Who got a new gig this week? Check out this week’s travel industry movers & shakers.
1. Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board names Ashlee Ciora as Senior Director, Tourism
The Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (L.A. Tourism) announced the appointment of Ashlee Ciora as senior director, Tourism, where she will be responsible for overseeing strategy and programming for half of L.A. Tourism’s international markets in coordination with Stephanie Nakasone, who will continue to oversee the other half. Ciora will report to Kathy Smits, vice president, Tourism.
Most recently, Ciora served as vice president of Travel Industry Sales for the Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau. During her six years in Palm Springs, Ciora was responsible for the domestic and international marketing and product development for the Travel Industry Sales department.
“Ashlee brings to the team deep experience in the tourism industry, an unbridled passion for our business and strong, existing relationships with many of our key stakeholders,” stated L.A. Tourism Vice President of Tourism Kathy Smits. “We feel she’s an excellent addition and will help the team elevate the profile of Los Angeles in our key markets.”
Ciora has spent her entire career with Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs), beginning with the Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau where she managed the travel agent and wholesale market for the U.S., Canada and eventually Germany, United Kingdom and Mexico.
Ciora is well known and respected in the industry; she was chair for the Visit California Rural Region Committee and sits on Visit California’s International Marketing Committee. Her love affair with tourism began in college at Arizona State University where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Recreation Management and Tourism and completed a program with the Netherlands Institute of Travel and Tourism. Her experience will benefit L.A. Tourism at an exciting and fast-paced time as the destination broke tourism records for the fifth consecutive year in 2015 by welcoming 45.6 million visitors from around the world.
2. Silversea’s industry leading team grows from strength-to-strength
Silversea’s new Sales and Marketing Team for Australia and New Zealand are reinforcing the cruise lines’ ongoing commitment to ensuring that all agents seeking knowledge on luxury travel and Silversea’s unique offering have sufficient support. Agents will now find it even easier to develop and grow the luxury cruise market with extra support from this expert, dedicated team.
Amber Wilson, Managing Director, Asia-Pacific said: “Chosen for their vast experience in high-end travel, the new Australian and New Zealand Sales and Marketing team are proving to be a valuable asset to agents. We will be working hard to ensure that all agents have access to the information they need to confidently sell Silversea’s luxury products. The team have been handpicked for their strong experience in the luxury sector and are well-placed to share their expert knowledge on our fleet, our high level of service and exceptional itineraries.”
Silversea’s Sales Team, now consists of five Business Development Managers (BDMs) who are also supported by Ethan Larkin in Inside Sales. The team are:
· Scott Graham, New South Wales and New Zealand
· Julie Golding, New South Wales and Queensland
· Craig Farrell, Victoria and Tasmania
· Rebeka Belcher, Western Australia and South Australia
· Adam Davy, Business Development Manager Expedition, Asia Pacific
The sales team will be overseen by Craig Owens who has been appointed to the newly created role of Trade & Partnerships in Australia and New Zealand. Craig’s vast experience has seen him hold a number of high profile positions with a variety of leading cruise lines including Cunard, Seabourn, MSC Cruises and Oceania Cruises.
Leanne Fonagy, who previously held the role of Business Development Manager, Northern New South Wales and Queensland since December 2013, is the newly appointed Marketing Manager for Asia Pacific. Prior to joining Silversea, Leanne held various roles including Marketing Manager, MICE Director and PR Account Director for various luxury brands such as Orient Express Trains and Cruises, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Peninsula Hotels, Sea Cloud Cruises and a number of International Tourism Boards.
“I am extremely excited to have such a dedicated and knowledgeable team assist me in driving the core beliefs of the Silversea brand in Australia. This well-established team has a proven track record in Asia Pacific and I know this will continue to grow for many years to come,” continued Wilson.
3. Maria Ferro joins Jetabroad
Maria Ferro, formerly of The Travel Corporation (TTC) has joined Jetabroad this week as their General Manager Supplier Partnerships.
Prior to TTC, Maria was Head of Product at Helloworld, and at Flight Centre Global Product before that. Maria has worked in the industry for more than 21 years, holding leadership roles in contracting, operations, sales and management consulting, across the wholesale and retail sectors.
Jetabroad’s Managing Director, Darin Walters said: “it’s fantastic to have Maria join the Jetabroad team. Jetabroad is developing new ways of engaging an expanding customer base and working smarter with suppliers. Maria brings her creativity and a wealth of experience to this endeavour.”
4. New General Manager for Metro Hotel Ipswich International
Metro Hospitality Group has appointed Darryl McAlister to the position of General Manager of Metro Hotel Ipswich International.
In his new role, Darryl is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the property, as well as identifying and capitalising on opportunities to grow the hotel’s leisure and corporate business.
Darryl is no stranger to Ipswich, having previously successfully managed another property in Ipswich, and, with his family, maintains a home in the city.
“I am looking forward to renewing friendships and reconnecting with key local stakeholders in State Government, local Council, Defence and local business,” Mr McAlister said.
“The City of Ipswich has enormous potential for growth in both the corporate and leisure markets, and the capacity and location of the Hotel in the heart of the city means it is perfectly positioned to benefit from this growth..
“There is also significant potential to grow our conference, incentives and meetings business from within the local area, as well as Brisbane and the Gold Coast, just an hour’s drive away.
“I am keen to see our recently rebranded Harvest Restaurant & Bar become a popular and affordable dining choice for local residents. We have appointed a new Head Chef, Maqhawe Radebe, and have negotiated with local suppliers to source the best regional produce each season.”
Prior to taking up this position, Darryl McAlister was General Manager of Quest Apartments in Townsville, Gladstone and Ipswich.
His extensive hospitality management experience gained over the past 25 years includes owning and operating motels, apartments and resorts in major city locations throughout Australia.
5. Lizard Island appoints Emilio Fortini as new General Manager
Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts and one of Australia’s most prolific islands – Lizard Island Resort is excited to announce the appointment of Emilio Fortini as General Manager. Fortini will oversee all operations of this iconic resort, located in tropical Queensland and ensure Lizard Island maintains its outstanding reputation as a world-class luxury destination and a jewel in the crown of Australian Tourism.
An industry veteran, Fortini brings more than 30 years of hotels and resorts experience to Lizard Island. He has worked extensively at executive level domestically and internationally. An Italian native, he is also fluent in four languages, a considerable asset for the resort given its high influx of international guests.
“I am truly thrilled to join the Lizard Island resort team at this exciting time of growth. Since its reopening in 2015, Lizard Island has gone from strength to strength. Combining my previous experience in hotels and resorts and our team’s unwavering commitment to excellence, I want to continue this momentum and deliver exceptional service and unforgettable experience to our guests,” said Mr. Fortini.
Prior to joining Delaware North, Fortini was Director of Operations at TFE Hotels where he played a significant role in managing its Rendezvous, Adina, Medina, Vibe and TFE collection brands. During his role as Senior Vice President at Rendezvous Hospitality Group, Fortini managed 13 hotels across Australia, New Zealand and Asia. He was also the general manger of The Pearl South Pacific Resort in Fiji where he was highly involved in the refurbishment and turned the resort into the destination of choice for International visitors and Suva Expats.
“Greg Magi, Executive Director of Australian Parks and Resorts at Delaware North Companies said: “Emilio has excellent experience and knowledge in all aspects of resort operations. He is a result-driven leader who has a strong proven record and most importantly, he shares the same strong value as the Delaware North family – deliver incredible guest experiences.”
6. Amadeus appoints Head of Corporate IT Solutions for Pacific region
Amadeus boosts its commitment to corporate travel today with the appointment of Ingrid Picard to spearhead its corporate IT solutions for the Pacific region.
Ingrid, who brings 15 years of experience to the role, will partner with corporations across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands to power employee travel using Amadeus’ technology and expertise.
Amadeus has been successfully providing IT solutions to Australian corporations for a number of years, working in partnership with travel management companies (TMCs), taking a collaborative approach to meet corporations’ needs.
Ingrid will work with customers and the local Amadeus team to build on this success and deliver a suite of next-generation solutions, including Amadeus cytric Travel and Expense in 2017. Amadeus will be releasing more information on Amadeus cytric Travel and Expense over the coming months. Amadeus already offers various solutions to address corporate travel needs including Amadeus e-Travel management as well as duty of care solutions; Amadeus Mobile Messenger and Amadeus Open Profile Suite.
Speaking about her appointment, Ingrid said: “I am excited to join an innovation-led business like Amadeus. I see a huge opportunity to work with corporations alongside TMCs, and deliver the technology that empowers them to manage their travel programs effortlessly and drive a seamless experience for travellers.”
Ingrid highlighted, “Increasingly, business travellers are demanding an instant, mobile and personalised experience so they can book and manage their own travel and expenses on the go. This means businesses are facing new challenges to effectively control their corporate travel whilst ensuring optimum traveller safety, compliance and cost management. This is where Amadeus can help.”
Tony Carter, Managing Director of Amadeus IT Pacific said: “Many corporations still struggle with outdated technology and rely on multiple applications and vendors or websites to navigate their travel journey, meaning they lack agility and visibility of overall travel and expenses in their organisations. Finding a way to manage this and ensure the wellbeing of a travelling workforce will be critical to drive corporate performance for companies in the region. We are excited to have Ingrid as part of the team and look forward to expanding our customer base.”
Ingrid Picard will be a guest speaker at ACTE-CAPA Global Conference on the 22 November, 2016 in Sydney where she will discuss the importance of making the right travel technology investment to shape the future corporate travel experience.