GT Tested Reader Survey Awards Program 2019

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A celebration of the 16th annual GT Tested Reader Survey Awards

December 2019

2019 AIRLINE OF THE YEAR Unwind with the world’s best. Serving over 50 destinations across the U.S. with seamless connections to 6 continents, choose Global Traveler’s 2019 Airline of the Year – wherever your travels take you.

from FXExpress Publications, Inc.

WELCOME TO THE 2019 GT Tested Reader Survey awards. We’re excited to celebrate with you tonight as we commemorate the sweet 16th of our annual survey. Thank you for joining us as we honor the winners, as voted by our readers. We also celebrate the hand-selected 2019 Airline and Hotel of the Year, the 2019 Wines on the Wing winners and those winners achieving Quint, Hall of Fame and Crystal statuses.

For the ninth consecutive year, the beautiful Peninsula Beverly Hills hosts our annual celebration.

It feels like coming home each year as our team descends on the luxurious hotel for our annual event.

We know we can expect impeccable service, the very best accommodations, superb amenities and topnotch event facilities and staff. And our readers know, too, voting The Peninsula Beverly Hills Best Hotel in the United States for the ninth consecutive year. We look forward to returning for the milestone 10th!

We’d like to take a moment to thank this year’s sponsors: United MileagePlus Club Card from Chase, United Explorer Card from Chase, Air Canada, Ontario International Airport and China Airlines.

A huge welcome to Jacob Adoram Hendrickson.

He broke a world record for being the first person to row the entire Pacific Ocean without stopping or receiving support. He rowed 7,145 miles across the ocean as a fundraising effort for Water Mission, focused on building safe water, sanitation and hygiene solutions around the world so everyone has access to clean, safe water. Currently, 2.1 billion people lack access. We support Water Mission’s goals and know this issue is more timely than ever as the travel industry and people across the globe fight to conserve our bodies of water in many ways, including through the elimination of single-use plastics. It’s an honor to have Jacob Adoram Hendrickson join us tonight, and we encourage everyone to learn more about Water Mission at watermission.org. Learn more about Jacob at jacobadoram.com.

With 2019 nearing its end, all of us at FXExpress Publications, Inc. are looking forward to the exciting travel 2020 will bring. As we celebrate another successful year that included our first Wherever Awards event, the redesign of globaltravelerusa.com and whereverfamily.com and the launch of FX Flights, we can’t wait to see what’s in store for our suite of products — Global Traveler, globaltravelerusa.com, trazeetravel.com (which turned 5 in 2019), wherever family.com and FX Excursions. Let’s raise a glass to a very sweet 16!

Thank you again for joining us tonight. Here’s to another year of success, travel and fun!

Carly Allen,

Bill Lodzinski,

Angelique

executive vice

director of

Platas,

president and

sales

associate

associate

editor

publisher

Lou Atsaves,

Stephanie

Chris Sager,

distribution

Makowski,

account

specialist

account execu-

executive

tive

Tracey Cullen,

Erich Martin,

Katie Skrzek,

art director

assistant editor

vice president and digital director

Richard Evans,

Mary Melnick,

John

senior vice

social media

Wroblewski,

president

and editorial

distribution

coordinator

specialist

Francis X.

Yasser

Mariana

Gallagher,

Ogando, pro-

Zenizo,

publisher and

duction and

account

CEO

advertising

executive

coordinator

Kimberly Krol,

Christopher

editor in chief

Ottaunick, photographer

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feature

Above and Beyond Global Traveler announces the 2019 Airline of the Year and Hotel of the Year. BY ANGELIQUE PLATAS TOP HONORS: Air Canada Boeing 787-9 (above), and Hotel Kabuki lobby (below) PHOTOS: © AIR CANADA, © HYATT

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FOR THE NINTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR, Global Traveler honors the best of the best in the industry, naming 2019’s Airline of the Year and Hotel of the Year.

What travelers once deemed impossibly vast distances between oceans now seem closer and more accessible than ever. We enjoy much more of the world thanks to ever-improving and developing travel capabilities, but with all this power comes great responsibility … and the responsibility to satisfy customers as well as our planet is just the beginning.

Every provider in the travel industry not only must keep up but also consistently impress, perform and even go above and beyond just to pull ahead of the pack — and that pack presents quite a lot of competition.

Air Canada and Hyatt each climbed a long ladder to success based primarily on high standards, dedication and customer service. The two titans of travel again took this year as an opportunity to carve their way well beyond industry standards and stand out among the rest. As a result, they’ve each earned top honors as GT’s 2019 Airline of the Year and Hotel of the Year, respectively.

Presenting the esteemed honor each year, a select group of Global Traveler staff and Advisory Board members choose the winners based on a series of considerations. They weigh a wide range of factors including each nominee’s financial information, performance records, loading and boarding time, safety procedures and current standing, onboard menus and overall brand identity. Earning this award represents a perfect storm of professional achievement.

When considering a favorite travel brand that stands the test of time, constantly strives for perfection, adapts to a changing landscape, gives more back to communities than it takes away and continues to shine with impressive initiatives and practices, does any one brand come to mind?

Air Canada ATTENTION TO DETAIL: Air Canada service (top) and Boeing 787 pod (bottom)

PHOTOS: © AIR CANADA

AIR CANADA

AIRLINE OF THE YEAR 2019 The year was 1937. Eccentric millionaire and aviator Howard Hughes broke his own transcontinental flight-speed record by flying a monoplane from Los Angeles to Newark in seven hours, 28 minutes and 25 seconds. Amelia Earhart disappeared during her nearly completed circumnavigation of the globe. And Trans-Canada Air Lines launched its first flight. Not a bad group among whom to make history.

Trans-Canada Air Lines’ inaugural commercial flight headed for Seattle from Vancouver via a Lockheed 10A Electra — the same aircraft flown by Earhart, the military and other airlines in the 1930s. The first round-trip flights transported mail as well as a couple of passengers for a whopping $14.20 each.

Founded as a Canadian National Railway subsidiary, TCA paved the way for Canada’s national airline Air Canada (officially renamed in 1965), to enjoy a strong start in the industry. With $5 million in seed money; a small fleet of aircraft purchased from Canadian Airways Limited, a regional air carrier based in Winnipeg, Manitoba; World War I fighter pilot Donald MacLaren’s development of TCA’s rigorous pilot program; and airline experts joining the team, TCA opened up the world for Canadian travelers, making Canada’s vast landscape seem a little smaller.

While TCA quickly grew a strong and successful business on the ground, natural elements taught valuable lessons in the air. In 1938 TCA became the first airline to equip its fleet with de-icing nozzles to remove ice accumulation on aircraft windshields and again led the way with Canada’s first electric de-icing devices in 1961.

In 1938 TCA developed oxygen systems and also hired its first flight attendant, Lucile Garner Grant. A trained nurse, Grant was responsible for much of the heavy lifting on board, including following weather reports, handling radio communications, creating food service and even designing uniforms for herself and an eventual crew.

With World War I-trained pilots in the cockpit, nurses on board, a growing crew of experts, eager passengers, Air Express Services commissioned for mail delivery, and innovative thinkers back at headquarters, TCA meant business.

Transcontinental routes began transporting domestic travelers to destinations they never thought possible to visit.

When World War II broke out, many TCA crew members joined the fighting forces while others stayed home to continue developing the brand. Over the years TCA maintained the course and continued to impress. With a landmark route to New York City in 1941 and extended services throughout Canada, the airline saw a 60 percent passenger increase. With so many new travelers, flight attendant service stepped up its game with chewing gum, smelling salts, cigarettes, matches and other essentials travelers might need.

Over the next decades, TCA’s fleet continued to grow with expanded routes and services. Groundbreaking flights crossed the Atlantic, and early on the airline boasted 20 pilots flying more than 1 million miles. It debuted in-flight hot meals, redesigned uniforms many times and introduced incentives and perks to improve employee quality of life. TCA served 10 million passengers, including countless celebrities and notable names; and following milestone after milestone, Air Canada became the new official French name in 1954.

Many innovations followed. As the airline introduced low-cost fares to accommodate more travelers, airport building boomed all over Canada. It introduced the first computerized reservations system and helped develop the multichannel flight recorder, the world’s first black box — all before the airline officially became Air Canada in 1965.

Over the next decades Air Canada saw immense success, becoming faster and more reliable with newer, larger jets and an attention to service and safety

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standards. The airline hired its first female pilot in 1978, banned smoking and experienced a steady rise to the top of its industry. Catering to airline partners (a founding member of Star Alliance), crew and guests, Air Canada earned its reputation as a traveler favorite.

Merging with Canadian Airlines International Ltd., in 2001, Air Canada became a force in the industry. In the last 18 years Air Canada revolutionized in-flight seating and focused on providing impeccable in-flight service and entertainment, all while remaining dedicated to safety and comfort, sustainability and community — and the world took notice.

At the 2019 Skytrax World Airline Awards, Air Canada received Best Airline in North America (third consecutive win), World’s Best Business Class Lounge Dining, Best Airline Staff in Canada, Best Business Class in North America and Best Airline Cabin Cleanliness in North America. It also won Best in North America at the World Airline Awards eight times in the last 10 years, as voted by more than 21 million global travelers. Air Canada is no novice in reaping what it sows through innovation, commitment and prioritizing goals with four main pillars: safety, environment, employees and communities.

Actions speak louder than words, and Air Canada demonstrates it many times over, easily earning another accolade to add to its growing list: Airline of the Year 2019.

Not a jack of all trades, definitely a master of one, Air Canada proves performance is everything.

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HYATT

HOTEL OF THE YEAR 2019

Hyatt Hotels STEADY RISE:

Andaz Vienna Am Belvedere lobby (top), Grand Hyatt at SFO Grand Suite parlor (bottom left), and Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit exterior (bottom right) PHOTOS: © HYATT

GT Tested Reader Survey Awards DECEMBER 2019

It may be a cliché, but it rings true: Timing and location are everything … and Jay Pritzker had both in spades when he purchased his first motel for $2.2 million from Hyatt Robert von Dehn and Jack Dyer Crouch more than 60 years ago.

The founder of Hyatt hotels may not have known he was building a vast hospitality empire and network of worldwide accommodations in 1957 when he purchased the Hyatt House, a motel next to Los Angeles International Airport, but that’s absolutely what he did.

At the time, LAX handled more than 200 weekly flights, five of which operated the only direct flights from California to Europe — meaning big business-travel business at the motel.

In the next 10 years Pritzker brought on his brother Donald, and the pair set off to grow the family business into something much larger: a North American management and hotel ownership company.

In 1967 Hyatt Regency Atlanta became the first Hyatt Regency

HOSPITALITY

MORE THAN JUST A WORD

MORE THAN JUST A TRANSFER

MORE THAN JUST MOVIES AND GAMES

MORE THAN JUST A VISIT

MORE THAN JUST A MEAL

MORE THAN JUST A SEAT

With the Exclusive Drive service, private chauffeur-driven vehicles will take you to or from the

Hundreds of movies and music albums, live TV, free Wi-Fi connection and much more will be at your

Lounge Business will refresh you before your meetings with five-star facilities such as gourmet dining, suite rooms, shower, piano, massage therapy and mini golf.

During your flight, a truly fine dining experience will take your taste buds above the clouds.

A special seat that turns into a fully flat bed, an abundant legroom, seat separators for your privacy, luxury amenity kits and more. All for your

luxury ride.

*Now available in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Montreal, New York, San Francisco, Toronto and Washington.

property and dressed to impress.

The 22-story atrium lobby featured a groundbreaking design, the first of its kind and a big statement for the global hospitality brand — a remember-thename moment in the travel world.

The successful step into the big time set Hyatt up for big things — so big, in fact, it formed another public company.

In 1968 Hyatt International stepped onto the scene, and eventually both Hyatt Corp. and Hyatt International Corp. went private (in 1979 and 1982, respectively).

In 1969 Hyatt Regency Hong Kong paved Hyatt’s way into the world of international hospitality, and in 1972, back at home, Hyatt opened a central reservations office in Omaha, Nebraska.

The company established a dedicated toll-free number to connect Hyatt and customers almost directly, setting a new industry standard for customer service — something to which Hyatt has become accustomed.

A few years later, in 1980, Grand Hyatt New York and Park Hyatt Chicago opened for business and became two iconic landmarks for Hyatt, helping the brand’s portfolio achieve incredible results with its quality-over-quantity approach.

The slow-build, one-at-a-time hotel openings suited Hyatt’s brand and clientele nicely, and a following began to form. After seven years of steady business both at home and abroad, the brand launched Hyatt Gold Passport loyalty program to reward and incentivize travelers.

Hyatt ventured into the vacation market in 1995 with the Hyatt Sunset Harbor in Key West, Florida.

In the 2000s Hyatt really started to pick up the pace, gain momentum and take the hotel industry by storm.

In 2006 Hyatt made cleverly strategic moves for the growing brand, resulting in two firsts: The Hyatt Place brand opened in Lombard, Illinois, and Hyatt purchased Summerfield Suites to step into the extended-stay market, well before the trend. The following year, and in a stylish turn of events, the Andaz brand debuted on Liverpool Street, London, and two years later Hyatt went public again.

In 2011 in rapid-fire branding, Hyatt Thrive launched as the company’s global corporate responsibility platform, and 2012 welcomed a rebranding of Hyatt Summerfield Suites to Hyatt House (a nod to the original motel). The Hyatt Centric brand launched in 2015 in Chicago boasting chic, accessible accommodations in desirable locations around the city; and 2016 welcomed The Unbound Collection

by Hyatt, the 12th brand in the portfolio and the most

WORLD OF LUXURY:

Park Hyatt Kyoto King Deluxe guestroom (top), and (bottom) Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin PHOTOS: © HYATT

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unique thus far. The Unbound Collection keeps the identity and originality of a boutique, small-business hotel while adding Hyatt’s well-established professionalism, service and network of loyalty travelers. This represented a significant step for Hyatt. By maintaining the original character of an existing business while building a mutual partnership, beneficial to all involved and attracting travelers seeking the security of a well-known name brand, Hyatt introduced guests to new immersive experiences — another trend Hyatt initiated early on.

The following year, the company launched World of Hyatt as a revamped loyalty program devised to further connect with and engage Hyatt’s loyal customers. This program resulted in Hyatt’s entrance into the health and wellness space, acquiring Miraval and Exhale.

The brand introduced the World of Hyatt Credit Card in 2018, to further reward and connect with customers based on their interests, and also finalized the purchase of Two Roads Hospitality, opening up Hyatt’s hospitality sector.

While the slow and steady pace may have changed a bit in the 2000s, it definitely assisted Hyatt in winning the race. By seeing an opportunity and taking it, building a foundation of success through tried-and-true techniques, connecting with customers and listening to and meeting their needs, and repeating the cycle, Hyatt built an empire from a single motel in the desert.

Hyatt remains a brand of determination and innovation, to say the least.

Offering more than 700 hotels in 56 countries and another 960 accommodation options in the pipeline, it’s safe to say Hyatt has a handle on the global travel economy. The Hyatt name and brand have a reputation to uphold; and if history is any indication, Hyatt proves up to the task, which is why there’s a fitting ring to the honor of Hotel of the Year.

A NOD TO THE PAST:

Hyatt House Chicago West Loop Fulton Market PHOTO: © HYATT

El Dorado

six decades of operation,

one platform of dreams 2018 cargo:

32,7M 741.500 tons/year passengers ELDORADOBOG

@BOGELDORADO

@BOG_ELDORADO

ELDORADOBOG

2019

SINGAPORE AIRLINES

Best Overall Airline in the World PHOTO: Š SINGAPORE AIRLINES

Best and Brightest Global Traveler announces the winners of the 2019 GT Tested Reader Survey awards.

Best Overall Airline in the World Singapore Airlines

Fastest-Growing Airline, Trans-Pacific

Best Airline for Domestic First Class

Best Flight Attendant Uniforms

Best Airline Alliance

Best Airline for Business Class

Best Airline for Onboard Service

Best Airline Cuisine

Best Aircraft Type

Best Airline for International First Class

Best Airline Lounges

Best Airline for Security

Best Airline for Flight Attendants

Best First-Class Seat Design

oneworld

Airbus A350

American Airlines Turkish Airlines

Lufthansa

Best Airline Website

AA.com

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American Airlines Asiana Airlines Delta Sky Club

Asiana Airlines GT Tested Reader Survey Awards DECEMBER 2019

Delta Air Lines Alitalia

EL AL Israel Airlines Air France

2019

AMERICAN AIRLINES

DELTA AIR LINES

Best Airline Website; Fastest-Growing Airline, Trans-Pacific; Best Airline for Domestic First Class; Best Frequent-Flyer Customer Service; and Best Airline App

Best Airline Lounges, Best Flight Attendant Uniforms and Best Frequent-Flyer Elite-Level Program PHOTO: © DELTA AIR LINES

PHOTO: © AMERICAN AIRLINES

TURKISH AIRLINES

SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS

Best Airline for Business Class, Best Corporate Program for Business Travelers and Best Airport Staff/Gate Agents

Best Airline in Africa

PHOTO: © SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS

PHOTO: © TURKISH AIRLINES

ASIANA AIRLINES

Best Airline for Onboard Service and Best Airline for Flight Attendants PHOTO: © ASIANA AIRLINES

Best Business-Class Seat Design

Best Frequent-Flyer Bonus Program

United MileagePlus

Best Airline in Australia and New Zealand

Best Airline in North Asia (excluding China)

Best Airline for New Service Launch

Best Frequent-Flyer Award Redemption

Alitalia

Air France (CDG to DFW)

Best Corporate Program for Business Travelers

Turkish Airlines Corporate Club

Best Frequent-Flyer Elite-Level Program

Delta Air Lines SkyMiles Diamond Medallion

China Airlines

Best Airline in the South Pacific

Air Tahiti Nui

Best Airline in China

LifeMiles (Avianca)

Best Frequent-Flyer Customer Service

Best Airline in Europe

Best Airline in Central/South Asia & India

American Airlines AAdvantage

Best Overall Frequent-Flyer Program

United MileagePlus

Virgin Australia

Best Airline in North America

Air Canada

Best Airline to South America

LATAM Airlines Group Best Airline in Mexico

TAP Air Portugal

Hainan Airlines

Air India

Best Airline in Eastern Europe

LOT Polish Airlines

Best Airline to Japan

Japan Airlines

Best Airline in Africa

South African Airways

Best Trans-Atlantic Airline

Brussels Airlines

Best Airline in the Middle East

Emirates

Aeromexico

DECEMBER 2019

Best Trans-Pacific Airline

Japan Airlines GT Tested Reader Survey Awards

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2019

MUNICH AIRPORT SINGAPORE CHANGI AIRPORT

Best Duty-Free Shopping in Europe

PHOTO: © SINGAPORE CHANGI AIRPORT

PHOTO: © TUPUNGATO DREAMSTIME.COM

Best Overall Airport in the World

HARTSFIELD-JACKSON ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Best Airport Dining

PHOTO: © HARTSFIELD-JACKSON ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Best Overall Airport in the World

Best Airport in Europe

Singapore Changi Airport

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

Best Airport in North America

Best Airport in the Middle East

Chicago O’Hare International Airport

Hamad International Airport, Doha

Best Airport in Asia

Incheon International Airport

El Dorado International Airport, Bogotá

Best Airport in Africa

Best Airport Staff/Gate Agents

Addis Ababa Bole International Airport

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Best Airport Dining

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

GT Tested Reader Survey Awards DECEMBER 2019

Singapore Changi Airport

Best Duty-Free Shopping in Africa Best Airport Shopping

Miami International Airport

Best Airport in South America

Turkish Airlines

Best Duty-Free Shopping in Asia

Seychelles International Airport

Best Duty-Free Shopping in Europe Fastest-Growing U.S. Airport

Ontario International Airport, Ontario, California Best Duty-Free Shopping in the World

Dubai Duty Free

Munich Airport

Best Duty-Free Shopping in the Middle East

Dubai Duty Free

2019 Leisure Lifestyle Awards Ballot Please write in your personal favorites, based on your own experience, on the line next to each of the following categories.

Best Beaches ___________________________________________________________________________

Best River Cruise Line __________________________________________________________________

Best Historical Attractions, Domestic __________________________________________________

Best Cruise Line Entertainment _______________________________________________________

Best Historical Attractions, International _______________________________________________

Best Cruise Line Dining ________________________________________________________________

Best Adventure Destination, Domestic_________________________________________________

Best Cruise Line Spa ____________________________________________________________________

Best Adventure Destination, International _____________________________________________

Best Cruise Ship Excursions ___________________________________________________________

Best Leisure Destination in the United States _________________________________________

Best Cruise Line Rewards Program ___________________________________________________

Best Leisure Destination in Europe_____________________________________________________

Best Cruise Port ________________________________________________________________________

Best Leisure Destination in Africa ______________________________________________________

Best Luxury Leisure Hotel Group in the World _______________________________________

Best Leisure Destination in Asia________________________________________________________

Best Hotel Chain Resorts ______________________________________________________________

Best Leisure Destination in Latin/South America______________________________________

Best Pet-Friendly Hotel ________________________________________________________________

Best Leisure Destination in Mexico_____________________________________________________

Best Family Resort Chain in the World ________________________________________________

Best Leisure Destination for Groups (Four or More)___________________________________

Best All-Inclusive Resort_________________________________________________________________

Best Weekend Destination in North America__________________________________________

Best Tour Operator_____________________________________________________________________

Best Weekend Destination in the World_______________________________________________

Best Airport for Layovers_______________________________________________________________

Best North American Ski Destination___________________________________________________

Best Airport Recreation_________________________________________________________________

Best International Ski Destination______________________________________________________

Best Stopover Program_________________________________________________________________

Best Caribbean Island _________________________________________________________________

Best Leisure Airline ____________________________________________________________________

Best Island in Europe __________________________________________________________________

Best Airline Onboard Entertainment___________________________________________________

Best Island Pacific Rim _________________________________________________________________

Best Airline Onboard Menu_____________________________________________________________

Best Family Cruise Line ________________________________________________________________

Best Premium-Economy Class ________________________________________________________

Best Luxury Cruise Line ________________________________________________________________

Best Pet-Friendly Airline ________________________________________________________________

Best Value Cruise Line__________________________________________________________________

Best Luxury Vehicle ____________________________________________________________________

Best Cruise Line Suites _________________________________________________________________

Best Car Rental _________________________________________________________________________

Best Adventure Cruise Line ____________________________________________________________

Favorite Luxury Watch Brand __________________________________________________________

Best Small-Ship Cruise Line ____________________________________________________________

Best Destination Jewelrey Brand _______________________________________________________

Best Large-Ship Cruise Line ___________________________________________________________

Favorite Liquor Brand___________________________________________________________________

PLEASE MAIL THE COMPLETED SURVEY TO Kevin Ryan, Citrin Cooperman & Company, LLP, 1800 JFK Blvd., 20th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103 | Or fax to 215 545 4810 Or vote online at globaltravelerusa.com/leisureballot Name Street Address City

State

ZIP Code

Home Phone

Email

2019

MANDARIN ORIENTAL, TAIPEI

ST. REGIS HOTELS & RESORTS

Best Hotel in Asia

Best European Hotel Chain

PHOTO: © MANDARIN ORIENTAL, TAIPEI

PHOTO: © ST. REGIS HOTELS & RESORTS

THE PENINSULA BEVERLY HILLS

BURJ AL ARAB JUMEIRAH

Best Hotel in the United States

Best Hotel in the Middle East

PHOTO: © THE PENINSULA BEVERLY HILLS

PHOTO: © JUMEIRAH

Best International Hotel Chain

Best Hotel Website

The Ritz-Carlton

IHG.com

Best Domestic Hotel Chain

Best Hotel Rewards Program in the World

The Ritz-Carlton

Best Lifestyle Hotel

Moxy

Best MICE Hotel

Lotte Hotel Seoul

IHG Rewards Club

globaltravelerusa.com

World of Hyatt

Marriott Bonvoy

Best Hotel in the United States

Best Frequent-Stay Bonus Program

Best Hotel in Asia

Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite

Best Hotel in South Korea

Lotte Hotel Seoul

Best Hotel in the Middle East Best Frequent-Stay Customer Service

Best Frequent-Stay Elite-Level Program

The Peninsula Beverly Hills

Burj Al Arab Jumeirah Best Hotel in Europe

Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski, Munich Best European Hotel Chain

IHG Rewards Club

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Best Frequent-Stay Award Redemption

GT Tested Reader Survey Awards DECEMBER 2019

Mandarin Oriental, Taipei

St. Regis Hotels & Resorts

2019

SEOUL

Best MICE City PHOTO: © SEOUL TOURISM ORGANIZATION

THE PARKING SPOT Best Airport Parking

PHOTO: © THE PARKING SPOT

INDIA BRIGGS & RILEY

Best Luggage Brand

Best Tourism Destination PHOTO: © YOUSSOUF CADER - DREAMSTIME

PHOTO: © BRIGGS & RILEY

Best Hotel Chain in Asia

Oberoi Hotels & Resorts Best Hotel Chain in Latin America

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts Best Hotel Chain in Mexico

Fiesta Americana

Best Hotel Chain in the Middle East

Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts

Best Individual Hotel in the World

The Address Hotel Downtown Dubai Best Overseas Delivery Program

Volvo

Best Car Rental Company

Hertz

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Best Airport Parking

The Parking Spot

Best Tourism Destination

India

Best MICE City

Seoul

Best WiFi Service

Boingo Wireless Best Luggage Brand

Briggs & Riley

Best Hotel App

Hilton Hotels

Best Airline App

American Airlines

t or p ir A U.S.

2 YEARS IN A ROW!

With 22 nonstop flights, new restaurants, premium lounges, easy parking, and fast curb to gate – what’s not to love about an airport that defines what airport travel should be?

Best Small- to Mid-Sized Business Program

IHG Business Edge

Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Promotions

Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Promotions

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card from American Express

Best Overall Credit Card

United MileagePlus Club Card from Chase

Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite MasterCard

Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Benefits

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card from American Express

Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Benefits

Best Small-Business Credit Card

Best Credit Card Special Events

Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card Redemptions

Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card Redemptions

Capital One Spark Miles for Business Citi Entertainment

Best Credit Cards Rewards Program

United MileagePlus Club Card from Chase Best Frequent-Stay Affinity Credit Card

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Visa Card from Chase

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Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Visa Card from Chase

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card from Bank of America

United Explorer Card from Chase

Best Cruise Line Affinity Credit Card Best Frequent-Flyer Affinity Credit Card

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card from Bank of America

GT Tested Reader Survey Awards DECEMBER 2019

Princess Cruises Visa Signature Card from Barclays

PHOTOS: © MARRIOTT, © UNITED, © CAPITAL ONE SPARK MILES FOR BUSINESS, © PRINCESS CRUISES

2019

Global Airport Industry Leading Value Creator

Incheon International Airport is taking a great leap forward as a Global Leading Value Creator with its new value proposition.

THE RITZ-CARLTON

Best International Hotel Chain PHOTO: © THE RITZ-CARLTON

Traditions of Excellence GT honors the 2019 Quint, Hall of Fame and Crystal inductees. BY ERICH MARTIN NOW ENTERING ITS 16TH YEAR, the GT Tested Reader Survey has become a tradition. Year after year, we honor the best in the business after a rigorous vote by our readers. This year nine brands reached consecutive-win milestones, from Quint Status at five years to Hall of Fame inductees at 10 and Crystal Status winners at 15.

No matter the award, winning consecutively is not easy. This year’s Quint Status winners showcase excellence in the travel industry by staying relevant to their passengers and guests.

Hotel brands dominate this year’s winners. First

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up: The Ritz-Carlton, reaching five consecutive wins in two categories. This brand, known internationally as the gold standard of luxury accommodations, enters Quint Status in the Best International Hotel Chain and Best Domestic Hotel Chain categories. The brand was established in 1983 with a single hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, Boston. Since then the brand gained what feels like ubiquitous fame, with presence in 30 countries and more than 95 hotels in Chile, China, Turkey, Singapore and beyond.

The Ritz-Carlton’s parent company, Marriott

THE RITZ-CARLTON

SINGAPORE AIRLINES

Best Domestic Hotel Chain

Best Overall Airline in the World

PHOTO: © THE RITZ-CARLTON

PHOTO: © SINGAPORE AIRLINES

LOTTE HOTEL SEOUL Best MICE Hotel

PHOTO: © LOTTE HOTEL SEOUL

SEOUL

Best MICE CIty PHOTO: © TAWATCHAI PRAKOBKIT - DREAMSTIME .COM

printer, laptop rental and more. Two larger conference rooms, the main tower and executive tower, provide serious guests a distinctive place to meet and get things done.

Almost hand in hand, the city of Seoul itself enters Quint Status as Best MICE City. As one of the world’s leading cities for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions, it lends itself well to events of any type or size.

Alongside its world-class facilities, Seoul boasts one of the world’s top airports, quality infrastructure, warm hospitality, a safe environment and much more.

The final brand to gain recognition for five consecutive wins is the Best Overall Airline in the World. In the Asia Pacific region, Singapore Airlines proves a major power player, always looking for ways to expand its offerings and make travel within Asia Pacific and beyond convenient for passengers. And the airline isn’t afraid of engaging in cooperation to do it. Earlier this year, Singapore signed a partnership agreement with Malaysia Airlines and added more flights to North America.

Achieving Quint Status is no simple achievement.

DECEMBER 2019

V QUIN TATUS TS

International, is no stranger to success at the GT Tested Reader Survey awards. In 2014 Marriott Hotels took home Hotel of the Year, and the brand’s rewards program has been recognized consistently over the years.

A simple look at The Ritz-Carlton’s standards of operation, including warm welcomes and good-byes and the goal of providing the finest personal service available, makes it clear. The Ritz-Carlton’s arrival at Quint Status was always more a question of when rather than if.

For Best MICE Hotel we travel to Seoul. Lotte Hotel Seoul takes the prize for the fifth year in a row, cementing its place among our readers as one of the best hotels in the world for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions.

Lotte operates properties all over the world, but the Seoul hotel stands out to readers as the pinnacle of business travel. In addition to the 5-star accommodations guests can expect at any Lotte property, the lobby boasts a business center. The center offers everything guests need to get down to business, including conference rooms accommodating up to four people and office equipment like a laser

Best Airline in North Asia THE RITZ-CARLTON

China Airlines

Best International Hotel Chain Best Domestic Hotel Chain

Fifth Consecutive Year LOTTE HOTEL SEOUL

2017

Best MICE Hotel

SEOUL Best MICE City

SINGAPORE AIRLINES Best Overall Airline in the World

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ALITALIA

Best Airline Cuisine PHOTO: © ALITALIA

BRIGGS & RILEY

ONEWORLD

Best Luggage Brand

Best Airline Alliance

PHOTO: © BRIGGS & RILEY

PHOTO: © ONEWORLD

AEROMEXICO

Best Airline in Mexico PHOTO: © AEROMEXICO

Best Luggage Brand ONEWORLD

Best Airline Briggs &Alliance Riley

10th Consecutive ALITALIA Year Best Airline Cuisine

2019

AEROMEXICO Best Airline in Mexico BRIGGS & RILEY Best Luggage Brand

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These brands and organizations have stayed relevant with their most loyal customers for years, but the next group of winners have reached 10 years of sustained excellence. This year we welcome oneworld (Best Airline Alliance), Alitalia (Best Airline Cuisine), Aeromexico (Best Airline in Mexico) and Briggs & Riley (Best Luggage Brand) to the Hall of Fame.

Many would argue the more airline partners an alliance has, the better. Oneworld would disagree. Despite having the fewest partner airlines of the major alliances, the group claimed victory 10 times in a row. As passengers fly oneworld more often, they receive more benefits, including extra baggage allowance, wait list priority and much more at the highest levels. The alliance also grants access to more than 650 exclusive lounges around the globe for qualifying passengers. The biggest oneworld partners include American Airlines, British Airways and Qatar Airways.

Continuing the airline trend, Alitalia enters the Hall of Fame for airline cuisine. Alitalia offers a unique program where guests can book specific meals in

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advance of their flight. This alone is not unique, but the types of meals the carrier offers contribute to the impressive reputation the airline cultivated. Alitalia lets guests order special diet-restricted meals, be it for medical or personal reasons; religion-based meals; and a whole selection of options for children. Outside the special meals, Alitalia serves delicious standard meals in flight as well for passengers flying in cabins where it is offered.

Aeromexico, part of the SkyTeam alliance, has been in operation for nearly 100 years. According to schedule analysis, Aeromexico operates the most routes in Latin America and has been recognized for social responsibility, greenhouse emission management and more in recent years. The airline has flown to New York and Los Angeles with regularity since 1957. In 2019 Aeromexico proves it isn’t happy to rest on its laurels, launching a Barcelona–Mexico City route, changing flight attendant uniforms and adding new destinations throughout South America.

For all the good airlines accomplish in their culinary

Change scenery.

Not standards.

Thank you for voting Hertz the Best Rental Car Company in the GT Tested Reader Survey Awards for six straight years.

Š 2019 Hertz System, Inc. All rights reserved.

IHG REWARDS CLUB Best Hotel Rewards Program in the World PHOTOS: © IHG

CRYSTAL STATUS IHG REWARDS CLUB Best Hotel Rewards Program in the World

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sectors and the destinations they serve, these things don’t matter if travelers cannot easily take advantage of the new offerings. Briggs & Riley has kept travelers equipped since it introduced wheeled luggage to the market in 1970. Since then, Briggs & Riley has become one of the biggest names in specialty luggage. This year, its name enters the Hall of Fame for 10 consecutive years as Best Luggage Brand.

Briggs & Riley stays in good graces thanks to a few of its offerings. An unconditional lifetime guarantee means every time a bag gets damaged or broken, the company will repair it, no questions asked. Real travelers and readers voted Briggs & Riley to victory for the 10th consecutive year because of its high-quality luggage and ironclad guarantees.

Finally, we acknowledge this year’s Crystal Status winner.

This brand has won its category every year since the GT Tested Reader Survey began, except for the very first year.

Winning any award 15 years in a row proves a monumental feat, and in this case InterContinental Hotels Group experiences its first taste of crystal with IHG Rewards Club (Best Hotel Rewards Program in the World).

Loyalty programs are common in the travel industry.

Every airline, hotel, car service and luggage company seems

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to have its own. The result is a fiercely competitive space where every airline and hotel tries to outdo the others. For this reason, InterContinental Hotels Group’s top position for 15 consecutive years reflects a true sign of quality.

With IHG Rewards Club, rewards points stay active as long as guests remain active in any 12-month period. The lowest tier membership lets guests build bonus points and receive exclusive rates. In addition, a partnership with Hertz helps guests rack up extra points. The club’s highest tier, InterContinental Ambassador, carries a $200 membership fee but comes with upgraded stays including complimentary weekend nights, discounts at on-site restaurants and bars, complimentary mineral water and internet and much more.

The in-between tiers offer different perks that grow in value as your tier escalates.

Every year we are excited to see which brands muscle their way to the forefront of our readers’ favor. It is even more exciting when companies achieve multiple milestones in a given year. As InterContinental Hotels Group celebrates its placement as our sixth Crystal Status winner, all we can do is look to the future and guess which brand might next gaze into the crystal ball.

Expanding the Gateway of the Americas

• 45 million passengers in 2018 – a new record • 104 airlines - more than any U.S. airport •

164 cities worldwide

miami-airport.com

• New routes in 2019: Casablanca, Cordoba, London Gatwick, Paris Orly, Warsaw • Cargo-only service to 112 cities worldwide • MIA wins approval for up to $5 billion in modernization

feature

Wines on the Wing 2019 GT presents the winners of the 16th annual Wines on the Wing airline wine competition.

BY EUNICE FRIED | PHOTOS BY THE ADRIANNE PHOTO

THE CONCEPT OF A WORKING WINERY in the middle of Manhattan became a reality when Michael Dorf rented a building on Varick Street and opened City Winery in 2008. By adding to the winery a restaurant; concert hall; and spaces for receptions, parties and meetings, he created a winning combination. So much so that in the ensuing years, he opened locations in five other cities: Chicago; Nashville; Atlanta; Boston; and

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Washington, D.C. Now a major change is coming to the original City Winery. Because the Varick Street building sold and is about to be demolished, City Winery closed July 31 and plans to reopen in a new, larger location at the Hudson River Park on Pier 57 early in 2020. Until then, it will continue its services at Manhattan’s Pier 26.

Before City Winery locked its Varick Street doors for the final time, Global Traveler held its 2019 Wines on the Wing international airline wine competition there with 23 wine professionals judging wines currently being served in first class and business class on international flights throughout the world. And in a smaller category, they also judged wines served on first- and business-class flights beginning and ending in North America.

As in all our professional wine competitions, the wines were served “blind” — that is, poured into numbered glasses — and judges were told only the general category of the wines they were tasting (for example, Chablis or Zinfandel). They never saw a wine bottle. They tested and tasted and pondered each wine, and then they wrote their opinions.

When the judges’ ratings were later evaluated, the airline whose wines added up to the highest score among first-class international service was American Airlines.

“This award is a direct reflection of the investments we’ve made in the premium customer experience, and American is honored to be recognized by Global Traveler,” said Janelle Anderson, vice president, Global Marketing, American Airlines. “Together with our master sommelier, Bobby Stuckey, we focus on designing a wine list that will give our guests something new while also providing them with wines from their favorite regions.”

To achieve this honor, Bobby Stuckey and Intervine, the airline’s wine management partner, taste more than 1,600 wines from 16 countries each year. In total, the airline opens 1,320,000 bottles annually on its first- and business-class international flights.

Among American’s highest-scoring first-class wines were its Champagne, Bollinger La Grande Année 2008; the whites Joseph Drouhin Chassagne-Montrachet 2015 and Simonnet Febvre Les Clos Chablis 2014; and the reds RoseRock Pinot Noir 2015 by Drouhin Oregon, and Masi Riserva Costasera Amarone Classico 2012.

The highest-scoring airline among international business-class service entries was Etihad Airways. Its Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Brut tied for top place among business-class Champagnes, while its Château Moulin Haut-Laroque 2012 was the highest-scoring red wine in business class, and its Grosset Springvale Riesling 2016 finished among the highest-

scoring business-class white wines.

“These prestigious awards give us the opportunity to showcase our innovative beverage portfolio,” said Linda Celestino, vice president, Guest Services and Delivery, Etihad. “Our boutique inflight cellar focuses on Old- and New-World wines with a range of both subtle and intense flavors, ensuring we offer wines to delight all palates.”

Singapore Airlines did remarkably well, with high-scoring wines in nearly every category. It ranked among the five top-scoring first-class airlines, while its Champagne and a white wine finished among the best in their categories. It is also one of the highest-scoring business-class airlines, its wines among the top Champagnes and red wines.

“Our commitment to the traveler is at the forefront of our in-flight wine program, and it gives us great pride to be named one of the top five scoring airlines in Global Traveler’s airline wine competition,” said Betty Wong, divisional vice president, Inflight Services and Design, Singapore Airlines. “We want to keep the palates of our frequent flyers excited with a new label delivered on board every few months. Our wine consultants source small-batch wines, many previously unavailable in flight. We are particularly pleased to see the fine showing of our Meursault and Château Tour Haut-Caussan wines.”

In a move to diversify its wine program, Singapore Airlines recently DECEMBER 2019

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WINNERS’ CIRCLE TOP INTERNATIONAL FIRST-CLASS WINES ON THE WING 1. American Airlines 2. All Nippon Airways 3. Air France 4. Singapore Airlines 5. Etihad Airways TOP INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS-CLASS WINES ON THE WING 1. Etihad Airways 2. United Airlines 3. Aeromexico 4. All Nippon Airways 5. Tie: Air Tahiti Nui Singapore Airlines TOP CHAMPAGNES INTERNATIONAL FIRST CLASS 1. Krug Grande Cuvée (Air France) 2. Bollinger La Grande Année 2008 (American Airlines) 3. Tie: Krug Brut 2004 (All Nippon Airways) Krug Brut 2004 (Singapore Airlines) 4. Tie: Lanson Black Label Brut (Delta Air Lines) Charles Heidsieck Brut 2006 (Etihad Airways)

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introduced an extensive selection of artisanal wines. For example, it now can offer a wide selection of wines from Burgundy with 47 labels, many from small producers and a number that are Grand Cru; they will be rotated over 18 months.

The airline also announced it will soon begin offering a variety of Champagnes.

On average, Singapore serves more than 900,000 bottles of wine in first class and business class each year.

United Airlines also showed well, with its wines scoring among the highest in the International Business Class and North America categories. As Master Sommelier Doug Frost said, “Our goal is to offer a diverse group of wines that all of our customers can enjoy.”

To which Charles Gmunde, vice president, Catering Operations, added, “We are proud of the selection of Champagne and wines we offer and take pride in our mix of well-known brands and lesser-known offerings. It creates a unique inflight experience for United customers.”

Air France excelled as one of the five top-scoring first-class airlines. Its Krug Grande Cuvée was judged the best Champagne in first class, and its Château Lynch-Bages 2008 was rated one of the top red wines.

Aeromexico scored well among the top international business-class airlines, with its Jacquart Brut Mosaïque Cham-

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pagne tying for first place and its Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 scoring as a top business-class red. In the North America category, its Champagne was the highest scorer, while its reds and whites were among the winners in every category.

Of the airlines taking part in this year’s competition, 17 are members of airline alliances. The alliance whose member airlines scored the highest average this year is oneworld, represented in the competition by American Airlines and LATAM. Homer wrote wine can set “the wisest man to sing” and to dance as well. While our wine judges are obviously wise, none of them sang or danced. Instead, they did what they do best — they judged the wines before them, a talent well worth a song and a dance.

HOW WE JUDGE

To participate in Global Traveler’s competition, airlines throughout the world that operate long-haul international first-class service and/ or business-class service are invited to submit two white wines, two red wines and one Champagne or other sparkling wine currently on their wine lists, as well as the wine lists themselves.

The same rules apply to our North America category, which includes airlines with first-class and/or business-class service beginning and ending in North America. All wines are coded and divided into flights, or categories, according to their type. For example, all New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc submitted would be judged together, as would all Rioja. Wines are presented to judges in code-marked glasses. Judges are told only the type of wine and, when appropriate (vintage Champagne, for example), the year. If judges feel a

WINNERS’ CIRCLE

wine is flawed, a reserve bottle is poured.

Professional assistants pour the wines, and GT staff monitor the tasting.

Each wine is judged on a modified Davis 20-point scale. The judges’ individual scores for each wine are added and averaged, and the averaged scores of an airline’s submissions are totaled. Individual wines with the highest scores and the airlines with the highest total scores win Wines on the Wing awards.

TOP CHAMPAGNES INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CLASS 1. Tie: Jacquart Brut Mosaïque (Aeromexico) Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Brut (Etihad Airways) 2. Tie: Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve (Air Tahiti Nui) Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve (Singapore Airlines) 3. Tie: Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut (Aeroflot) Laurent-Perrier Brut (Air New Zealand) 4. Ayala 2009 (United Airlines) 5. Lanson Black Label Brut (Delta Air Lines) TOP FIVE WHITE WINES INTERNATIONAL FIRST CLASS 1. Bouchard Père et Fils Meursault 2016 (Singapore Airlines) 2. Joseph Drouhin Chassagne Montrachet 2015 (American Airlines) 3. Simonnet Febvre Les Clos Chablis 2014 (American Airlines) 4. Domaine Laroche Chablis 2014 (All Nippon Airways) 5. Domaine Verget Pouilly-Fuissé 2017 (All Nippon Airways) TOP FIVE WHITE WINES INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CLASS 1. Bouchard Père et Fils Mâcon 2016 (All Nippon Airways) 2. Grosset Springvale Riesling 2016, Australia (Etihad Airways) 3. Domaine Verget Mâcon-Villages 2016 (Air Tahiti-Nui) 4. Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis 2017 (United Airlines) 5. Casa de Compostela Alvarinho 2017, Portugal (TAP Air Portugal)

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WINNERS’ CIRCLE TOP FIVE RED WINES INTERNATIONAL FIRST CLASS 1. Château Léoville-Barton 2012, Saint-Julien, Bordeaux (All Nippon Airways) 2. RoseRock Zéphirine Pinot Noir 2015, Drouhin Oregon, Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon (American Airlines) 3. Château Giscours 2011, Margaux, Bordeaux (All Nippon Airways) 4. Château Lynch-Bages 2008, Pauillac, Bordeaux (Air France) 5. Masi Riserva Costasera Amarone Classico 2012 (American Airlines) TOP FIVE RED WINES INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CLASS 1. Château Moulin Haut-Laroque 2012, Fronsac, Bordeaux (Etihad Airways) 2. Tie: Bramare Malbec 2013, Argentina (Etihad Airways) Château Rauzan-Ségla 2006, Margaux, Bordeaux (Singapore Airlines) 3. Château Haut-Caussan 2015, Médoc, Bordeaux (Singapore Airlines) 4. Petit Castel 2017, Domaine du Castel, Israel (EL AL Israel Airlines) 5. Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Sonoma, California (Aeromexico) BEST NORTH AMERICAN FIRST CLASS/ BUSINESS CLASS WINES ON THE WING 1. American Airlines 2. United Airlines 3. Aeromexico 4. Delta Air Lines BEST NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPAGNE/SPARKLING WINE 1. Jacquart Brut Mosaïque (Aeromexico) 2. Ayala 2009 (United Airlines) 3. Mionetto Prosecco Brut (Delta Air Lines) 4. Lanson Black Label Brut (American Airlines)

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JUDGES

certified wine instructor.

CESAR BAEZA is an oenologist and a consultant for the wine industry. A native of Chile, he studied winemaking there and in France, Spain and California and worked at several wineries. For 20 years he was wine master and co-owner of Brotherhood Winery in New York.

JOHN FANNING is general manager of Hakkasan, New York.

He has been wine director and/or general manager of other restaurants in New York including The Lambs Club, SD26, Accademia di Vino, Il Trulli, Beppe, Felidia, Coco Pazzo and Palio and in Rome, Bramante and San Michelle.

JOHN BRECHER is senior editor of Grape Collective. He and his wife, Dorothy Gaiter, were wine columnists at The Wall Street Journal from 1998 to 2010 and are also the authors of four books on wine.

FRED FERRETTI is a wine and food writer whose articles have appeared in many national publications. Formerly a New York Times reporter, he was also a columnist for Gourmet magazine for many years.

J. SCOTT CARNEY, MS, is the dean of wine studies at the International Culinary Center. The center has schools in New York City and in Silicon Valley, California.

BETH COTENOFF, DWS, a senior vice president at R/West, has 20 years’ experience in wine and spirits. She worked in Paris and with Sopexa/Food & Wines from France. She earned the WSET diploma in Wine & Spirits and is a

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XAVIER FLOURET is owner of Cognac One, LLC., a national wine importer and New York wine wholesaler. The company focuses on sustainable and organic privately owned wine estates throughout the world that specialize in the best expressions of terroir and wine appellations.

DAVID FRIESER, the fine wine purchaser at Park Avenue Liquor

Shop in Manhattan, is a frequent wine lecturer and has been professionally involved with wine for more than 30 years.

DOROTHY J. GAITER is senior editor of Grape Collective. She and her husband, John Brecher, were wine columnists at The Wall Street Journal from 1998 to 2010 and are also the authors of four books on wine.

CURTIS GREEN is president and founder of TenFolk Enterprises, a wine education and marketing company created to broaden interest in wine among African Americans. He also publishes SlitelyChilled.com, the online magazine geared to the AfricanAmerican wine drinker.

DAVID LECOMTE is chief winemaker at City Winery. A native of France’s Rhône Valley, he earned degrees in viticulture and winemaking in France and worked in French, American and Chinese wineries before making wine in the heart of Manhattan.

Thank you for helping us soar even higher.

With your support, we’ve been named Best Overall Airport in the World.

You motivate us to deliver the best. Thank you for believing in us. changiairport.com

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@ChangiAirport

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WINNERS’ CIRCLE

As president of the Wine and Spirits Program, HARRIET LEMBECK has taught consumers and wine trade personnel for 35 years. She is the author of the 6th and 7th editions of Grossman’s Guide to Wine, Beer and Spirits and is a contributor to Beverage Dynamics Magazine.

President of her own company, Cornerstone Communications, MARSHA PALANCI has managed media relations emphasizing wine for 20 years. Previously she served as vice president for Schieffelin & Co., where she worked with Dom Pérignon, Moët & Chandon and Marqués de Riscal.

BOB SHACK is owner and president of HB Wine Merchants/R. Shack Selections and of Clos Robert Winery in Sonoma, California. Formerly he served as vice president and manager of the Premiere Wine Merchants Division of Rémy Martin Amerique for 20 years.

GILLES MARTIN serves as the winemaker and director of operations at Sparkling Pointe Winery on Long Island, New York, and as a consultant to many other Long Island wineries.

French-born, he studied winemaking at Montpelier and has worked at Roederer Estate and Delas Frères.

LIZ PALMER is the author of The Ultimate Guide to Champagne. As a wine journalist, her articles have appeared in Forbes, China Wine News and other publications. She has been a wine judge and a wine host at several events throughout the world.

WILLIAM SHORT is regional manager, New York, for Dreyfus Ashby & Co., a fine-wine importing company. At 36 years, he is the longest-tenured salesman in the company’s history. Before joining the wine field, he taught school for 10 years.

DAVID MILLIGAN is president of David Milligan Selections, representing fine French producers. In the wine trade for more than 30 years, he began his training in England. He also served as president of Seagram Chateau & Estate Wines.

KATHERINE MOORE, FWS, is general manager of Union Square Wine & Spirits, a large retail shop in Manhattan.

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On the staff of Heights Chateau, a wine shop in Brooklyn Heights, for more than 20 years, JUDITH RUNDEL takes part in wine-buying decisions, coordinates the Wine of the Month Club and writes the shop’s website.

She also conducts wine tastings and classes.

ARNO SCHMIDT has been the executive chef of New York’s Waldorf Astoria, The Plaza and other famous hotels. In that capacity, he has organized numerous wine and food events. Born in Austria, he has worked in hospitality since 1946.

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AYELE SOLOMON is the winemaker and a pioneer in honey wine at his company, Bee D’Vine, in California. As well as still honey wine, he recently released the world’s only sparkling honey wine.

PAMELA WITTMANN is the principal of Millisime, Ltd., her 17-year-old public relations and marketing firm specializing in helping foreign wineries enter the U.S. market. With degrees in oenology and in business, she has worked in wineries and wine sales.

BEST NORTH AMERICAN RED WINE 1. Battle Creek Cellars Pinot Noir Reserve 2017, Oregon (Alaska Airlines) 2. Château Villotte 2016, Bordeaux (United Airlines) 3. Antica Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Napa, California (Delta Air Lines) 4. Tie: Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Sonoma, California (Aeromexico) Hall Merlot 2015, Napa, California (American Airlines) 5. RoseRock Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir 2015, Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon (American Airlines) BEST NORTH AMERICAN WHITE WINE 1. Joseph Drouhin Saint-Véran 2017, Mâcon, Burgundy (American Airlines) 2. Decoy Chardonnay 2017, Sonoma, California (Aeromexico) 3. Gravelly Ford Chardonnay 2017, California (United Airlines) 4. J. Hofstätter Pinot Bianco 2017, Alto Adige, Italy (American Airlines) 5. Rued Chardonnay 2018, Sonoma, California (Alaska Airlines) BEST ALLIANCE WINES ON THE WING 1. oneworld 2. Star Alliance 3. SkyTeam

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Our Year in Travel Global Traveler’s staffers explored the world in 2019.

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Global Traveler’s Globility Board Get to know the magazine’s hand-selected board of subscriber advisors and highly experienced world travelers.

IN 2012 GLOBAL TRAVELER INTRODUCED ITS GLOBILITY BOARD, an elite group of globetrotters serving as a link between the magazine and our readers. Candidates were invited to apply for a position on the board, completing an application listing their general background, employment information and travel history. Over the past seven years, the group has gathered several times to discuss all things travel and Global Traveler. The board has grown and changed, but one thing remains the same: The priceless insight goes far beyond data we can garner from surveys or research, and the board is truly invaluable.

Here’s a closer look at our esteemed members.

David Barsotti is a 25-plusyear Mercedes-Benz and Audi dealership owner and operator. He’s had the opportunity to experience some of the best luxury travel around the world through business and personal travel. His four luxury automotive retail centers, including Mercedes-Benz of San Francisco, Mercedes-Benz of Oakland, Mercedes-Benz of Monterey and Audi Rocklin, are based in and around San Francisco, California.

He lives with his wife, Tracy, and two children, Siena and Fargo, traveling 15 times per year and to his vacation home in The Resort at Pedregal – Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Over the last 40 years he’s traveled to 82 countries around the world. Recently returning from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa, he surpassed 1 billion miles on United Airlines.

Frank Brightwell is the founder and director of Somos Amigos Medical Missions, a nonprofit organization that operates a primary care medical and dental facility in the mountains of the Dominican Republic. He is also an independent educational consultant specializing in college and university admissions, and he works with clients across the United States and abroad. Brightwell lives in Rancho Mirage, California, with his partner, Mark, and together they enjoy traveling as often as schedules allow. An avid distance runner, Brightwell explores new cities by training and participating in running events.

Sue Castorino is the president of The Speaking Specialists in Chicago, providing contemporary media training, issue management and speech coaching for nearly three decades. She founded the company following a distinguished career in broadcast journalism as a news anchor and on-air reporter at WBBM (CBS)

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Chicago. Today she works with executives and professionals at the highest levels in North America, South America, Asia and Europe. She also specializes in working with collegiate, professional and Olympic athletes and their coaches in those same areas. Castorino serves on the faculty at Loyola University Chicago’s School of Communication, where she teaches courses in public speaking and critical thinking, broadcast journalism, ethics and communication and issues in contemporary journalism and communication.

She has traveled to all 50 states (most, multiple times) and a dozen countries and still sees every trip as an adventure. She is a native of Columbus, Ohio, and a graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Speech. Castorino is also a Million Miler with United Airlines and Lifetime Platinum Elite with Marriott International.

Joseph Cestaro has traveled all his life and visited five of the seven continents. He appreciates and respects exceptional service and seeks this out when traveling. As CEO of Debt Reduction Services, a nonprofit credit counseling organization, and CEO of Budget Brokerage, a personal lines insurance business, he has extensive executive management skills. When not working or traveling, he resides in Saint James, New York, with his spouse, Mark, and their Airedale terrier, Apollo.

Travel is his passion, and he’s always excited to visit any destination, large or small. Cestaro has served on the Garden City, Idaho, Library Board and also on the Boise Botanical Garden Board.

Eric Chiang is a professor of economics at Florida Atlantic University and author of Economics: Principles for a Changing World, an economics textbook used at more than 150 universities. Chiang is an innovator in teaching pedagogy aimed at “flipping the classroom,” a learning approach that puts the student in the role of a teacher. Chiang travels

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the world to meet with instructors and students, logging more than 200 flight segments per year. He is a United Premier 1K and Million Miler member, and a Delta Diamond Medallion and Million Miler member. Since 2012 Chiang has created an annual mini-documentary featuring economic concepts while traveling titled Around the World in 80 Hours.

Iris Childress is a cloud computing engineer with Microsoft Corp. Prior to Microsoft, she held technical sales and delivery partner roles at Accenture, Nextel Communications and Loral Space Systems. Childress is a veteran and former officer in the United States Air Force, an active startup mentor, enjoys gardening and traveling the world and is a devoted Trekkie.

Donna Childs is the author of Prepare for the Worst, Plan for the Best: Disaster Preparedness and Recovery for Small Business (Wiley, 2002, second edition paperback, 2009). She is also the founder and chief executive of Prisere LLC, a social enterprise working on initiatives to reduce disaster risk and expand access to affordable commercial insurance for small enterprises. In 2007 the National Association of Women Business Owners named Childs its “Woman Business Owner of the Year.” Childs has traveled extensively, particularly through her work for the United Nations.

Benjamin DeLee has lived in Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. He enjoys cultural events like classical music and the opera. He also enjoys being outside — going to the beach, mountain biking and hiking. An avid traveler, DeLee believes travel is an essential part of broadening one’s horizons. He is an assistant professor at SUNY Cortland.

Jim L. Elliott has traveled internationally for more than 40 years, working, living in and visiting more than 100 countries. He holds several credentials, including certified information system security professional. He has served on boards of several corporations and associations. His professional work is primarily within the telecommunications field; he enjoys traveling with his wife, Linda, for business and leisure and expects to continue traveling for many years. After all this travel via land, sea and air, he and his wife still have a passion for travel and always look forward to the next trip.

Elliott is a member of several international telecom-

munications groups and regularly attends meetings of many of these groups around the world. He holds graduate and undergraduate degrees in engineering and computer science from Oregon State University and Oklahoma State University. Elliott also volunteers with Travelers Aid at Washington Dulles Airport and tries to focus on assisting international passengers.

Douglas Guthrie retired in 2016 after 35 years in the medical diagnostic products industry. After extensive business travel during his career, Guthrie is now focused on personal and adventure travel.

During the first two years of retirement, he has spent more than 16 months in Europe, Asia, Mexico and Australia/New Zealand and always has one to two future trips in planning stages. As a resident of Atlanta, much of his travel is with Delta Air Lines and its partners, and he has achieved Multimillion Miler status as well as similar status in several hotel programs. In addition to travel, skiing and cultural events are among Guthrie’s interests. Along with his partner, Guthrie expects to continue the same pace of travel, dividing downtime among Germany, Mexico and the United States.

Mark Leininger has extensive experience in the planning and design of airport terminals. He worked on Terminal 4 for Delta Air Lines at New York (JFK) and previously worked on the Continental Global Gateway at Newark (EWR), the new T1 Terminal in Toronto (YYZ) and the international terminal at Boston (BOS). He is also involved in the Auckland International Airport Master Plan and the Moynihan Station project at the Farley Post Office in New York, the future home for Amtrak. Leininger has been quoted on terminal design for several publications and on his vintage airline collection in several travel and design publications.

He is an enthusiastic senior architect specializing in airport design — this is due to a love of aviation and all things travel. When designing one of the most complex building types, he enjoys the process of articulating goals and securing buy-in, often with a myriad of competing users, airlines and agencies. Utilizing his outgoing personality, he leads the process, mentoring and motivating teammates for successful project delivery.

Celeste Linhard has been in the food and beverage industry for more than 25 years. The travel involved in managing territories eventually led to a love of traveling the world. She has flown 2.3 million miles with United (an equivalent of going around the globe 92 times or going to the moon and back almost five times) and achieved Lifetime

premier status with Hilton, Hyatt and Marriott. She enjoys corporate event planning assignments. She is married with three daughters who also have the travel bug. She feels blessed to have earned the opportunity to do what she loves: just going somewhere … enjoying the journey just as much as the destination. Her personal signature includes a quote

by Susan Sontag, “I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.”

Tom Linhard is the president and founder of FaxCore, Inc., located in Denver, Colorado.

Linhard has been a leader in the fax server industry since 1992 and has launched several successful companies within the industry. With offices in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and FaxCore dealers throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Linhard flies more than 100,000 miles every year on Start Alliance carriers and is a 2 Million Miler with United Airlines. Linhard has been happily married for more than 33 years and has three daughters.

Eric Ludwig served 15-plus years as a vice president in JPMorgan Chase’s Global Network Services organization, responsible for managing a core network across six of the seven continents, which afforded him many domestic and international trips. In 2016 he relocated to Arizona and joined a faith-based nonprofit, serving as a life coach to various relief workers and ministry partners around the world, getting the chance to observe firsthand the work they are doing to help others. When not traveling for work or ministry, he enjoys adventure travel with his family including diving, cycling, skydiving or simply enjoying a day on a faraway beach. In 2019 he was able to achieve a personal goal of visiting more countries than his age.

Robert G. Mason established Mason & Associates Sept.

1, 1987, in Menlo Park, California. Mason & Associates is an international executive search firm and since 2006 has been based in Charleston, South Carolina, with offices in Chicago and San Francisco serving clients in the pulp and paper, forest products, consumer products, food and ingredients, aerospace, financial services, specialty chemicals and health care industries.

Clients include the Alzheimer’s Association; Apple; Boise Cascade Corp.; BP Chemicals; Cordant Technologies; Emeritus Corp.; Fluke Manufacturing Corp.; Kinko’s Inc.; Gaylord Container Corp.; General Electric Capital Corp.; Genstar Capital Corp.; International Paper Co.; Minnesota Power; Morton International; PACCAR, Inc.; DuPont Protein Tech-

DECEMBER 2019

nologies International; Ralston-Purina; Transamerica Corp.; University of Washington; Weyerhaeuser Co.; and Weyerhaeuser Canada.

Jean-Christophe Murat started an import/export business in 2013, leading him to travel internationally about 75 percent of the time between opposite sides of the world, as the key growth area is the promotion of top-grade Argentinian beef to 5-star hotels and restaurants in the emerging markets of Asia. Florida is home, but an aisle seat or king-sized bed is where he lives. As a result, the perks of premium travel have become both a necessity and a reward to look forward to.

Murat’s first insight into the travel industry came with a summer job as a flight attendant for Air France at the age of 18. Today, being a Globility Board member provides the extraordinary opportunity to exchange directly with representatives of the airline and hospitality industries and compare visions of how to continue to improve the travel experience.

Matthew Provencher is the chief of sports surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, a commander in the U.S. Navy Reserves and associate professor of surgery at Harvard University. A native of Barrington, New Hampshire, Provencher travels extensively to teach shoulder, knee and sports surgery throughout the world and also to present his research findings of how to better solve problems associated with knee and shoulder joints. He has been recognized as one of the top 28 shoulder surgeons in the United States and enjoys skiing, hiking and rowing.

Frank Reilly, a native San Diegan, is the president of Reilly Financial Advisors, an international wealth management RIA firm based in San Diego. Reilly’s international wealth management firm, with full-time offices in Prague, Czech Republic, and the Middle East, affords him the ability to travel to the Middle East, Europe and Asia to conduct business multiple times per year.

When not traveling for business, Reilly travels both domestically and internationally with his wife and five children. His passion for travel and global immersion began as a young child: Reilly would watch his parents set off internationally multiple times per year, and he himself began traveling internationally in his early teens. Reilly’s travels now include 20-plus around-the-world and 45-plus intercontinental trips. Reilly’s motto: By the time your feet touch your native soil, you’d best have two more trips in the works!

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Mark Rizkowsky works for Debt Reduction Services, a nonprofit credit counseling organization based in Boise, Idaho. He is actually based in New York, which gives him the opportunity to follow his passion for travel, which he does on a consistent basis with his spouse.

He resides in Saint James, New York, where he is involved in the community and participates in a myriad of community committees. He spends most of his time with his spouse, Joe; daughter, Candace; and Airedale terrier, Apollo, his biggest pleasure in life.

Mike Russo is a registered nurse with Centura Health and a retired lieutenant colonel in the United States Air Force. He has a master’s in aerospace science and enjoys traveling to destinations throughout the world. Russo has achieved Diamond or Platinum status with Delta Air Lines (and previously Northwest) every year since 1997 and Spire or Platinum status with InterContinental Hotels Group every year since 1997 as well.

After nearly 40 years of federal service, Marvin Singer retired as senior advisor in the Department of Energy’s Office of Basic Energy Sciences in June 2012. During his career, Singer held senior-level positions at the President’s Council on Environmental Quality, the Energy Research and Development Administration and the Department of Energy. His work focused on fossil energy research, energy and science R&D and the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of energy development. Singer was privileged to travel often, both domestically and internationally. He served as the head of numerous U.S. international delegations and participated regularly in meetings with individual governments and international organizations including the Paris-based International Energy Agency and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. He is a Million Miler with United Airlines and holds Diamond status with Hilton and Platinum status with Marriott. Singer and his wife particularly enjoy traveling to warm destinations during winter in Washington, D.C. Last winter they traveled to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Singapore. And they are planning a Caribbean cruise this winter. You might meet him at Washington Dulles International Airport, where he volunteers with Travelers Aid. Theresa Staskus is the director of reimbursement for Therigy, which provides consulting services to health care organizations. Staskus has traveled for business over the past 10-plus years. In her

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personal life she vacations regularly with family and is interested in visiting many new places. She plans travel around sporting events to see her favorite teams play and is an avid sports fan.

Paula Vogel recently retired after a career with international project management, accounting and product management experience in such diverse industries as food processing, heavy equipment manufacturing and retail operations. Today her travels are mostly for pleasure and for some volunteer board activities with a variety of nonprofits. She studied at the United Nations in New York City through the University of Wisconsin and at Stanford University’s Graduate School for business marketing management. Vogel holds a bachelor of arts special studies degree in international relations from University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and a master’s in international management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Arizona.

Leland (Lee) Weinstein advises companies in the areas of partner and client development. Prior to founding NewbridgeTuring, Lee was a partner and served as president of Syscom Services, Inc., an award-winning technology consulting and integration firm, for eighteen years. Lee sold his interest in Syscom Services’ Web Division in December of 2014 and his interest in the Document Technology Division in June of 2016. Previously, he spent 12 years with Automated Digital Systems (ADS), an integrator of duplication and fax technologies, where he rose to president and owner of the company (he sold ADS to The Alco Standard Corporation, NYSE:ASN, which became Ikon Office Solutions, NYSE:IKN).

Lee is the immediate past chair of ASAE’s Industry Partner Alliance (IPA) and former chair of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Technology Council. Previously, Lee has been appointed to advisory councils for Xerox, Intel/Dialogic, Sharp Electronics, Captaris/Rightfax, Murata Business Systems, Brooktrout Technologies, Panasonic Electronics and Episerver/Ektron (an Accel/KKR company). He has sat on the Board of Governors of the University of Maryland Alumni Association and was the former chair of the Alumni Association’s Admissions Committee. Mr. Weinstein served on the Eagle Bancorp Founders Advisory Board and has served on the Board of EagleBank since 1998 and as a director on the board of Eagle Bancorp (NASDAQ:EGBN) since May 2005. Lee is involved in numerous charities and currently sits on the Foundation Board of Suburban Hospital (Johns Hopkins Medicine), was a member of the Board of Directors of the Jewish Federation of Washington, and was programming chair of the Washington Federation’s Technology Group and co-chairman

GT Tested Reader Survey Awards DECEMBER 2019

of its Business and Entrepreneur Division. Lee is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s OPM program and holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Technology/Marketing from the University of Maryland. As a frequent traveler for both business and pleasure, Weinstein has reached Diamond Status at Hilton, Marriott Lifetime Platinum Elite status and United Airlines Million Miler and 1K levels.

Angela Rose White is president of Pearl Note Music Services, a music rights consulting firm. White has a passion for travel and an understanding of what it is like to travel for business, for pleasure, with family and, most importantly, alone. She has been traveling most of her life, domestically and internationally, by car, plane, train and ship. As an attorney and music business consultant, she travels internationally and domestically participating in conferences, speaking on panels and meeting with business associates.

Steven White was born, raised and currently resides in Los Angeles, California. He attended the University of Southern California and has been married for more than 30 years, with two children.

White has been successful in the marketing and sales world in the consumer electronics and housewares industries. White is presently consulting with manufacturers in the housewares industry. Besides family, business and travel, he also plays golf and has enjoyed playing all over the world.

Dorothy Wood is the president emeritus of JD&W Inc. Active in the community, she serves as an economic development commissioner for Virginia’s largest city. She chairs the Advisory Board of the Coalition of Hearing and Balance from the Otolaryngology Department of Eastern Virginia Medical School. She has represented the State of Virginia as chair of the State Board of Contractors as well as other State of Virginia boards. She is the chair of the Virginia Beach Economic Development Authority, a board member of the Virginia Beach Rescue Squad Foundation, member of the Military Economic Development Authority and board member of Growth Smart. She is the former First Citizen of Virginia Beach and was honored by the Salvation Army with the Evangeline Booth Award in memory of its founder. She received the Inside Business Women in Business Award, the YWCA Women’s Award and the Outstanding Women in Business Award from Virginia Lawyers Weekly, in addition to many others.

THE ONLY BUT DOUBLE EXPERIENCES

Seoul-Gangwon MICE Co-Marketing

Seoul

Gangwon

Eligibility • International conferences, corporate meetings, incentive tours or pre/post tours with overseas participants • Conjunction tour programs with Seoul and Gangwon

Financial Support • 20,000KRW for international MICE participants ex) Transportation, Food, Souvenir Production, Admission Fees for Tourist Dstinations, Rental for event Space

Requirement • Over one night stay in Seoul & Gangwon

Hospitality Support • Airport Greeting Message • Seoul Welcome Kit • Seoul MICE Supporters

Get in touch with the Seoul Convention Bureau & Gangwon Economic Promotion Agency E-mail : micesg2019@gmail.com Tel : +82-2-3788-8159 / +82-33-749-3340 www.miceseoul.com

Global Traveler’s Advisory Board Get to know the magazine’s trusted board of industry advisors.

FXEXPRESS PUBLICATIONS, INC.’S ADVISORY BOARD COMPRISES well-traveled executives from around the United States. Along with the company’s publisher and CEO, Francis X. Gallagher, the Advisory Board meets regularly to discuss the state of the business and to select the annual Airline and Hotel of the Year.

Michael Donahue, Chairman Michael Donahue has 25-plus years’ experience in sales and business development across multiple industries, including technology, publishing, e-commerce and education.

Education: He holds a bachelor’s degree from Bloomsburg University and earned his master’s degree at Ashland University.

Family/Interests: Donahue and his wife, Janis, have two children, Michael and Jessica. During his free time, he enjoys a round of golf, traveling and spending time with family.

Favorite City: Hamilton, Bermuda Mike Kiely, Chief Operating Officer Michael Kiely is a retired supervisor of media research at MSI in New York City. Kiely was in the media and marketing business for 30 years.

Education: Born and raised in New York City, he attended Fordham University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in finance and marketing.

Family/Interests: He resides in Throgs Neck, New York, with his wife, Maryellen. In his spare time, he enjoys classic movies, reading biographies, fine dining, historic travel, old-time rock-and-roll and tooling around town in his Mustang.

Favorite City: New York City Carlos Cappuccio, President Carlos Cappuccio is an entrepreneur in the medical leasing field, providing competitive quotes, reviewing tax returns and providing documentation to complete transactions for doctors’ leasing of major medical equipment. He began his career with the CIT Group and was quickly promoted to a senior management position for its leasing division. His fluency in both Spanish and Italian provides him with a competitive edge in the marketplace.

Education: Cappuccio was born in Caracas, Venezuela, to Italian parents. He studied in both Venezuela and Italy before coming to the United States. He graduated from Saint Joseph’s University in 1985 with a bachelor’s degree in management and finance.

Family/Interests: He resides in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, with his wife and two children. He enjoys travel; fishing; spending time in Ocean City, New Jersey; and following Philadelphia sports.

Favorite City: Taormina, Italy

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Gary Oswald, Executive Vice President Gary Oswald is a marketing consultant in Ivyland, Pennsylvania. Oswald has more than 40 years’ experience as an executive in sales and marketing management. His areas of concentration are in the electrical and electronics industry. Oswald founded and subsequently sold a successful software company specializing in medical patient registration.

Education: He is a graduate of Drexel University College of Business Administration.

Family/Interests: Oswald married his college sweetheart, Eleanor, and has two children, Jackie and Alex. He is a PADI-certified rescue diver and an Eagle Scout. His interests include administrative positions in amateur baseball and the Boy Scouts of America. An avid traveler, Oswald fancies himself a cruise expert and is always open to the next travel adventure.

Favorite City: Bruges, Belgium Edward Jefferson, Deputy Vice President, Aviation Edward P. Jefferson practices law as a senior attorney for the City of Philadelphia. He serves as counselor to various city departments and officials.

Formerly, he was an assistant district attorney in Philadelphia.

Education: Born and raised in Philadelphia, Jefferson graduated magna cum laude from Saint Joseph’s University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and obtained his juris doctor degree from Temple University.

Family/Interests: Married to Jeanette Katherine Jefferson, he has two adult children, Kaitlyn Marie and E. Bryan Jefferson. He spends his leisure time counseling first-time juvenile offenders, playing golf and tennis, restoring antique furniture and traveling.

Favorite City: Cairo, Egypt Stephen Doherty, Deputy Vice President, Accommodations Stephen Doherty is director of sales for Geoffrey Allen Footwear. He is responsible for product development, marketing and sales. He serves on the committee for brand acquisition. In his role at GAF, Doherty covers the United States and Canada. He travels to Europe to attend international trade shows and shop markets for trends.

Family/Interests: Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Doherty is married and has five children. In his free time, he enjoys skydiving, scuba diving, skiing, riding his motorcycle and traveling.

Favorite City: Paris, France

Wayne Tallman, Deputy Director, Destinations Wayne G. Tallman is a senior account director at RR Donnelley. Tallman has 36 years of experience with RRD, having advanced through the ranks, presently handling large government contracts.

Education: Born and raised in Hamburg, New York, Tallman attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business management and administration.

Family/Interests: He is married and has three children: Casey, Samantha and Jeffrey. In his free time, he runs races from 5Ks to half-marathons, as well as plays golf, reads and travels.

Favorite City: Rome, Italy Christopher Ottaunick, Vice President, Special Events and Photography Christopher Ottaunick is a seasoned freelance photographer specializing in celebrity, fashion and travel photography. He is also the staff photographer for FXExpress Publications, Inc. He began his career working for Sony with renowned photographer Francesco Scavullo before branching out on his own.

Education: Born in New Jersey, Ottaunick graduated from Rutgers University.

Family/Interests: Ottaunick and his wife, Carmel, have two children, John and Kelly, and reside on Long Island, New York. He is an avid golfer and enjoys travel.

Favorite City: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Mark Lane, Secretary Mark Lane is a former advertising executive at Saatchi & Saatchi, Wells Rich Greene and Cox Media. He is currently a director of Perfect LIMO, Inc., and a member of the Extensis Group.

Education: He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and master’s of business administration degree from the University of Texas.

Interests: Travel, golf and performing arts Favorite City: Gaiole in Chianti, Italy; San Pedro, Belize Frank LoVerme, Treasurer Frank LoVerme is both the senior vice president of business development and a board member of MyPlace Inc., a network-based platform using quick-response barcodes to bridge traditional retailers and the digital world. He has an extensive sales and marketing background, including 22 years at CBS and Time Warner. His company represented numerous magazines, including American Express Publishing, Condé Nast and Hearst magazines, Scientific American and Woman’s Day. Education: Born in the United Kingdom, raised in New York and living in Los Angeles for the past 40 years, LoVerme attended Union College in Schenectady, New York, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economics. He later earned a master’s of business in management at Pepperdine University.

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Interests: He is an avid golfer and world traveler.

Favorite City: Bangkok, Thailand Robert Hancock, Director of Technology Robert Hancock retired as executive managing director and chief operating officer for Sands Capital Management, which advises global institutions including profit sharing plans, mutual funds, foundations and sovereign wealth funds.

Hancock has more than 35 years of experience in various senior roles in the asset management industry, working for 1838 Investment Advisers, Wilmington Trust Co., Legg Mason, PNCBank and the Vanguard Group.

Education: Hancock holds an MBA in finance and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Family/Interests: Born and raised outside of Philadelphia, Bob and his wife, Betsy, have three children: Sarah, David and Allison. His interests include family vacations, golf, travel, surf fishing on the Outer Banks, reading and fine dining.

Favorite City: Venice, Italy Jared Torgan, Director of Digital Advancement Jared Torgan is executive vice president at Falcone & Associates, a consulting and third-party administration firm helping small businesses with the design, operation and compliance of their retirement plans. Torgan is an expert in 401(k) and defined benefit plans.

Education: He received a bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University in computer engineering.

Family/Interests: He resides in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, with his wife and three daughters. In his spare time, he enjoys mountain biking, ice hockey, skiing and spending time with his family.

Favorite City: Florence, Italy Jim Bolger, Vice President of Corporate Giving Jim is the CEO of Palestra Medical, one of the market leaders in the medical equipment industry. Bolger has more than 20 years of pharmaceutical and medical device sales and leadership experience. Before starting Palestra, Bolger held roles as district, regional and national sales manager for Abbott, Takeda, Ventiv Health and Entellus Medical.

Education: Jim holds a bachelor’s degree from Rider University in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.

Family/Interests: Bolger and his wife, Eileen, have two children, Kieran and Lindsay. In his free time, Bolger enjoys playing basketball, golfing and fishing.

Favorite City: Galway, Ireland

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