Gestation - Leisure Travel, Travel Distribution, Travel Industry Management, Travel Technology

Michael F. Stone | President & Founder

Stone has a successful entrepreneurial, business operating and professional career spanning more than 30 years.

Stone founded Gestation in 1997 to improve the management and distribution of leisure travel. Today Gestation consults with both travel and non-travel companies looking to improve operations, grow their business, explore new opportunities, enter new markets, or develop viable new travel and tourism business investments.

Stone also serves on the Board and as an Advisor to Travel Sciences, Inc., a travel industry technology, software development and business solutions company he helped form in 2002.

Travel Sciences today is delivering real business and technology advantage to the travel industry and to a diverse group of travel companies that includes Uniworld, HDN (Hotel Distribution Network), British Virgin Islands Tourist Board, NPIPB (Nassau & Paradise Island Promotion Board), Andrew Harper Travel, and the .travel Internet domain.

In addition to his active involvement with Gestation and Travel Sciences, Stone has led several top leisure travel companies, including President and Chief Executive Officer of Sunquest Holdings USA, a U.S.-based start-up company of Airtours, plc. At Sunquest he was responsible for creating a business plan to help Airtours understand the U.S. travel market place and lay the groundwork for establishing a U.S.-based operation, which became My Travel Company.

Prior to that Stone was President and CEO of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.-based Certified Vacations. During his four-year tenure at Certified Vacations, he increased sales from $100 million to over $400 million. Stone also organized and led a start-up internet-based travel distribution company that quickly grew to rank in the top 5% of internet sites. In 1995 Stone received the Travel Agent Magazine "Winners Circle" award in recognition of his industry achievements.

In addition to the above positions, Stone's has worked in and held leadership positions in hotels, insurance, banking, real estate and industrial development. He also owned and operated Stone Travel, Inc, a Connecticut based retail travel business and one of the largest travel agencies in New England.

Stone has also served on numerous business and community boards in banking, education, hospitals, and art museums.

A graduate of Cornell University, Stone earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. He also studied abroad; studying Italian language and art in Florence, Italy.

Contact

Call 954-525-5995 or click on this link: mstone@gestation.travel to email me directly to discuss your business need and how we might help.

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