Press Releases
Editorial Contact: Karen Hoffman
Tel: (212) 447-0027
E-mail: bradfordmktg@aol.com
CZECH REPUBLIC'S PRIME MINISTER AND THE US AMBASSADOR
TO THE CZECH REPUBLIC ADDRESS AMERICAN TOURISM SOCIETY CONFERENCE AT CORINTHIA
TOWERS HOTEL, PRAGUE NOVEMBER 17-19, 2005
H.E.
Jiri Paroubek, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic (center) with the
ATS Board of Directors: David Parry, Mike Spinelli, Robert Whitley, Mirko
Ilich, Michael Stolowitzky, the Prime Minister, H.E. Akel Biltaji, Phil
Otterson, Jan Rudomina, Don Reynolds and Helena Novak.
New York, NY - December 6, 2005 - H.E. Jiri Paroubek, Prime Minister
of the Czech Republic, and a former Minister of Tourism, welcomed American
Tourism Society (ATS) delegates to Prague at the opening of the organization's
fall conference which took place in Prague November 17-19, 2005 at the
Award-winning Corinthia Towers Hotel. H. E. William Cabaniss, the US Ambassador
to the Czech Republic, also addressed more than 160 attendees representing
major players from a cross-section of the travel industry both from the
US and from ATS member country regions.
Michael Stolowitzky, ATS President and CEO, said "the very presence of
both the Prime Minister and the US Ambassador, is a clear recognition
of the tremendous economic impact this group has on the international
travel industry market. ATS, through its members, moves three million
passengers a year with a volume of four billion US dollars."
The Prime Minister's speech was followed by opening remarks from Alex
Harris, CTC, ATS Chairman and Chairman, General Tours, read in his absence
by Michael Stolowitzky. Harris was unable to be present at the conference
due to a death in the family. That evening Corinthia Towers Hotel hosted
a gala opening reception on its 24th floor, featuring a beautiful panoramic
view of Prague by night, as well as a special welcome by General Manager,
Christian Grage. On Friday, the General Session, chaired by Helena Novak,
Sr, Vice President, General Tours and Vice Chairman, Central and Eastern
Europe Conference, featured remarks by Vaclav Novotny, Director Prague
Information Service; Rostislav Vondruska, President, Czech Tourism Board
and Katerina Pavlilova, Director, Czech Tourist Authority North America.
Geoff Andrew, Group Director, Sales & Marketing, Corinthia Hotels International,
in his welcome told delegates that "Corinthia joined ATS as soon as we
launched our campaign into the American Market, and we were very proud
that ATS was the first American-based travel industry organization to
book its conference in a Corinthia Premier Collection Hotel. We look forward
to the opportunity of hosting future ATS meetings in other destinations
where we have CHI Premier Collection properties -- Malta, St. Petersburg,
Russia, Budapest, Hungary and Tripoli, Libya," said Andrew.
ATS Support of Jordan
H.E. Akel Biltaji, a newly appointed member of the Jordanian Senate as
well as Special Envoy of King Abdullah II, and Vice Chairman, ATS Mediterranean
Red Sea Council, gave a spell-binding, first-hand account of the recent
terrorist bombings of the three hotels in Amman, Jordan. ATS held its
spring meeting in Amman earlier this year where delegates were hosted
by H.M. King Abdullah II at the Palace. Following Biltaji's remarks, Stolowitzky
stated "ATS, whose motto is Bringing the World Together, will continue
its strong support for Jordan, making it clear that we will not let terrorism
undermine tourism to that country or the rest of the world."
Other Conference Highlights
The two-day conference opened with a travel mart of Czech and ATS member
suppliers from the Baltics and Central and Eastern Europe showcasing the
regions' tourism attractions. This was followed by a specially created
seminar for Czech and Central and Eastern European participants by David
Parry, Academic Travel Abroad and Michael Wargo, Travelocity. The seminar,
focusing on "How to Develop Special Interest and Cultural Travel and the
Role of the Internet in Promoting It," was extremely well received as
a practical and useful presentation.
ATS program speakers featured a cross-section of travel industry leaders
including, Robert Whitley, President USTOA, Marak H. Luba, VP and general
Manager, Global Network Services, Central Europe, American Express; Mike
Spinelli, Past President of ASTA; Alexandra Octkayova, Managing Director
Slovak Tourist Board; Milos Kovacs, Deputy Director Hungary Tourism Board
; Leszek Mokrzycki, Director of Polish International Markets.
Renee Mitchell, Director, Consumer Research, Smithsonian Magazine presented
the results of a specially designed research on gauging "US consumer interest
in Central and Eastern Europe as a destination," commissioned by ATS for
this conference. Mitchell also moderated a panel which included Phil Otterson,
Executive Vice President, Tauck World Discovery Tours, Mirko Ilich, President
Traveling Times Inc, Katerina Pavlilova, Director, Czech Tourist Authority
North America and Janet Algers, American Express Travel. Smithsonian hosted
a luncheon that followed the morning sessions.
New Web Site Previewed
ATS, in the process of redesigning and reengineering its web site, gave
delegates a preview of a new web site scheduled to be launched early 2006.
The new high tech web site will be highly interactive and feature maps
of the ATS regions and hyperlinks to member country and suppliers.
Social Highlights
American Express, represented by Donna Flora, CTC, Vice President, Travel
Industry Relations, hosted a festive dinner for all ATS delegates at the
closing of the conference at Prague's Historic Municipal House. Czech
Tourism took all the International delegates on a Prague City Tour and
organized a two-day post-conference ATS tour to Kutna Hora, Litomysl,
Olomouc and Brno, featuring some of the Czech Republic's World Heritage
Sites.
Don Reynolds, ATS Executive Vice President, said "a large part of the
success of the ATS meeting in Prague was due to the wonderful cooperation
and support of Czech Tourism, Czech Airlines, The Corinthia Towers Hotel
and General Tours, who handled the airport meet & greet services, transfers
and Prague City Tour." He continued, "the overwhelmingly positive feedback
that we received from the ATS delegates to Prague demonstrates that the
organization is growing from strength to strength. The meeting format
provides delegates, many of whom are executives short on time, a succinct
but comprehensive coverage of the four ATS regions with timely and up-to-the-minute
critical marketing news and information."
ATS Invited to Hold Spring Meeting in Israel, May, 2006
Yehuda Shen, from the Israeli Ministry of Tourism in Jerusalem, personally
extended an invitation to all ATS delegates to come to Israel for their
Spring Conference scheduled for May, 2006. Rafi Baeri, of the Dan Hotels,
confirmed that the Dan Hotel Tel Aviv will be the headquarter hotel.
Alex Harris and Michael Stolowitzky Head Newly Elected ATS Board of
Directors
At a meeting prior to the official opening of the ATS Conference, the
newly elected Board of Directors elected the new officers who will serve
for a two year term: Chairman, Alex Harris, Chairman, General Tours; President
& CEO, Michael Stolowitzky, Consultant, American Express Vacations; Jan
Rudomina, Vice President/Secretary/Treasurer, Jan Rudomina, Director,
Polish Tourist Board new York; Vice President, Phil Otterson, Executive
Vice President Tauck World Discovery Tours; and Executive Vice President,
Don Reynolds. Other Board Members include: H.E. Akel Biltaji, Senator
and Special Envoy of King Abdullah II, Jordan, and Vice Chairman, ATS
Mediterranean Red Sea Council; Mirko Ilich, President, Traveling Times,
Inc.; Robert Whitley, President, USTOA; Mike Spinelli, Past President,
ASTA; and David Parry, President, Academic Travel Abroad. |
