despite king-size layoffs in the travel industry, hiring managers and placement professionals report it is as hard as ever to find qualified personnel because so many people left the industry in the past three years." The challenge, according to Godwin, is that too few people are entering the agency business these days. A Travel Weekly Research questionnaire, e-mailed to subscribers, found that the 368 respondents who qualified themselves as having hiring responsibilities reported fairly recent layoffs (10 percent at about a year ago and 17 percent within the past year), but more (38 percent) reported that rehiring has started. Among those back in expansion mode, about a third have rehired some of the employees furloughed. About half of new hires in the past two years were clustered in the most recent six months, and more than a third (38 percent) reported that all new positions were full-time posts. In a separate survey, provided exclusively to Travel Weekly, 54 percent of 201 Carlson Wagonlit Travel associates responding to an e-mailed questionnaire last month said they have added staff or contractors this year. That survey found 24 percent hired staff agents, 12 percent contracted for outside agents and 18 percent added both. Another 7 percent said they would add staff this year. Godwin also quoted our own Matt Garton, president and CEO of Travel Career Connexxions, who reported there still are "not a lot" of traditional brick-and-mortar trade positions, especially at high executive levels. Indeed, Garton said he believes the industry's total number of agency jobs is down, though he says some agencies are adding staff, mostly in higher-end, Web-related jobs, such as online ad experts, search engine marketers and e-commerce specialists.

AH&LA Set To Update Diversity Survey for U.S. Lodging

Want to find out about minority hiring practices at the top levels of the hotel industry? So does the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA). The association is currently updating its 1997 Turnover and Diversity in the Lodging Industry study, which provided a snapshot of diversity among line-level, supervisory and managerial employees at major hotel companies around the country. Funded by its not-for-profit affiliate, the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation (AH&LEF), this new research project will examine turnover and diversity matters to understand the tremendous bottom-line impact of embracing emerging groups and markets within the U.S. lodging industry. AH&LA said the updated report will strive to continue the study's original goals as well as identify and measure demographic turnover characteristics across selected variables. It also aims to gather information on minorities in senior management and ownership positions to establish sustainable benchmarks. Joseph McInerney, AH&LA president and CEO, said it is the AH&LA's hope that the new research will lead hoteliers and industry investors toward building a sustainable multicultural and inclusion program for every lodging industry business model. With an expected completion date of January 2005, the research project is being conducted by The University of Houston's Hospitality Industry Diversity Institute (HIDI). The organization focuses on diversity education, training, and issue resolution affecting the hospitality industry and its workforce.

Hilton Is Tops for Minority Workers Among Hotel Companies

Want to work for a company that is seen as tops to work for among minorities? Hilton Hotels Corporation has been ranked among the top companies in America for minorities, and the best among all hotel companies surveyed, according to Fortune magazine. In the magazine's June 21 issue, Hilton ranks 13th in a listing of "America's 50 Best Companies for Minorities," moving up eight slots from last year's 20th place ranking and 10 slots from 2002's 22nd place position. Fortune looked at how well people of color are represented in a company's general workforce and among its most senior officials. At Hilton, 61 percent of new hires are minorities and its diversity efforts provide significant opportunities for advancement within the organization. Among Hilton's diversity programs and initiatives are: a supplier diversity program aimed at encouraging minority and women-owned companies to participate in contracting and subcontracting activities; a corporate-wide mentoring program designed to support the professional development of all diverse team members; a diversity advertising campaign, directed by a minority-owned ad agency, to communicate with potential minority and female suppliers and diverse franchisees; a Franchise Development Outreach Support Program, aimed at attracting diverse hotel owners. The company's diverse ownership currently includes seven Homewood Suites by Hilton, one Hilton Garden Inn, and a full-service Hilton hotel all owned by RLJ Development LLC, a firm headed by Robert Johnson, chairman of BET Holdings II Inc. who also sits on the board of Hilton Hotels Corporation. A new Hampton Inn & Suites also is opening in Boston with African American ownership, making it the first African American-owned hotel in Boston. Hilton also has implemented a diversity performance bonus program for hotel and corporate management.

NCL America Christens First Ship in U.S.-Flagged Fleet

NCL America, Norwegian Cruise Lines' U.S.-flagged unit, officially christened the 2,000-passenger Pride of Aloha on July 4, the first modern U.S.-flagged cruise ship in nearly half a century. The refurbished vessel, formerly Norwegian Sky, was christened by its godmother, Mrs. Daniel K. Inouye, wife of Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii), in a morning ceremony in Honolulu. The ship then began its inaugural cruise of the islands of Hawaii, with ports of call including Nawiliwili, Kauai; Hilo, Hawaii; Kona, Hawaii; and Kaulului, Maui. Pride of Aloha is the first U.S.-flagged and crewed cruise ship in 50 years. NCL America President and CEO Colin Veitch also announced that the company has concluded negotiations with Lloyd Werft in Germany, its insurers and banks, and agreed to a new delivery date for the Pride of America on June 6, 2005. The ship will be the first new-built U.S.-flagged cruise ship in 50 years. Pride of America was originally scheduled for delivery at the end of April 2004, but work was halted after an accident in the yard in January during which the ship took on water in a storm and sank up to deck three. Since January, the ship has been raised and salvage work on the damaged areas has been completed. Veitch also said NCL America expects to get delivery of a third U.S.-flagged ship, Pride of Hawaii, in the summer of 2006, giving the line three U.S.-flagged ships in the Hawaii market, plus a fourth ship, the foreign flagged Norwegian Wind, which will feature Hawaii sailings that include a call at Fanning Island. Once NCL America's plans are fully implemented, its U.S.-flagged ships are expected to generate more than $828 million in U.S. economic activity and 20,400 jobs, according to a recent study by a top economic consulting firm. Separately, Norwegian Cruise Line also announced the name of its newest ship, Norwegian Jewel, and details of her deployment. The 2,400-passenger ship, a sister to the Norwegian Star and Norwegian Dawn, will sail in two of the industry's biggest cruise markets--the Caribbean out of Miami and Alaska out of Seattle.

OPPORTUNITIES WATCH!

Four Seasons Opens first Canadian Resort in Whistler, B.C.

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is staying on schedule to grow its brand. On June 28, it opened its first mountain resort in Canada, at the base of Blackcomb Mountain in Whistler, British Columbia, site of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The new 242-room retreat is located in the heart of the largest ski area in North America. Last month the company opened a hotel in Budapest in the historic Gresham Palace on the banks of the Danube. Earlier this year Four Seasons opened its first resort in Costa Rica, and its first European resort at Terre Blanche in Provence. The company has more than 20 projects under construction or development in choice locations around the world. Later this year, it will open new properties in Langkawi, Malaysia, and Hampshire, England.

Sonesta Hotels Returns to Caribbean With St. Maarten Resort

Sonesta Hotels, Resorts & Nile Cruises is opening a new Caribbean resort on July 8 on St. Maarten when the 534-room Maho Beach Resort & Casino is rebranded as a Sonesta. The move marks Sonesta's return to the Caribbean--it sold its Anguilla property in September 2002 and just completed the sale of its Bermuda property on May 15. The hotel and resort company now features 24 upscale hotels in Boston, New Orleans and Miami in the U.S.; Brazil; Peru; Italy; and Egypt, as well as three Nile cruise ships. Sonesta, a small chain, has nevertheless been growing rapidly over the past few years.

Starwood, Carlson Keep Up Hotel Expansion in China

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and Xiamen Fuchun Orient Hotel Company Limited announced an agreement for Starwood to manage the Sheraton Xiamen Hotel in China. The newly built 348-room Sheraton Xiamen Hotel is scheduled to open in June 2005 and will be the city's first five-star hotel. With the opening of the Sheraton Xiamen, Starwood will have the largest inventory of upscale hotels in China, bringing the total number of properties to 23, more than any other international hotel company. Starwood has expanded its portfolio in China significantly over the last year with the opening of Sheraton hotels in Sanya on Hainan Island, and in Dongguan in the Guangdong province. Starwood also recently signed for the development of two new hotels in Shenzhen and one in Ningbo. Separately, Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific has signed an agreement with the Fu Wah International Group to manage the first Park Plaza hotel in China. Fu Wah will build the Park Plaza Wangfujing Beijing, which is due to open in December 2005. The hotel will be managed by Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific, regional headquarters for Carlson Hotels Worldwide in for the Asia-Pacific region. Indeed, China and the Asia-Pacific region is proving to the world's hot bed for hotel development these days--and U.S.-based chains are in the thick of it.

OPPORTUNITIES EXECUTIVE MOVERS!

CRUISE LINES: SeaDream Yacht Club, operator of the twin mega yachts SeaDream I and II, has named Paul Vitali as director-land adventures and hotel development. Vitali is responsible for the development and fine tuning of SeaDream's Yachting Land Adventures, a series of custom-designed activities for active and adventurous guests, and Crew Shoreside Casuals, complimentary excursions led by officers or staff members who know the regions in which the twin mega yachts sail. Vitali, a 15-year veteran of the cruise industry, began his career on Holland America Line vessels in the shore excursion department. For the past five years he was with Cunard Line and Seabourn Cruise Line in their corporate headquarters, most recently as senior tour developer...As part of a marketing department restructuring, Silversea Cruises has let go two directors in Miami. The positions held by Signe Bjorndal, director of the Venetian Society, and Joanne Romeiser, director of guest relations, have been eliminated, according to Barbara Muckermann, senior vice president-worldwide marketing and communications. As part of the restructuring, Laura Gilli last month was named director of communications and partnership marketing for Europe, based in Silversea's Monaco office.

HOTELS & RESORTS: Boyd Gaming Corporation said Hector Mon has joined the company as senior vice president Operations. Mon will be responsible for Boyd Gaming's riverboat operations in Illinois, Indiana and Mississippi, and will report to Keith Smith, executive vice president and chief operating officer. Mon was previously the president and general manager of Tropicana Las Vegas. Before joining Tropicana in 1999, he held several top executive positions with Harrah's Entertainment, including Nevada Division president and president of Harrah's Atlantic City...Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel and Loews Beverly Hills Hotel named Kyle Pettipher as director of revenue management. Based in Santa Monica, Pettipher brings more than five years of revenue management experience to the two Loews hotels in Los Angeles. In his new role, he will help maximize room revenue, evaluate promotional packages, create Internet promotions, and oversee and develop the reservations department. Pettipher previously served as director of revenue management for Pittsburgh Hilton Hotel, a 713-room property. He has held several management positions with Hilton Hotels, including assistant director of revenue management for Hilton San Francisco, a 1,896-room property, and director of revenue management for Hilton Pasadena...Langham Hotels International, the wholly-owned hotel operating and asset management subsidiary of Hong Kong's Great Eagle Holdings Limited, named three senior executives for the functions of development, sales and marketing, and operations at the group's corporate level. Kevin Murphy has been appointed as senior vice president-development, Brett Butcher was named senior vice president-sales and marketing, and Nigel Roberts is the new senior vice president-operations, all effective July 1. Murphy will spearhead the Langham Group's development of management contracts worldwide and hotel investment in gateway cities around the globe. Butcher will head LHI's worldwide sales and marketing functions, particularly in brand building, corporate communications, e-business development, the hotel chain's sales and marketing strategies, customer relationship management and partnership marketing, and also will retain his role as managing director of Langham Place Hotel, Mongkok, Hong Kong and Eaton Hotel Hong Kong. Roberts will be responsible for ensuring the highest standard of fine hospitality service and qualifying LHI's emergence as a truly global deluxe portfolio. He will oversee LHI hotels in London, Boston, Melbourne, Auckland and Hong Kong, and will continue to be the managing director of Langham Hotel, Hong Kong.

TOUR OPERATORS: Pleasant Holidays, the wholesaler specializing in Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean, has added to its national sales team, bringing the total number of executives to 35. New sales executives include Pamela Barich, who will oversee Michigan and Indiana. Barich's experience of nearly 15 years in sales and travel includes stints with Cadillac Travel, Gateway Travel and Adventure Travel, all in Michigan. Jennifer Flores, CTC, will oversee Northern California's South Bay, Peninsula, Monterey and San Jose areas. Flores' 17-year career has included supervisory positions with Arista Travel in Saratoga and the California State Automobile Association in Los Gatos. Judy Koziel takes over sales in Chicago, Illinois, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa. Koziel has over 35 years' experience in outside sales, working with Hilton Hotels, Future Vacations and Air Jamaica Vacations. Debra Layton will now sell Pleasant in Northern California's Sacramento and Yolo Counties, as well as North Nevada. Layton's 25-year history in travel includes a previous stint with Pleasant Holidays, along with sales positions at several travel agencies in the Sacramento and Elk Grove, Calif., areas. Ricardo Pena, CTC, will have responsibility for sales in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and El Paso, Texas. Pena's previous experience includes sales and market development, along with new product introductions and market trend analysis with several well-known travel companies, such as Pamtours Global, Far & Wide Travel Corp., and Globus & Cosmos. Rebecca Wilson now sells Pleasant in Ohio, Kentucky, Western Pennsylvania, and Toledo, Ohio. Wilson is a 15-year veteran of the travel industry, first as an agency owner and later in management positions with AAA Corporate Travel and American Express One...Classic Custom Vacations announced that Rosa Buettner, CTC, vice president of sales, will be retiring from the travel industry to pursue a new career in real estate investment. Pete Davis, CTC, currently travel agent marketing manager for the luxury wholesaler, will replace Buettner, who has been with Classic for 14 years. She has agreed to remain with the company through the end of the year to ensure a seamless transition. Davis was formerly with Windstar Cruises, first directing national consortia and retail agency sales in North America and later as director of the company's charter, incentive group and international sales. Prior to that, Davis was a product marketing manager at Holland America Line. He began his career in advertising, developing communication strategies for companies such as The Boeing Company, Westin Hotels & Resorts and Dollar Rent A Car.

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