IPW—What Top 50 Tour Operators Were Honored in New Orleans?
The Nifty Fifty: For 50 selected international tour operators who participated at IPW 2016 last week in New Orleans, the event began with a Saturday night dinner at which the leadership of both the U.S. Travel Association and Brand USA recognized them by presenting them with US Travel’s Chairman’s Circle Honors.
Honorees were nominated by members of US Travel’s Chairman’s Circle member level, which includes some of the largest U.S. travel companies and top destinations. Factors such as a buyer’s annual revenue, or innovative marketing programs that result in expanded visitation to the United States are just a few elements that determine how Chairman’s Circle members nominate prospective honorees.
At this year’s invitation-only event, 50 buyer companies representing 16 countries around the world were recognized at the Saturday night diner. The Chairman’s Circle Honors event was introduced to the IPW program four years ago and provides for this special recognition for key buyers of the U.S. travel product.
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Among those who received the Chairman’s Circle Honor was Hannover, Germany-based America Unlimited. Timo Kohlehnberg (second from right), the company’s president and CEO, and Julia Kurz, managing director, accept the honor from U.S. Travel’s president and CEO, Roger Dow (left), and Chris Thompson, president and CEO of Band USA.
