For Immediate Release: Oct. 22, 2009

Contact: Lisa McPheron
Director of Communications and External Relations
The Collins College of Hospitality Management
(909) 869-3151, lcmcpheron@csupomona.edu
Collins1015

Southern California Visitor Industry Outlook Conference
Will Tackle Tough Questions About the Economy

As the economy reels from the ongoing recession, learn how the Southern California tourism industry is faring and hear predictions for 2010 at the 21st annual Southern California Visitor Industry Outlook Conference.

Cal Poly Pomona’s Collins College of Hospitality Management and PKF Consulting are partnering again to host the conference on Friday, Oct. 30, at the Pasadena Convention Center. This year’s event is “Where? When? & How Long?”

“The headlines have been bleak for tourism and especially the luxury market,” said Andrew Hale Feinstein, dean of The Collins College of Hospitality Management. “This conference will provide expert analyses about market trends and give people a sense of how long we can expect to read those headlines.”

Attendees will enjoy a full day of panel discussion from industry experts and receive PKF's extensive lodging forecast report with detailed analyses of markets throughout Southern California.

Panelists and speakers will include:

  • Charles Ahlers, President, Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau
  • Bruce Baltin, Conference Chair and Senior VP, PKF Consulting
  • Katie Callahan-Giobbi, Meeting Industry Expert
  • Jim O'Connell, The Langham Huntington Hotel & Spa
  • Skip Hull, President, CIC Research, Inc.
  • Mark Liberman, President & CEO, LA INC. The Los Angeles Convention & Visitors Bureau
  • Jack Kyser, Senior Vice President & Chief Economist, LA County Economic Corp.
  • Dan Mishell, Research Director, California Travel & Tourism Commission
  • Audra Narikawa, Capital Group Companies
  • Haley Powers, CMP, Principal Insiteful Meetings
  • Joe Terzi, President, San Diego Conference & Visitors Bureau
  • Mark Van Stekelenburg, Vice President, PKF Consulting

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.csupomona.edu/~vioc/.

Media are welcome to attend the conference for free. Please contact Lisa McPheron, director of communications and external relations at The Collins College at (909) 869-3151 orlcmcpheron@csupomona.eduto reserve a spot.

 

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. Approximately 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.

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