Leading tour and travel industry leaders, from both the buyer and supplier side, will explore a number of current issues of interest at the NAJ’s RTO Summit East, May 6 and 7 at the Wyndham New Yorker hotel in Manhattan. The agenda for Symposium, which takes place for the first day of the Summit, is as follows.
8:45-9:00 am: Opening Remarks, Crystal Ballroom
9:00-9:45 am: Educating the Clueless Revenue Manager. Or how 26 million room nights are sold through a channel few of the numbers nerds dictating allotments have ever heard of. Presenter: Jake Steinman, Founder and CEO, NAJ Events and Media.
9:45-10:05 am: An Inside Look at The Brazilian Tour Operator Market. A long time independent expert on the Brazilian market provide a candid assessment of the leading tour operators in the country. Presenter: Celyta Jackson, Partner, Alban Communications (Ms. Jackson, in a previous life, was VP Tourism for what is now NYC & Company).
10:05-10:25 am: What’s New for IPW in Orlando in 2015? Presenter: Malcolm Smith, General Manager, US Travel Association
10:25-11:00 am: Coffee Break sponsored by The INBOUND REPORT
11:00-12:00 noon: Hotel Rate Parity Debate: “There are Two Sides to Every Story.
Rate Parity is an “Offense to Mankind” that and punishes the consumer by not allowing prices to reflect volume and demand. Presenter: Uri Argov, Founder and CEO, Tourico Holidays
Rate Parity is Saving Hotel’s You-know-What. It is the only way hotels can prevent their brands from being commoditized by third party intermediaries. Presenter: Bob Gilbert, VP Sales and Marketing, Exotics Racing (and formerly VP Worldwide Marketing Sales for both Best Western International and Choice Hotels.)
GRAMERCY PARK SUITE
12:00 noon-1:30 pm: Luncheon sponsored by NYC & Company and TheTourOperator.com. The newest attractions and hotels in New York City and the outer boroughs. Presenter: Fred Dixon, CEO, NYC & Company
CRYSTAL BALLROOM
1:30-1:50 pm: The State of the International Traveler. This groundbreaking American travel research, conducted twice a year, delves into behaviors and perceptions of international travelers, including leisure travel sentiment. Presenter: Erin Cummings, Partner, Destination Analysts
1:50-2:10 pm Could This Be the Receptive Operator of Future? Presenter: Mel Tye, President of Tye’s Top Tours, a small New England based tour operator is expecting to triple
