LOS ANGELES—The Boutique & Lifestyle Lodging Assn. (BLLA), in partnership with the Travel Industry Executive Women’s Network (TIEWN), wrapped up its third annual Executive Women’s Conference in Los Angeles on Wednesday, January 27. Over 25 guest speakers and more than 100 hospitality professionals, discerning travelers and elite media attended the symposium to enhance the knowledge, ambition and education opportunities for female hospitality successors.
“It’s rewarding to see how the women of today continue to empower and thrive in the travel and tourism industries,” said BLLA and TIEWN Founder and CEO, Frances Kiradjian. “They are recognized as the leading influencers in the world of social media, and are consciously creating programs to enrich and augment the hospitality and tourism industries today.”
Over the course of the day, guest speakers including Crystal Cruises CEO and President Edie Rodriguez, White Lodging’s Carolyn Hosna, Luxury Travel writer Karen Loftus and GOOGLE Travel Senior Account Executive Ashley Mohan, lead seven thought-provoking panel discussions to share expertise and experience towards female industry professionals. Guests also had a chance to participate in the discussions of the latest travel, tourism and hospitality trends.
Technology will continue to disrupt the travel industry in 2016. BCD Travel Director of Emerging Technologies, Miriam Moscovici, examined how new-aged technology, such as virtual reality, is vastly making its way into the travel industry. Virtual reality technologies are enabling travel companies to bring their brands closer to consumers through immersive experiences. The Google Cardboard, for example, is seeing its way through hotels such as Marriott or destinations like Jerusalem, which are now using the product to show guests travel destinations. Other notable trend discussions, in the panel moderated by Condé Nast Traveler Contributing Editor, Juliana Shallcross, included the rise of solopreneurs and what hotels are doing to cater to the most ideal female traveler.
During the symposium, BLLA hosted a luncheon, networking opportunities and a closing cocktail reception.
For more information regarding the conference, including a full agenda, guest speakers and event sponsors, visit here. To learn more about BLLA, visit BLLA.org.
