Among the four keynote presenters taking center stage at the 2020 Annual Convention and Expo of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) – the unified and recognized voice of seaports in the Americas – will be Michael Dominguez, president and CEO of Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI). He’ll discuss the future of business travel in today’s COVID-19 pandemic environment, a topic crucial to the business community’s return-to-work planning agenda.

“I’m so excited to speak at AAPA’s annual convention as the association represents such a key aspect in the flow of our overall commerce and economy,” said Mr. Dominguez.  “The travel industry is one of the major drivers of the general fund of most cities. The tax revenues driven through the travel, meetings and events industry will have dramatic impact on all areas that serve a particular city.”

Dominguez noted that while leisure travel is beginning to recover in the United States, the need for business travel to resume and conventions to return to in-person meetings are top travel industry priorities. In his presentation, The Future of Business Travel, Mr. Dominguez will provide an overview of these efforts, offer predictions on how the business travel environment will change in the months ahead, and review “what is and isn’t regarding the pandemic.”

“Getting people traveling again is all about confidence in the process and safety of travel,” he said, associating the resumption of business travel primarily to overcoming misperceptions. “Many people still believe that airplanes simply recycle dirty air when, in fact, the air is actually cleaner than in your home. The HEPA filtration used in airplanes is equivalent to those used in hospitals.”

Mr. Dominguez has been a leading advocate for the events industry for more than three decades. Prior to becoming ALHI’s president and CEO in July 2019, he served for seven years as senior vice president and chief sales officer MGM Resorts International, and earlier directed sales development for Loews Hotels’ growing portfolio as their vice president of Global Sales. He’s also a past chairman of the International Board of Directors for Meeting Professionals International and holds board positions with the U.S. Travel Association and American Society of Association Executives.

AAPA’s 109th annual conference, Together Apart, is an exclusive, virtual experience and event anticipated to attract more than 350 port industry, business, trade, government and academic professionals.

The three-day business program – hosted by AAPA in partnership with its Premier Fleet sponsor Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. and 20 other port industry businesses – features a robust slate of keynote speakers and subject matter experts focusing on topics ranging from international trade and tourism, to sustainable freight movement and the U.S. elections in November.