may 24, 2011 powwowdaily - travel weekly...may 24, 2011 tuesday 2 international pow wow daily travel...
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I N T H I S I S S U E
PowWowDailyP u b l i s h e D b y t r a v e l W e e k l y i n c o o P e r a t i o n W i t h t h e u . s . t r a v e l a s s o c i a t i o n
international
tuesdayMay 24, 2011
Dancing earth, an award-winning indigenous dance ensemble, inspired delegates during Monday’s lunch sponsored by america’s national Parks and amtrak.
Parks’ Performance Wowscontinued on page 21
Evans: “We Will Be Good Partners”Today’S EvENTS
8:30 – 8:55 amOpen Appointment
Session
9:00 am – 12:15 pmBusiness Appointments:
Session III
12:30 – 1:30 pm Lunch:
Texas Tourism
2:10 – 5:50 pmBusiness Appointments:
Session IV
7:00 – 11 pmEvening Event:
Culture Club
2 Jonathan Tisch of Loews Hotels4 Marketplace Hall opens8 The New discoveramerica.com14 GTa Sets U.S. Success Goals20 Record Ridership for amtrak
Today is Texas TuesdayBy Harvey Chipkin
It’s only fitting that Texas
will be making a BIG splash at
International Pow Wow this
year, hosting its final Texas
Tuesday lunch today. This year’s
lunch, according to Julie Chase,
Tourism Director for Texas
Tourism, will spotlight some of
the events currently happening
in the state, such as the 175th
anniversary celebration of
Texas independence, and will
showcase more of the musical
heritage for which the state is so
well-known.
Texas, says Chase, will again
be well represented at the trade
show, with a large contingency
including first-timers like the
Wildcatter Ranch, an upscale
guest ranch near Fort Worth,
as well as representatives from
one end of the state to the other.
Among others, the Texas aisle
boasts partners from Dallas,
Fort Worth, Amarillo, Houston,
Austin, San Antonio, South
Padre Island, El Paso, McAllen
and Plano. Of course, with
continued on page 14
Miles Media, a Pow Wow sponsor, is giving away an iPad2 in a drawing for attendees who stop by its Miles Media Café to register. The café, which has free WiFi, is serving smoothies, bottled water, energy drinks, coffee, and on Wednesday, ice cream.
The Sarasota, Fla.-based company partners with state divisions of tourism, convention and visitors bureaus and other organizations in the travel industry to create custom online, mobile, tablet, data and print marketing materials designed to promote destinations to visitors and travel professionals.
Miles Media also offers services for hotels and resorts through its Miles 360 division.
NEWS BRIEFS
By Mark Chesnut
The travel industry will
play a key role in the success
of the new Corporation for
Travel Promotion (CTP),
said Jim Evans, the recently
appointed chief executive of the
organization.
“Here is a promise I’ll make
to you,” he told the audience
during Monday’s International
Pow Wow lunch, which was
sponsored by America’s National
Parks and Amtrak.
“We will be good partners.
We understand how important
you are to the success of this
mission. And, we know that
you are the experts. You’ve been
doing this for a long, long time.
So, we’ll be great listeners and
we’ll ask you for your ideas.”
The CTP is a non-profit,
public-private partnership
formed to promote increased
international travel to the
United States.
The new organization is a
“game changer,” said Stephen
J. Cloobeck, CTP chairman
and chairman and CEO of
Diamond Resorts International,
who introduced Evans.
“For the first time in the
history of the United States,
we’re actually going to market
and brand ‘Team USA.’”
He added: “The United States
has arrived, folks. The sleeping
tuesdayMay 24, 2011
2 I N T E R N a T I o N a L P o W W o W d a I L y T R a v E L W E E K L y / U . S . T R a v E L
each day of Pow Wow Daily, on this page, leaders from the u.s. government and travel industry will share their perspectives on the state of the industry and their expectations for the future.
International Pow Wow and the value of Business Meetings
Northstar travel Media/travel Weekly in cooperation with the U.s. travel association.
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Northstar travel Media/travel Weekly headquarters, 100 Lighting Way, 2nd Floor, secaucus, NJ 07094; (201) 902-2000; www.travelweekly.comMaterial in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without permission. Copyright 2011 by Northstar travel Media LLC. all rights reserved. printed in Usa.
chairman and chief executive officer
thomas l. kemp
chief Financial officer
linda li Davachi
executive vice President/Group Publisher
robert G. sullivan
executive vice President, Digital Media
thomas cintorino
vice President/Group Publisher
bernard schraer
vice President/editorial Director
lori cioffi
vice President/editor-in-chief
arnie Weissmann
vice President, human resources
Janine l. bavoso
vice President, Marketing solutions
Michelle rosenberg
Director, internet Production
roberta bianchi-Muller
vice President, content licensing
sheila rice
Director, it infrastructure and operations
rich Mastropietro
We gather during this year’s International
Pow Wow at a time when the world economy
still faces tremendous challenges. While
we have come a long way since the crisis in
late 2008 and early 2009, there continue to
be numerous threats that undermine the
confidence necessary to unleash a robust
recovery for the travel community.
Still, it is heartening to see the enthusiasm
for this year’s Pow Wow in San Francisco.
Buyers and exhibitor registrations are up
significantly, and for the first time in a
decade, a wait list had to be established for
suppliers wanting a booth. This interest
affirms not only the value of Pow Wow, but
also of face-to-face meetings of all kinds.
Over the three-day event, more
than 70,000 pre-scheduled business
appointments will be held. In addition,
productive encounters will be made
during the luncheons, evening events and
other activities as part of the show. These
meetings will generate $3.5 to $4 billion in
future travel to the United States.
In addition, there will be more than 400
travel writers present who will generate
hundreds of stories about San Francisco and
other parts of America. Imagine what the
cost of doing business and gaining exposure
would be for the Pow Wow participants if
they had to separately go to all of the more
than 70 countries represented to conduct
business or attract attention from the media.
A groundbreaking study in 2009 by the
respected research firm Oxford Economics
for the first time examined the return
on investment of business travel in a
comprehensive way. The study found that
for every dollar invested in business travel,
businesses benefit from an average $12.50
in increased revenue and nearly $4 in new
profits. Likewise, the data shows that a 10
percent increase in business travel spending
will increase U.S. Gross Domestic Product by
between 1.5 and 2.8 percent.
According to the study, the surest way
to limit business growth potential is to
indiscriminately cut the corporate travel
budget. For instance, corporate executives
who were surveyed estimated that 28 percent
of their business is lost without in-person
meetings.
And claims that virtual meetings and
teleconferences are a good substitute for
in-person meetings turned out to be off
the mark. Eighty-five percent of corporate
executives in the survey perceive web
meetings and teleconferences to be less
effective than in-person meetings with
prospective customers, and nearly two-thirds
believe virtual meetings to be less effective
than in-person meetings with current
customers.
Among the other key findings related to
attending trade shows like Pow Wow:
•MBoth executives and business travelers
estimate that roughly 40 percent of their
prospective customers are converted to
new customers with an in-person meeting
compared to 16 percent without such a
meeting;
•MMore than half of business travelers
stated that 5 to 20 percent of their company’s
new customers were the result of trade show
participation; and
•MProspects are more than twice as likely
to become new customers with an in-person
meeting.
More broadly, the study found that
more than 75 percent of customers either
require or prefer in-person meetings,
according to business travelers surveyed.
And an overwhelming majority of corporate
executives (81 percent) believe a slow
economy calls for more contact with clients,
not less.
This year’s interest in Pow Wow is a clear
indication that many of the companies and
organizations attending already understand
the importance of face-to-face meetings. It
also suggests why Pow Wow is the premier
marketplace for generating travel to the U.S.
When attendees return each year to their
workplace or tell their family and friends
about their trip, they undoubtedly share
the wonderful, compelling experiences they
enjoyed as part of their journey. But as the
Oxford Economics study confirms, even
amid all the fun and good times, it really is
important business taking place. And it’s the
kind of business that is critical to improving
the bottom line.
Jonathan Tisch
Chairman Emeritus, U.S. Travel Association
Chairman and CEO, Loews Hotels
o P I N I o N
universal aPPeal: the harry Potter attrac-tion was a topic of discussion when Grant Da-ley (right), universal studios, london, chatted with renaud Defosse, let’s Go travel, brussels.
it’s oFFicial: Discover america Marketplace hall opened its doors on Monday morning. Present were (left to right) the honorable Francisco sánchez, u.s. Department of commerce; George Fertitta, nyc & company; Jim evans, cor-poration for travel Promotion; stephen cloobeck, Diamond resorts international and corporation for travel Promo-tion chairman; Joe D’alessandro, san Francisco travel association; roger Dow, u.s. travel association; steve Joyce, choice hotels international and u.s. travel association national chair; caroline beteta, california travel and tourism commission; shane berry, american express company; and Malcolm smith, u.s. travel association.
all aboarD: the amtrak booth was busy at Monday’s Discover america Mar-ketplace. Pictured are (upper row, left to right) craig White, Don Wong and Mike Deangelo and (bottom row, left to right) terri Gallello, richard De sousa and Gail reisman.
lanD oF lincoln: Discussing the allure of the Quad cities were (left to right) angela ingerson, champaign (ill.) county convention and visitors bureau; Dan Gleason, Quad cities convention and visitors bureau; and roger carmack, Western illinois tourism.
natural WonDer: ruby steele (left) of Grand canyon resort corporation and Ziva Werber of hualapai tourism chat about the beauty of the Grand canyon with stefano Gnerucci, universal turismo, Florence, italy.
Wine anD Dine: among the delegates representing california’s sonoma county were (upper row, left to right) Dan brown, Flamingo conference resort and spa; anthony chavarria, sheraton sonoma county-Petaluma; kip Zook, hilton Garden inn sonoma county airport; and (lower row, left to right) chyrl collins, sonoma county tourism bureau; carlo Galazzo, the inn at the tides and the tides Wharf; and Mark crabb, sonoma county tourism bureau.
tuesdayMay 24, 2011
4 I N T E R N a T I o N a L P o W W o W d a I L y
Discover America Marketplace Hall Opens
T R a v E L W E E K L y / U . S . T R a v E L
I N T E R N a T I o N a L P o W W o W d a I L y a d v E R T I S E M E N T
May 24, 2011 tuesday
40 years young…and Still Rockin’!Anniversary highlights staying power of Hard Rock brand
In advance of the company’s 40th
anniversary celebration, Pow Wow Daily
caught up with Kevin Kirby, Hard Rock
International’s senior director of sales -
worldwide, to share how the ubiquitous
brand keeps relevant in more than 52
countries across the globe.
This year you are letting the online
communities decide who will play
Hard Rock Calling in London’s Hyde
Park near the original Hard Rock Cafe
London. Hundreds of bands entered
the “Battle of the Bands”. Can you let
us know where the voting stands at this
point?
To put it in perspective, these local
bands have had to pass a regional
competition, wowed music industry
experts including veteran rockers Little
Steven Van Zandt and Pete Wentz, and
now the top 40 acts have faced the
opinion of online consumer voting.
At stake for each winner is a chance
to make it to the big stage and perform
live at Hard Rock Calling 2011 in
front of thousands of fans and top
headliners, including
The Killers, Bon Jovi,
Rod Stewart and Stevie
Nicks. While I am
sworn to secrecy, results
can be viewed at www.
hardrock.com!
Suffice it to say, the
winners are getting the
chance of a lifetime and
helping us celebrate our
birthday!
And how about that…40 years! Excuse
the reference, but like so many rock ‘n
roll bands, why do you think the brand
has the staying power to keep the fans
coming back for more?
The great story behind this brand
is that the original cafe wasn’t born
of in-depth marketplace research. It
was organic. It flourished because of
exceptional service, quality food and
a unique sense of music as a guest
unifier. And those elements continue
to appeal today across all generations
and cultures! We’ve also selected key
strategic cities to place our cafes, hotels
and casinos to help us perpetuate the
brand ideologies and act as THE local
ambassadors of Rock.
We’ll cut to the chase…so where’s the
party?
Well… we’re inviting fans around the
globe to help celebrate! As part of the
milestone, Hard Rock will host 40 Days
That Rock, where Hard Rock Cafes
around the world will host local-market
events, concerts and promotions for
rockers of all ages! Just visit www.
hardrock.com for events and updates.
Obviously, our guests in cafes are front
row to the action every day. We’ll see
you there!
Speaking of brand ideologies,
philanthropy is integral to Hard
Rock’s mission. What are your recent
endeavors in this area and is there a
specific effort you would
like Pow Wow delegates
to help support?
Glad you asked! Our
motto of ALL IS ONE
resonates clearly when
you witness the impact of
the historic earthquake
and tsunami in Japan.
We’ve engaged our fellow
rockers across the globe
to help in supporting
American Red Cross efforts. Our
donations grow daily, but obviously
more can be done. Please visit our
website to help show support for the
people of Japan who, by the way, love
to travel and experience the best of the
United States!
Last month, during Earth Day, Hard
Rock initiated an expansive program
with the Association of Zoos and
Aquariums (AZA) here in the United
States. Can you share the details on
this initiative with our delegates
and explain the details of this broad
initiative?
Beginning on Earth Day, Friday,
April 22, 2011, select Hard Rock Cafes,
in partnership with the Association
of Zoos and Aquariums, launched
a special pin with a portion of the
proceeds benefiting the AZA and a local
zoo or aquarium. Twenty-six Hard
Rock locations nationwide are offering
city-specific, endangered species guitar
pins in honor of Earth Day. We’re
so pleased to be partnering with the
Aquarium of the Bay in San Francisco
for this initiative, too! Save The Planet
has taken a new twist for Hard Rock!
Throughout the travel industry,
creative efforts are underway to
embrace social media and engage
consumers in discussion. Can you
share some of your efforts in this
area and where you anticipate that
discussion will go in the future?
To be sure, we have very vocal
fans! I think Hard Rock has mirrored
global efforts of consumer “e-touch
points” to ensure advocacy, experience
satisfaction and enable transactional
capabilities. Beyond that, we have been
deliberately engaged within the social
media platforms as a means to keep
our community conversation timely
and pertinent. We recognize the guest
is the one who drives this conversation;
about experiences, about social causes
and about why they care. Remember,
guests today immediately archive their
experience at a concert, while they’re
dining or where they rest their head.
…AND where does that go?
That’s the best part! To be relevant
for another 40 years, Hard Rock needs
our portfolio to reflect the growth
and diversity of music as a reflection
of the integration of cultures and
desires. Each cafe has different floor
plans, applications of technology, art,
memorabilia, design and even local
culinary additions to our made-from-
scratch menu. If you visit the San
Francisco cafe, our Times Square cafe,
our new Hollywood Boulevard cafe
in Los Angeles, or our new Honolulu
cafe on the Waikiki Strip, the vibe and
attitude is Hard Rock, and the visual
experience is like no where else.
tuesdayMay 24, 2011
8 I N T E R N a T I o N a L P o W W o W d a I L y T R a v E L W E E K L y / U . S . T R a v E L
DiscoverAmerica.com Website RedesignedBy Laura Del Rosso
Discover America, the official
travel and tourism website of the
United States, was re-launched
last month with a new look and
feel, expanded content, and rich
media and better navigation.
At the same time, the Travel
Specialist Program was also
enhanced.
Three years ago, U.S. Travel
launched DiscoverAmerica.
com through a cooperative
agreement with the U.S.
Department of Commerce to
welcome international travelers
to the U.S. and to help them
with travel planning.
“We’ve been evaluating how
users interact with the site and
have made enhancements to
improve the user experience,”
said Jay Gray, Discover America
vice president. “For example, we
made navigation easier so users
can pull travel information
from the interactive maps. If
they want to go to Miami, for
instance, they can now click on
the interactive map and find
detailed information about
attractions and things to do in
the Miami area.”
Itineraries are another
enhanced feature, allowing users
to browse through different trip
options to plan their vacations,
“must-see” lists and “top 10
sights to see” at destinations.
The website’s focus is to serve
the five biggest inbound markets
for the U.S.: Canada, Mexico,
the United Kingdom, Japan
and Germany. Information
and content was translated into
French, Spanish, German and
Japanese, and the content was
“localized” so that when users
view the website, it is in their
language and content is relevant
for their needs.
Each year since its
launch in 2008, content on
DiscoverAmerica.com has been
expanded, with information on
all 50 states and U.S. territories
plus detailed travel information
on more than 120 major U.S.
cities. Top travel bloggers
also provide an interesting
perspective on unique U.S.
destinations and activities.
“We started with base
content and added much more
in the last two years,” said Gray.
“We now have nearly 5,000
attractions listed and hundreds
of itineraries and trip ideas.”
Discover America has also
worked to improve its Travel
Specialist Program, which allows
in-country tour operators and
travel agents to participate on
the site, offering users special
deals and promotions.
“Qualified agents and
operators from the top five
inbound countries can contact
us for a user password and
then post their offers and deals
on the website. If they are
participating in Pow Wow, they
are automatically listed in the
supplier directory and can log
in. But it is open to any qualified
agent and tour operator who
sells the U.S. ”
Recently, the program was
enhanced. Deals and offers are
now integrated in web pages so
that users can search for deals as
they browse the site. About 400
travel agents and tour operators
are currently participating.
The site is receiving about
20 percent more international
traffic this year over last year.
Gray attributes the increase to
a recent partnership with the
U.S. Department of Homeland
Security, which provides a
link to DiscoverAmerica.com
to travelers who apply for
automated authorization to
travel to the U.S. under the Visa
Waiver Program.
“With this link, international
travelers who are getting their
ESTA (Electronic System
for Travel Authorization)
number are also finding great
information to help plan their
trip. These are very qualified
users of the site as indicated by
the increased number of page
views and time spent browsing
the site,” Gray said.
Content continues to
be provided by the most
authoritative sources of U.S.
travel information, including
state tourism offices, convention
and visitors bureaus, the
Department of Homeland
Security (official U.S. entry
information), American Express
and Fodor’s.
Inquiries regarding Discover
America.com and its Travel
Specialist Program may be
directed to discoveramerica@
ustravel.org.
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redesigned Discoveramerica.com enhances the user experience.
tuesdayMay 24, 2011
12 I N T E R N a T I o N a L P o W W o W d a I L y T R a v E L W E E K L y / U . S . T R a v E L
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tuesdayMay 24, 2011
14 I N T E R N a T I o N a L P o W W o W d a I L y T R a v E L W E E K L y / U . S . T R a v E L
International Market is Critical for TexasTexas’ sales tax rebate programs
for international shoppers,
attendees such as Tax-Free
Shopping Texas, NorthPark
Center and San Marcos, as well
as delegates from the Dallas
and Houston Gallerias, can be
found in the Texas aisle.
In fact, says Chase, Forbes
recently listed three cities in
Texas on its Top 10 Shopping
Destinations; they were Dallas,
Houston and San Antonio.
As an ideal destination for
international, tax-free shopping,
it seems even the shopping is
bigger in Texas.
Chase says that the
international market is critically
important to Texas with a full 10
percent of all visitor spending
credited to the international
markets. The Americas are
home to many of Texas’ largest
markets, including Mexico,
Canada and Brazil. Europe
remains the largest overseas
inbound regional market with
the U.K. the largest source of
visitors, followed by Germany
and France. Asia has become
another fantastic feeder market
for Texas: it is the second-largest
overseas inbound regional
market, with Japan and China
serving as the primary markets,
but with India and South Korea
emerging as important target
markets.
On the air front, Qantas
recently announced that it
will offer four nonstop flights
weekly from Australia to the
Dallas/Fort Worth International
Airport. As Qantas’ partnership
with American Airlines allows
travelers to connect easily to
any one of the 26 destinations
American serves in the state,
this offers Australian and New
Zealand travelers the chance to
explore Texas at their leisure.
NEW FoRMULa 1 TRaCK
Texas has big news on the
destination front, according to
Chase. Very big news is that the
first new permanent Formula 1
track in the U.S. since the 1970s
will open in July 2012 in Austin.
Grand Prix races will be held
annually at the track, named
last month The Circuit of the
Americas, and are projected to
bring more than 300,000 fans to
Texas for each event.
Westtexastrip.com, a co-
operative program among
several West Texas cities
including Abilene, San Angelo
and El Paso, continues to add
destinations, itineraries and
information. This site allows
you the tools to research the
diverse landscape that provided
a homeland to Native Americans
and presented a challenge to the
pioneer settlers.
TExaS BEaCHES
“We have the largest barrier
island in the world – Padre
Island. Many people do not
associate Texas with beaches,
but we have almost 1,000
kilometers of Gulf of Mexico
coastline,” says Chase. “We’re
seeing major growth in our
cruise product offerings from
Galveston and are working with
the cruise lines, shore excursion
companies and media to get the
word out about this growing
port.”
As a result of the multiple
layers of growth, Texas continues
to utilize its international sales
force as much as possible. The
state has full-time representa-
tion in Canada, Mexico, the
United Kingdom, Germany,
Japan and China, with varying
levels of representation in many
other markets.
All of these are reasons why,
says Chase, “Texas is truly a
stand-alone destination because
you can do almost anything
here. You can experience a
slow, Southern holiday in the
Piney Woods region; or a non-
stop, ultra-active vacation in
the Hill Country. There is
soft adventure aplenty in the
mountains of the Big Bend
region; or on the sandy beaches
of our Gulf Coast.
The South Texas Plains
region is renowned for its rich
history and exceptional birding.
The Panhandle Plains and
Lakes and Prairies regions offer
visitors a chance to experience
both sides of the Texas coin:
modern cosmopolitan and
modern cowboy cultures blend
perfectly throughout the area.
We know travelers love Texas,
and we work hard to share our
beautiful state with as many
people as possible.”
the alamo, an iconic image of texas, is a perfect visual to help celebrate this year’s 175th anniversary of texas’ independence. attendees will join in the celebration during today’s lunch.
While Gullivers Travel
Associates (GTA) has been
serving the global travel
industry for more than 30 years,
collecting a vast inventory
of hotels and unique ground
travel products and services
for its partners and clients,
the company has set its sights
on two new goals to help grow
sales for the North America
market: 1) make North America
its No. 1 selling destination; 2)
establish GTA North America
and Travel Bound as a leading
distributor of luxury properties
and services, according to
Richie Karaburun, president of
GTA North America and Travel
Bound.
“We supply travel wholesalers,
tour operators, travel agents,
group travel specialists and
public websites the content to
create truly exceptional travel
experiences. With products
sourced from
more than
30,000 travel
s u p p l i e r s ,
we provide
more than
35,000 hotels
and 135,000
destination
services in more than 130
countries worldwide,” he said.
Karaburun was most recently
president of GTA Americas
inbound division, and it was in his
role at GTA Americas Inbound,
that he helped grow the number
of North American properties in
the company’s portfolio to more
than 13,000.
But GTA did more than simply
expand its offering – it promoted
its North American hotel offering
successfully, resulting in North
America becoming the No. 2
destination for the company in
2010, nudging aside European
best sellers such as France, U.K.
and Spain. GTA also offers
dynamic inventory from a
growing list of major North
American hotel chains.
Luxury hotels now represent
more than 10 percent of GTA’s
portfolio, a total of 4,300 five-
star properties around the
world.
“The luxury market has
proven to be very resilient
to economic trends, and it
offers tremendous potential
for continued growth,” noted
Karaburun. Some of the
newest additions to GTA’s
North American five-star hotel
lineup include: New York – Ritz
Carlton, Mandarin Oriental;
Los Angeles – L’Ermitage and
Four Seasons Beverly Hills;
Scottsdale – Arizona Bilmore,
The Phoenician.
“Because travelers today do
their own research online, we
make sure we select properties
with high TripAdvisor ratings,”
Karaburun said. “Our clients
can see the TripAdvisor ratings
right on GTA’s own website,
as well as on all our privately
branded sites.”
Karaburun plans to
aggressively promote not only
high-end properties, but the
kinds of services that affluent
travelers expect. GTA offers
private transfers between airport
and hotel or cruise port and
thousands of upscale tours
and experiences. Among the
newest North American luxury
experiences GTA has added: San
Francisco – Private Napa Valley
wine tour; Los Angeles – Private
Getty Center and Rodeo Drive
shopping tour with lunch at
“Bon Appetit” restaurant; New
York – Private, scholar-led tours
of New York City architecture
and Central Park by Ph.D.-
level experts, private tour of the
American Museum of Natural
History.
Delegates can visit GTA at
booth 2012 in Discover America
Marketplace Hall.
GTA Growth Targets: Luxury, North America
continued from page 1
karaburun
tuesdayMay 24, 2011
16 I N T E R N a T I o N a L P o W W o W d a I L y T R a v E L W E E K L y / U . S . T R a v E L
By Harvey Chipkin
Clear Channel Outdoor
Holdings, the world’s largest
outdoor advertising company,
is making its first appearance
at International Pow Wow
this year to demonstrate to
delegates the digital screens
that are part of the first-of-
their-kind interactive digital
transit shelters. Pow Wow host
city of San Francisco is the first
home to these new shelters.
The shelters feature 72-inch
LCD touch screens. A sample
screen will be on display at the
Clear Channel Pow Wow trade
show booth. Clear Channel
is located in Sky Suite No. 3
(South Lobby).
The screens represent the
largest outdoor interactive
touch screens in use today; they
allow consumers to not only
view, but also interact with the
content. It is even possible to
play games on them.
“We’re looking to establish
a long-term relationship with
the U.S. Travel Association,”
said Lily Nguyen, director
of public affairs for Clear
Channel Outdoor – San
Francisco. “There is
tremendous opportunity to
combine the tourism element
with international recognition
for the many innovative uses
of digital media in today’s
market. Digital transit shelters
in San Francisco, for instance,
are a fantastic way to showcase
this. With San Francisco being
the city to host America’s Cup
in the near future, there is no
better time than now.”
Todd Hansen, Clear Channel
Outdoors’ general manager and
president; Jon Charles, vice
president of sales, and Jordy
Ford, vice president of marketing
& business development, will be
in attendance at Pow Wow.
According to Bruce Qualls,
vice president of real estate and
public affairs, there are currently
35 digital transit shelters at bus
stops around the city, with more
being added. The first of which
were installed late last year.
“Users have the ability to
interact with the screens,” said
Nguyen. “This allows us to
pull reports to see how many
users interacted with each and
to what extent. In addition,
the screens have the ability to
prompt dynamic adjustment to
the content.”
The shelters, said Nguyen,
“are beautiful, ADA-compliant
structures and are a whole new
kind of product for us. They not
only provide information and
an opportunity for advertising,
but provide a Wi-Fi hotspot for
people waiting for buses.”
Nguyen said the screens
would provide an excellent
medium for travel advertisers
or even nonprofits who might
want to promote.
“A nonprofit,” said Nguyen,
“would be able to track how
much went to that fund from
viewers at the shelter.”
Clear Channel Makes Pow Wow Debut
san Francisco is the first home to these new outdoor digital tran-sit shelters from clear channel outdoor holdings.
“What we share with all legislators is the impact that’s created by the travel industry on every U.S. congressional district in terms of economic benefits and jobs.” — Lewis
By Harvey Chipkin
The U.S. Travel Association
Political Action Committee,
which is being branded as
TRAVEL PAC, has had an
auspicious beginning – quickly
becoming one of the top five
travel-industry PACs in its first
election cycle.
It was formed in 2009 to
enhance the association’s
leadership on behalf of the
entire travel community by
helping to elect members of
Congress who appreciate the
power of travel.
In 2010, TRAVEL PAC
contributed to 48 different
political races, all on the
federal level and focusing “on
travel industry champions in
Congress,” said Bryan Lewis,
chief of staff and general counsel
at U.S. Travel. He said TRAVEL
PAC was successful with 92
percent of its candidates. And
with a class of more than 100
new Congressional members
elected last year, TRAVEL
PAC “is hoping to develop
strong relationships with these
freshmen and create new allies
in Congress.”
“What we share with all
legislators is the impact that’s
created by the travel industry on
every U.S. congressional district
in terms of economic benefits
and jobs,” Lewis said.
Among the priority issues
for TRAVEL PAC, Lewis
noted: aviation security; visa
application processes (with
particular focus on China, Brazil
and India); protection and
expansion of the Visa Waiver
Program; more welcoming
airport environments; and
infrastructure improvements.
Fundraising has also gotten
off to a great start. According
to Lewis, TRAVEL PAC raised
$157,000 toward the 2009-10
election cycle – well above its
goal of $100,000.
For the second election
cycle, which started in January
of 2011 and runs through the
election of 2012, the projected
goal is $200,000; and for the
following cycle (2013-14), the
goal is $300,000.
Steve P. Joyce, President
& CEO of Choice Hotels
International and the national
chair of U.S. Travel, has said
that if the travel industry is
to be effective as a force in
Washington, TRAVEL PAC
would need between $300,000
and $400,000 per cycle, which
should be reached in the 2013-
14 cycle, if not before.
Lewis said TRAVEL PAC is
working on new and creative
fundraising activities. Board
approval was recently earned to
create an “industry supporter”
class of members that would
allow TRAVEL PAC to reach
out to employees of travel
industry companies. If enacted
through a change in bylaws,
that initiative would dovetail
with the industry’s Power of
Travel Coalition, which already
coordinates grassroots efforts
of 380,000 individuals counted
among travel’s workforce.
Meanwhile, TRAVEL PAC has
been successful with its program
of identifying communities of
potential contributors, each of
which is targeted by one of its
five board of directors members.
Those communities include:
U.S. Travel’s board of directors,
travel industry employees,
other industry PACs, U.S. Travel
Association staff and CEOs of
major travel organizations.
At International Pow Wow,
TRAVEL PAC hopes to enhance
its awareness among travel
employees “that, as we come
together as a collective industry
and support the PAC, our
voices will be heard louder in
Washington on issues that affect
all of us and our jobs,” Lewis
said.
U.S. Travel is also in the process
of creating an outreach effort
to other major travel industry
and affiliated groups that will
seek common ground on issues
where, working together, they
could exert significant leverage
on legislative issues of interest
to the travel industry, according
to Lewis.
U.S. Travel’s PAC Takes Action
17I N T E R N a T I o N a L P o W W o W d a I L y
May 24, 2011 tuesday
T R a v E L W E E K L y / U . S . T R a v E L
Universal Announces “Transformers: The Ride–3D” “Transformers: The Ride–
3D,” based on the film franchise
blockbuster, directed by Michael
Bay, promises to transform
theme park ride perceptions
when it debuts as a cutting-edge
mega-attraction at Universal
Studios Hollywood in Spring
2012. Universal will unveil
details in a press conference
today at International Pow
Wow.
The dynamic, motion-
based thrill ride will tell an
original “Transformers” story
using original, photo-realistic
3D-HD media, sophisticated
special effects masterminded
by Industrial Light & Magic,
and one of the most elaborate
roaming flight simulator ride
systems ever created. Fusing
high-tech elements with an
epic new “Transformers” tale,
“Transformers: The Ride–3D” will
be Universal Studios Hollywood’s
most ambitious ride ever created
and will set a new standard in the
world of theme park attractions,
stretching the medium’s potential
as an immersive and powerful
storytelling vehicle.
As Universal Studios
Hollywood readies for the
new “Transformers: The Ride
3-D,” the final chapter in the
film franchise, “Transformers:
Dark of the Moon,” is set
to launch into theaters this
coming July 1.
“Transformers: The Ride–
3D” is being created in a
partnership between Universal
Parks & Resorts and Hasbro,
Inc.
The ride’s pioneering photo
realistic 3D media is being
created by multiple Oscar®-
winning Industrial Light &
Magic (ILM), a division of
Lucasfilms, Ltd., the special
effects company behind
such acclaimed films as
“Transformers,” “Avatar,” “Iron
Man” and “Star Wars”.
Universal Studios Hollywood
includes a full-day, movie-based
theme park and Studio Tour;
the CityWalk entertainment,
shopping and dining complex,
the Universal CityWalk
Cinemas, and the Gibson
Amphitheatre concert and
special event venue. World-class
rides and attractions include
the new blockbuster ride, “King
Kong 360 3-D” on the famed
behind-the-scenes Studio Tour,
“The Simpsons Ride,” the
“Revenge of the Mummy – The
Ride” indoor roller coaster and
“Jurassic Park® – The Ride.”
18 I N T E R N a T I o N a L P o W W o W d a I L y
May 24, 2011 tuesday
the perfect mix of culture and cocktails.
SFO Signature.eps T R a v E L W E E K L y / U . S . T R a v E L
St. Petersburg/Clearwater Fun in Sun
555 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C.
Group Sales: 202/292-6690 newseum.org
‘The best museum I have ever visited.’— Susan Fornoff, San Francisco Chronicle
Visit us at Booth #827!
the recently renovated clearwater Marine aquarium is home to soon-to-be movie star, Winter, the bottle-nosed dolphin.
By Mark Chesnut
Florida may be known for
its sun, sand and amusement
parks, but in the St. Petersburg/
Clearwater area, travelers find a
multitude of cultural attractions
as well as an array of award-
winning beaches.
Situated on a peninsula
separating the Gulf of Mexico
from Tampa Bay, St. Pete/
Clearwater’s 35 miles of white-
sand beaches are just a 90-
minute drive from Orlando-
area theme parks. In addition
to pristine beaches, the area’s
burgeoning arts and culture
scene caters to enthusiasts of all
levels. This year, a brand-new,
$35 million facility debuted
to house the Dalí Museum,
which is the permanent home
of the most comprehensive
collection of the great Spanish
artist’s work. The new facility,
centered around a geodesic
glass structure, more than
doubles the size of the original
museum’s gallery space, with
space for visiting exhibitions as
well as the permanent Salvador
Dalí collection, which includes
more than 2,100 pieces.
Another treat for visitors is the
recently renovated Clearwater
Marine Aquarium, a nonprofit
organization dedicated to the
rescue, rehabilitation and release
of injured marine animals. This
facility will gain even more
fame in September, when a
major 3D motion picture called
Dolphin Tale debuts nationwide
and internationally. The movie
has a star-studded human cast,
but the biggest star is Winter,
the aquarium’s resident bottle-
nosed dolphin, who got a
new lease on life, thanks to a
custom-made prosthetic tail.
Visitors to the aquarium can
get an up-close look through
windows in the dolphin pool,
while the 100-seat, wide-screen
theater and expanded gift shop
offer additional opportunities
to make the most of each visit.
Another important cultural
institution is the Chihuly
Collection, a permanent
exhibition of world-renowned
artist Dale Chihuly’s unique
artwork, set in a magnificent
10,000-square-foot facility
designed by award-winning
architect Albert Alfonso.
Located on the waterfront in
downtown St. Petersburg, the
exhibit includes many of his
signature glass-blown elements.
Popular destinations for sun-
seekers include Caladesi Island
State Park, which was named
America’s Best Beach in 2008 by
coastal geologist Dr. Stephen P.
Leatherman, and Fort De Soto’s
North Beach, voted best beach
by Leatherman in 2005 and by
TripAdvisor in 2008 and 2009.
Vacationers can also
participate in a variety of unique
activities while enjoying the
natural surroundings, thanks
to companies like Stand Up
Fitness, a fitness and recreation
company that specializes in
stand-up paddleboarding, a fast-
growing sport that combines
the tranquility of paddling with
the thrill of surfing. And in
Tarpon Springs — a town with
a rich Greek heritage visible in
its shops and traditional sponge
fishing industry — visitors can
soak up the sun during the
Sponge-O-Rama sightseeing
cruise, which often provides the
opportunity to spot dolphins
and manatees.
For more information,
contact Visit St. Pete/Clearwater
at visitstpeteclearwater.com or
727-464-7200.
May 24, 2011 tuesdayAmtrak Sets Revenue and Ridership RecordsBy Harvey Chipkin
Celebrating its 40th year in
2011, Amtrak is setting records
in ridership and revenue.
According to David Lim,
chief marketing officer for the
national rail line, ridership in
the fiscal year that ended last
September 30 was almost 29
million passengers while annual
revenue was $1.7 billion.
More, revenue on the long-
haul trains that are popular
with international travelers were
up between 6 percent and 24
percent, depending on the route.
And, on the heavily trafficked
routes between Boston and
Washington, Amtrak had 69
percent of the market versus
the airlines on the New York
to Washington leg (up from 61
percent); and 53 percent on the
New York to Boston segment.
“While we’re not even in
high season yet,” says Lim, “it’s
safe to say that we’re on pace to
have the best year in the history
of the company.” And the spike
in gas prices, said Lim, should
also add to a successful year for
the rail line.
At International Pow, says
Lim, Amtrak will once again
be a sponsor of the America’s
National Parks’ Monument
Monday luncheon, which
will promote the rail line’s
strong historical connection
to the national parks. As part
of that process, the website
Amtraktoparks.com is being
enhanced. And, working with
the California Travel & Tourism
Commission, Amtrak will
operate a post-Pow Wow trip to
Yosemite National Park.
In fact, Amtrak serves
directly or has nearby access to
more than 300 national parks.
That’s why the line, says Lim,
is bringing awareness to the
public about trains as a way to
get to the national parks that is
frequently overlooked.
Amtrak will also be
sponsoring internet kiosks at
Pow Wow. The rail line has
been on the board of U.S. Travel
Association and its predecessors
for 39 of its 40 years; and Lim is
on the board of directors.
The line launched its
YouTube channel in March at
www.youtube.com/Amtrak. It
features TV commercials and a
message from the CEO; content
will be added on a regular
basis.
Amtrak continues to improve
its product. The line has
ordered 130 new single-level,
long-distance coach cars that
will be used on long-distance
routes on the east coast. Also
purchased were 70 new electric
locomotives for the northeast
corridor; the first will go into
service in 2013.
A year after free Wi-Fi access
was introduced on Acela high-
speed trains, says Lim, it is being
added to Northeast Regional
trains with that process to be
completed by the end of this
year; it will also be added to
other long-haul trains.
And Lim reminds
international travel sellers that
the Auto Train (which carries
cars from the Washington
D.C. area to Florida) has great
potential for international
travelers.
Amtrak, says Lim, continues
to add to its network of trade-
oriented websites. Travel sellers
can get commissionable fares
at Amtrak.railagent.com; tour
operators at Amtraktour.
railagent.com; and information
for all travel partners is available
at Amtrakagentsupport.com
And the line continues its
partnership with Rail Europe,
Inc. and RE4A.
The future is bright, says
Lim, who notes that the current
administration in Washington
is very supportive of high-
speed rail projects around the
country. Amtrak will bid on
those projects, but even when
it does not run those lines,
they will connect to Amtrak’s
national network.
lim
hot oFF the Press: celebrating the ribbon cutting at the Discover america Media Marketplace were (left to right) Malcolm smith, u.s. travel association; steve Joyce, choice hotels international and u.s. travel association national chair; roger Dow, u.s. travel association; Mike Gallagher and Mike Morey, both of cityPass.
lei oF the lanD: the aloha state of hawaii was the hot topic when Denise ster-ling (far left), Westjet vacations, calgary, canada met with delegates from lahaina, hawaii, including (left to right) carolyn Mccammon, hyatt regency Maui and kalani nakoa and susan haigh-bishop, both of ka’anapali beach hotel.
a bit oF broaDWay: Million Dollar Quartet, which features the music of legends of rock and roll, took to the stage Monday at Pow Wow.
roger Dow, u.s. travel association president and ceo, addressed delegates at Monday’s lunch.
The U.S. Travel Association’s social media channels are running in full gear, including here at International Pow Wow.
On Twitter, more than 450 Pow Wow-related tweets were posted through Sunday with the Pow Wow hashtag #ipw11. The Pow Wow Twitter handle is @USTravelPowWow.
The association’s regular Twitter handle is @USTravel.
On Facebook, U.S. Travel Association can be found at facebook.com/ustravelassociation.
San Francisco, known as one of the greenest cities in the U.S., extends its innovative recycling program to Moscone Center. Delegates can pick up information and labels to use for recycling material and goods that can be donated to local charities at the Freeman Service Desk or by visiting the website moscone.com.
Green recycling labels can be used for unwanted literature, and blue donation labels are designed for reusable goods for charities. The items will be collected at the close of the event.
NEWS BRIEFS
Jim evans, ctP ceo
21I N T E R N a T I o N a L P o W W o W d a I L y
May 24, 2011 tuesdayMonday’s Pow Wow: Business and Fun
T R a v E L W E E K L y / U . S . T R a v E L
Evans Addresses Pow Wowgiant has awoken.”
Cloobeck presented a new
video promoting the CTP
and Evans spoke about his
enthusiasm for the work that
lies ahead.
“I don’t believe there is any
country in the world that offers
more to its visitors, whether
they’re business travelers or
leisure travelers,” Evans said.
“And, I know there is no
country in the world that has a
marketing team like all of you
to take this great brand to the
marketplace, day in and day
out.”
Evans vowed that the CTP
would benefit the travel
industry both inside the United
States and abroad.
“We’ll be working to develop
marketing strategies that will
deliver new visitors to hundreds
of destinations across our
nation, and we’ll be working to
put together a strategy to create
the funding to support all of
our marketing initiatives. This
is just the beginning, and I can
assure you with great confidence
that our board of directors and
I are excited and committed to
deliver impressive results for
our industry.”
continued from page 1
takinG a DiP: among the delegates sampling chocolate-dipped strawberries from the vlahos Fruit stand were (left to right) anna andriychuk, bcD travel; oleksander Pigolenko,trime travel centre; ivan kovpak, vremena Goda; and igor Galenko of Galileo eastern europe. all are from kiev, ukraine.
on the WaterFront: enjoying sunday’s lavish rock the night evening event at Pier 39 were (left to right) steve crist, Palm beach county (Fla.) convention and visitors bureau; kate connor, seagate hotel & spa, Delray beach, Fla.; christopher berr, PGa national resort and spa, Palm beach Gardens, Fla.; and caroline stan-ton, Palm beach county convention and visitors bureau, london.
bear With us: a friendly polar bear greeted Joann Mulnix (left to right) and Joan hane, both of ramada Mall of america; and Millie Philipp of Mall of america, all of bloomington, Minn.
sMiles at sunset: sharing a moment at sunset were (left to right) regis Mikelbren-cis, nanuq Destinations, Montreal; isabelle trotzier, interface tourism France, Paris; Fabrice nidiau,tourismes.tv, bondy, France; and rana noroozi, nanuq Destinations, new york city.
biG banD: the university of california, berkeley, straw hat band set a lively mood at the entrance to Pier 39 as delegates arrived to rock the night.
Merry eveninG: the carousel at Pier 39’s created a colorful backdrop for (left to right) anita abel and aminta vasquez-billot, both of american tours international, los angeles; bertin salas, radisson Fisherman’s Wharf, san Francisco; and Jenny tecklen-burg, also of american tours international.
tuesdayMay 24, 2011
22 I N T E R N a T I o N a L P o W W o W d a I L y
Pow Wow Rocks the Night at PIER 39
T R a v E L W E E K L y / U . S . T R a v E L