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This week in Opportunities:

Amex Travel Poll Reveals New Trends in Holiday Travel
AAA Predicts Robust Thanksgiving Weekend
Market Metrix Announces Q3 Hospitality Index Results
Executive Movers! See who's going where?
Travel Executive Employment Report

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OPPORTUNITIES NEWS & TRENDS

Amex Travel Poll Reveals New Trends in Holiday Travel

Consumers are bending the rules of traditional holiday travel as American Express Travel agents reveal new and notable trends for the upcoming season. Results from an American Express Travel poll of 402 of their agents and representatives show that this year the week between Christmas and New Year's -- not Thanksgiving weekend -- will be the most popular time for holiday travel for their customers (according to 67% of agents). In fact, according to agents' rankings, that particular week was significantly more popular than the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas (27%), during Thanksgiving (18%), after the New Year (8%) and before Thanksgiving (4%). In addition to this shift in travel schedules, more than 50% of agents said that their customers are looking beyond their tried and true holiday destinations, seeking to go somewhere new every year, especially internationally. Not only are travelers looking to indulge in new travel experiences, they are also treating themselves to an extra special holiday season this year with 76% of agents reporting that travelers are booking more luxury vacations this season than ever before. Sixty-eight percent of agents are seeing an increase in five-star hotel bookings and 54% are seeing an increase in first-class and business-class travel bookings. Agents revealed that luxury travel this holiday season has increased the most among couples (48%) and families (48%); followed by mature travelers (31%), and singles (10%). The poll also revealed that 24% of agents are booking more holiday travel overall this year than last, with the majority (43%) saying that holiday vacation budgets are exceeding $2,000 per person. Agents say that beach/resort, cruise, and ski/mountain vacations top the list as favorite getaways. Fifty-eight percent say that families with children are booking the most holiday travel this year, followed by couples (18%), and relatives traveling together (14%). The top reasons for taking a holiday vacation instead of staying home are that kids are off from school (48%), people are able to take time off (43%), a desire to relax and get away from it all (35%), an interest in experiencing a new culture or country (27%), and the desire to celebrate the season in a new way (26%). As travelers seek to relax and enjoy the holidays far from the hustle and bustle, agents reveal that celebrating the spirit of the season is still important no matter where they are. Agents say that the top "things to do" while on a holiday vacation include: participating in resort-sponsored holiday-themed events and activities, enjoying gourmet holiday meals, and experiencing local holiday celebrations. According to agents polled, top factors that consumers weigh when making holiday travel plans are: how well they suit their family's interests, discounts/deals, available amenities and upgrades, advice from travel agents, ability to redeem rewards points, and convenient/easy to get to. For those seeking good value on their holiday vacations, the majority of travel agents polled agree there are a number of attractive deals available this holiday season including: all-inclusive vacations (53%), cruise vacations (47%), packages for families (44%), special rates and discounts for couples (22%), air and hotel deals (15%), and holiday-themed packages (14%). Data on 2006 holiday travel trends was collected via an online poll of 402 American Express Travel agents and representatives across the U.S. The poll was fielded during late October and early November. All statistics reflect the percentages of agents polled.

AAA Predicts Robust Thanksgiving Weekend

Higher prices for hotel rooms, rental cars and airfares will not keep families home this Thanksgiving, according to AAA. AAA estimates that 38.3 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday, a 2.7 percent increase from last year’s 37.3 million travelers. Approximately 31.7 million travelers (82.8 percent of all holiday travelers) expect to go by motor vehicle, a 2.6 percent increase from the 30.8 million who drove a year ago. Holiday auto travelers will find gas prices nationwide currently averaging $2.23 for a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline—about nine cents lower than this time last year. AAA expects 4.8 million (12.5 percent of holiday travelers) Americans to travel by airplane, up 3.2 percent from the 4.6 million that flew last Thanksgiving holiday. A projected 1.9 million travelers (5 percent) will go by train, bus, or other mode of transportation, up slightly from 1.8 million a year ago. Despite paying less at the pump, travelers will face much higher prices for hotels, airfares and car rentals, according to AAA’s Leisure Travel Index. Holiday hotel rates are up 16 percent for AAA-Rated Three Diamond hotels, as strong demand allows hoteliers to increase rates that they raised last Thanksgiving, too. Expect higher rates for rental cars, as well, with an average increase of 21 percent. With an average 4 percent increase from last year, air fares will be more costly, but travelers won’t see the extreme price hikes they will experience with hotel and car rental rates. The greatest number of Thanksgiving auto travelers will originate in the Southeast with 9.1 million, followed by the West, 7.2 million; Midwest, 6.7 million; the Great Lakes, 6.2 million; and the Northeast, 2.4 million. The Southeast and the West are expected to produce the largest number of air travelers with 1.3 million each, followed by the Midwest with 789,000; the Northeast with 772,000; and Great Lakes with 643,000. Hot water heaters will be working overtime, as 69.5 percent of Thanksgiving travelers expect to stay at a friend or relative’s home. Hotels and motels are a distant second at 16 percent, followed by cabin/condo, 4.5 percent; camper/trailer/RV/tent, 2.4 percent; other, 3.6 percent; no overnight stay, 2.6 percent; and didn’t know, 1.4 percent. Small towns and rural areas are the expected destination for 45.3 percent of Thanksgiving travelers, followed by cities, 35 percent. Mountain areas should see 8.3 percent of travelers, followed by oceans and beaches with 5.2 percent of travelers; 2.3 percent for lake areas, 0.6 percent for state/national parks and 0.3 percent for theme/amusement parks. Another 2.0 percent responded with other.

Market Metrix Announces Q3 Hospitality Index Results

Market Metrix, LLC, provider of market research services for the hospitality industry, has announced results of the Market Metrix Hospitality Index (MMHI) for the third quarter of 2006. Drury Inns, JetBlue Airways and Enterprise Rent-A-Car ranked number one in hotel, airline and rental car industry customer satisfaction, respectively. This is the second consecutive quarter that Drury Inns has won top honors in customer satisfaction for the hotel industry. With higher satisfaction scores than much pricier hotels, guests continue to rave about the personal treatment they experience. JetBlue Airlines and Enterprise Rent-A-Car also continue their momentum after earning the top spot in their respective industries in Q2 2006. This quarter, research focused on the multigenerational traveler. More people from all age groups are traveling now than ever before. Attracting and satisfying the needs of each of these groups presents new challenges to conventional approaches. Born between 1977 and 1994, the Y generation is poised to become the largest consumer group in the history of the U.S. and, therefore, represents the future market for most consumer brands. But generation Y travelers are the least loyal to hotel brands compared to all other generational groups. The Y generation -- whose members have not yet hit 30 -- is different from any that have come before. Based on results from 35,000 guests staying in a hotel during Q3 2006, Gen Y represents the least loyal, most emotional and least satisfied guests compared to all other generations. Their favorite mainstream brand is Holiday Inn Express but they also like unconventional brands such as W and Kimpton Hotels. Successful Generation Y brands are typically perceived as hip and popular, but without the air of heavy commercialism. Also, Generation Y demographics show that Gen Y is more racially diverse, with one out of three members considering themselves non-Caucasian. As a result, customer service is defined differently by Gen Y. What an older customer sees as "attentive and responsive," a younger Gen Y may see as "tedious and unnecessary." The Market Metrix Hospitality Index is a quarterly report of customer satisfaction with hotel, airline and car rental companies based on 35,000 in-depth consumer interviews. The MMHI ranks top hospitality brands by industry and, for hotels, by categories such as luxury, mid-price and economy. Detailed, in-depth and customized reports are available for subscribers. For more information, visit www.marketmetrix.com.

OPPORTUNITIES EXECUTIVE MOVERS!

AIRLINES: Frontier Airlines has announced it has hired Dennis Crabtree as its new VP of Safety and Security. Crabtree brings over 34 years of aviation industry experience in flight operations, safety and regulatory compliance to Frontier. Most recently, Crabtree served as Director of Aviation Services for FEI Behavioral Health, where he was an Account Executive providing airline clients with crisis management and emergency preparedness consulting. Prior to joining FEI, Crabtree spent close to two years co-founding startup passenger airline HeartLand Airlines; two and a half years as VP and Senior VP of Operations at Midwest Express and over 10 years at Continental in various leadership roles in Safety and Regulatory Compliance as President of Continental Express. Crabtree replaces former VP of Aviation Safety and Security, Tom Nunn, who left Frontier Airlines to become President of Frontier's recently formed subsidiary, Lynx Aviation. Lynx Aviation will begin flying new Bombardier Q400 aircraft for Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc. in mid-summer 2007. Crabtree will report to President and CEO Jeff Potter and will be responsible for directing all aspects of the safety, security and regulatory compliance areas, which include the Integrated Safety Management Program, the Aviation/Safety Hot Line, the Internal Evaluation (Audit) Program, the Reliability Control Program, the Emergency Response Program and Corporate Security and regulatory programs... US Airways has promoted Managing Director InFlight Services Sherri Shamblin to vice president, InFlight services. She succeeds Ron Cole, who announced his retirement in September. Shamblin will report to Captain Ed Bular, senior vice president Flight Operations/InFlight. Before joining America West Airlines as a flight attendant in 1986, Shamblin served as an operations specialist in the United States Navy stationed in Japan. She held numerous other positions at America West including customer service manager -- baggage, station manager at both Burbank and Indianapolis as well as ground operations manager at Los Angeles International Airport. Shamblin is a graduate of the human resources management program at Western International University. Her new position is subject to approval of the US Airways Board of Directors.

HOTELS & RESORTS: The Kor Group, has announced the recent appointment of Tom Hendrick to the newly created position of Executive Vice President, Acquisitions and Development. Hendrick will be based out of Kor’s office in Dallas-Forth Worth and will oversee hotel and resort acquisitions, development opportunities and third-party management agreements on a worldwide basis. Formerly the Vice President of Development for Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Hendrick began his official tenure with Kor on November 15 of this year. Last month The Kor Group appointed former Mandarin Oriental Vice President of Operations, Nicholas Clayton, as President of its hospitality division, Kor Hotel Group. Hendrick joins The Kor Group with over twenty years of experience in the hospitality industry. Over the course of his career, he has handled over $1 billion worth of development, finance, acquisition and dispositions transactions combined. Most recently, he was Vice President of Development for Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, where he directed the company’s new business development for the Americas. In addition to his work with Mandarin Oriental, Hendrick has served in senior development positions for some the most successful hotel companies in the world, including Rosewood Hotels & Resorts as Vice President of Development, Regent International Hotels as Vice President of Development, Mariner Hotels (presently Remington Hotels) as Executive Vice President of Development and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts as Regional Vice President of Development... Peggy Benua was recently named General Manager of the 236-room award-winning South Beach Marriott. Formerly the Resident Manager for Eden Roc Renaissance Resort and Spa in Miami Beach, Florida, Benua is an 18-year hospitality veteran. She holds a Master of Science in Hotel and Food Service Management from Florida International University in Miami, Florida and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida... Barcelo Crestline Corporation has announced the appointment of Fernando Mulet to Vice President of Development & Asset Management. He recently served as Director of International Investments & Asset Management for Highland Hospitality Corporation. In his new position, Mulet will identify investment opportunities, direct all needed feasibility studies and negotiate the acquisition of properties and hotels throughout Mexico, the Caribbean, and Latin America for the company. In addition, he will provide asset management guidance for the properties in the Playa Hotels & Resorts, S.L. portfolio. Mulet will report directly to Bruce Wardinski, Chairman & CEO of Barcelo Crestline Corporation. A native of Spain, Mulet earned his degrees at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Universidad Pontifica de Comillas (ICAED). He continued his education in the US at Cornell University where he earned a certification in Real Estate, Development and Hotel Investment. He began his hospitality career with Barcelo Hotels & Resorts in Mexico, Spain and Orlando, Florida and has also held positions in international banking... HEI Hospitality has announced that Nigel Hurst has joined the company as senior vice president of human resources. He will report directly to Gary Mendell, chairman and chief executive officer. Hurst will oversee all human resource activities for the company's growing workforce of 5,000 people. His responsibilities include recruitment, talent development, leadership development, employee relations, employee performance management, compensation and benefits. Previously, Hurst was senior vice president, human resources, for Unilever United States, where he was a member of the company's five-person management committee that oversaw all of the company. He played a key role in the integration of Lever Brothers, Chesebrough Ponds and Helene Curtis into a single business unit with a common mission and shared values. He is the former senior vice president of Unilever East Asia Pacific where he oversaw all human resources activities for the company's fastest growing region, with more than $2 billion of annual revenues. During his tenure, he was integral in helping the business achieve a 90 percent internal succession rate and voluntary turnover rate of less than 7 percent. He also was head of personnel for Unilever Plantations, where he integrated the acquisitions of five companies with more then 70,000 employees. Hurst holds a BA in Business Studies from Coventry University in the United Kingdom.

TRAVEL TECH: Frances H. Phillips has joined AirCell as Senior Vice President, Airline Solutions. A deeply experienced aviation and in-flight entertainment executive, she will be responsible for all airline sales and program management activities related to AirCell’s new broadband service, and based at AirCell’s new Chicago facility. Fran’s distinguished aviation career began at American Airlines, where she held positions of increasing responsibility in sales programs, revenue management, and in-flight products and entertainment. At Sony, she developed a successful new business unit for the supply of entertainment content, managing relationships with content providers and working with technical teams to develop new applications for consumers. As an independent consultant, she provided strategic planning services to leading in-flight entertainment companies that included Rockwell Collins, Sony, and Thales. Most recently at Connexion by Boeing, she managed customer relationships, product development, passenger services, and a series of other key initiatives...

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