Luxury Travel Expo Advisory Board Meets

The stars were out at The Plaza Hotel yesterday in New York, and that was in the afternoon! Luxury travel executives from all over the country gathered at the hotel to meet for the annual Luxury Travel Expo Advisory Board meeting.

Comprised of a prestigious group of 65 travel industry leaders, the meeting focused on the conference programming that Luxury Travel Expo is known for. The 11th annual show will be held from December 1-3, 2009 at The Signature at MGM Grand and the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas.

The afternoon was filled with dynamic discussion aimed at shaping the content of the show’s educational program. The meeting reviewed feedback from alumni and recommended topics and speakers for the general and concurrent sessions.

Curious to know the outcome from the sessions that were held? You’ll be able to test out all of the brainstorming at Luxury Travel Expo in December. In the meantime, be sure to follow us on Twitter/ Luxurytravelexp. Find us on Facebook. Read our blog (http://luxurytravelexpo.wordpress.com). Join our group on LinkedIn.

Advisory Board members in attendance were: Priscilla Alexander, President and Founder, ProTravel International; Chris Austin, VP, Global Customer Partnerships, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.; Ellen Bettridge, VP, Retail Travel Network, American Express; Maurice Bonham-Carter, President, Island Destinations; Bob Boulogne, Chief Operating Officer, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts; Marc Cavaliere, EVP North America, South African Airways; Denise Condon, Director of Travel Industry Sales, The Americas, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group; Roselyn Cosentino, Chief Marketing Officer, Luxe Worldwide Hotels; Terry Dale, President & Chief Executive Officer, CLIA; Greg DeClemente, Managing Director, Courtyard Travel; Larry Dessler, Executive Director, Niche Cruise Marketing Alliance; Ed Fioravante, Sales Executive, LVCVA; Donna Flora, CTC, CTIE, Vice President, Travel Industry Relations, American Express; Barbara Gallay, President, Linden Travel Bureau, Inc.; Fay Georgousis, Director, Greek National Tourist Office; Joan Gibbs, Director of Industry Sales - Americas, Jumeirah Group; Mark Ginna, Vice President, National Sales, Loews Hotels; Michelle Gysberts, Vice President, The Americas, Tourism Australia; Efrem Harkham, President & CEO, Luxe Worldwide Hotels; Malaka Hilton, President & CEO, Admiral Travel; Maureen Jones, President, All Horizons Travel, Inc.; Mary Kleen, General Manager, Pisa Brothers; Shane Krige, General Manager, The Plaza Hotel; Roland Largay, CEO, Largay Travel, Inc.; Ricarda Lindner, Director, German National Tourist Office; Carla Malachowski, Executive Vice President, Betty Maclean Travel, Inc.; Bob Malmberg, CTC, CTIE, President, The Malmberg Travel Group; Jack Mannix, President & Chief Executive Officer, Ensemble Travel; John McMahon, Vice President/Group Publisher, The Travel Group; Anne Morgan Scully, President, McCabe World Travel; Terry Morrison, VP Sales and Marketing, MLT Vacations; Laurie Palumbo, Chief Operating Officer, Island Destinations; Dennis Pinto, President, Micato Safaris; Mary Ann Ramsey, President/Owner, Betty Maclean Travel, Inc.; Pilar Rios, Director of Promotions, Sol Melia Hotels & Resorts; Lee Robinson, Vice President, Field Sales, Princess Cruises and Cunard Line; Navin Sawhney, Sr. Vice President Sales & Marketing, Tauck World Discovery; Colleen Schmitz, Director of Luxury Sales, MGM MIRAGE; Jeffrey Senior, Senior VP, Marketing & Sales, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts; Kenan Simmons, Vice President, Sales, The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd.; Rick Stiffler, Executive Director of Leisure Sales, Preferred Hotel Group; Kathy Sudeikis, CTC, Vice President of Corporate Relations, All About Travel; Mary Pat Sullivan, CTC, Principal, Sullivan Marketing Advisors; Ruthanne Terrero, Vice President, Content/Editorial Director, The Travel Group; Roy Twiste, Managing Director Sales & VIP Desk, Travel Leaders; Ann van Leeuwen, Vice President, North America Member Sales & Service, Virtuoso; and Jennifer Wilson-Buttigieg, Co-President, Valerie Wilson Travel, Inc.

Other advisory board members include: Scott Ahlsmith, Executive Vice President Global Technology, Virtuoso; Greg Bernd, Co-President, Classic Vacations; Karime Buraye, Director of  Sales, The Americas, Small Luxury Hotels of the World; Peter S. Carideo, CTC, President, CRC Travel; Eduardo Chaillio, Director North America, Mexican Tourism Board; Nathan Devore, Co-President, Rich Worldwide Travel; Kathy Falkensammer, CTC, President, Prestige Travel; Stacy Fischer-Rosenthal, Executive Vice President, Fischer Travel Enterprises; Richard Harper, CMP, Vice President Sales and Marketing, Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino; Bob Lepisto, Chairman & CEO, SeaDream Yacht Club; Anastasia Mann, Chairman and CEO, Corniche Travel Group & Anastasia's Africa; Ignacio Maza, Executive Vice President, Signature Travel Network; Gary Murphy, President, Brendan Worldwide Vacations; Joan Novack, Owner, Majesty Travel; Bob Romano, Partner, Fugazi Travel Agency, Inc.; Jim Strong, President, Strong Travel Services; Bruce Tepper, Joselyn, Tepper & Assoicates; Scott Wiseman, President, Abercrombie & Kent, Inc.; and Peter Yesawich, Chairman & CEO, YPARTNERSHIP.

About Luxury Travel Expo

Produced by Luxury Travel Advisor, and Travel Agent Magazine, Luxury Travel Expo is the industry’s largest gathering of luxury travel professionals. The show’s successful formula consists of an unrivaled educational program and ample exhibit hall hours where luxury suppliers and travel agents can network. The eleventh annual Luxury Travel Expo will take place December 1-3, 2009 at The Signature at MGM Grand and the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas.