View Travel Exchange's speakers and bios at:
http://businessbuilder.ntaonline.com/convention/Education/Speakers.aspx
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Keynote
Speakers
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| Peter Greenberg | | Bruce Poon Tip |
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| Paul Vitale | Catherine Heeg | Peter Kerr |
"Maximize your sales team’s potential by joining me for my session, Sell With Confidence—Unlock Your Potential Management Solutions! During this intense yet entertaining session, my goal is to help you lead your team in polishing sales methods, enlisting practical yet effective approaches, and increasing productivity. Come explore ways to sharpen your sales team’s skills, in order to continue prospering well into the future!"
| "Keeping pace in our industry is a challenge. Come out and join the social media marketing sessions and learn how you can jumpstart your social presence and stay ahead of the marketing curve. Join me and walk away with tips and tactics you can use immediately. We’ll have some fun exploring new social marketing strategies." | "My goal is to make you look good. These multimedia sessions pack in the information and the entertainment, so you'll actually enjoy learning how to plan for crises, attract the media in creative ways, and deliver powerful messages. Come be inspired to use the press to promote your organization!"
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| Erik Wolf | Cindy Richards |
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| Haybina Hao | Jeremy Sampson | Kevin Wright |
Biographies
A multiple Emmy Award-winning investigative reporter and producer, Peter Greenberg is America’s most recognized, honored and respected front-line travel news journalist. Known in the industry as “The Travel Detective,” he is the travel editor for CBS News, appearing on many of the CBS News programs.
The consummate insider on reporting the travel business as news, Greenberg hosts and produces a variety of television shows. He is also author of The New York Times best-selling Travel Detective series and his most recent book is titled The Best Places for Everything. Currently editor at large of Global Business Travel magazine and is a contributing writer to Watch.
Peter began his career in journalism as West Coast correspondent for Newsweek in Los Angeles and San Francisco. He won a national Emmy Award (Best Investigative Reporting) for his ABC “20/20” special on the final orphan flight out of Vietnam. He also is the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin, and an Excellence in Broadcasting Award from the Aviation Space Writers Association of America.
His website, PeterGreenberg.com, is one of the leading travel news resources for consumers and industry insiders alike. When he is not traveling the globe, Greenberg also serves as an active volunteer firefighter in New York.
Haybina is native Chinese and has worked the China market for 20 years. Prior to NTA, Haybina served as the Chinese Market Manager for Western Leisure, a tour operator in Salt Lake City. She dealt with all aspects of the business including product development, working with DMOs and suppliers, handling marketing and sales, pricing/negotiations, driving/guiding tours, and promoting destinations/attractions. At NTA, Haybina oversees NTA’s China market initiatives including supervising the NTA China office until its closure at the end of 2012. Haybina also works closely with the Chinese travel trade and government agencies. Part of her work is to assist NTA members with their China market needs and oversees professional translation services. To date, Haybina has helped more than 100 companies and destinations enter the China market.
Catherine Heeg is a tourism, travel and hospitality industry expert with over three decades experience. Based in Calgary, Catherine works with professionals to enhance their marketing knowledge and is a contributor to Courier.
She is committed to helping clients quickly learn the best ways to leverage the power of social media and other relevant marketing tactics. Catherine delivers proven tools that help companies reach their target audience, differentiate themselves and achieve authentic visibility that translates into winning results.
For her entire career Catherine has trained and lead sales and marketing teams in the hotel, airline, tour wholesale, car rental and travel agency sectors. With this practical knowledge she specializes in inspiring social marketing success.
Past President of Skål International Calgary, she’s also a business owner, triathlete and loves skiing, hiking and golfing.
Peter Kerr is president of KerrCommunications, offering world-class training for media engagement, crisis planning, intercultural communications and leadership improvement. He’s a professor of communications at Asbury University, with degrees in engineering and leadership from the Air Force Academy, an MA in Communications from the University of Washington and an MDIV from ATS.
Peter's traveled to more than 50 countries on six continents. He’s worked with many media outlets including CNN, NBC, FOX, BBC, NY Times, USA Today, NPR, London Times, Der Spiegel, and Al Jazeera. Peter led media relations during the 2004 Reagan Funeral, did crisis planning for the 2010 World Equestrian Games and has media trained hundreds of leaders including White House officials, generals, CEOs, and non-profit leaders. Other experiences include negotiating with U.S. embassies and foreign military leaders in the Middle East and serving as Chief Media Liaison Officer for Outdoor Games in Beijing for the 2008 Olympics.
Kim Orlando is the founder of TravelingMom.com, and the TravelingMom Blogger Network, the nation’s top web site and blog network for moms who travel with (and without) their kids. TravelingMom.com was named one of the top 4 family travel websites by Sherman’s Travel in 2010. In addition to the magazine-style destination reviews, travel stories, product reviews, and other content, TravelingMom.com has a network of expert bloggers, each of whom writes from a specific perspective--Traveling GrandMom, Special Needs TravelingMom, Traveling with Babies Mom, TravelingMom with Teens, Traveling with Pets Mom and about 50 others. Orlando is a sought-after speaker and broadcast source on travel issues relating to moms and provides travel commentary for BlueSuitMom.com, Wyndham’s Women on Their Way, CityBuzz, DailyBuzz, Ripley’s Radio and MomTalkRadio.
Bruce Poon Tip is the founder of G Adventures and is a global leader in sustainability and social entrepreneurship.
He has spoken multiple times at the request of the United Nations and World Bank, presented at the headquarters of Apple and Google, and delivered keynote speeches at TED events and leading entrepreneurship conferences around the world.
In 2012, Bruce was inducted into the Social Venture Network Hall of Fame, alongside Richard Branson (Virgin Airlines), Anita Roddick (The Body Shop), and Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield (Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream).
Bruce’s first book, Looptail: How One Company Changed the World by Reinventing Business is on sale now.
Cindy Richards is a Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist who has been a reporter, editorial writer and columnist at Chicago's two biggest newspapers, the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune. She has been an editor at regional magazines, run international projects for TripAdvisor and taught journalism at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Today, she is the Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor for TravelingMom.com and its subsidiary companies, TravelingDad.com and SheBuysCars.com.
Jeremy Sampson
Jeremy Sampson is Senior Director, Marketing and Communications for Sustainable Travel International. In his role, he oversees all marketing and communication efforts, including the development of a new brand and website for the organization’s 10th Anniversary. Jeremy also leads projects for destination and corporate clients which link sustainability initiatives to strategic marketing and product development. These include the Festival & Events component of the North American Destination Marketing Campaign in Namibia, and the Oregon Travel Philanthropy Fund. A practiced trainer and published writer, Jeremy is known for his ability to deliver learning outcomes in an entertaining and compelling manner.
Paul Vitale has become one of America’s most sought speakers for his unique combination of excitement, energy, and experience to encourage and motivate others. The founder of Vital Communications, Inc., Paul is a native of Arkansas and acquired his degree in mass communications and journalism from the University of Central Arkansas.
Paul speaks worldwide about the significance of optimism, a strong work ethic, and concepts vital to personal and professional growth, while reaching hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life. His clients include NTA, ESPN, Walmart, Southwest Airlines, the Minnesota Vikings, the Antiques Roadshow, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, United Way, Tyson Foods, the St. Louis Rams, and Dole Hong Kong.
Prior to speaking professionally, Paul was director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Preceding his role at the CVB, Paul launched his professional career with the largest marketing firm in the State of Arkansas—Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods. His team was responsible for all of the Natural State’s tourism promotion.
Paul has authored four books and been featured on NBC, ABC, FOX, and the Minnesota Vikings Entertainment Network, and is a regular guest on talk shows sharing his insight and life strategies. Paul’s expertise, enthusiasm, and ability to encourage people to exceed their potential have been described by his audiences as extraordinary.
Erik Wolf
Erik Wolf is recognized internationally as the founder of the food tourism industry. With nearly 25 years of experience in travel marketing, he has worked with a variety of travel industry companies and international organizations that have included Disney, Travelocity, Royal Caribbean, Marriott and American Express. He is considered the go-to food tourism resource for media including the BBC, the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Forbes, PeterGreenberg.com, Ariang Korea, and many more. Erik also advises on a regular basis to UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network gastronomy program. A member of Slow Food, Erik sees food as a way to communicate and connect with local people. Erik has lived in Australia, Denmark, New Zealand, Singapore and South Africa and speaks several languages. During his travels through dozens of countries, he encountered untold stories in the form of unique food and beverage experiences. Don’t ever let him loose in a grocery store in another country–you won’t see him for hours.
Kevin J. Wright is an intrapreneur, entrepreneur, author, speaker, consultant, and well-known authority in the tourism industry. As NTA’s Director of Growth Markets, Kevin provides corporate entrepreneurial development of member markets including faith-based, family, adventure/active, culinary, agritourism and student travel among others. Kevin created the faith-based travel brand at Globus and founded the World Religious Travel Association, a pioneering organization that opened an industry-wide market. Kevin has traveled to 30+ countries, performed USAID contract work, and spoken at major tourism events throughout North America and around the world. Kevin has been interviewed by CBS Early Show, TIME Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, National Geographic, NPR, Arabian Business and dozens of other media. He has authored four travel guidebooks and written dozens of articles for trade and consumer publications including USA TODAY. Kevin is an Industry Board Member for the International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage.
resources to meet your needs in discovering nine key industry travel markets: 
information about faith travel. Tour operators can interact with key players in the faith travel industry exhibiting in this area, such as the Israel Ministry of Tourism and Meander Travel. 
