October / November 2022 Issue

A Message from your President - Richard Scinta

Dear Skålleagues,

Welcome to the Fall season! I hope you had a great summer. Many of us are getting ready for the Skål International World Congress in Opatija, Croatia starting on October 12th. Believe it or not, I have never been to a World Congress, so I am really looking forward to attending and meeting great Skål friends from all over the world! Networking with our international brothers and sisters is what our organization is all about, and I encourage everyone to try to take advantage of doing this as soon as possible.

Many of us in Puerto Rico, Florida, and South Carolina are still dealing with the effects of Hurricane Ian, which tore through our lives last week. Thank you for the thoughts that you sent our way during and after the storm passed.If you would like to donate to help those in need, please do so by clicking the red box below. It was a devastating event for many, and I'm proud that Skålleagues are always first in line to help people in need, especially during catastrophes. If any individual Skålleagues need help, please let me or any of our Executive Committee Members know. We can get through this together.

The 4th quarter of the year is already upon us. Let's plan for a strong 2023 and start the year off right. Thank you for sending us your new officer information as soon as possible. We want to ensure that we can contact each club's leadership and provide support!

Have a great fall and Skål!

Skål!

Richard

Due to world events, not everyone who wanted to join this years World Congress was able to attend. Everyone is welcome to tune into the Annual General Assembly Congress live in Croatia on Skål International's YouTube Channel. It runs from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Croatia time October 15th. Discussions and beginning of voting will not happen until after lunch, 3:00 p.m. Croatia time so you can tune in and ask questions in the chat or send us messages to ask. Please feel free to log in and out as works best for you. 

3 p.m. Croatia time is:  9 a.m. EST, 8 a.m. CST, 7 a.m. MST, 6 a.m. PST, and 3 a.m. HST

Afterwards, voting delegates will receive an email with their ballot which they then have 24 hours to return. We are striving for 100% voting turnout from our US Clubs.  

You know me as the Skål USA VP of Membership, but another hat I wear is that of Vice Chairman of the Southeast Tourism Society (STS). I will become Chairman of STS in 2023. Due to my relationship with both Skål and with STS, we were able to form an Affiliate Partnership. This mutually beneficial arrangement provides excellent opportunities for both organizations to grow in membership and professional development of their members.

Formed in 1983, STS is an established leader linking tourism professionals through education, advocacy, recognition, and networking. Southeast Tourism Society covers these states: Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Membership comprises attractions, convention & visitors bureaus, destination management organizations, educational institutions, national heritage areas, travel providers, lodging, state tourism offices, and many more categories.

STS hosts an annual fall conference, “Connections,” that provides educational sessions, networking events, an industry trade show, and the Shining Example Awards ceremony. For thirty years, STS has led the Marketing College, which explores the many facets of destination management and leadership. This three-year curriculum leads to a Travel Marketing Professional (TMP) certification. 

The partnership agreement provides that both organizations identify as Affiliate Partners on websites, marketing materials, and media relations. Each organization will provide one complimentary membership and one complimentary registration for conventions/meetings, including a trade show booth. STS will also provide Skål members with the STS member rate for attending Marketing College or the Connections conference.

Visit southeasttourism.org if you want more information about the Southeast Tourism Society. Your membership in Skål provides educational and promotional opportunities even if you are not physically located in the areas STS covers.   The first opportunity this partnership is bringing you is the webinar below. Registration is free.

Skål y’all,

Karen Trevino

Skål International is keeping its promotion for former members who left because of COVID. They have kept the support measure directed to former members who left the organization during 2020 or 2021, mainly due to the effects of the Covid pandemic in the tourism industry. If they are reinstated during 2022, their administration fee will be waived. Only the full annual fee will be invoiced for these reinstated members, and in addition, their seniority of membership will be respected.

To request reinstatements, please contact membership@skal.org providing the name and current email of the former member concerned. This promotion is not applicable if a new membership application form is submitted.

Remember, any new members that sign up now they will get the rest of the year for free on the international side. Let's continue to grow our membership together!

The last step in our website transformation was to get our Career Center live on the new site. It is back up and available for our members at no cost at this. Please click on the below videos to see how to find them on our new website.

Skål International Tampa Bay is proud to announce that two of their members have been awarded the Henry Flagler Award, a prestigious honor developed by Visit Florida to recognize the individuals and organizations in the State that have helped make Florida the #1 tourism destination in the world.  This year, two out of the three recipients are Skål Tampa Bay members. Congratulations to Sonny Flynn and Kylie Diaz for receiving this prestigious award.

Sonny Flynn (right) with her awards

Kylie Diaz (left) with her award

Skål Chicago put on a special event where guests were taken on an architectural river cruise tour that covered the north and south branches of the Chicago River.

Skål Chicago President Harold Jenkins greeted everyone dockside prior to boarding, along with Cheryl Gatto,  and Michael Embrey, Chicago Skål VP

Skål Chicago members and friends enjoyed the day onboard the famous “Chicago’s First Lady” as they cruised up and down the Chicago River and toured the iconic shoreline of this famed city.

Do you have pictures from a recent Skål event you held? Send them in

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Skål USA Journeys is the bi-monthly official publication of Skål International USA. A special edition will be sent out when there is breaking news to share. We want to share your news with SKÅL members across the country. If you have breaking news or Club news for the newsletter, please send them to info@SkalUSA.org.

Skål USA Journeys & Lightning News Editor | Pam Davis | Vice President PR & Communications | (808) 225-8229