Skal International Iloilo chapter underway
Skal, the only international organization that brings together all sectors of the travel and tourism industry, is on its way to having an Iloilo Chapter.
Skal is represented by the industry's managers and executives and they meet to discuss subjects of common interest.
Last Sept. 25, 2007, friends were invited to the initial orientation for the creation of Skal International Iloilo Chapter and there, the officers and members were elected. The group is headed by Department of Tourism Undersecretary for Security and Political Affairs, Salvador Sarabia, Jr.
BEGINNINGS
The first club was founded in Paris in 1932 by travel trade managers who had been on an educational tour of Scandinavia and so the ideal of professionals in travel and tourism working closely together in a spirit of friendship was born. The idea of professionalism and international friendship became immediately so popular that in 1934, Skal achieved international status with the formation of the Association Internationale des Skal Clubs, on the initiative of Florimond Volckaert, the man considered to be the "Father of Skal." The association is now known worldwide as Skal International.
From that modest beginning, Skal now numbers almost 25,000 members in over 500 clubs spread throughout more than 80 countries. As in other associations of professionals, most Skal activities take place locally, but the movement also features national and area committees under the umbrella of Skal International, which has its permanent general secretariat in Torremolinos, Spain.
PHILIPPINES
In the Philippines, it has clubs in Manila, Makati, Davao, Cebu and Bacolod.Charles Lim, councilor of Skal International Philippines , said that having Skal in Iloilo could boost the city and province's travel and tourism industry through the help of Skal's global network. By attending local meetings, national and international congresses and other events, members are able to meet industry colleagues from clubs throughout the world and above all, to network with their colleagues in the industry. These meetings, held in an atmosphere of "amicale," give members the chance to make contacts, on both a business and personal level, and to forge new and lasting friendships.
MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
Interested applicants should hold an executive senior position in any company for at least five years. Membership fee is 33 euros yearly (approximately P3,800). The benefits of joining Skal are: contacts for business through more than 20,000 tourism-related companies to choose from; annual tourism forum and many opportunities to attend seminars, nationally and locally; networking with 25,000 tourism professionals worldwide; an idea way to meet new professional contacts when you start your own business; meet other tourism professionals when moving to a new city; annual congress in more than 80 countries to choose from; develop new friends within the travel and tourism industry; avail of the Skal News, a quarterly magazine edited by Skal International; access to Skal Database, a membership directory worldwide; membership in the organization will be recognized in many ways as you travel and the Florimond Volckaert Fund, which provides help for members and their families who have fallen on hard times through loss of employment, illnesses and others.
Skal is totally non-political and does not discriminate on the grounds of sex, age, race, religion, politics or social standing. It does, though, support charitable causes.