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American
Tourism Society
ROATIA HOSTS
AMERICAN TOURISM SOCIETY SPRING CONFERENCE
APRIL 15-20, 2007
 Delegates
to visit Zagreb, Split and
Dubrovnik
(February
21, 2006, New York, New York) American
Tourism Society (ATS) announced its Spring
Conference will be hosted by the Croatia
National Tourist Board April 15-20, 2007.
In making the announcement, Michael
Stolowitzky, President & CEO, ATS,
said "this will be an extraordinary
opportunity for ATS delegates to get a
taste of the diversity of this historical
destination which is now being called the
'New Riviera' by the NBC TV Today
Show."
Alex
Harris, CTC, ATS Chairman and Chairman,
General Tours, who was instrumental in the
"Rebuild Dubrovnik" campaign, added
"it is with extreme pleasure to see
how quickly Dubrovnik has reestablished
itself as the main focus of
tourism to Croatia, affirming its status
as the 'Pearl of the Adriatic'. The ATS
tour operator members have come out in
full force to support Dubrovnik and the
entire country, as one of the most popular
tourist destinations in
Europe."
The ATS
Conference will begin in Zagreb, Croatia's
Capital, at the luxurious five-star Hotel
Regent Esplanade. In 1994, the City
celebrated its 900th birthday. Zagreb is
not only rich in cultural and historical
monuments, museums and galleries, it also
has a variety of modern shops, and offers
world class restaurants as well as sports
and recreational facilities. Zagreb plays
host to many meetings and conferences,
economic and business events and trade
fairs. In the evening, the Hotel Regent
Esplanade will host a welcome reception
for the conference attendees, followed by
a Welcome dinner hosted by the Zagreb
Tourist Board. The opening sessions the
following morning will take place at the
City Museum of Zagreb, with VIP speakers
including remarks by the American
Ambassador to Croatia, H. E. Robert A.
Bradike.
A tour
operator panel, moderated by Robert
Whitley, CTC, President of the United
States Tour Operators Association (USTOA),
will be followed by a "Business 2
Business" fast track, designed for
one-on-one introductions for ATS delegates
to meet their Croatian counterparts. An
afternoon workshop for Croatian delegates
on "How to Develop Special Interest and
Cultural Travel; and How to Effectively
Use the Internet to Reach These Markets"
will be presented by David Parry,
President Academic Travel Abroad and
Michael Wargo, VP Partner Marketing, AARP
Passport by Travelocity. The ATS delegates
from the US will be hosted on a Zagreb
City Tour and will visit the medieval
castle "Trakscan" and Felikik Tabor, among
the City's many interesting
sites.
Split
The
Following day, all ATS delegates will
travel to Split, visiting one of Croatia's
UNESCO sites, Plitvice Lakes, 16
interlinked lakes between Mala Kapela
Mountain and Pljesevica Mountain in the
region of Lika. Arriving in Split, itself
a UNESCO site, delegates will have a city
tour and spend the night at the recently
opened five-star Hotel Le Meridien
Lav. Split, a modern city on the
Mediterranean, is also a city with a
1700-year old tradition and a variety of
archaeological, historical and cultural
monuments, including the well-known Palace
of Diocletian, a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. That evening, ATS delegates will be
hosted at a festive dinner by the Croatian
National Tourist Board and Split
-Dalmatian County Tourist
Board.
Dubrovnik
The grand
finale of the ATS conference will take
place in the world famous city of
Dubrovnik. En route to the city, delegates
will visit Neretva County Valley, take a
boat ride on the Neretva River, enjoy wine
tasting and then visit the Narona Museum
in Vid. Lunch will be hosted by Dubrovnik
Neretva Connty Tourist Board. Delegates
will stay at the Hotel
Argosy.
The final
day of the Conference will showcase the
historic city of Dubrovnik. A city with a
unique political and cultural history (the
Dubrovnik Republic, the Statute from
1272), Dubrovnik is a world-famous UNESCO
cultural heritage site and one of the most
attractive and famous cities of the
Mediterranean. The gala farewell
dinner will be hosted by the Croatia
National Tourist Board, the Dubrovnik
Neretva County and the City of Dubrovnik
Tourist Board.
Post tours
will be available to ATS delegates who
wish to explore more of Croatia. One will
be through the Croatian countryside and
the second will be to the Dalmatian
Islands.
For more
information on the ATS Spring Conference
in Croatia visit
www.americantourismsociety.org. For
more information on Croatia visit
www.croatia.hr
 KNUT
HAENSCHKE APPOINTED VICE CHAIR OF THE
AMERICAN TOURISM SOCIETY'S BALTIC
COUNCIL
American
Tourism Society (ATS) announced the
appointment of Knut Haenschke, formerly
with the German National Tourist
Organization in Frankfurt, to serve as the
new Vice Chair of the organization's
Baltic Council, which includes Estonia,
Latvia, and Lithuania. Haenschke
will take over from Lana Rogers, President
of Educational Travel Consultants of
Boston, Massachusetts, who has retired in
order to spend more time on her expanding
business.
Prior
to Haenschke's distinguished career with
the German National Tourist Organization
(GNTO), he started his professional
experience in the airline industry at
British European Airways, TWA and
Icelandair. His long service with the GNTO
included heading the New York Office from
1994-1997. Most recently in the Frankfurt
office, Haenschke was responsible for
marketing activities worldwide.
However, it is perhaps his position as
director of the Copenhagen Office from
1997-2004, which included responsibility
for the Baltic States, that best qualifies
him to take over as Vice Chair of the
ATS
Alex
Harris, CTC, ATS Chairman, and Chairman,
General Tours, said "as ATS is on a growth
path, since outlining its new Strategic
Plan, we are fortunate to have attracted
someone with Knut Haenschke's reputation
and experience, to lead our expansion in
the Baltics region." Harris also went on
to thank Lana Rogers for her invaluable
contribution and leadership as Vice Chair
of the Baltics Council.\
Email:
info@americantourismsociety.org
Editorial Contact:
Karen Hoffman, The Bradford Group
Tel: (212) 447-0027, Fax: (212) 725
8253
Background
Marked by the fall of the Berlin Wall, the
end of the Cold War and a reunified
Europe, The American Tourism Society (ATS)
was founded as a non-profit, non-political
destination marketing organization during
one of the most challenging years in
modern history, 1989.
An audience
with H.M. King Abdullah II of Jordan
during the ATS 2005 Spring Conference in
Amman & Petra
Initially
focused on the former Soviet Union, ATS
has expanded its geographic interest to
include Eastern and Central Europe, the
Baltic States, the Red Sea and the Eastern
Mediterranean. Its membership is composed
of governments, tourism executives, tour
operators, airlines, cruise lines,
national tourist offices, hotel firms,
retail travel agencies and other special
travel interests.
By merging
business know-how with the core values of
sustainable tourism, ATS serves as abridge
of communication and understanding between
countries and peoples of the
world.
ATS lends
priority access to internationally known
travel companies through overseas
conferences, travel marts and seminars in
regions of interest to ATS and its
members. Additionally, ATS organizes
showcases for these regions in the
USA.
Through
its collective expertise of enterprise,
marketing, educational initiatives and
promotion, ATS provides visibility in
trade publications and networking among
tourism interests. ATS also maintains
reciprocal memberships with other industry
organizations such as the United States
Tour Operators Association and the Baltic
Tourism Commission.
ATS works
for its membership - here and abroad - as
an indispensable link to government
agencies. From branding to product
development, ATS is a reference point for
travel-related companies seeking access to
the North American market.
Join ATS
for online access to networking
opportunities with members, resources
links to suppliers and registration for
annual membership meetings held in venues
of special interest. Download our current
brochure for more information.
Website:
http://www.americantourismsociety.org/about/index.html
...
AMERICAN
TOURISM SOCIETY MOURNS THE LOSS
OF CO-FOUNDER
E. WALLACE LAWRENCE III
- The American Tourism
Society (ATS) announced today the passing
of one of its co-founders, E. Wallace
Lawrence III. Lawrence, better known
to his colleagues and friends as "Wally"
passed away at his home yesterday January
25th, in Keswick, VA, at the age of
77.
"Wally" was
founder and president of the Russian
Travel Bureau, and one of the
founders and early presidents of the
American Soviet Tourism Society,
the predecessor organization to the
American Tourism Society.
Alex Harris, CTC, ATS
Chairman and Chairman, General Tours, said
"I remember Wally for his feistiness
as a competitor and as an ally in
promoting tourism to Russia. He was
at my side as a co-founder of the American
Tourism Society and the US/USSR Trade and
Economic Council's Tourism
Committee. I value his spirit,
dedication, and the personal friendship we
developed and the mutual respect we had
for each other. Wally will be
missed."
A Spring
internment in Arlington National
Cemetery is planned.
For more information on
the American Tourism Society visit
www.americantourismsociety.org
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