Jean-Michel Cousteau to Speak at BLLA

Additionally, Mr. Cousteau, son of famous ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau,
and winner of an Emmy and a Peabody Award, will launch his eco-friendly guest amenity line
exclusively in the new BLLA Pavilion at HD Boutique Miami
September 13-14, 2011

LOS ANGELES, CA (August 26, 2011) — The Boutique & Lifestyle Lodging Association, (BLLA, www.blla.org), a leading hospitality industry association dedicated to uniting the world’s boutique and lifestyle independent properties and small brands as well as the suppliers that sustain them, announced the addition of Jean-Michel Cousteau as moderator of the CEO Panel being held during the BLLA Awards ceremony at the Hospitality Design Boutique tradeshow and conference in Miami on September 13-14, 2011.

Famed ocean explorer and filmmaker, Jean-Michel Cousteau is inspired by the beauty and wonders of our oceans. His pioneering work and dedicated passion to protecting the world’s oceans inspires and educates people to act responsibly and recognize the ocean’s vital importance to the survival of all life on our planet. He has used his vast experiences to communicate his love and concern for our planet to people of all nations and generations.

Commenting on the contribution that Jean-Michel will add to BLLA’s footprint at the HD Boutique show, Frances Kiradjian, BLLA Founder and Chair said, “We are absolutely thrilled and excited to include Jean-Michel Cousteau, a very fascinating and captivating individual as well as an advisor to hoteliers, in our very special Awards ceremony and look forward to him leading the executive hospitality veterans into some very interesting conversations. We welcome his new product line as well, into the BLLA Pavilion which is set on a grand scale on the tradeshow floor.”

The hospitality Awards luncheon ceremony is taking place inside the Miami Beach Convention Center on September 14^th at 12:30pm where BLLA will announce the winners and finalists of the 2011 Awards as well as listen to a panel of hospitality executives including Raul Leal, CEO Virgin Hotels, Brooke Barrett, Co-CEO Denihan Hospitality, Dan Flannery, COO Morgans Hotel Group and Ingrid Summerfield, President Joie de Vivre Hospitality. The panel will discuss the “State of the Boutique/Lifestyle hospitality sector” as well as specific questions Jean-Michel Cousteau will address during his moderation of this panel, including environmental issues in hospitality.

Jean-Michel’s new branded hotel toiletry collection, inspired by the beauty and wonders of our oceans, will be exclusively launched inside the new BLLA tradeshow Pavilion on the floor of the Hospitality Design Boutique Show at the Miami Beach Convention Center by the environmental guest amenity leader Concept Amenities. Other suppliers participating in the grand Pavilion include Fabric Innovations, Appaiser Bathware, Beanritos, Biscoff Cookies, Smarter Shows, Elektra, Cobsa USA, Iberia Tiles and the association itself.

Jean-Michel, founder and president of Santa Barbara-base Ocean Futures Society, commented on his involvement with the BLLA show, “I personally look forward to the Miami event and as one who believes destinations can educate as well as recreate, am passionately involved with the hospitality industry through my own assets and the new eco-friendly hotel amenity collection. This is all within my mission and quest to protect the earth’s oceans while delivering guest amenities that have a care for the environment.”

There will also be a private media/press event, within the BLLA Pavilion immediately following the luncheon Awards ceremony on September 14^th at 3pm. Members of the press may request an invitation by emailing Frances Kiradjian at frances@blla.org or call +1-818-883-4363. All participants of the panel, the BLLA Hospitality Awards winners & finalists, as well as the NEWH SOPHIE Award winners will be available for interviews and photos.

To attend the Awards luncheon, REGISTER HERE.