Covering the Inbound Tourism Industry Since 1996

ipw–TUESDAY, JUNE 2

June 4, 2015 by Tom Berrigan

Look for complete coverage of the 2015 ipw in Orlando next week’s issue of the Inbound Report.. For now, here is a day-by-day sampler of images we have assembled.

Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California, opens news conference attended by more than 250 journalists, who had questions on everything from “What’s new?” to “What are you doing to deal with the water shortage?”

Partial view of the packed news conference room at ipw during press conference of Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California.

Ernest Wooden Jr., president and CEO of the Los Angeles Convention and Tourism Board, fields question at the California press conference.

Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, does a one-on-one interview with Carlos Galván, a radio news reporter from Mexico.

6 02 #5 — At another packed press conference, Fred Dixon, president and CEO of New York City & Company, discusses what’s new in New York City, leading off with—appropriately—“The New New York City,” suggested by the poster on the left.

6 02 #6 — Stage, television and film actor David Hyde Pierce emcees the luncheon show presented by New York City & Company and Broadway Inbound. A now-regular highlight at ipw, the luncheon featured highlights from current Broadway hit shows.

An upclose view, stage left, of “Arabian Nights” number from the current Broadway hit show, “Aladdin,” thrills the ipw luncheon crowd.

Juan Rivera, an officer with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), prepares to help delegates who wish to do so register with the agency’s Global Entry program.

Tereza C. Reis, president of Orlando-based Personal RKG Tours, stops by TheTourOperator.com booth to chat with Jake Steinman, NAJ founder and CEO.

Awaiting their first appointment session of the day are: Marko Jovanovic, head of e-commerce & luxury travel brands, Kuoni Destination Management; and Mike Leavitt, senior business development manager, AlliedTPro.

Between appointments, we find Gonzalo Del Rio, director of international tours & travel, Hard Rock International.

Jake Steinman (left), founder and CEO of the NAJ Group, stops to visit Fred Dixon, president and CEO ofNew York City & Company at the NYC & Co. booth.

At the SPEEDVEGAS booth, Allison Raskansky (right), senior vice president, business development and Diane Roehr, sales coordinator, hold the headgear that is required for those who are going to drive one of the company’s many luxury racing autos.

A member of the NAJ Strategic Advisor Council, Robert V. Graff, vice president of Marketing, Papillon Group, and Michael Wareham, Pappillon’s UK representative, pause long enough to have their photo taken.

Good Company: Directly opposite TheTourOperator.com is the booth of the upscale apparel brand, Tommy Hilfiger, with Lisa Pappas (left), senior manager, regional marketing; and Laura Burbaro, manager, regional West.

Two of the largest travel companies in the world represented here: Noel Irwin Hentschel, chairman and CEO, AmericanTours International; Nicholas Hentschel, vice president, business development, AmericanTours International; and Robin Brückner, general manager TUI Deutschland GmbH.

We caught them just before they were leaving the exhibit hall for the day: Juan Toselli and son Gabriel. Juan is president of Juan Toselli International Tours and Gabriel is the company’s commercial director.

It’s the open night (i.e., party night) and it’s definitely on at the NYC & Company party in the Hyatt, with Jake Steinman, founder and CEO of the NAJ Group, leading his team on the way.

NTA @ NYC: The chairman of the board of NTA, Juan Cazaneve, owner of Cazaneve Argentina tours, and Catherine Prather, senior vice president at NTA.

6 02 #20 — The Women of NTA—The association’s leadership next together at the NYC & Co. party: Pam Inman (left), president; and Catherine Prather, senior vice president.

# 21 While at the NYC & Co. party, Jake Steinman, founder and CEO, the NAJ Group, makes a new friend in the person of Evan Salz, director, New York Water Tours. — While at the NYC & Co. party, Jake Steinman, founder and CEO, the NAJ Group, makes a new friend in the person of Evan Salz, director, New York Water Tours.

Part of the American Bus Association (ABA) contingent at NYC & Co. party: John H. Percy, Jr. (left), president and CEO of Niagara USA, and a former ABA chairman; and Jacob Lloyd Kimbro, director of sales, residents shows division, Cirque du Soleil.

Also enjoying the NYC & Co. party are: Danny Lin, president, Amerilink International Corp., and Jacky Zhu, from the Shanghai offices of AVIAREPS, which represents NYC & Co. in China.

In the foyer just outside the party hosted by the Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel.

Definitely a younger, more flexible crowd at the Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel party.

David Downing, executive director of the St. Pete/Clearwater CVB, joins colleague Tamara Pigott, executive director of the Lee County CVB at the Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel party.

Jake Steinman, founder and CEO of the NAJ Group, attempts to purloin the signage directing delegates to the Travel Oregon party.

Giving each other he NAJ Fist Bump at the Travel Oregon party are (left to right): Teresa O’Neill, vice president, global sales, Travel Oregon and a member of the NAJ Strategic Advisory Council; Helgi Mar Björgvinsson, senior vice president, marketing and sales, Iceland Air; and Jayne Buck, vice president of tourism, Visit Denver.

Sylvia Zegfeld, general manager, americanvacations, at the Travel Oregon party making a leather bracelet using hand tools at a table sponsored by Oregon-based Danner Boots.

The Big Party: Preparing to undergo the sort of security check that one finds at an airport, Uwe S. Hoffman (far right) approaches the intimidating registration clearance process at the San Francisco Trael party. Few are chosen; he was one of them.

Greeting those who made it through the security check, a model awaits at the end of the runway. Party guests have arrived at the site; now all they need to do is to taxi into the party hall.

6 02 #32 — Another greeting inside the San Francisco party hall. Inbound checked and found that this person is not a tour operator.

6 02 #33 — Giving us the NAJ Fist Bump at the San Francisco Party are, from Scottsdale-based transdev (left to right): Mike O’Connor, vice president of business development; Anna Hill, director of marketing and partner relations; and Ken Testani, senior vice president, global marketing and partnerships.

Obviously getting into the moment and enjoying themselves at the San Francisco Travel party are these celebrants from U.S. Travel (left to right): Cathy Keefe, manager, media relations; Rebecca shaefer, senior director of operations; and Michael Jacobson, director, grassroots advocacy and political action com

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