About Skål

Skål is the only international organization bringing together industry executives and managers from all branches of the travel and tourism industry. Skål members ("Skålleagues") meet at local, national and international meetings and events in an environment of friendship to discuss matters relating to the tourism industry.

We also support charitable causes and are totally non-political. We do not discriminate on the grounds of sex, age, race, religion, politics, or social standing.

What does SKAL mean?

The word is a greeting toast from Europe. Each letter signifies something special about our organization:

S – Sharing our special tourism talents with others

K – Knowledge our members have of the tourism industry

A – Aid we provide to others

L – Leadership -- as all members are leaders

Skål International New Orleans Mission Statement

It is the mission of Skål International New Orleans to foster the visitor and travel industry by being the forum of choice for select senior level executives to build relationships, share in conviviality, and interact with their peers.

History of Skål International

Shortly after the inauguration of the first joint Swedish and French air service between Stockholm and Paris in 1932, a group of travel professionals from the French capital were invited to make an exploratory flight over the new route. The welcome they received in Stockholm led to many pleasant friendships.

Realizing the importance of closer relationships among those who strive to develop and promote both national and international travel, the men who made the flight to Stockholm were determined to found a permanent organization whose primary aim would be the creation of goodwill and friendship in travel and transportation circles throughout the world.

The first Club was founded in Paris in 1932. The idea of international friendship gained such popularity that in 1934, Skål achieved international status with the formation of the Association Internationale des Skål Clubs (A.I.S.C.), on the initiative of the first President of the Paris Skål Club --the man considered the "Father of Skål" -- Florimond Volckaert.

On April 1, 1938, the Skål Club of North America (Skål Club of New York, No. 28) was founded. As the first Skål Club established in North America, the New York Club assisted and guided in the formation of other Skål Clubs on this continent.

From that modest beginning, Skål now has more than 25,000 members in over 500 Clubs, spread throughout 80 countries. As in other professional associations (such as Rotary, Oddfellows and Lions), most Skål activities take place within the local Clubs. Skål National and Area Committees are under the umbrella of the A.I.S.C. (Skål International), which has its own Secretariat in Torremolinos, Spain.

"The North American Chapter Committee" in which all Skål Clubs in North America were represented, was formed on March 31, 1949, and was followed by the North American Skål Council on August 9, 1950. Eventually, National Skål Committees were formed in Canada, Mexico and U.S.A., superseding the North American Skål Council.

Skål is now managed by an Executive Committee of nine members, elected by Club delegates to the General Assembly held in conjunction with the World Congress. This five-day Congress is hosted by a different country each year, thus offering members and their companions the opportunity of observing, first hand, the travel and tourism industry potential of other countries.