Northern California Visitor Industry Outlook Conference Set
Thursday, Feb. 23, 2006 in San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, February 6, 2006. The San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau (SFCVB) Education & Research Foundation, Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, PKF Consulting and the San Francisco Business Times are uniting to create the Northern California Visitor Industry Outlook Conference, to be held on Thursday, Feb. 23, at The Argent Hotel, 50 Third St. in San Francisco. "We are committed to presenting a high-level, informative conference the likes of which has never been produced in San Francisco," said John Marks, president and CEO of the Bureau.
Journalist Peter Greenberg will be the keynote speaker. He is the travel editor for NBC's Today Show, CNBC and MSNBC and host of the nationally syndicated radio show, Travel Today. Greenberg is contributing editor for America Online as well as Men's Health magazine and often appears in The New Yorker. He is a frequent guest on ABC's Oprah and The View. The Emmy award-winning writer and producer is also the author of the best-selling "Travel Detective" book series.
Thomas E. Callahan, CEO-West, PKF Consulting, will present "A Snapshot of Northern California's Hotel Market." Rick Swig, president and CEO, RSBA & Associates, John Buchanan, newly appointed director, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and Steve Eimer, vice president, Development, Westfield Corporation will speak on "Dollars and Sense: How We're Investing in Northern California's Visitor Market."
Kirk Kinsell, senior vice president, chief development officer, The Americas, InterContinental Hotels; Graham Atkinson, senior vice president, Worldwide Sales & Alliances, United Airlines, and Kevin Considine, vice president, merchant marketing, Visa USA will present "The Big Picture: Northern California's Position in National Brand Strategies."
Cathy A. Enz, Ph.D., associate dean of industry research and affairs, Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, and the SFCVB's vice presidents of Conventions, Marketing and Tourism will present "Fast & Furious Five Minute Updates."
Rick Swig, who is also SFCVB 2005-06 chairman, explained, "Marketing San Francisco is a team effort. This conference presents the leading tourism stakeholders in San Francisco and their perspectives, strategies and tactics regarding generating more demand for our City and hospitality community," he said.
Marks added: "The visitor industry represents more than $6.73 million to the San Francisco economy and it's growing. The visitor market benefits our city as well as hotels, tour operators, attractions, cultural groups and restaurants, and all businesses that depend on a healthy Northern California economy."
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