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The Travel Career Connexxions Opportunities Newsletter
08/12/08 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 http://www.TravelExecutive.com This week in Opportunities:
Asia/Pacific Travel Market Expected to Continue Growth in 2008 and Beyond To ensure that you always receive this newsletter and other communications from Travel Career Connexxions, please add our address to your Address Book (newsletter@travelexecutive.com). This will keep most email filters from misinterpreting and discarding these emails. Did you know? As of 08/12/08 there are 196 executive-level travel jobs published in the Travel Career Connexxions employment report. Positions include Director of Revenue Management (08/12), Director of Sales (08/07), Human Resources Director (08/11), Vice President Marketing (08/07), Vice President of Business Development (08/04), Merchandising Strategy & Marketing Planning Director (08/12) and more. It only takes one person to fill the job of a lifetime - and that someone could be you! http://www.TravelExecutive.com OPPORTUNITIES NEWS & TRENDS Asia/Pacific Travel Market Expected to Continue Growth in 2008 and Beyond The Asia Pacific region is poised to surpass both U.S and Western Europe in regional travel spending by 2018. In fact, the Asia Pacific region which contains nearly one-third of the world’s population already exceeds the number of Internet users of its Western counterparts. If current trends continue, Asia Pacific online travel spending will eclipse every other world region within ten years. In addition, a recent release of the MasterCard Worldwide Index of Travel has predicted sound development in outbound travel numbers in the Asia Pacific for the rest of the year. This prediction is in spite of the difficulties that inflation is posing in across the region. Strong growth has been forecasted for Singapore, with a year-on-year prediction of 23% growth, which alludes to over four million departures for both leisure and business travel in the next six months. Health growth compared to 2007 is also expected for China, who are forecasted to develop at 12%, Korea at 11%, Thailand at 10% and Hong Kong at 6%. “In spite of global economic uncertainty and rising inflation, outbound travel in Asia/Pacific is poised for steady growth over the rest of 2008,” said Dr Yuwa Hedrick-Wong. “This is largely due to the fact than income and employment have not been seriously affected by the global credit crunch; and higher inflation has yet to translate into higher prices in plane tickets and costs of accommodation,” he continued. There are an anticipated 88.3 million residential departures in the next six months from the Asia Pacific, with Malaysia and China accounting for half of the numbers. The report also revealed that Japan remains the most popular destination for personal travel within the Asia Pacific, with Thailand, Australia and Hong Kong closely following, and Europe and North America topped the list for destinations outside the Asia Pacific. Australia was ousted from its traditional ranking of second place by Thailand. The MasterCard Worldwide survey found that out of the 13 markets considered, China, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam have experienced increased personal travel habits as opposed to six months ago. Personal travel for the Thai population has increased from 55 percent to 66 percent, which is considerably closer to the 70 percent mark that was recorded a year ago. Furthermore, the traveling demographic seems to be leaning towards women, where 39 percent of females made personal trips in the past year, as opposed to 33 percent of males surveyed. Following tradition, the majority of personal travel occurs with friends and family, although travelling alone remains popular in Singapore, Australia, Indonesia and New Zealand. Overseas travel for business purposes was found to have slightly declined; with the most frequently visited destinations for business travel were found to be China, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan. Business travel continues to be a male-orientated market, with 22 percent of males travelling as opposed to 14 percent of females, except in the Singaporean, Malaysian, Australian and New Zealand markets, where women travelled more than men for business reasons. The preferred airline for the past seven surveys was Singapore Airlines, but it dropped to second in this study, with Thai Airways triumphing. Global warming was assessed as a factor depressing travel demand, with seven in ten travelers that felt global warming affected their travel plans deciding to travel less as a result. Hispanic Hotel Owners Association To Hold First Hotel, Development and Investment Conference The Hispanic Hotel Owners Association (HHOA), a non-profit organization that seeks to increase Latino ownership of hotels, has announced that it will hold its First Hotel, Development and Investment Conference, October 8-10 at the Doral Resort and Spa in Miami, Fla. Hilton Hotels Corporation is the title sponsor. The international conference will provide current trends, forecasts and expert panels on Latino hotel ownership, development and management in South America, the United States, Central America and Mexico. Particular emphasis will focus on the hotel industry in Chile, Mexico, Panama and Costa Rica. The conference is targeted to both current owners and companies and individuals who want to learn more about hotel investment opportunities. Attendees will include owners, investors, high net worth individuals, financing companies, hotel brands, management companies and organizations that support hotel ownership and development. More than 30 speakers and experts will discuss a wide array of topics, including development, finance, operations, legal and special investment tracks on Latin America and the U.S. Keynote speakers include Peter Yesawich, CEO of Ypartnership; Olivier Poroit, President Accor North America; Peter Strebble, President Wyndham Hotels Group, and Michael Gallegos, President & CEO American Property Management Corporation. A sampling of other speakers includes Mark Woodworth, president of PKF Hospitality Research, Jim Butler, partner Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Marmaro and Carlos Rodriguez, Executive VP Real Estate, Developments & Acquisitions of Driftwood Hospitality & President of DVI Cardel/Rodblu Funds. The conference will feature an exhibit and business exchange area for brands and industry vendors, who can schedule one-on-one appointments with attendees. The event will conclude on Friday evening with a Party for a Purpose, a special function to raise funds to underwrite scholarships for Latino students. Cost to attend the conference is $595 and $100 to attend the Party for a Purpose fundraiser. Attending owners also will have the opportunity to attend a special review class and take the Certified Hotel Owner exam by the Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Lodging Association. Additional information about HHOA is available at the association's Web site, www.hhoa.org. Travel Institute Testing at TRADESHOW The Travel Institute announced that it will be offering certification testing to all CTA, CTC and CTIE candidates attending THETRADESHOW in Orlando, FL on September 7, 2008. Candidates must reserve their place by August 1, 2008. Check-in for this single-seating opportunity will begin at 8:00 am and testing will begin promptly at 8:30 am. All testing will be completed by 11:30am prior to the morning's educational sessions. "I can't think of a better way for our CTA, CTC and CTIE candidates to begin their THETRADESHOW experience than to achieve their goal of earning their professional certification," says Steven Coy, CTIE. "The Travel Institute will also have a booth at THETRADESHOW showcasing our educational materials." For more information about The Travel Institute and how you can register to take the CTA, CTC or CTIE test at THETRADESHOW, please call 800.542.4282 or visit: www.thetravelinstitute.com. St. Vincent and the Grenadines Break Ground on First International Airport In a move that aims to make St. Vincent and the Grenadines more accessible to travelers the world over, Prime Minister Ralph E. Gonsalves and the International Airport Development Company (IADC) – the state-owned entity that will manage the airport – presided over a hillside ceremony in mid-July to mark the start of construction on the country’s first-ever international airport. Actual construction is slated to begin in August. Set to replace St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ current E.T. Joshua Airport by late 2011, the Argyle International Airport – so named for the coastal area on St. Vincent that it will occupy – will effectively open up the 32-island nation to non-stop and direct flights from key U.S. and Canadian gateways, Latin America and such international capitals as London – driving new arrivals, generating jobs and spurring investment in tourism, commercial and agricultural sectors. Insofar as the existing airport can only accept short-range turbo-prop aircraft from neighboring islands, St. Vincent and the Grenadines has previously been unable to significantly expand its air infrastructure – a vital ingredient in any Caribbean islands’ developmental plans. “News of our first international airport with its world-class design is already sparking new investments,” said Minister of Tourism Glen Beache. “While our off-the-beaten path offerings, castaway charm and pristine nature are what make St. Vincent and the Grenadines so alluring, we’re confident that improving our accessibility will lift our visibility in our key markets – even as we’re determined to safeguard those very assets that make us worth visiting. The only difference – and it’s a big one – will be the ease with which our international guests can get here.” The US$217 million project is the country’s largest, most expansive venture in its history. With 375 acres of land to be developed on the eastern coast of St. Vincent, the facility will feature a 9,000-foot runway, able to accommodate Boeing 747-400, 737, and 767, Airbus 300 and 320, as well as MD80 jet aircraft. In addition, a modern, well-conceived 53,820 square-foot terminal will give St. Vincent and the Grenadines the ability to cope with further future expansion. Work will begin on the site in August. Upon completion, the airport expects to employ some 400 workers. At that time, E.T. Joshua Airport, in operation since 1960, will be converted for use by commercial properties and businesses. Final plans and construction on that 63-acre site will proceed once most of the work on Argyle International Airport has been completed. OPPORTUNITIES EXECUTIVE MOVERS! AIRLINES: UAL Corporation, the holding company whose primary subsidiary is United Airlines, has announced that James E. Keenan has been named senior vice president of United Services. In this role, Keenan will have oversight for United's global maintenance operation. He will be responsible for the safety and operational reliability of United's fleet worldwide, overseeing administrative, engineering, sales, planning and production support of airframes, engines and components, as well as environmental compliance. Keenan joins United from Pratt & Whitney, where he was senior vice president and general manager of Pratt & Whitney Global Services Partners, the most extensive commercial engines Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) service network in the industry. While at Pratt & Whitney for six years, Keenan was responsible for engine overhaul, part repair, fleet and materials management, and a portfolio of service solutions. He also was responsible for leading the development and implementation of new repairs and bringing new service solutions to market. Prior to Pratt & Whitney, Keenan spent 14 years at United Airlines where he served as the vice president of engineering and technical support and had responsibility for the design and optimization of maintenance programs, the modification of aircraft, engines and components, and the performance of aircraft. Keenan will assume his role on August 15, 2008, and will report to Joe Kolshak, senior vice president of Operations for United, and will be based at United's maintenance base in San Francisco... Southwest Airlines has announced Kay Weatherford as Vice President Revenue Management & Pricing. In her new position, Weatherford will be responsible for ensuring that every Southwest flight departs with the right amount of revenue onboard while maintaining the low fares that keep Southwest Airlines Customers coming back. Weatherford steps into her new role this week. Weatherford joined Southwest Airlines in 1993 as an analyst in the Tax Department. After being promoted to Senior Tax Analyst in 1994, she moved to the Revenue and Traffic Analysis side of Finance in 1995. She was promoted to Manager of Revenue and Traffic Analysis in 1998; Director in 2003; and Senior Director in 2007, adding a Network and Strategic Analysis group to her Team at that time. Weatherford attended the University of Wisconsin and finished her Bachelor of Arts in accounting at the University of Texas at Arlington. Weatherford's identical twin sister, Kim Guehlstorf, also works at Southwest as Director of Attendance and Leave in Finance. CAR RENTALS: Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Andrew C. Taylor has announced that Pamela M. Nicholson has been named company president, making her only the fourth person to hold the office in Enterprise’s 51-year history. She succeeds Donald L. Ross who will continue as vice chairman of the company and its board of directors. Nicholson will also retain her role as Enterprise’s chief operating officer and as a member of the board of directors of Crawford Group, Enterprise’s parent company. Nicholson will oversee all of Enterprise’s transportation businesses, including Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, Alamo Rent A Car, Enterprise Fleet Management, Enterprise Car Sales, and Enterprise Commercial Truck Rental. Nicholson is only the second executive outside the Taylor family to serve as the company’s president, following founder Jack C. Taylor, his son, Andy, and Ross. Nicholson began her career with Enterprise Rent-A-Car in 1981 as a management trainee in St. Louis after graduating from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts degree. At the time, Enterprise was a small but growing regional rental car and auto leasing company with approximately 200 employees, 50 locations, 20,000 vehicles and less than $100 million in annual revenue. Within nine months she was promoted to assistant branch manager, and within a year accepted a position in the company’s recently opened and fast-growing Southern California group. Throughout the next 12 years, Nicholson was promoted through the ranks to one of the top operating positions in Southern California – regional vice president. During that period, the Southern California group grew from 1,000 to more than 27,000 cars in its fleet, and today is the company’s largest operating group. In 1994, Nicholson returned to her hometown of St. Louis to become a corporate vice president at Enterprise’s worldwide headquarters, overseeing the efforts of 10 operating groups located throughout the United States. She was also instrumental in establishing the first national preferred provider rental agreements between Enterprise and many of the top auto manufacturers. In 1997, Nicholson was promoted to the top job with Enterprise’s New York group, the company’s second largest operating group. During her two years as New York’s general manager, the group enjoyed excellent fleet growth and saw its profitability more than double. She was promoted to senior vice president, North American operations in 1999 and executive vice president and chief operating officer in 2003. Outside of her Enterprise duties, Nicholson is involved in community causes including past service on the board of the United Way of Bergen County, New Jersey; and as a past member of the board of INROADS of St. Louis, an employment program for minority college students. She currently serves as a member of the board of directors for the Humane Society of Missouri. She is also a member of the board of trustees of the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association, a director of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation and a generous supporter of a number of social causes in the St. Louis area, including the United Way. HOTELS & RESORTS: Mark Wilson has been appointed Director of Sales & Marketing of The Roosevelt in New Orleans which will be reopened as a Waldorf=Astoria Collection hotel in the Spring of 2009. Mark most recently served as the Director of Marketing of the Royal Sonesta Hotel. A twenty-three-year hospitality veteran, Mark began his career with the San Francisco Hilton. From there, he has held various management positions in New Orleans at the New Orleans Hilton Riverside, ITT Sheraton, and Fairmont. In St. Louis, he was Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Adam’s Mark Hotels. Mark earned an MBA in Marketing and Finance from Tulane University and is also a graduate of the University of Denver. For the last three years he has been President of the French Quarter Business Association and is on the Board of Forest Essentials Inc. When the Roosevelt reopens summer 2009 it will offer 500 luxury guest accommodations of which 125 will be suites and over 55,000 square feet of meeting and event space. Included will be the 20,000 square foot Roosevelt Ballroom, the 7,000 square foot Waldorf=Astoria Ballroom along with a total of 21 unique meeting rooms. The historic Roosevelt, which was first opened as the Grunewald in 1893, will once again also feature the famous Blue Room and Sazerac Bar... Concord Hospitality Enterprises has announced that Nick Kellock has joined the company as the chief operating officer, effective September 15th. Kellock will provide strategic direction to the overall operation and develop focused initiatives to manage and enhance the infrastructure of the company during a period of accelerated growth. Kellock joins Concord from Marriott International, where he most recently served as a senior vice president in charge of franchising for five of Marriott's select-service hotel brands -- Courtyard, Fairfield Inn, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites and TownePlace Suites. During his tenure, Kellock facilitated the franchising of more than 1,600 hotels. Previously, he served as Marriott's group vice president for select-service brands and brand vice president for Fairfield Inn & Suites. Prior to joining Marriott, Kellock held several management positions with the Whitbread Hotel Company, based in the United Kingdom. He holds a bachelor's degree in hotel management from Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom and a certificate in strategic marketing management from Harvard University. Kellock will replace Robert J. Micklash, who served in the position for 11 years and recently was named chief operating officer of Extended Stay America, effective July 1. TRAVEL TECH: SoftBrands, Inc., a global supplier of enterprise application software, has announced it has appointed Jo-Ann (Jo) Masters senior vice president and general manager, Hospitality. She will assume the role from Steve VanTassel, the current leader of the business, effective Oct. 1, 2008. Masters is currently vice president and general manager, SoftBrands Hospitality Americas. Masters has been with SoftBrands since 2000, joining the company as general manager of Australia. She then assumed the role of general manager for all of Asia Pacific and in 2004, moved into global services and support. Masters was instrumental in implementing the company's Worldwide Support Center in Bangalore and the integration plan for the support function after the purchase of HIS. Masters was appointed vice president and general manager of Americas Hospitality in October 2006 and has grown revenue, improved professional services utilization and margins, and built a strong leadership team. She also led the sales effort on the largest sale in the company's history, Red Roof Inns. Earlier in her career she held positions at Eltrax Systems, Sulcus Australia and All Seasons Hotels and Resorts.
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