CONNECTICUT CONFERENCE ON TOURISM
TO HOST NATIONALLY RENOWNED MARKETING EXPERTS BRUCE TURKEL AND PETER YESAWICH
MAY 27, 2009 AT MGM GRAND AT FOXWOODS
Marketing Guru Bruce Turkel Will Share Strategies on How to Build Brand Value for Your Business and Award Winning Peter Yesawich to Unveil the Latest Research on Consumer Travel Trends
The Connecticut Conference on Tourism (CCOT), being held May 27th at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods, will feature renowned author, advertising and brand expert Bruce Turkel as Keynote Speaker at the networking luncheon, launching the day long conference. Tickets to the event can be purchased by going to CelebrateTourism.com or by calling 860-444-0448.
Turkel, CEO of the successful brand management firm TURKEL, is an advertising and branding expert who helps his clients’ build more value into their brands. He has worked with highly recognized tourism and destination brands for over 25 years and oversees an award winning creative team. Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Turkel started his agency career in New York City. His client list includes Nike, Discovery Channel, HBO, Miami and Kissimmee, FL Convention and Visitors Bureau, Sol Melia Hotels & Resorts, Mississippi Gulf Coast, Canyon Ranch, Coconut Grove, FL and Radisson Seven Seas Cruise Line, among others. His recent best-selling book, “Building Brand Value” offers readers strategies on how to add value to their products by making their product more valuable to their customer.
Turkel has been a guest speaker at MIT and Harvard and has been heard on NPR and CNN. He has also been featured in publications such as Fast Company and Communications Arts Magazine. Turkel has published three books on advertising and marketing including his latest, “Building Brand Value”. During his entertaining and informative address, Turkel will recommend the seven steps to Building Brand Value, provide solid advice on how to add value and relevance to your service, how to identify your points of difference and build a successful strategy, and how to enjoy yourself and your success in the process.
Peter Yesawich, featured speaker and recipient of the World Travel Award (American Association of Travel Editors), The Albert E. Koehl Award (HSMAI) and the Silver Medal from the American Advertising Federation, Yesawich will host a seminar addressing emerging travel trends and preferences that will offer insights into the changing landscape of the travel and leisure consumer.
Yesawich is Chairman and CEO of Ypartnership, a leading marketing, advertising and public relations agency representing clients in all categories of the travel industry through seven offices across the United States and Europe. Know for strategic positioning, breakthrough creativity and innovation in marketing practices, the firm’s Research and Brand Strategy Group is one of the most respected sources of insights into the emerging travel habits and preferences of Americans and coauthors the widely acclaimed “National Travel Monitor”.
A frequent commentator on travel trends in such notable publications as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Time, Newsweek and Business Week, Yesawich also a frequently makes guest appearances on CNN, NPR, CNBC and MSNBC. He is a featured columnist, successful author and is listed in the Who’s Who in America. Named one of the 25 most Extraordinary Marketing Minds by HSMAI he also holds a seat on the board of the Travel Industry Association of America.
The Connecticut Conference on Tourism is a day long event featuring educational and informational seminars on a variety of topics covering marketing trends and Web strategies, key travel and leisure visitation data and panels featuring state and regional industry experts and decision makers. A networking luncheon kicks off the event with the keynote address and welcoming remarks by industry experts and regional business leaders.
The afternoon conference session will be followed by an awards ceremony celebrating the statewide recipients of the prestigious AAA Five Diamond and AAA Four Diamond Awards for excellence in the hospitality and dining categories. This year’s recipients hail from 16 locations throughout the State, honoring eight dining and eight lodging establishments with the highly coveted distinction. One venue will be recognized for attaining the prestigious AAA Five Diamond Award.
The Awards Ceremony will also feature the always popular regional Pineapple Awards, which recognizes four individuals from the Mystic Coast & Country region that have made significant contributions in support of regional tourism over the past year.
Produced by the Connecticut based marketing solutions firm of Quinn & Gellar, the conference is being held in conjunction with the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism, Mystic Coast & Country Travel Industry Association and the Mystic Country Tourism District.
Major sponsors for this year’s event are MGM Grand at Foxwoods, Mohegan Sun, Mystic.org the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism, and Olde Mystic Village. Additional sponsors include AAA (National), Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Southeastern New England, Waterford Hotel Group, Mystic & Shoreline Visitor Information Center, Lanmar Aviation, Star Ledger Newspaper, Connecticut Lodging Association, Family Fun Mystic Country, Groton Inn & Suites, Madden Media and Chelsea Groton Bank.
EVENT SCHEDULE and INFORMATION
Connecticut Conference on Tourism
MGM Grand at Foxwoods
May 27, 2009
11:00 a.m. Registration
12:00 – 1:45 p.m. Networking Luncheon/ Keynote Address
2:00 – 5:30 p.m. Seminar Sessions
5:00 – 6:30 p.m. Networking Reception
6:30 – 8:30 p.m. AAA Awards Ceremony
Pineapple Awards Presentation
To register and purchase tickets for the conference and awards event, or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, please visit us at www.CelebrateTourism.com or call CCOT at 860-444-0448.
ABOUT CONNECTICUT CONFERENCE ON TOURISM
The Connecticut Conference on Tourism (CCOT) is an annual event providing educational and networking opportunities to tourism operators, travel and leisure organizations, business partners and business leaders throughout the State of Connecticut. Offering substantive seminars and featuring renowned guest speakers addressing topics of relevance to the industry, the Conference celebrates tourism in Connecticut. The Connecticut Conference on Tourism is produced by the firm of Quinn & Gellar Marketing. For more information please visit us at www.CelebrateTourism.com, or call 860-444-0448.
