Barbara Adriano has been appointed senior group manager for AlliedTPro. She previously headed Adrian Planning & Consulting, primarily an events planning group in New York City. She also served as group manager for TeamAmerica for four years.
Brian Wright recently joined Santa Monica Travel & Tourism as director of global business development. Previously, Wright was director of DMO and executive relations for Visit California; prior to that, he was senior director of communications for the same organization. Wright also served as director of marketing for Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts at Yosemite.
Daniel Gathercole is the new managing director of First Class Holidays. He succeeds Paul Ainsworth, who has become the company’s chairman. Previously, Ainsworth, co-founder of the business, was managing director. The appointment of Gathercole also sees director and co-founder Sharon Mason move into the new role of chief operating officer. Gathercole joins the company from outside the travel industry. He has spent the last five years as marketing director of golf retailer American Golf.
Simon Laneres recently joined World2Meet as contracts manager USA-West. A veteran of many years in the tour and travel industry, Laneres was previously market manager South USA for more than five years at GTA, Prior to that, he was product manager at AlliedTPro.
Brand USA has appointed two new regional directors: Karly Melo (left) is regional director in Canada; and Lourdes Berho (right) is regional director for Mexico. Melo, a public relations professional with experience in destination marketing will collaborate with the Toronto office of TimeZoneOne, a global creative-services and communications agency founded in New Zealand in 1994. Its global headquarters are in downtown Chicago, with an office in Christchurch, New Zealand and Toronto, Canada. Berho, founder of Mexico City-based Alchemia: In the Business of Transformation®, and former CEO of the Mexico Tourism Board has over 25 years’ experience as a leader of global companies; with expertise that spans brand development, integrated-marketing strategies, and travel and tourism.
Gina Gemberling has been named vice president of sales and services at the Little Rock CVB. Gemberling comes to the post from her job as executive director of the Springfield (Ill.) CVB.
Nick Longman has resigned his position as managing director of TUI UK and Ireland “to pursue new business challenges,” according to a company statement, which also noted that all members of the UK and Ireland board will now report into David Burling until a new managing director for Tui UK and Ireland has been appointed. Longman has held various leadership roles in the business since 1998, joining as head of audit for First Choice. He later became the integration director for the merger of Thomson and First Choice in 2006 and UK distribution director in 2008. Longman took on the role of managing director for the group’s UK and Ireland business at the beginning of June 2015.
Caitlyn Mooney was recently named director of sales for group sales at Visit Champaign County (Ill.). She was previously area director of sales and marketing for Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites by Hilton, and Home2 by Hilton.
Bruno Sá’ has left his job as part of the regional sales team of Brazil’s MMTGapnet after five-and-a-half years with the tour operator, which is currently combining products and operations with Flytour Viagens. The two companies announced their merger late last year. Those interested in contacting Sá’ can do so via brunomourasa@gmail.com.
John Feenaghty has been appointed to the newly created position of chief operating officer at Goway Travel, which is headquartered in Toronto and has offices in Vancouver, Los Angeles, Sydney and Manila. As COO, Feenaghty will focus on the development of a long-term plan which includes the gradual retirement of Bruce Hodge, Goway’s founder and president. A 25-year veteran of the tour and travel industry, Feenaghty was most recently with the Flight Centre Travel Group in Australia, where he held a number of senior roles over 14 years.
Ruth Hilton has been promoted to sales and business development director for The Travel Corporation (TTC) in the UK and Ireland, following the departure of Paul Melinis. In the newly created position, Hilton will be responsible for the sales, marketing and business development of all four guided holiday brands in the UK & Ireland: Insight Vacations, Luxury Gold, Trafalgar and CostSaver.
Terry Williamson has become an executive director at the London-based Palatinate Group, which operates both Your Golf Travel and Spabreaks.com. Williamson is a former chief executive of JacTravel; He also held senior roles at Cosmos, Monarch Travel Group and Thomas Cook.
