ovation travel founder

Ovation Travel Group, Inc.

Paul Metselaar

Chairman & CEO at Ovation Travel Group, Inc.

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Paul Metselaar founded the company in 1984 when his father needed assistance with the small corporate travel agency he had recently purchased. The senior Metselaar turned to his son, asking him to assume leadership of the company. Paul resigned from his law practice, assessed the market opportunities for his fledgling company and created the brand “Lawyers Travel,” becoming the first travel management company to specialize in managing travel for lawyers.

Paul ultimately built the company into one of the largest independently-owned travel companies in the United States, receiving accolades from more than 700 of the world's leading companies. In 2015 he was a finalist for New York’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” award, after having been nominated by Ernst and Young. Originally known as The World Travel Specialists Group, Paul renamed the company Ovation Travel Group in 2004, in order to add a second brand serving “high touch” corporate clients alongside the fast-growing Lawyers Travel. In 2021, Ovation Travel Group was acquired by American Express Global Business Travel, with Paul and the Ovation leadership team continuing to run the business.

Paul is a graduate of Cornell University and holds a law degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University, where he serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board. He is actively involved in several charitable organizations, including the Mount Sinai Department of Surgery, and serves on the board of The Children’s Health Fund. Paul previously served as Chairman of the Metro New York Chapter of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), and is an active member of the Big Apple Chapter of the World Presidents’ Organization (WPO).

Chairman & CEO

Michael Steiner

Executive Vice President

Sunil Mahtani

Elie Gordis

EVP & General Counsel

Isabel Torres

SVP, Operations

CEO and Executive Team

Leadership team.

Current role

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Welcome to Ovation Travel & Tourism, where every journey is crafted with passion and expertise. Founded with a vision to redefine travel experiences, we take pride in curating unforgettable adventures for our discerning travelers.

Who We Are:

At Ovation, we’re more than just a travel agency; we’re your dedicated partners in exploration. With years of industry experience and a global network of connections, our team comprises passionate individuals who live and breathe travel. We thrive on creating tailor-made experiences that transcend expectations and leave lasting impressions.

Our Mission:

We got you covered.

Indulge in luxury and top-tier service at our carefully chosen hotels in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Immerse yourself in opulence and comfort, promising an unforgettable stay.

Marvel at iconic structures like the Burj Khalifa and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, each a testament to architectural brilliance and cultural significance. Explore the heights of human achievement in these awe-inspiring monuments.

Experience the blend of tradition and modernity as you delve into the vibrant local culture of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. From bustling souks to rich Emirati customs, discover the unique and diverse heritage that makes these cities truly special.

SL Travel offers a completely bespoke, a la carte service - from flights to hotels to activities, we'll arrange everything for your dream vacation.

Whether you're taking a private jet, commercial flight or cruise, we'll arrange everything you need to get to your dream destination.

ACCOMODATION

From luxury chateaus, to private villas, resorts, yachts and everything in between, we've got your accommodation covered - luxury style.

Whether you have specific ideas in mind, or you want guidance, we're here to make your trip as fun as possible. Think safaris, guided tours, helicopter rides and more!

Sylvia is the President and Founder of SL Travel Advisors LLC, an affiliate of Ovation Travel Group, a full-service award winning travel agency.  SL Travel is a boutique company creating bespoke luxury vacations for its discerning clientele. Sylvia prides herself on building a relationship with clients and matching them with her extensive travel knowledge. There is no destination that is off-limits for her team! Personal touches and human connection are truly what elevates her trips. As a new parent, Sylvia is very tuned in to what families need, especially those traveling with young children. Happy kids make happy parents! Multi-generational trips are also one of her specialties, because she enjoys the challenge of finding activities to engage all ages and bring families together.  Capturing these moments in time and alleviating the planning process for families is priceless. 

Prior to joining the travel industry in 2009, Sylvia was working as a Registered Dietitian after completing her training at New York Presbyterian hospital. She enjoys including wellness into her trips without compromising “la dolce vita.” Sylvia has been named to the Travel & Leisure A-List twice due to her outstanding work as a luxury travel advisor and profiled in Forbes. She has been quoted in many publications including Travel Weekly, Travel Agent Central, The New York Times, Travel Market Report and Luxury Travel Advisor.

Sylvia resides in New York with her husband and two children.

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Orlando Magic | Beede’s Breakdown: How Magic bounced back at…

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Orlando Magic | Beede’s Breakdown: How Magic bounced back at home to dominate Cavs in Game 3

The booming voice of public address announcer Paul Porter filled the air.

The confetti fell down on the court inside Kia Center .

The fans stood in ovation for the Magic .

Orlando had done it.

Behind a game-high 31 points from Paolo Banchero , the Magic overcame back-to-back low-scoring losses at Cleveland and dominated the Cavs at home 121-83 to cut the deficit to 2-1 in the first-round playoff series between the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds in the East on Thursday.

In the process, Banchero (21 years, 165 days) became the the second-youngest player in NBA history to debut the postseason with three consecutive 20-plus point games. He trails only LeBron James (21, 119 days).

This time around, however, Banchero had much-needed help when Jalen Suggs (24 points) made three triples to go with 4 rebounds, 3 assists and steals. Franz Wanger had 16 points and 8 assists while Markelle Fultz added 11 points off the bench.

But the work doesn’t stop. It can’t stop if the Magic want to further extend the series.

Orlando hosts Game 4 on Saturday (Bally Sports Florida/TNT, 1) and looks to avoid falling down 3-1 before heading back to Cleveland on Tuesday for Game 5.

In 281 tries, only 13 teams have ever come back from a 3-1 deficit.

Lineup change

After starting Jonathan Isaac in the first two contests, coach Jamahl Mosley went back to Wendell Carter Jr. for Game 3.

His most successful starting lineup during the regular season went 14-3 when Carter, Suggs, Wagner, Banchero and Gary Harris started together.

Once it was made clear in Cleveland that starting Isaac wasn’t going to work the way Mosley intended — the Cavs outrebounded the Magic by 14 in the Game 1 and 7 in Game 2 — Mosley felt the need to return to what worked previously.

And the decision paid off.

Although Carter only grabbed 5 rebounds in the third meeting, his impact went beyond the stat sheet. The Magic center helped box out Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley while setting stronger screens compared to Isaac.

The Magic (51) outrebounded the Cavs (32), and that included 14 offensive rebounds.

Strong start

The change in the starting five made a difference but so did Orlando’s ability to weather the storm early and play with patience.

The Magic missed their first six triples before Wagner and Suggs drilled back-to-back 3s five minutes into the first quarter.

From there, the floodgates opened as Wagner and Banchero each had 10 points in the opening frame and Orlando totaled 31 for a 10-point lead.

The Magic only had 26 points in the first quarter of Game 1 and 18 to begin Game 2.

On Thursday, however, Orlando used a 28-11 to end the first and the Cavs never recovered.

Anthony’s action

Following a scoreless Game 2 and only 4 points in Game 1, Magic guard Cole Anthony pieced together 10 off the bench in 16 minutes.

That included 8 points in the second quarter when Anthony found his spots for pull-up jump shots and attacked the paint searching to score.

His performance was part of a larger effort by Orlando’s all-bench unit (Anthony, Fultz, Joe Ingles, Isaac and Moe Wagner) that opened the second quarter and held its own before Mosley began to trickle back in his starters.

In the end, the Magic’s reserves outscored Cleveland’s 46-36. Orlando’s bench totaled 39 points combined in Games 1 and 2.

Jason Beede can be reached at [email protected]

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About Ovation Travel Group

Corporate travel. done right..

Ovation Travel Group - An American Express Global Business Travel Company, provides business travel services for over 700 professional organizations and over 300,000 travelers. 

Our Mission

To provide outstanding service , significant cost savings , and comprehensive , convenient travel solutions to professional travel managers, administrators, and business travelers.

Your travel management expert.

For over 35 years, Ovation has provided seamless, cost-effective travel programs to professional organizations in a wide range of industries including finance, law, technology, biotech, non-profit, publishing, entertainment, consulting, and other professional services firms . We understand the challenges facing our discerning travelers and cater to their unique program requirements with exceptional savings on hotels and airfare and innovative technology solutions.

Our personalized services exceed your travel expectations.

From our travel consultants to our CEO, each Ovation professional has our client satisfaction as their top priority. Ovation helps clients improve control, maximize efficiency, and drive policy compliance, while designated travel consultants (not a call center) provide client care tailored to each client. Our unique Going the Extra Mile (GEM) Program features value-added extras, extensive customer service training, and a swift response within 20 seconds with the Ovation 20/20 Guarantee.

Let us help your travelers reach their destinations—and help you meet your business goals.

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GBT Travel Services UK Limited (GBT UK) and its authorized sublicensees (including Ovation Travel Group and Egencia) use certain trademarks and service marks of American Express Company or its subsidiaries (American Express) in the “American Express Global Business Travel” and “American Express GBT Meetings & Events” brands and in connection with its business for permitted uses only under a limited license from American Express (Licensed Marks). The Licensed Marks are trademarks or service marks of, and the property of, American Express. GBT UK is a subsidiary of Global Business Travel Group, Inc. (NYSE: GBTG). American Express holds a minority interest in GBTG, which operates as a separate company from American Express.

Please see the Data Protection and Privacy Principles , as applicable, for processing of personal information by Ovation Travel Group, a wholly owned company of GBT.

Ovation prioritizes compliance with leading data protection regulations and standards. Ovation is GDPR compliant and PCI DSS certified.

Open seating no more? Southwest CEO says airline is weighing cabin changes

Southwest Airlines  is considering changes to its single-class, open-seating cabins to drive up revenue, CEO Bob Jordan told CNBC on Thursday, a shift that could be among the largest in the airline’s history.

“We’re looking into new initiatives, things like the way we seat and board our aircraft,” Jordan said in an interview after the carrier’s  disappointing first-quarter report.

Southwest’s all- Boeing  737 fleet has a single economy class cabin and no seating assignments, though it does offer earlier boarding for a fee so customers can snag their preferred seats. The airline has focused on keeping its product simple and user-friendly for years, aiming to keep its own costs and complexity to a minimum.

Meanwhile, rivals including  Delta  and  United  have touted high revenue growth for premium seating such as business class and  strong upsell rates .

Analysts have repeatedly asked Southwest about opportunities for premium seating or additional fees. (The airline doesn’t charge travelers for their first two checked bags.)

Most U.S. airlines charge travelers to choose many of its seats in advance, even those that don’t come with extra legroom. Eight U.S. carriers —  Alaska ,  Allegiant ,  American , Delta,  Frontier ,  JetBlue ,  Spirit  and United — together brought in $4.2 billion from seating fees in their domestic networks in 2022, according to Jay Sorensen, an airline ancillary revenue expert at IdeaWorksCompany.

Jordan said no decisions have been made on what kind of changes Southwest will ultimately make, but he said studies have yielded “interesting” results.

“Customer preferences do change over time,” Jordan said.

While details were scarce during Southwest’s earnings call, when asked whether Southwest would consider a separated cabin on its planes, Ryan Green, the carrier’s chief commercial officer said: “Curtains and things like that are a bit far afield from what Southwest Airlines is.”

Green added that the carrier is not considering charging for checked bags because “people choose Southwest Airlines because we don’t have bag fees.”

— CNBC’s  Phil LeBeau  contributed to this report.

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