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This week in Opportunities:

Steve Case Builds an Empire in Exclusive Resorts
Survey Shows Surge in Off-Site Corporate Meetings
Survey Shows 82% Plan at Least One Leisure Trip
Opportunities Watch!
Opportunities Resource!
Executive Movers! See who's going where?
Travel Executive Employment Report

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Did you know? As of 11/30/04 there are 124 executive-level travel jobs published in the Travel Career Connexxions employment report. Positions include Director of Sales (11/17), Director Business Development (11/17), Director of Operations (11/08), Regional Vice President (11/05), Director of E-Commerce Marketing (10/28), CEO, Chief Marketing Officer 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!

Steve Case Builds an Empire in Exclusive Resorts

Steve Case may not be building the next AOL, but he is developing a new way to vacation for the luxury set. Exclusive Resorts said Case, co-founder of America Online, has increased his majority ownership in Exclusive Resorts and has become chairman of the company. The company also announced that Case has assembled a new management team to continue the consumer focus and growth of Exclusive Resorts. Exclusive Resorts has created a leading luxury residence club by offering its members access to the largest portfolio of multi-million-dollar residences in the world's most desirable destinations. Case has assembled a world-class management team, recruiting from top companies in key related industries. Donn Davis, formerly a senior executive at Time Warner, America Online and Tribune Company, and a leader in successfully building innovative, new consumer businesses, is the CEO of the company. Prior to joining Exclusive Resorts, Davis served as president of the AOL Interactive Properties Group, where he led the explosive growth of Internet category leaders, including Mapquest, Moviefone and AOL Instant Messenger. Previously, he was president of Tribune Ventures, where he successfully invested in companies that pioneered new industry segments, including Excite, Checkfree and iVillage. Robert Parsons, formerly CFO of Host Marriott Corporation and a 23-year veteran of Marriott and HostMarriott, was appointed Exclusive Resorts' CFO. Michael Beindorff, formerly executive vice president of worldwide marketing and product at Visa, was appointed Exclusive Resorts' chief operating officer. Brad Handler, Brent Handler and Tom Filippini, co-founders of Exclusive Resorts, continue to play a leadership role in the company. Brad Handler serves as vice chairman, focusing on legal and regulatory matters. Brent Handler remains as president of the company with responsibility for daily operations, and Tom Filippini continues as the company's executive vice president of membership Sales. Completing the management team are hospitality, real estate and fractional services industry veterans. Todd Harris, a 14-year veteran of Ritz Carlton and most recently the general manager of the Ritz Carlton Bachelor's Gulch, is senior vice president of member services. Cathy Ross, an 18-year veteran of hospitality and real estate, most recently with Destination Hotels & Resorts, is senior vice president of real estate operations. Brian Greenman, previously the director of accounting and financial operations of Hyatt Corporation, is senior vice president of finance. Rob Hersov, founder of Marquis Jets Europe and current vice chairman of NetJets Europe, leads the company's sales expansion in Europe as the non-executive chairman of Exclusive Resorts Europe. So if you're looking for a company on the growth path, Exclusive Resorts might be just the ticket.

Survey Shows Surge in Off-Site Corporate Meetings

The meetings market appears to be one area of travel that's suddenly back big time. A new survey of North American meeting planners reveals that fully 19 percent expect to book more off-site meetings in the year ahead. The optimistic findings of the survey offer good news to the lodging industry and, in particular, destinations, hotels and resorts that rely on meetings and conventions as an important part of their visitor mix. Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell, the Orlando-based marketing services firm that conducted the study, surveyed 904 pre-qualified meeting planners who, on average, had more than 10 years of experience in planning and booking off-site meetings. Highlights of the survey findings include: One in five (19 percent) meeting planners expects to book more off-site meetings in the year ahead (16 percent of association meeting planners, and 23 percent of corporate meeting planners); the number one concern expressed by both corporate and association meeting planners was "making the meeting agenda relevant," with planners citing the cost of lodging accommodations as the second most important concern; although 23 percent of corporate meeting planners expect to book more off-site meetings in the year ahead, they also indicated they were likely to shorten the length of those meetings and replace larger meetings with one or more smaller meetings; all planners rated "site inspections" as the most important source of new information on both destinations and lodging accommodations, and planners expressed a clear preference to work directly with the host hotel and/or resort sales personnel when negotiating and booking meetings; Orlando was cited as the number one destination for future corporate meetings (by 53 percent of corporate planners), while San Diego was rated the preferred destination by association planners (48 percent), and the combined ratings for both corporate and association planners revealed that San Diego reigns as the most desirable destination for a future meeting of any type (46 percent of all planners).

Survey Shows 82% Plan at Least One Leisure Trip

Yet another recent survey has more good news for travel. More than four in five (82 percent) U.S. adults plan to take at least one trip for leisure sometime in the next six months, according to the new 2004 Travel Report, conducted quarterly by Harris Interactive. In addition, one in five plans to travel for business purposes (22 percent) and some business travelers will combine their business trips to include leisure plans (19 percent) at least once in the next six months. When leisure travelers and combined business/leisure travelers booked or plan to book arrangements for their next trip, the most used booking channel cited by both groups is online travel web sites (28 percent of leisure travelers and 31 percent of business/leisure travelers). Of those solely traveling for business purposes, one quarter (24 percent) have booked or plan to book their arrangements using their corporate travel department followed by 22 percent using or planning to use an online travel web site. Nearly two in five (37 percent) adult believe online travel agencies offer the lowest prices for planning and booking travel, compared to suppliers (15 percent) or traditional travel agencies (4 percent). Also, nearly a third (32 percent) believes that these online agencies offer the best value when booking travel arrangements. While many adults planning to take a leisure trip in the next six months have booked or plan to book their arrangements using online travel web sites, travel supplier websites, full-service travel agencies, etc., one in 10 leisure travelers (10 percent) are undecided about how they will book their next trip. Not surprisingly, for those U.S. adults who have booked or plan to book travel arrangements using online travel agencies--e.g. Travelocity, Orbitz and Expedia--lowest prices (78 percent) is what people say influences them to be loyal to a particular agency. However, they also find web site design and ease of use (36 percent), quality of vacation packages offered (34 percent), knowing the brand of the travel provider (32 percent) and the ability to speak to a live agent (27 percent) as top influencers of loyalty.

OPPORTUNITIES WATCH!

SideStep Travel Search Engine Keeps on the Growth Path

SideStep (www.sidestep.com), a top traveler's search engine, is expanding its relationships with major hotels, airlines and rental car companies. Just last week, for example, it signed up with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). In addition to featuring inventory from IHG's seven hotel brands within its search results, SideStep will now promote IHG in a multi-faceted marketing campaign, connecting consumers directly to the hotelier's Web site to book their travel. SideStep will accelerate customer acquisition for IHG brand hotels, which include InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites hotels, with marketing programs. Winner of the Forbes "Best of the Web" Award, the SideStep travel search toolbar is available at www.sidestep.com. SideStep's new Web-based hotel and rental car search offerings are also available through www.sidestep.com, along with TravelFinds Specials and TravelFinds Spotlight, the company's e-mail newsletters. SideStep also says it is actively hiring to support its growth. For job listings, visit www.sidestep.com/jobs.

Fledgling Low-Cost Operator easyCruise Looks for a CEO

With start-up date fast approaching for easyCruise, the low-cost cruise company started by the founder of easyJet, the company is looking to employ a chief executive officer and a cruise director by the end of this year. The CEO will be based primarily in London, reporting to easyGroup Chairman Stelios Haji-Ioannou. The candidate must have at least 15 years in senior management positions and "a strong conviction in the low cost business model is a must," according to the job spec. Initial priority will be to achieve an on time and within budget launch of the new ship in March. The CEO will manage the selection of outsourcing partners for all aspects of the operation (ship manager, caterer, ports of call and port agents, shore excursions and entertainment). The cruise director must have at least five years' shipboard experience with an excellent command of English and a good TV presence, according to the job spec. The candidate will be based on easyCruiseOne, reporting directly to easyCruise headquarters and will be the main point of contact for passenger issues and overseeing the concessionaires' performance onboard.

Raffles Expands Beyond Asia with Canouan Island Resort

Singapore-based Raffles Resorts is on an expansion surge well beyond its Asian base. Raffles Resort Canouan Island held its official grand opening Nov. 22. Located in the heart of the Grenadines on the island of Canouan, the new resort is Singapore-based Raffles International's first venture in the Caribbean. The resort offers 156 Mediterranean villa-style accommodations ranging from luxury suites with private pools overlooking the Caribbean to spacious guest rooms with garden views. The new resort joins Raffles' exclusive collection of luxury hotels, including the flagship Raffles Hotel Singapore, Raffles L'Ermitage Beverly Hills, and Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor in Cambodia. For more information on Raffles Hotels & Resorts, visit www.raffles.com.

Shangri-La Set to Open in Shenzhen, China by 2007

Reflecting the surging market for travel in China, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts said it will open a new hotel in Shenzhen city in China at the end of 2007. Shangri-La Futian, Shenzhen is one of the 25 additional hotels that the group will open through 2007, to complement the current portfolio of 17 mainland China hotels, including the existing 553-room Shangri-La Hotel, Shenzhen. Situated in the Pearl River Delta near Hong Kong, Shenzhen is one of China's three special economic zones and home to one of China's major international ports. For more information, visit www.shangri-la.com.

InterContinental Set to Build Fourth Resort in French Polynesia

Also expanding in the Asia Pacific region is InterContinental Hotels & Resorts. The company will soon offer a fourth resort in the islands of French Polynesia. Construction of the InterContinental Resort & Spa Bora Bora has commenced, with an opening scheduled for May 2006, making InterContinental Hotels Group the largest international luxury hotel operator in French Polynesia. InterContinental Resort & Spa Bora Bora will feature 80 over-water villas, each more than 100 square meters, and 12 day rooms. The development represents an investment of $65 million by owner, Tahiti Beachcomber SociÈtÈ Anonyme.

Growing Golden Tulip Adds First Ireland Hotel in Dublin

Golden Tulip, a growing European brand, is adding its first location in Ireland to its growing portfolio of sites for the Tulip Inn brand. Golden Tulip (U.K.), the U.K. hotel development and franchise arm of Dutch-based Golden Tulip Hotels, Inns & Resorts, has acquired a 25-year lease on a two-acre site at the entrance to Airside Retail and Business Park near Dublin Airport for a 155-room hotel--its largest hotel to date. Golden Tulip U.K. will also manage the hotel which, when completed, will have a value of some $20 million. The Tulip Inn Dublin hotel is one of four new Tulip Inn brand properties, which form part of an ambitious expansion program for Golden Tulip U.K. with a target of 15 more hotels within the next three years. The other new hotels are Tulip Inn Newcastle Gateshead, which recently opened, and Tulip Inn Portsmouth, which opened its doors to the public on Nov. 15. The Tulip Inn Leeds Castleford opens in March 2005. Golden Tulip U.K. is currently in negotiation for a number of hotel sites across the U.K. for both the Tulip Inn and Golden Tulip brands. Discussions at locations in London, Belfast, Coventry, Cambridge, Epsom and Swindon are at an advanced stage, while planning permission for extensions at the Tulip Inn hotels in Manchester and Portsmouth have been submitted. For more information, visit www.goldentulip.com.

OPPORTUNITIES RESOURCE!

Visit ICCL's Web Site to Find Out More About Cruising

Want to know more about the basics of the cruise industry? The International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL), a Washington-based lobbying group for the cruise business, counts as members all the major cruise companies and brands. But best of all, the group's web site has a wealth of information about the industry and its major companies. One section explains ICCL and its organizational structure; another section has current and archived press releases as well as an archive of ICCL presentations; a third section explains cruise terminology and other cruise industry organizations; a fourth section offers cruise economic studies, environmental studies and industry reports; a fifth section reviews cruise industry policies; a sixth section offers direct links to the web sites of 16 member cruise lines. For more information, visit www.iccl.org.

OPPORTUNITIES EXECUTIVE MOVERS!

AIRLINES: The Universal Air Travel Plan (UATP) appointed Scot Bealer as the new vice president-worldwide sales as of Nov. 4, 2004. Bealer joins UATP from Continental Airlines where he was the national sales manager-UATP. During his tenure, Bealer was instrumental in the development and growth of the Continental UATP program--now one of the fastest growing and most successful UATP programs in the network. He helped expand the basic UATP program to also include the Continental AirPlus Company Account (AirPlus is UATP's largest account Issuer), which was launched in January 2004 as an enhanced product for larger corporate travel programs. Bealer has worked for Continental since 1998. UATP also named Kimell Garland as treasurer effective Nov. 15. Garland her airline industry finance credentials as director of finance for Reno Air, in Reno, Nev.; cash manager for US Airways Inc., in Washington, D.C.; and the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), in Washington, D.C. Her banking experience includes First Bank System in Minneapolis and First American Bank N.A., in Washington, D.C. Garland joined UATP in February 2004 as a project manager responsible for recruiting key partners as UATP merchant acquirers or independent sales organizations throughout North America. She also has directed the treasury function for both start-up and multi-billion-dollar companies, and has expertise in foreign currency, risk management, and financial transaction processing. She served as director of treasury for both XM Satellite Radio Inc., in Washington, D.C., and American Management Systems Inc., in Fairfax, Va....SkyWest Airlines hired Latricia Gleed as director of InFlight Standards and Regulatory Compliance. Gleed will be based in Salt Lake City and work in both Salt Lake City and St. George, where she will be responsible for FAA compliance and correspondence for 1,012 flight attendants. She will be responsible for the company's inFlight manual and will oversee the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP), Aviation Transportation Oversite System (ATOS), internal and external auditing, InFlight records and qualifications at SkyWest. Joining the SkyWest team in September of 1986, Gleed was a graduate of SkyWest's first flight attendant new hire class. In her 18 years at SkyWest Airlines, she has held several positions, including Salt Lake City chief flight attendant, I.O.E. and ground instructor for the InFlight Training department. In 1994 she helped to establish the SkyWest InFlight Association (SIA) and has since served as the president and secretary on the SIA board.

CAR RENTALS: Payless Car Sales, Inc. named James Formanek as vice president of the Florida Division. He is responsible for developing new franchise agreements with independent used car dealers throughout Florida for the growing franchise. Payless Car Sales recently opened new locations in Ft. Lauderdale, Port St. Lucie and Miami, Fla.; Pryor, Okla.; and Houston, Texas. Formanek and Dealer Diversified of Tulsa, Okla., exclusive franchise developer for 49 states, are responsible for signing the six new agreements bringing the total number of Payless Car Sales franchises sold to over 60 in 12 states. The new Houston franchise is the 15th to open in Texas with 13 locations now in Florida. As a seasoned used car professional, Formanek previously owned and was president of Louisville Motorsports, LLC, a line of high-end used cars dealerships. He is a former executive with Huber's, Inc., and Triangle Automotive Group, Inc., operating several Budget Car Sales and independent used car dealerships.

CRUISE LINES: Great American River Journeys (GARJ), a new Seattle-based cruise line, named Robert Ferguson as vice president of sales and marketing. Ferguson will oversee all aspects of sales and marketing for GARJ, including tour operator and travel agent relations, charters and wholesalers, web marketers, consumer and trade publications, and production of all marketing materials. Most recently, Ferguson, who will report to GARJ President and COO Michael Lomax, served as director of sales at American West Steamboat Company. Ferguson previously held the positions of director of sales and regional sales manager for Cruise West, and was a sales associate for Society Expeditions. Great American River Journeys, a new Seattle-based cruise line, offers eight-night cruise vacations on the Columbia, Snake and Willamette rivers aboard the 161-passenger Columbia Queen riverboat...Franck Garanger has gone in-house with Oceania Cruises as corporate executive chef, a newly created position. He reports to Robin Lindsay, senior vice president-hotel operations, and supplements a culinary team that features Jacques Pepin as executive culinary director. Garanger formerly served as a consultant for Apollo Ship Chandlers on the start-up of Oceania. Apollo affiliate International Cruise Services supplies the food, beverage and hotel services for the fleet. Garanger will continue to work closely with Apollo in his new position. His previous industry experience includes five years at Silversea Cruises, where he started as pastry chef and worked his way up to corporate chef. Garanger trained at a Michelin-rated restaurant before going on to reach the finals of the French national competition for apprentice chefs in 1986. His resume includes the Palace Hotel on the French Riviera, the Hotel De Paris in Monaco and the Hotel du Cap Eden Roc at Antibes. He also will continue to operate his London restaurant, Garangers.

HOTELS & RESORTS: InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has promoted Jan Smits to chief operating officer, South Asia. Smits was previously the regional vice president of operations for Australia and Papua New Guinea, and was responsible for improving operations and performance, maximizing the profitability of IHG-managed, owned and leased hotels, as well as managing relationships with key partners. In his new role, he will lead the newly formed South Asia team to focus on heightening the growth potential of this region and to ensure that the hotels in this region have stronger delivery in revenue, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction... Marriott International, Inc. has named Amy McPherson executive vice president of sales and marketing. She is responsible for the company's global sales efforts, marketing, revenue management, worldwide reservation sales and e-commerce. Joining Marriott in 1986, McPherson most recently served as senior vice president of global revenue management and reservation sales... WestCoast Hospitality Corporation has hired Anupam Narayan as executive vice president. Narayan has nearly 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, chiefly in executive, strategic and financial positions. Narayan's hire makes him the latest of several executives to join WestCoast Hospitality's senior team over the last 14 months. In August 2004, Anthony Dombrowik, the company's principal accounting officer, was promoted to vice president and corporate controller. In April 2004, hospitality industry veteran William Heaney joined the company as vice president-sales. Thomas McKeirnan was promoted to vice president and general counsel in January 2004, and long-time operating officer John Taffin re-joined the company as executive vice president-hotel operations in September 2003...Delaware North Companies announced the appointments of several new executives to the Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts management team. Tim Smith has been promoted to vice president, operations at Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts at Yosemite. Smith joined the Yosemite management team nearly two years ago as director of hotels. He has more than 23 years of hospitality management experience, including management positions at Grand Teton National Park, Benchmark Hospitality and the Peabody Hotel in Memphis. In his new post, Smith will oversee hotels, retail, guest services and information technology operations. Vicki Scharfberg has joined the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex management team as director of marketing. Most recently, she was vice president of marketing at the New Jersey State Aquarium. Prior to that, she was the director of advertising and promotion for Six Flags Great Adventure Theme Park and Wild Safari, N.J. Karen Watt has been named director of sales and marketing at Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, Calif. Watt's sales and marketing experience includes director of sales positions with Joie De Vivre Hospitality, Hotel Group of America, and Aston Hotels and Resorts in San Francisco. Most recently, she was the director of sales and marketing for Fort Mason Foundation, a cultural arts center in San Francisco. Delaware North Companies is one of the world's leading hospitality and food service providers. Its family of companies includes Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, Delaware North Companies Gaming & Entertainment, CA One Services, Sportservice, Delaware North Companies International, the FleetCenter and the Delta Queen Steamboat Company...

Yves Romain has been appointed general manager of the Concorde Saint-Lazare in Paris. With SociËtÈ des HÙtels Concorde for 15 years, Romain most recently served as vice president-sales/marketing of Concorde Hotels...Richard Verruni, CHA, has been named managing director of the Eldorado Hotel in Santa Fe, N.M. Verruni brings nearly 30 years of hospitality experience to the 219-room luxury hotel. Verruni joins the hotel as the Eldorado is scheduled to open a new 4,300-square-foot luxury spa this December. Prior to coming to Santa Fe, Verruni was managing director for New Jersey's Westminster Hotel. He has also served as managing director of Carenage Bay Resort and Spa in The Grenadines, West Indies. In addition, he held various positions with Rock Resorts, including managing director with La Posada Resort and Spa, which is also in Santa Fe...Michael Glennie, president of Phoenix Resort Ltd., which runs the Phoenix Seagaia Resort complex in Miyazaki, Japan, will step down after more than three years on the job. The resignation will take effect before the end of this year in line with the terms of his contract, the company said, adding that a successor has yet to be appointed. Phoenix Resort, which was partly owned by the Miyazaki prefectural government, filed for court protection from creditors under the Corporate Rehabilitation Law in February 2001 and was taken over by U.S. investment fund Ripplewood Holdings LLC the same year. Glennie, who had more than 25 years of business experience in U.S. resort companies and other firms, has been charged with turning around Seagaia Resort since he was appointed by Ripplewood as Phoenix president in September 2001.

TOUR OPERATORS: Bert Accomando, owner and former president of Sceptre Tours, has handed over the reigns to his son, Chris Accomando, who was promoted to president earlier this month. Chris Accomando, who has been with the company for over seven years, was previously the vice president of Sceptre Tours, one of the largest tour operators to Ireland from the U.S. The younger Accomando, who brings 15 years of hospitality and travel management expertise to the table, is charged with leading the company to continually expand its role as the foremost provider of vacation packages to Ireland, distributed exclusively through travel agents. As president of Sceptre Tours, Chris Accomando will also direct the entire Sceptre team in the areas of sales and marketing, operations and more. In addition, he will be responsible for creating a strategic vision for current and future projects, overseeing all facets of IT, while maintaining and growing Sceptre's relationships with the travel agent community as well as industry partner relations, with Tourism Ireland, hoteliers and airlines alike. In recent years Chris Accomando has made major contributions to the company, including the launch of the first-ever, Ireland-only real-time booking engine complete with complimentary private label opportunities for agents. The real-time availability and pricing enabled agents to have complete and immediate access to the tour operator's extensive product line. Another major change that took place under Chris' direction was the net pricing model, offering agents net prices and the capability to determine their own profit levels. The junior Accomando's greatest contribution to the company was his lead in the move to go agents-only. Under his leadership the tour operator bucked the trend to sell direct to consumers by committing to sell only to travel agents. Accomando began his career with Sceptre Ireland in 1997 as an outside sales representative. He was promoted in 2001 to vice president with significantly increased responsibilities.

RAIL TRAVEL: Amtrak named David Smith as chief financial officer of the railroad. Smith, 60, joins Amtrak after serving as CFO of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) from 1995 to 2003. There he reported directly to the TVA Board and served as chairman of the management committee. Prior to his work at TVA, Smith was vice president-finance for LTV Corporation, 1986-1993. From 1976 to 1986, he was vice president, corporate development, at Cyclops Corporation.

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