14 JAN 2019: Skal Canada experienced one of its strongest years to date in 2018 achieving over 160 percent of its new member goal, marking the largest increase in national membership in more than a decade. Newly elected President Paul Durand of Skal Edmonton will lead the organization.

Durand’s executive board includes Jean-Francois Cote, Skal Quebec City, International Skal Councilor; Jean Pelletier, Skal Quebec City, Vice President Membership; Marc Rheaume, Skal Calgary, Vice President Finance and Mark Schaay, Skal Halifax, Vice President Administration.

During 2018, Club representatives attended the North American Skal Congress meeting in Cancun, and an immersive fall board meeting in Prince Edward Island hosted by Skal Canada’s newest club. A large delegation of Canadian Skal Members attended the Skal World Congress in Mombasa, Kenya and Bill Rheaume (Skal Canadian Rockies) was elected to the Skal International Executive Committee, a major achievement for Canada!

Activities planned for 2019 include the North American Skal Congress in Hawaii, a fall board meeting in the beautiful Canadian Rockies, a World Congress on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas out of Miami, and expanded efforts to work with the national tourism industry.

2019 President Paul Durand has summarized his goals for the year this way, “The Skal Canada 2019 Executive Committee will work hard to build on top of what has been constructed in the past few years to grow our organization further. Our priority will be to continue the momentum of growth in membership and starting new clubs.

“Since communication is the key to retain membership, we will benefit from technology to improve our level of communications and channels with our membership and potential members in the travel and tourism industry. We will continue to be a national committee that sets the trends and give the courage to the other national committees in Skal.”

Of the 83 countries that Skal International has clubs, Skal Canada has the sixth largest national membership in the world.

Membership is exclusively for senior management of tourism, hospitality and travel companies. The Young Skal program is ideal for young professionals in the tourism hospitality industry.  Skal promotes “Doing business with Friends.”

The organization founded in 1934, is the largest organization of professional travel and tourism leaders around the world, promoting global tourism and friendship. It is the only international group uniting all branches of the travel and tourism industry. Its’ members, industry managers and executives, meet at local, regional and international levels to discuss and pursue topics of common interest in the Travel and Tourism Sectors.

There are over 15,000 members in almost 400 clubs located 83 nations.

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