SKAL International
What is SKAL?
Any one who is in the hospitality industry would be very well served to research this organization. It is a by “invatation only organization” and is worldwide.
Skål is a professional organisation of tourism leaders around the world, promoting global tourism and friendship. It is the only international group uniting all branches of the travel and tourism industry. Its members, the industry’s leaders, managers and executives, meet at local, national, regional and international levels to discuss and pursue topics of common interest.
The first Club was founded in 1932 in Paris by travel managers, following an educational tour of Scandinavia. The idea of international goodwill and friendship grew and, in 1934, the “Association Internationale des Skål Clubs” was formed with Florimond Volckaert as its first President, who is considered the “Father of Skål”.
Skål International today has approximately 22,000 members in 500 Clubs throughout 90 nations. Most activities occur at local level, moving up through National Committees, under the umbrella of Skål International, headquartered at the General Secretariat in Torremolinos, Spain.
Skål International is governed by an Executive Committee of seven members, elected by delegates to an annual General Assembly, held during the World Congress, hosted by a different country each year. This allows members first-hand observation of the travel and tourism potential around the world.
Membership of Skål is open by invatation to General Managers and above or executives directly involved in tourism management, sales and promotions, in specified travel and tourism businesses, including: transportation (airlines, cruise lines, railways, ferries), travel and tour operators and agencies, tourism organisations, governments and non-government tourism councils, hotels, convention centres, travel media; who have been in the industry for 5 years.
The international friendship and close personal contact of Skål must be experienced to be appreciated.
“Doing Business among friends”. Skål is not a community organisation like Rotary or Lions, rather it benefits and develops the professional sector, while assisting the community at large. Skål is an Association of Tourism Professionals which encourages and creates a network of professionals around the world. It promotes seminars and conferences to strengthen the industry’s professionalism.
Through participation in local activities and events at all levels, members meet industry colleagues from around the world. Here, in an atmosphere of amicale, ideas, opportunities and industry matters, in general, may be shared on a personal and business level.
The Young Skål program is open to junior executives and tourism students entering the industry.
If there is one tourism organization to be a member of, this is the one.
DJ Halcro
www.skal.org
