Leaders of the travel and tourism industry are scheduled to be featured speakers and panelists at the 2006 Tourism Leadership Summit, 13-15 September 2006, at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate. The program, with the theme “Personal Growth through Connectivity”, is unique among hospitality industry conferences, in that it is designed specifically for executives and senior management in travel and tourism, with all sessions emphasizing the individual’s personal development. Attendance is also limited to 200 to ensure participants can network with their peers and many of the guest speakers throughout the day-and-a-half conference.

This is the second annual in a series of “Tourism Leadership Summit” programs presented by Skal International Orlando, whose membership is comprised of industry leaders in a destination which attracts some 50 million visitors annually. Registration is open to any executive in travel and tourism worldwide and membership in Skal is not a requirement to attend.

Session topics include:

• “Creative Thinking”



• “Innovate or Disintegrate”



• “The Power of Storytelling”



• “Being Local and Global”



• “Consumer Trends Worldwide”



• “Leadership Skills that Work”

Among those scheduled to speak are Ronald Andruff, CEO of Tralliance, the company overseeing the implementation of the “dot travel” domain worldwide; Denise Godreau, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Walt Disney World; Vincent Chirico, Head of Travel Sales for the online giant Google; Michael Hannan, President of Abercrombie & Kent; Joanne Smith, Senior VP of Consumer Marketing, Delta Air Lines; Chris Austin, VP, Global Customer Partnerships, Leisure and Luxury Sales, Starwood Hotels & Resorts; Hugh Riley, Director of Marketing, Caribbean Tourism Organization;
Maurice Zarmati, Senior VP Sales, Carnival Cruise Lines; Tony Clegg-Butt, publisher of the African travel magazine “TN”; Mark Brown, Executive VP, American Automobile Association; Peter Yesawich, CEO, Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell; Francesca Marchetti, Area Director of Sales & Marketing Le Meridien Hotels, Paris & Belgium; and Dr. Abraham Pizam, Dean of the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida.

Delivering keynote addresses during meal functions will be Roger Dow, President & CEO of the Travel Industry Association; and Jan Sunde, current worldwide President of Skal International, from Bergen, Norway. Host and moderator for all sessions is Gary Sain, Chief Marketing Officer for Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell, who is also Chairman of the Association of Travel Marketing Executives and current President of Skal International Orlando.