SKAL International’s World Congress is an annual meeting of representatives from the association’s 450 Clubs throughout 85 nations with approximately 20,000 professional members.
NEW YORK – Executives from Skal International, the world’s largest professional association of senior travel and tourism executives, recently gathered at Carnival Cruise Lines’ headquarters in Miami to finalize details for the organization’s first-ever World Congress at sea taking place aboard Carnival Glory this fall.
More than 1,200 Skal delegates -who hail from all corners of the globe- will convene aboard the 110,000-ton cruise ship during a seven-day cruise that departs New York’s Manhattan Passenger Terminal Sept. 28 and returns Oct. 5, 2013.
During the week-long voyage, Skal delegates can attend a wide range of association meetings, seminars, breakout sessions and networking opportunities, while experiencing Carnival Glory’s numerous dining, entertainment and activity options. Special shore excursions are planned for Skal members during port calls in Boston; Portland, Maine; Saint John, New Brunswick; and Halifax, Nova Scotia, along with pre- and post-cruise land tours in New York City.
Commented 2013 Skal International President “Bringing more than 1,200 travel professionals from all over the globe to attend our World Congress is always a challenge. Having it on a cruise ship for the first time in the history of Skal presents a great opportunity to showcase cruise conferences. We are confident that Carnival and their team will do an outstanding job for our membership.”Mok Singh,
SKAL International’s World Congress is an annual meeting of representatives from the association’s 450 Clubs throughout 85 nations with approximately 20,000 professional members. It is the only international group uniting all branches of the travel and tourism industry to provide forums for industry leaders to meet on local, regional, national and international levels to discuss and pursue topics of common interest and encouraging “friends doing business with friends.”
SKAL International New York was the first chapter in North America and will be celebrating its 75th Anniversary during the Congress. Many of the Club’s members will be providing Congress attendees incentives to visit their businesses and attractions while in the City as tourism is an important part of their annual revenue. Non-SKÅL companies who wish to reach this audience must first become a Club member. Information on membership can be found at NYSkal.com.
A special website, Skal2013WorldCongress.com, has been created to present all of the Congress information to SKAL members, and continual updates will be available on Facebook and Twitter.
Photo caption: Pictured here at Carnival’s Miami offices are (from left): Carnival’s Operations Account Executive Victoria Capps and Senior Director of Sailing Support Susy Sarasua; TIMM Group President John J. Ruzich; and Carnival’s Vice President of Guest Services and Support Vicky Rey, and Director of Charters, Meetings and Incentives Damian Fernandez.