TOURISM AUSTRALIA (www.australia.com) has appointed Michelle Gysberts vice president of the Americas. Gysberts has served four years as Tourism Australia's partnership development director for the region. Her credentials include extensive experience in tourism marketing and the hospitality sector. "Over the next few months, we have some dynamic projects that will help us move Australia off [a] traveler's vacation wish list to their vacation 'must do' list," Gysberts says.
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During lunch at The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel (www.ritzcarlton.com), Iman P. Butler, director of sales and marketing for the hotel, filled Travel Agent in on upcoming offers. "We're in the process of creating a three-day package with the working title 'The Beach to the Boardroom,'" says Butler. "Anything we can do to generate some additional occupancy on Sunday nights would be great." Butler anticipates that guests will check out at their leisure on Monday morning, and maybe do a little work in their room before departing.