As we prepare to gather in Denver next month for the 50th edition of IPW—the most important event on the inbound tour and travel industry’s calendar—the INBOUND Report shares recollections of and about the event from those who have been a part of IPW (formerly Pow Wow) over the years. This week, we feature the recollections of two veteran tour and travel industry professionals:Jackie Ennis, head of international marketing for the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, and Jorge Franz, vice president of international sales and tourism at the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau.

 

Jackie Ennis: “IPW in Las Vegas. I had never been to Las Vegas before. As I stepped into the elevator from my hotel to go down to the show, a nicely dressed woman came out of the elevator and proceeded to vomit into her hands. Horrified, I ran back to the room to get the poor girl a towel and I got the elevator, the door clicked shut and I missed the moment.” Welcome to Las Vegas.

 

Jorge Franz: “Ten years ago, I was so desperate to get CityPass to choose Houston as their next city,  I followed Mike Gallagher (co-chairman and co-founder of CityPass) into a bathroom and said ‘You need to come to Houston to check us out’ He said, ‘If I go will you leave me alone?’ And he finally came. The results have exceeded our wildest expectations.”

As we prepare to gather in Denver on May 19th for the 50th iteration of IPW—the most important event on the inbound tour and travel industry’s calendar—the INBOUND Report shares recollections of and about the event from those who have been a part of IPW (formerly Pow Wow) over the years. This week, we feature the recollections of two veteran tour and travel industry professionals: Mike Prejean, international marketing and sales, contracts and missions, Louisiana Office of Tourism; and  Brandon Barnes, director, international sales and marketing, Atlanta CVB.

 

Mike Prejean: “My  most memorable moment? That’s easy: getting the registration complete. I wrote to them and told them that I’ve been doing this for 25 years and I cannot get the registration done correctly the first time. So, every year, I bring them booze from Louisiana because I feel so sorry that they have to take extra time completing my registration.”

 

Brandon Barnes: “Five or six years ago, during an appointment at IPW with an Australian tour operator, he happened to remark about how intensely popular the TV show ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ had become in Australia.  And then he looked me in the eye and said ‘You’ve got to get those bitches down here.’”

As we head toward Denver, May 19th, and the 50th iteration of IPW—the most important event on the inbound tour and travel industry’s calendar—the INBOUND Report shares recollections of and about the event from those who have been a part of IPW (formerly Pow Wow) over the years.

 This week, we feature two tour and travel industry professionals—each of whom attended more than 20 IPWs: Robert Graff, vice president, sales and marketing, Papillon group; and Audrey Bialas, director of sales, Visit Hershey & Harrisburg.

 Robert Graff: “IPW? Oh my gosh, when I flash back, it’s to the days when we called it Pow Wow. I’ll never forget first getting involved in the industry, attending ipw, PowWow then, in Dallas (1988). They brought in Tony Orlando to perform. And here you have in a ballroom all guests sitting down there, all the various buyers and operators and Tony Orlando started singing ‘Tie a Yellow Ribbon.’ And every person sitting in the audience took their napkins and tied them together and you had over 700-800 napkins all tied up on every table, connecting every table there as he sang ‘Tie a Yellow Ribbon.’  And I thought ‘Wow, if this is my introduction into the industry, this is a part I really want to be tied to.’”

 

Audrey Bialas: “I’ve been to twenty, twenty-five—lot, and I think my most memorable moment was the White Party in Miami Beach.  Everyone was dressed in white and we were on the sand when the sun setting and it was just one of those ‘wow’ moments.”

 

Here, as we head toward Denver, May 19th, and the 50th iteration of IPW—the most important event on the inbound tour and travel industry’s calendar—the INBOUND Report shares recollections of and about the event from those who were a part of IPW (formerly Pow Wow) over the years.

 This week, we feature two tour and travel industry professionals—each of whom attended 40 or more IPWs: Barbara Friedman, who retired several years ago after nearly 41 years with Omni Hotels and Resorts, lastly as global director, international accounts; and Jake Steinman, founder and CEO of the NAJ Group, which publishes the INBOUND Report.

Barbara Freidman: “I thought about all the Pow Wows/IPWs, my first being 1974 in Orlando. I went consistently and never missed one until I retired. My last was Chicago 2014.  What an incredible experience. And I looked forward to going every year.  It was my highlight!  In thinking about experiences, here are some memorable moments:
• My first (1974) was the most incredible convention. I felt validated in my job, excited and provided an opportunity to meet many of my clients for the first time face to face. Always treasured.;
• Seeing Tony Orlando and Dawn in Dallas.  We were in the Anatole ballroom, and everyone tied their napkins together and started singing.  So much fun and camaraderie.
• San Francisco—Tony Bennett was the entertainment/ and trip to Alcatraz; and
• How about the dishes dropping in Albuquerque—Also, the New Orleans suppliers serving us the meal.

 

Jake Steinman: “My most memorable IPW moment? There were two of them.

“New Orleans 2002 when a bird flew into the convention center and pooped on the head of a Japanese tour operator. To make him feel better, I related that in some cultures this is a sign of good luck. Without missing a beat, he came back with, “you must mean good luck for the 6000 people who were not sitting in my seat.

“In Nashville in 1997 I overheard two German operators from a company called McFlight bantering in the men’s washroom  One asked, “what do you think our chances are of selling Nashville,” the other replied, “Have you ever seen the movie ‘Mission Impossible?”  Today, Nashville is included in over 100 German tour programs and McFlight is out of business.”

 

 

###

 

Here, the INBOUND Report shares recollections of and about the event from those who were a part of IPW—formerly Pow Wow—over the years. This week’s memories come Juan Sepulveda, director of international sales, Roosevelt Hotel, New York City; and Lisa Catron, international sales manager, Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Juan Sepulveda: “My most memorable moment from ipw, and I’ve attended already over thirty, must have been my first ipw, when I had the opportunity to meet in person Stanley—I didn’t know his last name. We got back to New York the following week and went to do sales calls in his office and it happened to be Stanley Fisher the owner of Allied Tours, a great gentleman.  A true icon of the industry and we became friends for next twenty-five years. I know his son, Michael as well, very well and we do lots of business.”

Lisa Catron: “My first ipw was actually in Orlando Florida which is absolutely phenomenal. But the most memorable ipw- I have two:  Chicago and the Deep South of New Orleans. And the reason I am so passionate about New Orleans is the flights, the BA flights that go in that area and also because of those flights we get a lot of fly-drives, a lot of group bus tours that come up to the Memphis area. So it’s a win-win for all of us. So that was the most memorable ipw.  Like I said, it’s all about our destination.”