For Immediate Release: Oct. 13, 2008
Contact: Lisa McPheron
Director of Communications and External Relations
The Collins College of Hospitality Management
(909) 869-3151, lcmcpheron@csupomona.edu
Collins1005
20th Annual Southern California Visitor Industry Outlook Conference
“Surviving Tough Times”
As the nation reels from economic uncertainty, learn how the Southern California tourism industry is preparing to weather the storm. On Thursday, Nov. 13, notable tourism and economic experts will gather for the 20th Annual Southern California Visitor Industry Outlook Conference at the Los Angeles Marriott Downtown. This year's conference is titled, “Surviving Tough Times.”
The conference is presented by The Collins College of Hospitality Management at Cal Poly Pomona and PKF Consulting, an international firm of management consultants, industry specialists, and appraisers who provide a full range of services to the hospitality, real estate and tourism industries.
Conference highlights include: PKF 2009 Lodging Forecast, market trends, strategies for competing in Southern California from noted experts from the convention and visitor bureaus and a Southern California airport update.
Panelists and moderators include:
- Charles Ahlers, President, Anaheim/Orange County Visitors & Convention Bureau
- Bruce Baltin, Conference Chair and Senior VP, PKF Consulting [.pdf, 1 mb] (PowerPoint Presentation)
- Skip Hull, President, CIC Research, Inc. [.pdf, 1.17mb](PowerPoint Presentation)
- Jack Kyser, Senior Vice President & Chief Economist, LA County Economic Corp. [.pdf, 713kb] (PowerPoint Presentation)
- Mark Liberman, President & CEO, LA Inc. The Los Angeles Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Dan Mishell, Research Director, California Travel & Tourism Commission [.pdf, 5.03mb] (PowerPoint Presentation)
- Traci Mercer, Director, Hotel Market Manager, Western Region Expedia, Inc. [.pdf, 1.68mb] (PowerPoint Presentation)
- David Peckinpaugh, President and CEO, San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Lauren Schlau, Principal, Lauren Schlau Consulting
- Kathy Smits, Executive Director, Beverly Hills Conference & Visitors Bureau
- Mark Thorpe, Director, Air Service Marketing, Los Angeles World Airports [.pdf, 3.52mb] (PowerPoint Presentation)
- Mark Van Stekelenburg, Vice President, PKF Consulting
The conference program and registration form are available online.
Note: You must have Adobe Reader to open and view all PDF files. To download Adobe Reader 8.1, visit Adobe's website here.
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About The Collins College - Founded in 1973, The Collins College of Hospitality Management is the first and largest four-year hospitality management degree program in California and the only hospitality management college on the West Coast. More than 1,000 undergraduate students receive a superior education in the state-of-the-art Collins College facilities, where they learn to apply hospitality management theories and concepts to real-world settings. Part of this unique academic experience includes managing and operating the full-service Restaurant at Kellogg Ranch.