Skal International Stands Strong with Its Membership Despite Pandemic and Its effects to the Travel & Tourism Industry

14/09/2020 17:30

Skal International, with its over 13,500 global membership, is the only International association welcoming executives of all branches in Travel and Tourism industries, has recently announced 96% retention of their members despite the pandemic.

MALAGA, Spain, Sept. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pandemic hit the travel and tourism industry the hardest around the globe. During this most difficult time, Skål International has been able to work on successful retention with its 350 Clubs in over 100 countries, recruit new members and even launch new clubs.

'The Pandemic has reiterated the fact that Skål International plays a vital role in connecting people, providing information, assisting members' careers, and furthering their industries or professions. As technological, social, and economic shifts change how people work and engage with each other, we in Skål International are finding innovative ways to connect with future and potential members' said Daniela Otero, CEO - Skål International.

There have been numerous studies conducted on to understand how these shifts are affecting the ways associations and their members are thinking about membership and discussing the future of associations worldwide. Innovation, offering different membership models as well as keeping the generation gap short are reported by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), to be the best solutions that work for associations to retain membership and achieve a growth.

'I am confident to say that Skål International has been successful in adapting these suggestions that are recommended to see continued success. We have been working on innovation starting with Digital Transformation and opening the platform to membership with Webinars/ Job Platforms / Benefits Platform which initiates B2B for members. We offer different membership models and over 40 membership classifications that help our clubs to diversify their membership and increase their numbers. We shifted our focus to Young Professionals in the past few years as well accepting the fact that we need to stay close and connected to the future leaders of our industry' said Burcin Turkkan, Director of Membership Development, Strategy & Innovation - Skål International.

Skål International membership has members from 40 different approved classifications among the Travel and Tourism Industry with many industry' VIP names. Recent VIP name that Skål International is proud to welcome is Carina Bauer, CEO of IMEX Group. She has joined Skål International as of August 2020.

At this time, Skål International is making a call to all Travel and Tourism Industry Professionals to join Skål International and take advantage of being a member of the world's largest networking organisation; Connecting Tourism Globally, with over 86 years of history offering the most up to date digital transformation platform that is available today in the market and the unique opportunity of doing business amongst friends.

'This is the time when each and every professional in the industry needs to stay connected and be a part of a large international organisation like Skål International. When the pandemic is over, those who have been a part of a large networking group like Skål will be the ones who will be able to recover the fastest.' said Peter Morrison, President of Skål International.

Skål International is the world's largest global network of Tourism Professionals promoting Tourism, Business and Friendship worldwide since 1934. Its members are Directors and Executives of the Tourism sector who relate to each other to address issues of common interest, improving a business network and promoting destinations. For more information about Skål and membership, please visit www.skal.org.

Press Release Contact: Fiona Nicholl - Director, Skål International / fiona.nicholl@skal.org