PRESIDENT HULYA ASLANTAS BRIDGING THE CULTURES
The President of Skål International, Hulya Aslantas has chosen “Bridging the Cultures” as her Presidential theme for the 2008/2009 Presidential year. Speaking about her theme, Hulya Aslantas said, “ Being the leaders of world tourism we have the opportunity of “BRIDGING THE CULTURES”, which will help to eliminate prejudices; and to understand that we have more similarities than differences, which can help in the strengthening of world peace, so much needed today. I have, therefore, chosen as my theme for the year, “BRIDGING THE CULTURES”, which I wish to emphasise throughout the year.
PRESIDENT’S JOURNEY
Members can travel with President Hulya Aslantas as she visits Clubs, National and Area Committees and attends official events worldwide. Go to the Skål International website www.skal.org or click on the following hyperlink:
http://www.skal.org/html/galery/travel/travel_president2009.asp?idioma=I
69th SKÅL WORLD CONGRESS, TAIPEI
You can now view all the photographs taken during the 69th Skål World Congress in Taipei. Go to www.skal.org and congress or click on the following hyperlink:
http://www.skal.org/congresos/taipei2008/photo.asp
70th SKÅL WORLD CONGRESS, BUDAPEST HUNGARY
A reminder that the 70th Skål World Congress will be held in Budapest, Hungary from 1-6 November 2009. Full details and the registration form will be on the website from mid January 2009.
SKÅL INTERNATIONAL SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA (No. 697) - NEW SKÅL CLUB & NEW SKÅL COUNTRY
Skål International warmly welcomed Skål International Siem Reap, Cambodia into the Skål fraternity at the inaugural function of the Club on 22 nd November 2008. This represents not only a new Club for Skal International but also a new Skal country for Skal International.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by 50 prominent tourism leaders, Vice President of Skal International, Tony Boyle from Australia, Skal Asia Area President, Earl Wieman and his wife Jenny from Taiwan and past member of Skal International Sunshine Coast, Australia, Cherylynne Bullen.
Cherylynne Bullen was instrumental in assisting to establish the Club whilst employed as a relief accommodation Manager in Siem Reap during 2007 along with the very hard working Secretary of the Club, Annie Rivera.
20 Skål members were inducted on the night and were presented with their Skål membership certificates and Skal pins and there are a further 7 membership applications that are currently being processed.
Skal International Siem Reap Vice President, Khem Sophal said that the members of Skal International Siem Reap are very excited about the benefits of being part of Skal International and be able to network with tourism professionals throughout the world and have the opportunity to do business among friends in over 90 countries.
TUR GÖTEBORG 2009 will take place from 19-22 March 2009. Skål International Göteborg will welcome Skål members to join them at their Skål Cocktail Party from 13.00 hrs -17.00 hours on Friday 20th March 2009. The cocktail will be held in the entrance hall to the Convention Hall, i.e. same building as the fair. On the same day a workshop will be held and all Skål members are welcome to show what their company or country can offer. The workshop is free of charge and is an easy way to “Do Business Among Friends”. Just bring some promotional material, leaflets etc. and a table will be arranged for you. Please contact Ulla Arnqvist, President, Skål International Göteborg at telephone:+46708 353436 or +4631207016, e-mail: 0708353436@euromail.se, www.customerservice-byulla.com
SKYPE ADDRESS
Our newly elected Director, Karine Coulanges has asked that her Skype address be circulated to all members. It is Karine.coulanges1510. The Skype address of the General Secretariat is skalint.
IMEX 2009
Skål International will, once again have a stand at IMEX 2009 which will be held in Frankfurt from 26-28 May 2009. The following information from IMEX related to the official launch of IMEX Global Data Exchange .
In response to growing visitor traffic and increased demand for fast access, up-to-date industry research, IMEX has redesigned its online research library and today officially launches its free Global Data Exchange. Read more
ORDER OF SKÅL MERIT
President Phillip Sims awarded the diploma of Order of Merit to Albert Danan, member of Skål International Grenoble. The presentation of the diploma was held on Tuesday 9th December 2008 during an evening organised by Groupe Wesford, Skål International Grenoble and its President Françoise Raffin in honour of David Smetanine who won an Olympic Medal (double Paralympic champion in swimming free style in the Beijing Games 2008), in the presence of Skålleagues from Grenoble and Lyon and Christian Gatta – one of the founders of Skål International La Rochelle-Atlantique. The award was presented by Phillip Sims to Albert Danan in recognition of his help in the formation of La Rochelle-Atlantique and the revival of other Clubs in France. Pictured above are A lbert Danan , recipient, Skål International Grenoble ; David Smetanine – Olympic Champion ; Annette Masson , Pr esident Sk ål International France; and Christian Gatta , Skål International La Rochelle -Atlantique.
SKÅL INTERNATIONAL ITALY: DISCOUNTED ITALIAN STAYS FOR SKÅL MEMBERS
Stays for a maximum of 3 nights, in the period from 1 November 2008 to 31 March 2010 and with the exception of the days of Carnival, at the following facilities and in the following ways:
Reservations must be made exclusively over the following days and directly to the chosen Hotel.
28 April 2009 (World Skål Day)
27 September 2009 (Tourism World Day)
Hotels have undertaken to offer the following rates per room and breakfast
- 4 stars, € 59.00 (double or single)
- 3 stars, € 49.00 (single or double)
The hotels participating in this promotion can be found at the Italy national web site www.skalitalia.it
PATA NEW PRESIDENT AND C.E.O.
Skål International sends its sincere congratulation to Gregory Duffel on his appointment as President and C.E.O of PATA. Gregory is a Skål member in Bangkok.
BREAKING BORDERS
We have been asked to bring to your attention the publication of a new book entitled “Breaking Borders” by Skål International New York member, Alex Harris. Click here to purchase the book: http://www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-000050486
THE ALBERT SCHMID CHARITY CHALLENGE, NOVEMBER 5-8, 2008
In early November of this year (2008), Skål International Los Angeles organized the fourth “Charity Challenge” for a group of 40 youth from the Challengers Boys and Girls Club of Metro Los Angles. The requirements for the selected youth were: good behaviour and leadership skills as well as good grades and attendance. Many of these kids had never travelled outside of their community, so you can imagine their excitement!
We at Skål International Los Angeles were honoured to have the opportunity to partner with the Challengers Boys and Girls Club and expand the horizons of our inner city youth by introducing them to our grand National Parks and state Capitol. These kids have a zest for life and by exposing them to environments outside of metro Los Angeles, we can be a catalyst for change and improvement in their lives,” stated Jeff Karnes, President of Skål International Los Angeles and Chairman of the Challenge Committee.
The first Challenge group took place in 2000 and was organized by Skål Member Albert Schmid, after whom this programme is now named. The youth are taken with a professional guide, Challengers Club chaperones and a Skål representative in a luxury coach and experience first hand our grand cities, national parks, receive interpretive presentations by National Park Rangers and enjoy such events as Imax movies, museums and, of course, some time to just be kids.
In the past the groups visited the Grand Canyon, Route 66, Lake Havasu and Joshua Tree National Park. This year, the group was taken to Sacramento, where they visited the Capitol (including Governor Schwarzenegger’s office), continued to Mariposa for some gold panning and on to Yosemite for Native American presentations and hikes.
Skål International Los Angeles raises all the funds for the programme through donations and organizes the complete program solely through volunteer hours on a no-cost basis. Links: Skål International Los Angeles: www.laskal.org and Challengers Boys and Girls Club: www.cbgcla.org
THE EAGLES HAVE LANDED
Eagle’s Landing Country Club announces that history was made Sunday when three Skål Atlanta Club Members Rich Puckett, Debbie Arett, Jimmy Clowdus, and guest John Park, all made a hole-in-one on the Par 3, Creek # 4 hole within about an hour of each other. Each of the aces came from a different group and was attested by their playing partners.
“We understand that the odds of four amateur golfers acing the same hole on the same day are 10 quadrillion to one,” stated Russ Curtis, CCM, general manager. “Congratulations to Rich Puckett, Debbie Arett, Jimmy Clowdus, and John Park for their amazing shots!”
(Pictured left to right: Rich Puckett, John Park, Debbie Arett, and Jimmy Clowdus.)
GOOD WISHES
On behalf of the Executive Committee, the President of the International Skål Council, everyone at the General Secretariat we wish you a very happy and relaxed holiday season and a peaceful and prosperous New Year.
Thank you for reading the Newsletter throughout the year!
