Alan Fleschner, 65, former publisher of Travel Weekly, sales executive for other travel trade publications and general manager of Caribbean hotels, passed away on March 1.
Fleschner spent 14 years in travel trade publishing, beginning as director of sales and marketing with Travel Agent magazine in 1977 and then moving to Ziff Davis Publishing Company in 1979 as advertising director for the Official Meeting Facilities Guide.
He was promoted to publisher of the Official Hotel and Resort Guide in 1981, and then publisher of Travel Weekly in 1984. After three years, he was made group publisher over Meetings and Conventions as well as special reference guide sections, stand-alone products and associated events.
During his tenure, ownership of the group of travel publications moved from Ziff to Murdoch Magazines and then to Reed Travel Group. Travel Weekly and Meetings and Conventions are now owned by Northstar Travel Media.
After leaving the travel group in 1990, Fleschner remained in publishing for the next four years, first as a consultant for Incentive Marketing and then as associate publisher of the American Export Register.
After leaving publishing, Fleschner started a second career in hotel management. He was general manager of two Caribbean properties over the next 6 years, first with the Royal Antiguan and Pineapple Beach Club on Antigua and then with the Paradise Island Fun Club in Nassau, Bahamas.
For the past 10 years, Fleschner was affiliated with the Howard-Sloan-Koller Group, an executive search firm.
Alan King Fleschner was born May 16, 1946, in New York City. Prior to becoming an executive in travel trade publishing, he had spent a decade in sales with other trade publications, including Women’s Wear Daily.
The cause of death was a heart attack. Fleschner is survived by his wife of 18 years, Karen Danziger, and his daughter, Samantha, both of New York City.
A funeral service is scheduled for Sunday, March 4, at 11:30 a.m. at Riverside Memorial Chapel in New York City.