Dear Fellow Skålleagues,

This is the last newsletter of the year!

Next month we are ending the year with our Skål Now Magazine. This month's newsletter is again packed with great information for you! The theme is #thecomeback. We are covering stories from the industry as well as from our Skål International clubs around the globe. Our newest clubs Bhubaneswar and Napoli have sent great stories; don't miss them!

The highlight of this month is that Skål International is awarded again as the Best Travel Association in the World by the UzakRota Tourism Platform for 2021. Congratulations are to all fellow Skålleagues around the globe!

This month, the featured Skålleague is Tim Hemphill from Skål International New Orleans, covering the comeback story for their club how Skål International New Orleans turned into a club that sets the trends for the industry while hosting the most critical decision-makers as members of the club in New Orleans, LA.

Skål International History is covered by Antonio García, aka Mr. Skål – it's a must-read article. The Future is covered by Stephan Parent, Skål International Quebec President and Director of special projects at Novom Interactive, with a gripping article about the Future on Technology in Tourism.

There is also #comeback in the travel industry with the in-person tradeshows. Our CEO Daniela Otero has been present in several of these events – check out her message this month covering the trade shows she has participated in representing Skål International. Further upcoming tradeshow information is also available in this month's newsletter.

Skålleagues - Our organization's success, health, and longevity always must come first in our schedule. After a long period of restrictions due to pandemics, times of uncertainty, and stress caused due to the uncertainty, it is now the time to unite. It is time for us, Skålleagues, to become one and work together to identify than to adopt the necessary changes needed to make our organization healthier and stronger than ever and be ahead of the game and lead the travel industry globally rebuilding and reconnecting the industry. It is crucial to understand that we are an organization/association run by the statutes and bylaws; this does not mean we cannot make the changes - we can and will, but we need to follow the proper procedures respecting the organization's fundamentals.

As your current Senior Vice President elected by you, the members, I am continuing to be at your service to assist you and the organization to reach its goals and take it to the next level working together with you. As next in line to serve as your Skål International World President in 2022, following your endorsement during the upcoming Skål International AGA, I want to assure you that I will be your transformational leader working horizontally with you. I will listen to you, I will hear your ideas, take on new challenges with you/for you, and offer you my time, my experience, and my loyalty. I will work with you, support you in achieving the goals you will set, applaud you, celebrate your successes with you with the entire Skål International world.

As always, I am at your service to assist you at any time. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any feedback, questions, or concerns.

Always in Friendship and Skål,

Burcin Turkkan

Skål International Senior Vice President

burcinturkkan@useh.org