PMVB ANNOUNCES NATIONALLY-KNOWN KEYNOTER FOR TOURISM DAY 2009

04/09/2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Alicia M. Quinn
Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau
Phone: 570.421.5791
alicia@poconos.org 

  PMVB ANNOUNCES NATIONALLY-KNOWN KEYNOTER FOR TOURISM DAY 2009

POCONO MOUNTAINS, PA, April 9, 2009 – The Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau (PMVB) is pleased to announce Dr. Suzanne D. Cook as keynoter for the annual Tourism Day conference on Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort in Shawnee on Delaware.

Dr. Cook is the Senior Vice-President of Research for the U.S. Travel Association, previously the Travel Industry Association.  As keynoter, she will discuss "The Sustainable Travel Initiative," a plan to consolidate key industry information and help your business stay ahead of the curve.  She will explain why being green is important to travel entities and show you how the travelgreen.org web site can serve as a wonderful resource.  

As Senior Vice-President of Research for the U.S. Travel Association, Dr. Cook is responsible for overseeing the work of the research department, including directing a multi-faceted program of marketing, economic and international research and report publication. The research program includes the Travel Economic Impact Model, the only national model that provides consistent and comparable estimates of both domestic and international travel's economic impact at the national, state and local levels.

The U.S. Travel Association also monitors the size, characteristics and growth of existing and emerging travel markets on an ongoing basis through programs such as TravelHorizons™, a quarterly travel survey conducted in conjunction with the Ypartnership.

Dr. Cook is the principal author of many reports, as well as a highly sought-after speaker at industry conferences specializing in consumer marketing research related to travel and tourism.  She has also taught graduate level courses in research methods and statistics both in Washington, D.C. and abroad, and has served as President and Chairperson of the Board of the International Travel and Tourism

Research Association (TTRA).  Travel Agent Magazine named Dr. Cook as one of the 200 most powerful women in the travel industry and TTRA has awarded her its highest and most prestigious award, The Lifetime Achievement Award.  Additionally, she was the recipient of the Access to Freedom Award given by the Society of Accessible Travel and Hospitality.

Dr. Cook joined the U.S. Travel Association in 1977.  Prior to that, she held the position of Senior Project Director for the Arbitron Company, a major broadcasting research firm.  She received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Social Psychology from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

To hear from Dr. Cook and register for the annual Pocono Mountains Tourism Day conference, www.800poconos.com/tourismday.  Fees for Pocono Mountains Tourism Day are $75 for the first person and $70 for each additional person from the same PMVB member property.  Non-PMVB member fees are $95 for the first person and $90 for each additional person from the same property.  Attendees coming solely for the luncheon have a rate of $25 per person.  The pre-registration deadline is Friday, May 1, 2009.  Registrations postmarked after May 1, or walk-in registrations, will be subject to slightly higher fees.

About the Pocono Mountains
With 2,400 square miles encompassing Pennsylvania's Carbon, Monroe, Pike and Wayne counties, the Pocono Mountains region is home to rolling mountain terrain, breathtakingly beautiful waterfalls, thriving woodlands and 170 miles of winding rivers.  Winters offer guests the opportunity to ski, snowboard, snow tube and even snowshoe their way through snowy wonderlands encompassing over 163 ski trails, while summers also cater to the active traveler allowing exploration of 261miles of hiking and biking trails, over 35 golf courses, whitewater rafting, boating, fishing and open access to nine state and two national parks. 

Any time of year is a good time to visit the Pocono Mountains, located within driving distance of most major East Coast cities.  This region teeming with history offers year-round cultural tours and art exhibitions, abundant antiquing and brand-name shopping and a full calendar of festivals showcasing the heritage, music and food of the Pocono Mountains. 

Even the most discerning traveler will find comfortable accommodations in the Pocono Mountains, which offers an eclectic mix of resorts, distinctive properties and quaint, country inns and bed and breakfasts.

Comprehensive Pocono Mountains visitor information is available online at www.800poconos.com or by phone at 800-POCONOS (800-762-6667).  The Pocono Mountains Convention and Visitors Bureau is the official destination marketing organization for the four counties of Carbon, Monroe, Pike and Wayne in northeastern Pennsylvania.   

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