What does Skål stand for?

About SKÅL International

Skål is a professional organisation of tourism leaders around the world, promoting global tourism and friendship. It is the only international group uniting all branches of the travel and tourism industry. Its members, the industry's managers and executives, meet at local, national, regional and international levels to Do Business Among Friends. 

The first Club was founded in 1932 in Paris by travel managers, following an educational tour of Scandinavia. The idea of international goodwill and friendship grew and, in 1934, the “Association Internationale des Skål Clubs” was formed with Florimond Volckaert as its first President, who is considered the “Father of Skål”.

Skål International today has approximately 15,000 members in 355 Clubs throughout  over 85 countries. Most activities occur at local level, moving up through National Committees, under the umbrella of Skål International, headquartered at the General Secretariat in Torremolinos, Spain.

Skål International is governed by an Executive Committee of six members, elected by delegates to an annual General Assembly, held during the World Congress, hosted by a different country each year. This allows members first-hand observation of the travel and tourism potential around the world.

About SKÅL USA

 On April 1, 1938, the Skål Club of North America (Skål Club of New York, No. 28) was founded. As the first Skål Club established in North America, the New York Club assisted and guided in the formation of other Skål Clubs on this continent.

“The North American Chapter Committee” in which all Skål Clubs in North America were represented, was formed on March 31, 1949, and was followed by the “North American Skål Council” on August 9, 1950, and that organization was superseded by the “National Skål Committee of the U.S.A”, now called “Skål International U.S.A.” (Skål USA). There were also National Committees formed in Canada and Mexico.

Coincident with the formation of the three separate National Committees, its “North American Skål Council” was continued to help in all matters of joint and common interest between Canada, Mexico and the USA, as well as offering membership to Skål Clubs affiliated with the Area Committee under new name of “North American Area Skål Committee.” In 2007, it was decided being part of an Area Committee was no longer necessary and the name was changed to the “North American Alliance of Skål Clubs.” These clubs come together once a year and hold a joint meeting called the NAASC Congress. This meeting rotates throughout each of the North American National Committees.