Hotel & Tourism SMARTreport #40

ELITE TRAVEL TRENDS
Hotel & Tourism
SMARTreport #40
2018 Autumn Edition 21
LUXURY IS OUR FASTEST-
GROWING SEGMENT WITH
VIRTUALLY UNLIMITED
POTENTIAL, AS WELL AS THE
SECTOR WHERE WE CAN DELIVER
THE GREATEST VALUE TO OUR
CLIENTS.
Ken Schmidt, Brand Visionary &
Communications Strategist and
author, presenting at Signature
Owners’ Meeting in Florida
AS UNIQUE AS YOU
Signature Travel Network hosts travel industry leaders at Annual
Owners’ Meeting in Amelia Island, Florida
Signature Travel Network welcomed over
400 travel agency owners, managers and
industry leaders at their Owners’ Meeting
in Amelia Island, Florida in September.
The annual event is a forum for Signature
owners and executives to share updates
and best practice techniques, as well as
meet with representatives of Signature’s
Preferred Partners.
As a member-owned cooperative, the
Signature agency owners attending
represent the organisation’s shareholders.
During the event, shareholders have the
chance to hear updates from Signature
executives and vote for the network’s
governing body, the Board of Directors.
“2018 has been a fantastic year for
both our members and Signature,” said
Alex Sharpe, Signature’s President and
CEO. “This annual meeting is always a
wonderful opportunity to celebrate our
collective success and share with members
and partners how we are refining our
programs to serve the evolving needs of
the network and travellers.”
The theme for this meeting was “As
Unique as You”. Members participated
in a combination of networking events
designed to share best practices and
identify new ways to leverage Signature’s
technology solutions and turnkey sales and
marketing programs to increase sales and
run more profitable businesses.
Updates from the network included
technology enhancements as well as
the consumer-facing hotel booking
engine from Karen Yeates, Executive Vice
President, Information Technologies for
Signature, the revitalized flagship luxury
publication “Ultimate Experiences” from
Karryn Christopher, Senior Vice President,
Sales & Marketing for Signature, and the
new-to-industry programme, Embark,
from Nolan Burris, Talent Development
Consultant to Signature.
Additionally, members listened in on
partner updates and keynote speeches
from Frank Del Rio, President and CEO
of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.,
and Ken Schmidt, Brand Visionary &
Communications Strategist and author of
“Make Some Noise: The Unconventional
Road to Dominance.”
LUXURY – THE FASTEST
GROWING SEGMENT
As part of the program, Ignacio Maza,
Signature’s Executive Vice President,
presented an overview of the network’s
new initiatives that will accelerate the
growth of Signature members already
robust luxury sales.
“I am honored to spearhead new
programs that will take our network’s
luxury travel sales to the next level”, said
Maza. “Luxury is our fastest-growing
segment with virtually unlimited potential,
as well as the sector where we can deliver
the greatest value to our clients. I look
forward to working with our members and
partners as we launch new endeavours
that will make a difference”