Travel Industry Executive Womens Network (TIEWN)

This new Network in LinkedIn officially held it’s first event in November in conjunction with the Phocuswright Conference in Los Angeles.  The event was attended by more than 40 executives and attendees.  It was sponsored by PINK Magazine, Lucky Strike Lanes and The Kodak Theatre.  Guests were treated to great hors’d’oeurves and cocktails at Lucky Strike Lanes in the Hollywood & Highland complex.  PINK Magazine hosted the goodie bags which contained an array of wonderful items in a nice leather bag.
 
Featured speaker of the evening was Mrs. Elisabeth Guertler, Owner and Managing Director of the famous Sacher Hotels in Vienna and Salzburg.  Her speech was extremely interesting and insightful on how a woman with no hotel experience whatsoever can rise to success in short order by incorporating elegance, tenacity and drive to her everyday existence. 
 
Mrs. Guertler’s story is unique, to say the least!  She has several “1sts” including being the first women member of the Rotary Club in Austria and most recently, the first women CEO in more than 430 years of the renowned Spanish Riding School where her responsibility is strategy, marketing and pr of the school.  This school trains the Lipizzans which are international Stars and are some of the world’s finest bred horses.
 
Mrs. Guertler started riding horses when she was 5 years old and stopped when she was 40 to take over the hotels which were given to her by her ex-husband.  She had her own idea of how to run the hotels from the very beginning.  Her mentor during all this transition in her life was Rupert Huber from Hilton who personally helped Elisabeth have a more complete understanding of the hospitality industry.
 
The hotels are an embodiment of Elisabeth in every way and you can see proof of this throughout the operations of both properties.  She still believes in using the big European keys (which are also electronic).  The keys are kept with the Concierge as you leave and handed to you when you return.  This allows the hotel guest to experience the personal touch by interacting with hotel staff frequently.  This is one of the most important elements of the Hotel Sacher experience.
 
The properties are named after the Sacher Torte, a famous dessert introduced by Eduard Sacher in 1832 and still enjoyed by Austrians and on an international basis.  Elisabeth enjoys running her hotels and keeping her personality alive throughout with services and extra special venues including her ‘Chocolate’ spa.  TIEWN thanks Mrs. Guertler for her inspiring presentation and thanks also goes to Peter Katz, Director for the Austrian Tourist Office based in Los Angeles.
 
Here is a great article about Elisabeth:  http://www.epicurean-traveler.com/articles/Sachertorte_Lucy_Gordan/Elisabeth%20Guertler.html
 
The next Travel Industry Executive Womens Network gathering will take place Tuesday, January 27, 2009 in New York, the morning following the HSMAI Adrian Awards being held the evening of January 26, 2009 at the Marriott Marquis.  More information will be forthcoming on the venue and details. 
 
Visit the Network’s LinkedIn page for more information and to request membership, joining more than 400 travel industry women executives from more than 30 countries:  http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/99202
 
Report by Frances Kiradjian, Publisher TravelMole USA and Founder of the Travel Industry Executive Womens Network