It was less formal and possibly a bit more subdued than usual, but at least SKAL Auckland found a bit of normality with a catch up at The Good George bar at North Wharf late last week.

About 20 members of the travel fellowship and friendship organisation shared Covid lockdown stories and talked about what the future has to hold.

• Gaye Wood, Regency Tourism; Megan... Gaye Wood, Regency Tourism; Megan...
• Anmole Gulati, Park Hyatt Auckland;... Anmole Gulati, Park Hyatt Auckland;...
• Richard Froggatt, Regency Tourism; Tony... Richard Froggatt, Regency Tourism; Tony...
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Popular Mission Bay restaurant, Mamma Mia was the venue for Skal International Auckland’s annual Italian lunch last week.

More consultation and work between the travel and tourism industries and educators is necessary to make real change in the teaching of the subject in schools – and in the perception people hold towards travel and tourism as a career path, the SKAL Auckland club heard yesterday.

Memphis and Nashville are two destinations that agents should be promoting to clients who have already done the West Coast and major cities in the United States, Consul General Melanie Higgins told SKAL Auckland yesterday.

But when it comes to a place a little more off the beaten Kiwi track, Savannah, Georgia comes up tops for the diplomat.

Higgins was a guest speaker at the SKAL Auckland lunch, which had a 4^th of July theme, despite being held a couple of days later.

Skal International Christchurch is hosting it’s first charity event for Māia Health Foundation.
Taking place on Bastille Day this Mid Winter Charity Dine and Dance will have a touch of the red, white and blue.
Christchurch Club president, Bruce Garrett says the club felt it was time to have a fun evening of wining, dining and dancing.

Christchurch Skal opened its arms to new members during a luncheon yesterday.
The fresh faces are Cathy Hemsworth from Luxury Touring Lake Tekapo and Avonmore Tertiary Academy’s Juliet Chilton. The lunch, hosted by Mantra’s Graeme Back at the BreakFree on Cashel, had an ANZAC Day theme. Vic Allen, CEO of Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism and Tom Hooper, CEO of Canterbury Development Corporation talk,
attended the event. They discussed the merger of the two organisations into a single entity called ChristchurchNZ Ltd.

• Vic Allen, Tom Hooper and... Vic Allen, Tom Hooper and...
• Skal Christchurch President Bruce Garrett... Skal Christchurch President Bruce Garrett...
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Boosting membership numbers around the country is the key objective of SKAL New Zealand in the year ahead, says national president Leighton Cameron. The organisation held its annual general meeting, cocktail function and dinner at The Langham Auckland to coincide with the Auckland Club’s 50th anniversary over the weekend. Cameron says that with the exception of Christchurch, most clubs around the country have shown a lack of growth in recent times. ‘We intend to turn that around. We have 240 members throughout the country and that’s not many when you think tourism and travel are going so well right now.’ On the positive news front, the Nelson – Marlborough region now has a ‘fledgling SKAL club’, which is likely to become established this year. Cameron says one message the club is keen to keep promoting is its network of international travel and tourism industry decision makers and that SKAL is worldwide. ‘In New Zealand we often don’t see the big picture, but SKAL is an organisation that can really open doors.’

• Chris Foubister, SKAL Christchurch; Fiona... Chris Foubister, SKAL Christchurch; Fiona...
• Denise Scrafton, SKAL Australia; Tony... Denise Scrafton, SKAL Australia; Tony...
• Julie Ellenberger, SKAL Australia; Gary... Julie Ellenberger, SKAL Australia; Gary...
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