FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Pete Comeau
Managing Director
Phocuswright Inc.
[email protected]
Eugene Ko
Sr. Manager, Marketing and Communications
Phocuswright Inc.
[email protected]
NEW YORK, March 16, 2021 – Phocuswright founder
Philip Wolf passed away today at the age of 64, following a brief illness.
Philip, a champion of
online travel since the late-1980s, launched Phocuswright, the premier source
for travel, tourism and hospitality intelligence, in 1994. Countless industry
pitches and presentations today include a slide stamped: "Source:
Phocuswright."
Architect of the Phocuswright Conference, Philip
took the stage one-on-one with the travel industry’s elite. His probing
perseverance for the truth (and not letting go without real answers) left
audiences buzzing.
After decades of analyzing, scrutinizing and
opining on strategic change and market trends, he built a brand around his
trademark catchphrase: "Strategically correct, not politically
correct."
Philip graduated from Duke University with a BA
in Public Policy Studies and earned an MBA from Vanderbilt University. He began
his career in the travel industry in 1989, and as CEO of Travelmation, he made
a name for himself in travel, tourism and hospitality.
In 2011, Philip sold Phocuswright to Northstar
Travel Group and retired from an executive role. He then embarked on a journey
as mentor and serial board director for more than 25 companies on four
continents.
“Philip was more than our founder; he was
Phocuswright’s guiding light,” said Phocuswright managing director Pete Comeau.
“A legend and pioneer of online travel and travel tech, he touched so many in
the industry. He gave freely of his knowledge and expertise, and we are all
poorer with his loss.”
Northstar Travel Group chairman and CEO Tom Kemp
added, “Philip was a true visionary in the travel industry and the cornerstone
of the travel technology revolution as well as our founder and leader of
Phocuswright.”
Bob Sullivan, president,
Northstar Travel Group said, “The industry has lost a genius today. Philip was
an integral part of the Phocuswright and Northstar families. We are all
heartbroken.”
The Phocuswright team sends
its deepest condolences to Philip’s wife and co-founder of Phocuswright, Carol
Hutzelman, their two children and the entire family.
ABOUT PHOCUSWRIGHT
INC.
Phocuswright is the travel industry research
authority on how travelers, suppliers and intermediaries connect. Independent,
rigorous and unbiased, Phocuswright fosters smart strategic planning, tactical
decision-making and organizational effectiveness.
To complement its primary
research in North and Latin America, Europe and Asia, Phocuswright produces
several high-profile conferences in the United States and Europe and partners
with conferences around the world. Industry leaders and company analysts bring
this intelligence to life by debating issues, sharing ideas and defining the
ever-evolving reality of travel commerce.
Phocuswright also operates PhocusWire, a media service that covers the world of digital travel 365 days
a year with a range of news, analysis, commentary and opinion from across the
travel, tourism and hospitality sector.
The company is
headquartered in the United States with Europe and Asia Pacific operations and
local analysts on five continents.
Phocuswright is a wholly
owned subsidiary of Northstar Travel Group.
https://www.phocuswright.com
ABOUT NORTHSTAR TRAVEL GROUP
Northstar
Travel Group is the leading B-to-B information and marketing solutions company
serving all segments of the travel industry including leisure/retail,
corporate/business travel, corporate and sports meetings, incentives,
hospitality, and travel technology.
Northstar is the owner of leading brands serving
these travel segments. The company produces more than 100 face-to-face events
in 13 countries in retail travel, hospitality, corporate travel, travel
technology, sports travel, and the meetings & incentive industry. In addition, Northstar owns Phocuswright, the
leading research, and event producer serving the travel technology industry.
Northstar Travel Group owns the BHN Group, the leading producer of hotel
investment conferences.
Northstar is also the majority shareholder in
Inntopia, the leading SaaS e-commerce software business serving the mountain
destination, golf, activities, and hospitality markets.
Based in Secaucus, NJ, the company has 14
offices in the U.S., UK, Singapore, and China.
Northstar Travel Group is owned by funds managed
by EagleTree Capital.
