| Gail Sayadian is the director of marketing and | | | | and economic recession. If travelers do not feel |
| sales for Choice Hotels International, Inc. | | | | safe and secure traveling - they will not travel and |
| (NYSE:CHH). A veteran with over 20 years of | | | | the industry will suffer. |
| experience at Choice Hotels, Ms. Sayadian | | | | On the positive side, the potential affects of |
| oversees Choice's 22-person group and meetings | | | | sustainable tourism could be positive and continue |
| department. She is responsible for overseeing the | | | | to grow the tourism industry in an environmental |
| group tour, wholesale and group meetings market | | | | and culturally aware way. |
| segments of the travel industry for Choice Hotels' | | | | When you're not in the office or traveling to a |
| ten hotel brands. | | | | show, where will we find you? |
| MORE... | | | | You will often find me spending time with my |
| Why/ How did you become involved in the travel | | | | husband and daughter in our lovely hometown of |
| Tourism industry? | | | | Montgomery Village, Maryland. I also enjoy |
| I have always loved to travel. During my career | | | | spending time with friends, shopping, reading and |
| as a ballroom dance teacher, I began planning | | | | going to the movies. |
| group travel to competitions around the country. | | | | What is your most sought after group travel |
| At that time I began to understand the travel | | | | market at this time? |
| industry and decided to make it a career. | | | | Consistently, students, SMERF and meetings are |
| What advice would you give to a group travel | | | | highly sought after markets. |
| organizer to recruit someone who has never | | | | Do you expect to see anything new and exciting |
| experienced a group tour and would like to try it? | | | | in terms of travel technology in 2007? Is there |
| The key to group travel is catering to the needs | | | | anything in the spectrum of travel from searching |
| of your travelers. Knowing the demographics and | | | | for hotels and flights to a destination that |
| lifestyle patterns of the people you are recruiting, | | | | technology has yet to improve on? |
| will give you great insight into how to cater to | | | | Currently most group travel bookings are done |
| their needs. | | | | offline, while general travel bookings occur more |
| Group travel is not only right for one type of | | | | and more frequently online. In the next years I |
| traveler -- tours are available that match any | | | | expect to see rapid growth of online group travel |
| travel style and desire, from structured to | | | | bookings and offerings. This will continue to |
| unstructured, adventure, shopping or ecotourism. | | | | increasing the ease and customization of group |
| Let your previous travelers do the talking. Share | | | | travel. |
| peer testimonials about the ease and freedom of | | | | The group travel industry is a very |
| letting somebody else do all of the planning. | | | | people-oriented industry. How do you see |
| Everybody can relate to making life less hectic. | | | | technology affecting the personal nature if travel? |
| What are some of the most pressing tourism | | | | It will be even more critical for the hotels, |
| development issues facing the industry? | | | | attractions and venues to provide the very best |
| Several hot issues directly affected current | | | | customer service, resulting in a memorable |
| tourism development. Among the most pressing | | | | experience for the guest. |
| and pervasive are global terrorism, natural disaster | | | | |