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:

Survey: Affluent Parents Spend More Than Double on Travel With Children
Two Million Passengers Per Day to Travel Over 12-Day Thanksgiving Period
Opportunities Watch!
Opportunities Networking!
Executive Movers! See who's going where?
Travel Executive Employment Report

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Did you know? As of 11/08/06 there are 182 executive-level travel jobs published in the Travel Career Connexxions employment report. Positions include Director of Sales & Marketing (11/07), Human Resources Director (11/02), Senior Director of User Experience (11/01), Vice President & General Manager (10/27), Director of Finance (10/27), Director of E Commerce Marketing (10/27) 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

Survey: Affluent Parents Spend More Than Double on Travel With Children

Affluent parents share a passion for travel and are passing it along to their children at an earlier age than ever before, according to the Third Annual American Express Platinum Luxury Survey. More than two-thirds of affluent parents (68 percent) say they planned three vacations with their children in 2006 with a total expenditure of $10,067 -- more than double the average annual expenditure by affluent parents for vacations taken without children ($4,524). The survey, which included 1,170 respondents with an average of two children and an average household income of $472,000, also revealed that children are being given a view of the world at an earlier age than their parents. According to respondents, 68 percent of children age 17 or under have traveled internationally, compared with parents, who, on average, said they made their first international trip at age 19. Thirty-two percent (32 percent) of parents also report their children have traveled in first or business class. Travel trailed only physical fitness as a top hobby or interest about which affluent parents were most passionate. When looking at spending patterns among all top "passions" cited by respondents, travel actually topped the list at an average of $13,304 per year. The Third Annual American Express Platinum Luxury Survey was a quantitative survey conducted in June 2006 among a random cross-section of 1,170 affluent consumers in the U.S. Those surveyed had to report a household income of at least $150,000 and fall in the age range of 30 to 59 to be considered. Respondents were not required to be American Express Card members to participate. The American Affluence Research Center conducted the survey on behalf of American Express. For more information, visit: www.americanexpress.com/corp/pc/2006/lux_survey.asp.

Two Million Passengers Per Day to Travel Over 12-Day Thanksgiving Period

The Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the industry trade organization representing leading U.S. airlines, is forecasting that 25 million passengers -- an average of more than two million per day -- will travel globally on U.S. airlines during the 2006 Thanksgiving holiday season spanning Friday, Nov. 17 through Tuesday, Nov. 28. The nation's airlines expect this three percent year-over-year increase in passengers to result in planes, on average, being more than 80 percent full over the holiday. Sunday, Nov. 26 and Monday, Nov. 27, are expected to be the busiest two days. "While we are enthused that many people will be flying this Thanksgiving holiday, we want our customers to have a pleasant travel experience, and this year that requires a bit of preparation," said ATA President and CEO James C. May. "Airports will be packed and at times lines could be long, so it is critical that passengers understand what to expect, especially given new security measures."

OPPORTUNITIES WATCH!

Hilton Announces Development of Vacation Ownership Resort in Waikoloa, Hawaii

Construction of Hawaii’s newest vacation ownership resort has been officially launched in Waikoloa, Hawaii. Hilton Hotels Corporation, through its timeshare division, Hilton Grand Vacations Company (HGVC), announced plans to develop Kings’ Land, its second Hilton Grand Vacations Club® timeshare project within the Waikoloa Beach Resort on Hawaii’s Big Island. The announcement marks the third Hilton timeshare project launch in recent months; following the start of construction of the 331-unit Grand Waikikian™ project in Honolulu, Hawaii (projected to open in December 2008), and the development of a 161-unit Hilton Grand Vacations Club project in New York City (projected to open in April 2009). A groundbreaking ceremony on November 2 officially launched construction of a 198-unit development phase of the new Hilton Grand Vacations Club resort at Kings’ Land. The first of seven potential development phases is slated for completion in August 2008, and pre-opening timeshare sales have commenced.

OPPORTUNITIES NETWORKING!

Job Seekers: mDEST '06

Join the Meadowlands Liberty Convention and Visitors Bureau (MLCVB) for its second annual mDEST ‘06, November 28 and 29, 2006 -- the premier travel and tourism trade show and job fair for the Meadowlands Liberty region. Hosted by the Meadowlands Expo Center with sponsors from some of New Jersey's leading institutions, mDEST ‘06 and its partners are committed to creating a profitable and productive atmosphere for both exhibitors and visitors! mDEST’s trade show portion seeks to provide both buyers and sellers the opportunity to spend a day together under one roof. If you’re looking for a job in the hospitality industry and would you like to reach 40 hotels at once with your resume – then mDEST ‘06 Hospitality Career Fair is for you! The mDEST Job Fair promises to showcase the best opportunities for employment with hotels, restaurants, and attractions in the Meadowlands Liberty Region. From 5-8pm on November 28th, come rub elbows with the entire region’s hospitality professionals and score yourself a winning position. For more information, visit: www.meadowlandslibertycvb.com/tradeshow.

OPPORTUNITIES EXECUTIVE MOVERS!

CRUISELINES: Cruise industry executive Pamela C. Conover has been named president and chief executive officer of Seabourn Cruise Line, the Miami-based, ultra luxury brand owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. In her new role, she will report to Carnival vice chairman Howard Frank. Conover, who was assigned as acting president of Seabourn after the company's late president Deborah L. Natansohn suffered a heart attack on October 22, was most recently senior vice president of shared services at Carnival Corporation, where, among other duties, her market research and strategic analysis resulted in an order for two new ships for Seabourn. Conover has a previous operating history with the Seabourn brand, having been president and chief operating officer of Cunard Line Limited, which operated the fleets of both Seabourn and Cunard, from 2001 until the two brands were de-merged in 2004. In that role, she oversaw the building and launch of Cunard's Queen Mary 2 and the strategic restructuring and re- branding of Seabourn's three-ship fleet.

HOTELS & RESORTS: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has announced the appointment of Todd Thompson to chief information officer. In this role, Thompson will be responsible for all facets of Starwood’s information technology globally. He will join Starwood’s Senior Leadership Team and will report to Vasant Prabhu, Starwood’s executive vice president and chief financial officer. With more than 20 years of technology experience, Thompson was most recently chief information officer for JetBlue Airlines where he was responsible for companywide information technology projects and operations. Prior to joining Jet Blue in 2003, Thompson led consulting practices for SBI.Razorfish and Arthur Anderson Business Consulting. Earlier in his career, he was the IT Director at Nu Skin and a Senior Consultant for Anderson Consulting. Thompson received a BS in Computer Science and an MBA from Brigham Young University... Marriott International, Inc. has announced that Edward A. Ryan has been promoted to executive vice president and general counsel for the company. He succeeds Joseph Ryan (no relation) who will retire at the end of the year. Ed Ryan was also named a senior executive officer, and will report to J.W. Marriott, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer. Ed Ryan joined Marriott International in 1996 and has overseen all new management agreements and real estate development worldwide for Marriott's portfolio of full service, select service and extended stay hotels. Most recently, Ryan had also assumed responsibility for all corporate transactions and corporate governance. Prior to joining Marriott, Ed Ryan engaged in private practice in Washington, D.C., first with the firm of Crowell & Moring from 1978 to 1984, and then with Hogan & Hartson from 1984 to 1996, where he was made partner in 1989. Ryan is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, receiving his A.B. summa cum laude in 1975 and his J.D. cum laude in 1978. While attending law school, he was associate editor of the Law Review... Raj Rana, an internationally experienced hospitality industry executive, has been promoted to regional vice president of operations for Carlson Hotels Worldwide's full service hotels in the Americas, including Radisson Hotels & Resorts and Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts. In his new role, Rana will be responsible for approving new franchised hotels and resorts, and providing field support and operations expertise to these properties. He is responsible for Carlson hotels full service operations in the eastern region of the United States, the Bahamas and Central and South America. Rana has more than 20 years of hospitality experience, the majority of which has been spent in various management positions with the Radisson hotels. From New Delhi, India to Moscow, Russia to Stockton, Calif., to the Twin Cities in Minnesota, Rana's record of exceptional service is reflected in revenue and profit growth. Most recently, Rana served as General Manager of the company's flagship hotel, the Four Diamond Radisson Plaza Hotel in Minneapolis, Minn. During his nearly two years in managing that hotel, he increased the annual sales by more than 10%; and achieved the Radisson Pinnacle Award for excellence in hospitality. Rana earned his bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Delhi, and his MBA from Dowling College in New York. In addition, he holds a diploma in Hotel Management from the Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa, Delhi, a certificate in Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), and has completed an executive course in American Business Law... Vail Resorts, Inc. has announced that Patricia Campbell has been appointed the new chief operating officer of Keystone Resort, effective immediately. Campbell will report directly to Roger McCarthy, co-president of Vail Resorts' mountain division and chief operating officer of Breckenridge. For the past six years, Campbell has been director of skier services for Breckenridge Ski Resort, responsible for overseeing the departments of ski and ride school, ticket and product sales and guest service, among others. Prior to this position, she served as director of the resort's ski and snowboard school. She was director of the ski and snowboard school for Grand Targhee Ski Resort in Alta, Wyo., for from 1995-1999 and in various roles from ski school instructor to assistant ski school director for Jackson Hole Mountain Resort from 1985-1995. Campbell holds a bachelor's degree from Middlebury College and is Level 3 certified instructor with the Professional Ski Instructors of America. She serves as a member of the board of the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center.

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