Michel Couturier
Statement of Qualifications
Michel Couturier is the Managing Director with Horwath HTL. Horwath HTL is the world’s largest hospitality advisory firm with 47 offices in over 30 countries. The Company is a member of Crowe Horwath International – a 90-year old network of certified public accounting firms with more than 500 offices worldwide.
A seasoned expert who possesses more than 30 years of experience in the leisure, corporate and association travel markets, Michel Couturier is Founder and President of Marketing Challenges International, a leading destination marketing company in New York City. The Barcelona Convention Bureau, Hyderabad International Convention Centre, the Vienna Convention Bureau are among the current clients that his firm markets in North America. In recent months, Mr. Couturier has also joined Horwath HTL as the Managing Director, opening the New York office, where he will oversee the consultancy on destination marketing and management for North American and international destinations, as well as provide support to the international members of the Horwath HTL network.
Mr. Couturier’s professional involvement in the international travel community extends to being an active member in ASAE and The Center for Association Leadership, Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI), International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Meeting Professionals International (MPI), Society of Incentive & Travel Executives (SITE) and the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO). He served as the Chair of the Brand Strategies Advisory Council of MPI, and is currently on the MPI Faculty Task Force. Michel is also member of the Reed Travel Exhibitions' Global Advisory Board.
Prior to launching Marketing Challenges International, Mr. Couturier held executive management positions at the French-American Chamber of Commerce, Sofitel Hotels of North America and the French Government Tourism Office in New York.
A strong advocate for advancing the meetings and convention industry, Mr. Couturier is a much sought-after speaker in his field. He has facilitated a joint International Congress and Convention Association, Professional Convention Management Association and EIBTM Seminar on the “Current State of the U.S. Outbound Meetings Market,” at EIBTM in Barcelona and workshop on U.S. outbound meeting markets during the annual ICCA Congress in Victoria, Canada. Over the course of his career, he has led seminars in Sydney, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Geneva, London, Johannesburg and New York on the international North America travel segments.
Mr. Couturier holds an MBA in International Business and BS in Business from New York University. In 2009, he achieved professional accreditation from DMAI as a Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME), the highest educational achievement in the destination marketing industry.
