4 minute read
Family Matters
FAMILY
MATTERS
PRESLEY PARTICIPATES IN NYC & COMPANY DIVERSITY PANEL
SALEM, Ohio — The Group Travel Family was recently honored to participate as a lead panelist on the webinar developed by NYC & Company titled “Embracing Diversity.” The seven-part webinar asked Charlie Presley, the founder of the African American Travel Conference, to participate.
For 25 years, AATC has helped develop leadership in the group travel market within the African American community. Today, AATC counts 3,500 group travel leaders in its membership and holds an annual conference where the travel industry can network with this valuable group travel market.
“It was a real honor to be part of a NYC & Company event,” said Presley.
The webinar content focused on expanding business by working with the established African American traveler. Presley reminded listeners that the African American market travels as a group twice as often as the general population, making it an extremely important market for destinations and hotels.
Some of the questions covered included the following: • What advice would you give to those who are beginning to put together their marketing plans with Black people in mind for perhaps the first time? • Many companies are interested in Black travel, especially as a market to help rebound from a tremendously difficult year. What should these companies know about managing the business once they are able to obtain it? • As a promoter of Black travel, what challenges have you experienced in the past that the audience can learn from? • Word of mouth is a huge influence on how Black travelers make their decisions. Can you talk about how significant this is? • What advice would you give to companies that are looking to partner with other organizations to attract Black business to their city or business?
You can watch the entire webcast at nycgo.com.
SALEM, Ohio — As groups venture back onto the road, The Group Travel Family has made a dedicated effort to support its travel planner members by delivering in-person meetings to ensure that group travel industry is “Open for Tourism.”
“Open for Tourism” is now the sign that hangs on the conference logo of all seven group travel events operated by The Group Travel Family.
“We chose to add ‘Open for Tourism’ as a reminder to ourselves and our members that we have a responsibility to reestablish the foothold that group travel has as a valuable asset to travelers everywhere,” said Charlie Presley of The Group Travel Family. The Group Travel Family has operated four successful events to bring group travel back. The Going On Faith Conference, the Select Traveler Conference, Boomers in Groups and the Small Market Meetings Conference all took place to rave reviews in late 2020 and early 2021. The African American Travel Conference, the Small Market Meetings Summit and AgritourismWorld will round out the events under the Group Travel Family umbrella later this year.
To participate in these events and send the message that you are “Open for Tourism,” call 800-628-0993.
EMANUEL NAMED
OPERATIONS MANAGER
JANINE EMANUEL
SALEM, Ohio — The Group Travel Family recently named Janine Emanuel to the position of operations manager. Emanuel is a 13-year veteran of the travel industry and has held various positions with the Group Travel Family inside the accounting department.
The Group Travel Family includes seven travel conferences serving travel planners in the group travel industry, and Emanuel’s responsibilities will include oversight and operations of those events as well as managing day-to-day business activities of the organization.
“Janine brings a wealth of knowledge to our conferences and has already elevated quality control when she assumed duty of Select Traveler Conference director in February 2021,” said Kathleen Presley of The Group Travel Family. “Her financial understanding of business, combined with recognizing the hospitality aspect of group travel, is a rare value.”
Prior to joining the travel industry, Emanuel was a key player in the trucking industry.
“I really enjoy the value that we bring to travel planners at our conferences,” Emanuel said. “It’s rewarding to deliver an event that helps people be better group travel planners, return to their communities and enrich so many lives through travel.”
Emanuel lives with her husband, Louie, and enjoys classic cars, camping, gardening, spending time with her grandsons and watching them play ball.
