ROME, 26 MAY 2025: Skål Europe has called for urgent reform after a EUR500,000 IT development loss sparked a global consultation — a defining moment and turning point for the organisation. In the wake of institutional failures and governance concerns, Europe’s clubs are demanding transparency, decisive action, and a new direction, uniting Skål members worldwide.

This bold and unprecedented step towards reform was initiated by Skål Europe, which convened a landmark online meeting on 22 May 2025. 

Coordinated by Vice President Paolo Bartolozzi, the session brought together over 60 Skålleagues worldwide, including members of the Skål International Executive Committee. The consultation placed clubs and members at the heart of the conversation about Skål’s future.

Led by Skål Europe President Franz Heffeter, the meeting addressed the urgency for change with both clarity and determination. “This is your mandate,” Heffeter affirmed. “It must come from the Clubs — not from the top down.” With seamless coordination by Tito Livio Mongelli and Stefan Pettersson, the event was accessible across time zones and languages.

At the core of the discussion were two pivotal reform documents. The first directly tackled governance shortcomings, including the deeply troubling loss of over EUR500,000 linked to failed digital platform projects such as Odoo and Omnigo — resulting from a cancelled IT contract for the Skål website. This financial loss, far from a minor oversight, was likened to public-sector mismanagement, highlighting the critical need for accountability and structural change. The document proposed strong remedial measures, ESG certification and financial reporting.

But the focus was not on assigning blame. Instead, it presented forward-looking proposals: ESG certification as a governance tool, cost-centre financial reporting, transparent tendering, and broader institutional reform. “We must turn pain into structure,” Paolo said, “and confusion into a model of clarity.”

The second document looked to the future, presenting a visionary strategic mandate that reimagines Skål not as a top-down authority but as a global service platform. It emphasised institutional visibility at tourism bodies, improved digital infrastructure, enhanced Congress formats, and stronger support for club promotion at key industry events.

The consultation drew some of the most open and constructive dialogue in recent Skål history. Skålleagues from Monte Carlo, Germany, Austria, South Africa, Croatia, and Italy offered passionate, thoughtful insights. Their message was unified and urgent: Skål must evolve, modernise, and meaningfully engage with the next generation of tourism professionals.

Concluding the discussion, Luigi Sciarra, President of Skål Roma, quoted former Skål International President Annette Cardenas: “Annette said we must build bridges. But to build bridges, you need bricks and iron. This reform gives us both. It is time to build.”

The Strategic Survey remains open to all clubs until 3 June 2025. The final reform proposal will be submitted at the AGA during Skål’s World Congress in Cuzco, Peru, from 25 to 30 September 2025. What began in Skål Roma as a local initiative has now evolved into a European and increasingly global movement for change.

A Turning Point

The evening ended not with slogans but with mutual respect. No personal attacks. No division. Just clubs, members, and professionals — choosing to build something better. As the screens went dark, one thing was clear: the real mandate for Skål International had not been delivered from a stage but had risen from the grassroots. The future of Skål is no longer a question of who leads — but how its members lead and for whom.

Source: Andrew Wood

About the author 
Andrew J Wood is a respected travel writer, hotelier, and tourism lecturer with over four decades of experience in Southeast Asia’s hospitality and tourism sectors. A former general manager of several leading hotels in Thailand and a regular speaker at international tourism forums, he is widely recognised for his insight into emerging travel trends and his passionate advocacy for Thailand as a world-class destination. 

SINGAPORE, 23 MAY 2025: The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has named Manfredi Lefebvre as its Chair-Elect, who will take the top post in the association this September. 

In the commercial travel world, Lefebvre is the chair of Heritage Group and co-chair of luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent.

Lefebvre, who will take over the WTTC chair in September during the global tourism body’s 25th Global Summit in Rome, Italy, has been a Member of WTTC for more than 20 years.

He will follow the current Chairman, Greg O’Hara, Founder and Senior Managing Director of Certares Management LLC (“Certares”), who has been in the position since November 2023.

One of the most recognised names in Travel & Tourism, Lefebvre brings over four decades of experience in the cruise and leisure industries.

A visionary entrepreneur who transformed Silversea Cruises into a global leader, today, he leads diversified investments through Heritage Group, active across biotechnology, medical technologies, energy transition, real estate, information technology, and premium spirits.

Greg O’Hara, who continues as WTTC Chair until the Global Summit in September, said: “I am delighted to announce Manfredi Lefebvre as the Chair-Elect. His experience and dedication to a sector he loves mark him out as a great future chairman.

“Serving WTTC and our members has been a privilege, and I am delighted to be handing the baton to Manfredi, a renowned force in the global Travel & Tourism sector.” 

Manfredi Lefebvre said: “As the longest-serving member of the World Travel & Tourism Council, I am elated to be appointed to this esteemed position.”

WTTC President & CEO Julia Simpson said: “Firstly, I would like to thank Greg for his immense and continuing contribution to WTTC, his unwavering dedication and exceptional leadership during his tenure. 

“I am delighted to welcome Manfredi as our new Chairman. A powerhouse in our sector, he brings with him decades of experience. Under his stewardship, I am sure we will achieve unprecedented success in a sector outpacing the global economy for many years.”