Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser has announcement the appointment of Doug Bourgeois as the assistant secretary for the Louisiana Office of Tourism. He succeeds Kyle Edmiston, who recently left the office to join the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana CVB as chief operating officer. Bourgeois, who has worked for the Louisiana Department of Culture Recreation and Tourism in various roles over the past 18 years, has more than thirty years of experience in the travel and tourism industry having worked as a tour guide, meeting planner, domestic and international marketing executive, and most recently in rural tourism development.
John and Mary Stachnik, the founders and owners of Mayflower Tours, are retiring, and their company has been purchased by the Scenic Group, an Australian company that now encompasses river cruises, tours and yacht expeditions, and is furthering its expansion in North America with the purchase of Mayflower Tours, which is based in Downers Grove, Illinois, a suburb southwest of Chicago. Both Stachniks have been highly visible and active leaders in U.S. tour and travel industry organizations. The Stachniks founded Mayflower in 1979.
Jake Buganski has resigned from his position as acting executive director of the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism, having accepted a job in the private sector. His last day on the job will be March 9 th Buganksi was appointed to the executive director’s job at the end of 2016. He joined the division from the Steuben County (N.Y.) CVB. Previously, he had served as executive director of Visit South Jersey, where he had worked for more than a decade.
Shirley Davis Conner has been promoted to the position of director of sales for Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc./Graceland. A 26-year veteran of the company, she replaces Carolyn Mears, who has left the company following a 34-year career. Also, Laura Griffin, who’s been with Graceland for 31 years, has been promoted to sales manager. “Can’t say we don’t stick around,” Conner told INBOUND.
Andrew Flintham is staying, in effect, with TUI UK & Ireland. Formerly commercial director for the company, he was scheduled take up his new position as managing director beginning March 1, 2018, following the departure of Nick Longman after 20 years with TUI UK & Ireland. His decision comes after Thomas Cook UK had previously announced the appointment of Flintham as its new managing director. Flintham had been due to take up the position on March 1st. Thomas Cook has confirmed that that, instead, Chris Mottershead will continue to manage the UK and Ireland until a replacement for Flintham is found.
Bruno Sá, who recently left his job as part of the regional sales team of Brazil’s MMTGapnet after five-and-a-half years with the tour operator, has joined Rextur Advance as regional sales manager for the country’s Northeast, where he is responsible for a team of ten sales executives in Fortaleza, Recife, Ilhéus and Salvador.
Also in Brazil, Grupo Trend has announced the hiring of Eduardo Caballero as sales executive for Mato Grosso do Sul. Cabllero, who has 20 years of experience in tourism, will report directly to Jardel Almeida, regional sales manager for the Midwest region
Kate Weed has moved on from her position as director of marketing for Phoenix-based DETOURS to become director of marketing for ClassicCars.com, which is also situated in Phoenix. Weed had spent two years with DETOURS.
BWT Operadora has announced the reinforcement of its sales team with the hiring of new executives in the area, including Juan Mordaski as commercial coordinator. Mordaski, who has 20 years of experience in the tour and travel industry, will report directly to the general manager, Gabriel Cordeiro .
Amber Kirby has been named marketing and customer experience director for Virgin Holidays. New to the tour and travel industry, Kirby was marketing and customer experience director global brand director, skincare and Boots health and beauty, and before that worked for Procter & Gamble. She will take up her new role on March 12, reporting to Virgin Holidays managing director Joe Thompson and heading up a team of 35. Kirby replaces Claire Cronin, who left last summer to become vice president marketing at Virgin Atlantic.
The over-50 specialist Saga Holidays, has named Patrick O’Sullivan, a former deputy governor of the Bank of Ireland, as its new chairman. He replaces Andrew Goodsell, who announced his intention to stand down as Saga chairman in October. O’Sullivan previously spent 12 years at Zurich Insurance Group, where he held a number of roles.
Al Santos has return to Exotics Racing in Las Vegas as vice president of sales. He had served as director of travel industry sales before taking one-year sojourn to work as director of international and leisure sales at Sundance Helicopters. Santos’s resume also includes tenures in senior sales positions at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and The Venetian/The Palazzo Resort Hotel & Casino.
