The U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council (USCHT) former Co-Founders Sheila Armstrong and Rosemary McCormick announce that Richard Peterson, president of San-Francisco-based S&P Consulting, based has purchased the organization. Peterson will serve as president & CEO of USCHT and publisher of The Cultural Traveler guide effective July 1, 2018. Peterson has more than thirty years of tourism industry expertise in executive leadership, marketing, sales and project management. As president & CEO of USCHT, he will continue to serve on the planning committee for ONE Travel Conference for Shopping, Dining and Cultural Tourism which is presented annually by Shop America Alliance.
Julie Calvert has been named president and CEO of the Cincinnati USA CVB. Calvert is actually returning to the bureau, where she held senior level positions for 15 years—from 2001 to 2015 , 46, was a senior executive at the convention and visitors bureau from 2001 through 2016. Since leaving the bureau, she was executive director of Source Sincinnati. Calvert succeeds Dan Lincoln, who retired last December after eight years in the position.
In the UK, the TUI Group has appointed Helen Caron as its new hotel purchasing director, replacing Garry Wilson who left the company after 21 years to take over as head of Easy Jet Holidays. Caron has responsibility for leading TUI Group’s commercial relationships with overseas third party hotel partners. She has been part of the TUI UK & I board since September 2015, as managing director of Thomson Cruises. She took on the additional responsibility of distribution in July 2016.
Peter Katz has been appointed global trade sales manager for the Leisure Pass Group. He joins the company from New York City & Company, where he was senior sales manager, tourism development. Katz was with NYC & Co. for more than 10 years.
Senior dnata Travel executives Andy Washington (left, chief executive of consumer facing brands in Europe) and Steve Barrass (senior vice president for new ventures/Europe) are leaving the company. A statement from dnata, based in Dubai and part of the Emirates Group, said Washington, is leaving “for personal reasons.” Barrass is leaving to “pursue other interests,” and will depart on July 3. Meanwhile, dnata Travel Europe B2B chief executive John Bevan, who joined the company at the end of 2017, will assume Washington’s responsibilities on an interim basis.
Managing directors of Attraction World and DayOutWithTheKids have traded jobs. Paul Stobbs (left) has returned to the role of managing director at Attraction World after spending the last two years integrating the attraction specialist’s subsidiary DayOutWithTheKids. Stobbs first joined Attraction World as managing director when the company was founded in 2006. Simon Applebaum (right), who had been managing director at Attraction World, has now taken the role of managing director at DayOutWithTheKids.
In Brazil, Gary Morrison is leaving his post as head of sales for Expedia to take over as CEO of Hostelworld. He replaces Feargal Mooney, who is leaving the company after 16 years—10 of them as CEO.
Copa Airlines has announced the appointment of Karina Bastos as its new corporate account executive. She will report to corporate manager Cassio Takano. Both are based in the company’s São Paulo office. Bastos has nearly 20 years experience in theindusry, having served in senior positions with Vasp, Varig, Carlson Wagonlit, Alitalia, Swiss and R11 Travel.
Happy Work Anniversaries:
Brandon Barnes for 18 years at Atlanta CVB
Cheryl Hargrove for four years at Georgia Department of Economic Development, Tourism Division.
Susan Seifried for 14 years at Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
Michael Chapaloney for three years at the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic 
Development as executive director of tourism.
Tom Noonan for two years as president and CEO of the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Hakan Ugdur for seven years running Central Park Sightseeing
