From left: Director Frank Oz, recipient of The Creative
Coalition 2004 Spotlight Award; Efrem Harkham, owner and CEO of
Luxe Hotels and co-sponsor/underwriter of The Creative Coalition
event; and actor Seth Green.
More than 400 entertainment industry celebrities and VIPs filled
the new Luxe Sunset Ballroom of the Luxe Hotel Sunset
Boulevard to support The Creative Coalition at its first
annual Spotlight Awards and Ultimate Gift Gala fundraiser. Founded
in 1989, The Creative Coalition is a non-profit social and public
advocacy organization of the arts and entertainment community. The
Luxe Hotel Sunset Boulevard is a luxury, boutique resort nestled
between the tony Los Angeles neighborhoods of Bel-Air and
Brentwood. The hotel recently completed construction of its
beautiful new Luxe Sunset Ballroom.
New GM at Punta Cana Grand
Jorge Vilanova has been named general manager of the
Sunscape Punta Cana Grand in the Dominican
Republic. Vilanova was most recently senior consultant/director of
operations at Croatia-based THR, where he was responsible for the
master development plan for the hotel chain. The 346-room,
all-inclusive Punta Cana Grand is operated by AM Resorts, which
operates 11 resorts in the Dominican Republic and Mexico under the
Secrets, Dreams and Sunscape brands.
More Mancini Wisdom
ManciniTravelAge West’s very own “Geography Bowl Challenge” guru,
Dr. Marc Mancini, has released a new book,
Access: Introduction
to Travel and Tourism. Published by Thomson/Delmar Learning,
the 273-page book explores customer purchasing motives for each
kind of travel product, analyzes the role technology plays in
sales, and defines key jargon that each sector uses. “We had two
objectives in mind for this book,” said Mancini. “The first was to
provide a tool for travel companies and organizations to bring
their new-hires and even veterans up to speed on our complex and
ever-changing business environment. The second was to supply an
introductory textbook for travel teachers and trainers to use; one
that addresses travel and tourism’s very new realities.” Mancini’s
Access, as well as his Selling Destinations, Cruising and
Conducting Tours, are available at www.delmar.com.
