Expert: China Closed Until Late February
Z.J. Tong, a widely known Chicago-based travel marketer—he is president of ChinaPro Marketing Partners—who is a prolific live streamer/blogger generating up to 150 thousand viewers with his reports on his U.S. travels, as well as his discussions with his many contacts in China. It is easy to see that he is considered a “go-to” expert on China, and a respected influencer and KOL in this market, which is the largest overseas source market in the world.
To put it plainly, his assessment of the China-USA inbound market is this: “What’s for sure is that the outbound Chinese traveler will return, but it will take time and going the extra mile to lure back those pre-pandemic numbers.”
But when? In a social media posting he made last week, Tong said “After chatting with travel industry colleagues in China, the understanding is that China’s border will remain closed until after the Winter Olympics in February 2022. However, we should continue to engage the audience through influencers and through channels such as live-streaming.” (China closed its borders to nearly all travelers in March 2020. They have remained closed, even as domestic travel in China has flourished during much of 2021.)
The Winter Olympics will run from Feb. 4-20, which means they will begin just about five months ago from today. Perhaps this is not the type of outlook U.S. travel marketers and DMOs want to hear, but Tong is one of those market mavens whose track record does indeed suggest that “he knows what he’s talking about.” (You can reach Z.J. by phone at 312-842-1988 or by e-mail: info@chinapropartners.com
More on China …
● Could a China Attack on Wealth Hurt Travel? China’s President has vowed to “adjust excessive incomes.” The Chinese Communist Party holds its 20th Congress next year in October, and the speculation on the possible shifts in leadership positions and the party’s ideological direction are already beginning to play out in analytical articles and commentary that may or may not have some hidden or shaded meanings not readily apparent to people of the western hemisphere. As part of the ideological action, President Xi Jinping has decided to prioritize “common prosperity,” according to Jing Daily, as a way to throw his support behind China’s middle class. Xi’s end goal is to “adjust excessive incomes” and work towards the elimination of poverty.
There is much speculation as to whether Xi, who will have served 10 years as president, will seek another five years as leader of the party and country—no one of late has done that—and whether the party will seek to keep its economy expanding. The latter will require some new economic measures, as the current healthy economy has been fueled, in party, by inexpensive labor.
Xi, according to published accounts, is considered by some to be “soft” on excessive incomes and showy displays of wealth. It is ironic that a Communist government presides over a country that, according to the Hurun Global Rich List 2021, has the most billionaires worldwide in 2021. Greater China has topped the list with a billionaire population of 1,058 people. By comparison, 696 billionaires resided in the United States.
So, it might be that Xi has suggested that the government should “regulate excessively high incomes.” Obviously, such an attitude could have—indirectly, at least—a considerable impact on the number of luxury consumer goods and experiences, including travel:
Many upscale Chinese travelers are known to purchase luxury-label hi-tech appliances, smart phones, electric devices, and expensive clothing. Many well-to-do Chinese pay for U.S. university educations in cash that their children receive (more students from China than any other nation go to U.S. colleges)—in addition to family visits to prospective schools. So, the ripple effect could be enormous.
Xi, under pressure to answer critics who say he is soft on excessive pay and ostentatious displays of wealth, is expected to expand wealth taxes and raise income tax rates to achieve an income distribution that reduces the number of low-income and high-income groups.
Meanwhile, while U.S. educational institutions and the purchase of luxury goods and services might be top-of-mind, the Chinese press has given considerable attention to the popularity of travel—to both domestic and international destinations—among Chinese consumers. Savvy U.S. travel marketers should take note on what’s working in China because it could work here:
● Data from Trip.com Group, China’s largest travel company, shows increased interest for international travel in China. August flight and hotel search volumes are double compared to pre-summer. The UK, France and Germany Q2 hotel bookings were up 173 percent, 52 percent and 64 percent year-on-year, respectively. (With virtually no travel between the U.S. and China, one can understand why the USA is not listed here.) Ctrip user searches for European hotels have rose sharply too. In August alone, searches for European hotels rose by an average of 80 percent compared to the January–June average, with the highest search volume recorded on August 9th up almost 120 percent on 2021 pre-summer levels.
● Welcome to Universal Studios, China—a destination hub. According to local authorities, Beijing is planning to develop a special tourist route that encompasses the Universal Studios theme park in Tongzhou district as well as its nearby destinations such as the Grand Canal, the Songzhuang artist village, the Taihu town, and the Zhangjiawan ancient town. The route would help tourists to enjoy beautiful sceneries, experience intangible cultural heritage and modern arts, and relax with plenty of outdoor activities in the area. The development plan is part of the city’s efforts to boost tourism and become an international hub for consumer spending. Areas around the route will strengthen their infrastructure and build more hotels and homestay inns to meet the growing demand, according to a spokesperson at the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism.
The first phase of Universal Studios Beijing is scheduled to open this year. Seven themed areas including the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Transformers Metrobase, Kung Fu Panda Land of Awesomeness, Hollywood, WaterWorld, Minion Land, Jurassic World Isla Nublar, and the CityWalk, as well as several other scenic spots are expected to greet over 10 million visitors annually.
● China Bans Karaoke Songs That Reference Gambling. China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism has announced that songs mentioning gambling will be banned at the nation’s approximately 50,000 karaoke venues. As reported by Casino.org, The ministry said it would shortly compile a blacklist of music that will be off-limits to karaoke operators because it contains “harmful information” and “illegal content.” In addition to gambling, this includes songs with lyrics that allegedly inspire listeners to experiment with drugs. Also prohibited are songs that “endanger national unity, sovereignty, or territorial integrity,” or which violate state religious policies by propagating cults or superstitions. All the good stuff, basically. Instead, operators of karaoke venues and their content suppliers will be encouraged to provide “healthy and uplifting” music, according to the ministry. They are also asked to flag problematic lyrics to help government officials compile the blacklist. Casino.org notes that all forms of gambling are illegal in China, except for state-controlled numbers and sports lotteries.
A Post-Pandemic UK Will Be “Holiday Ready”
In the treasure trove of information on inbound tourism to the USA that the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) recently released, the agency presents the information in such a way as to allow the data it prepared to tell the story, literally, of where and why the number of Brits visiting their favorite long-haul destination didn’t move the needle very much for the first 20 years (2000-2019) of the current century (Yes, we are aware that purists will insist the century began in 20th century began in 2001. So be it.).
INBOUND will also suggest that the seeds are there for a comeback of the UK market that could push the annual total number of Britons visiting the United States will surpass 5 million for the first time. (Japan, meanwhile, sent more than 5 million visitors to the United States in 1996, 1997 and 2000.)
First, the story:
—It surely looked as if the market was ready to send 5 million visitors to the USA in 2001 or 2002, given its performance and the condition of the global and UK economies. Then came Sept. 11, 2001 and the terrorist attack on the United States. The market crashed.
—Bit by bit, the market was crawled back for several years, then came the Great Recession of 2008-2009. The number of actual visitors (and future bookings, which usually are sold for a year or two out) plummeted.
—Another recovery was on the way when a skittish economy weakened further when the British people voting by the narrowest of margins in June 2016 to withdraw the nation from the European Union (EU). The fallout from this action took down 2016 and 2017.
—In 2019, the UK seemed poised once again to break the five-million-USA visitors mark (Indeed, 2019 was a very good year as the overall market was in a buoyant mood, with 11 of the Top 20 Overseas Markets setting a record for the number of annual visitors to the United States), and then came 2020.
Second, some key points. One can readily see in the information contained in the tables below that:
—Travel and tourism spending by the Brits for their USA holiday (not counting 2020) has remained stagnant.
—Even the smallest shred of good news about a destination causes UK travelers to create a spike in bookings for the destination.
—While the restrictions on, and confusion about, on non-essential UK travel abroad has dampened enthusiasm over long-haul travel, pent-up demand is still there.
—For the past 20 years, about three out of four UK visitors to the USA have indicated that a purpose of their trip is for a vacation (holiday), which is a major force in bringing families to America—especially Florida.
Note: Total Travel& Tourism + travel receipts (purchase if travel and tourism related goods and services, to include food, lodging, recreation, gifts, entertainment, local transportation in the country of travel, and other items incident to a U.S. visit) + passenger fare receipts (fares paid by foreign residents to U.S. carriers for travel to the United States). All traveler spending data are subject to periodic, annual and decennial revisions. BEA releases data for various countries and various categories across three release dates throughout the year. The March release provides travel export estimates for only the largest export countries and for only the “Travel Receipts” category. NTTO estimates Passenger Air Transportation in order to provide a total travel and tourism export estimate prior to October of the current year, when that estimate otherwise would be released. All NTTO estimates are supplanted by the BEA October official release, and previously-released BEA estimates may be revised.
More valuable information, like that contained in the above tables, can be found at NTTO by clicking here, then visiting “Market and Sector Profiles.”
New and/or Interesting Product
● San Diego is the latest city to join the CityPASS® family of partner destinations. The new San Diego CityPASS program, which was just launched, includes deeply discounted admission to various combinations of top attractions clustered in and around San Diego. The three combinations of tickets, which allow travelers to save up to 40 percent off combined regular admission, are: SeaWorld® San Diego + 3 Additional Attractions. This includes one-day admission to SeaWorld San Diego, plus admission to any three of the following four options: San Diego Zoo® or the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (choose either the zoo or the Safari Park), USS Midway Museum, City Cruises, and Old Town Trolley Tours. Cost: $149, adults; $129, children 3-12. Similar combinations are: LEGOLAND® California + 3 Additional Attractions; SeaWorld San Diego + LEGOLAND California + 3 Additional Attractions.
Depending on what they want to see and do, the amount of time visitors have to spend in the San Diego area, and the ages of those in their traveling party, visitors can customize their own San Diego experience with CityPASS. Tickets, which can be ordered online at CityPASS.com, arrive within moments via email. CityPASS tickets are currently available in 15 North American destinations: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, New York City, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Southern California, Tampa Bay and Toronto. To date, more than 23 million CityPASS tickets have been sold. For more information, visit CityPASS.com.
● The Arizona Office of Tourism has launched a statewide digital Arizona Wine Trail passport and interactive map powered by Bandwango. Visitors can register for the free passport and save as an icon to their phone’s home screen for easy access. Geolocation enables visitors to find over 100 tasting rooms while they travel throughout Arizona. Incentives for visiting multiple wine regions are built into the program. The passport will be available by visiting ArizonaWines.com.
● Manhattan’s first and only legal whiskey distillery since Prohibition has opened its doors in NoHo. The Great Jones Distilling Co. and its attraction is the result of a six-year construction journey that overcome numerous city regulations, centuries-old fire codes and a global pandemic to deliver a new spirit to the city and give New Yorkers their own whiskey distillery. The result is now a 28,000 square-foot space located at 686 Broadway, which encompasses a custom-built and engineered distillery where people can enjoy distillery tours and tasting experiences. A restaurant, speakeasy and event venue will open starting this month.
Great Jones Distilling Co. was founded by Proximo Spirits and the passionate vision of owner and 11th generation spirits maker Juan Domingo Beckmann. To celebrate the best that New York has to offer, the whiskies are made exclusively with grains grown in the soil of the Black Dirt region less than two hours north of Manhattan in Upstate New York. With the opening of Great Jones Distilling Co. comes the introduction of three new whiskies: Great Jones Straight Bourbon, Great Jones Four Grain Bourbon and Great Jones Rye Whiskey.
Visitors are now able to enjoy: distillery tours and guided whiskey tastings and experiences; The Restaurant at Great Jones (opening this month); The Speakeasy, an intimate underground speakeasy spot offering a restaurant and exclusive tasting menu; The Lounge, an exclusive enclave for guests as well as private events; and The Shop—the three signature spirits and a curated selection of Great Jones merchandise from New York-based makers and beyond will be available for purchase. Please check the website www.greatjonesdistillingco.com for timeframe updates. Distillery tours will be offered for those 21+ and are available for booking at https://greatjonesdistillingco.com/book-your-visit/.
● A spectacular new outdoors attraction—the Malahat Skywalk—has opened about 32 kilometers (20 miles) north of Victoria, BC. The 600-meter (656 yards) elevated walkway winds its way through the treetops to a spiral tower 250 meters (273 yards) above sea level with 360-degree views of the coastal region, including the Gulf Islands, Coast Mountains and Mount Baker. For the really adventurous, there is also an “adventure net,” that lets visitors bounce and stare down at the void below, and a huge spiral slide. The global pandemic had its impact on the Skywalk, as construction on the project started in January 2020. It did open, however, until July 1, when the province of British Columbia moved to Stage 3 of its COVID-19 reopening plan, which meant that operators were able to confirm an opening date. For information on the cost of tickets, groups and other matters, visit info@malahatskycalk.com, or call 1.833.625.2428.
● The recently opened Rady Shell at Jacobs Park in San Diego is an architectural wonder on the edge of San Diego Bay and the heart of downtown. Years in the making, The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park is the culmination of a long-time civic desire to have a state-of-the-art concert venue that elevates the experience of live music while also serving as a public center for all of San Diego. The Rady Shell also provides a sparkling summer home for the San Diego Symphony. For more information on events or prices, Call 619.235.0804. Or e-mail groupsales@sandiegosymphony.org/tickets-events/ticket-office/groupsales/
● Broadway Museum to Open Next Year: The Museum of Broadway, which will be the first permanent museum dedicated to the history and legacy of New York City’s theatre industry, is now scheduled to open next summer in Times Square (145 West 45th Street) following a delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown. Visitors will experience the history and migration of New York City’s theaters through immersive video projections, from the financial district to Union Square and Herald Square to modern-day Times Square. They will also get go behind the curtain into the making of a Broadway show with a special exhibit honoring the community of brilliantly talented professionals – both onstage and off – who bring Broadway plays and musicals to life every night. (Museum of Broadway rendering, Paul Bennett Architects, PC)
And, of course, The Museum of Broadway will also include a retail store, created in partnership with Creative Goods, that will sell show-specific merchandise as well as customized products from small local businesses. Meanwhile, tickets for the new attraction are expected to go on sale later this year. For more information, visit www.themuseumofbroadway.com.
Confusion, Data and a Quiet Recovery
For those who can’t wait for some statistically responsible prediction that the millions of overseas travelers who did not come to the United States in the wake of the last year’s outbreak of the COVID-19 global pandemic will soon return, there is evidence that this is indeed happening on an inch-to-inch basis. From the half-dozen tables and charts that follow, one can see that—using 2019*, the base year that we’ll be using for some time to compare what is happening to what should have, or would have happened without the pandemic—very quietly, arrivals to the U.S. from overseas have increased for the year that covers July 2020 through June 2021.
Whether the above should serve as some form of solace for yet another disappointing quarter or we should hope that Q4 2021 will salvage something from this year is open to question. But, as miniscule as or quiet the improvement of the inbound market is, it is there. Meanwhile, there are some other monthly data from the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) to review:
Visit USA Association Remembers Sarah Lax
Plus, Other Notes from the UK
● Visit USA Association (UK) travel and tourism professionals in the UK will be forgiven today if they take time away from sales to digress and reflect upon the life of one of their own—Sarah Lax—at their first, live, face-to-face meeting since the beginning of the COVID-19 global pandemic as they gather for the Visit USA Summer Affair. It is also the first such gathering since the passing six weeks ago of Lax, who died following a five-year fight with cancer.
An industry veteran of more than 35 years and purchasing manager for Virgin Holidays, Lax was active in Visit USA and had been chair of the organization for more than four years.
Interim leaders have been appointed to oversee the Visit USA Association (UK) following Lax’s death: Jonathan Sloan, executive vice president of the USA -headquartered travel marketing firm MMGY Global was elected as chair and Julie Greenhill, director at Greg Evans Consultancy, as vice chair until next March by the board of directors.
Both Sloan and Greenhill were serving as board directors of Visit USA (UK) prior to the elections. Sloan previously served as chair of the association from 2013 to 2017.
In a statement following Lax’s passing, Visit USA said: “Sarah will be greatly missed by all of us who had the pleasure of working with her. Our hearts go out to Sarah’s family, friends and colleagues and we hope that knowing how loved and respected she was by an entire industry will bring comfort to them at this very difficult and sad time.”
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● In the UK, It’s Not Easy Being Green … or Becoming Green. Ever since last May 7th, when Grant Shapps, Britain’s Secretary of State for Transport, announced the three-color traffic light system to regulate the flow into and out of the UK, there is one certainty regarding its impact: Confusion has reigned.
The system looks clear enough: Countries are listed as (1.) Red, (2.) Amber or (3.) Green for the COVID-19 virus. They mean, essentially, (1.) Don’t even think of going there or coming from there to the UK. Quarantining on your return won’t be enjoyable. (2.) Still strict, but travel is possible. (3.) Fewer regulations or constraints. Good chance of going here.
Were it that simple. What has happened, according to one trade journal last week, is that there have been more than 50 changes to the traffic light plan since its inception. Public opinion surveys have shown that confusion is indeed the rule and that one of the bottom-line facts of the situation, is that a fair number of Brits have thrown their hands in the air and said to themselves, “I’ll do a staycation.” Or worse yet. “I’m not going anywhere this year.”
Yet another outcome has been the spiking phenomenon: that is, a county gets moved from amber or red to green, and there is a spike the following day in bookings or inquiries about travel to such countries. But remember, with the traffic light system, it’s possible that a green country might slip back into green or red status.
It is not just the consumer who is confused. Travel agents have been harshly critical of the situation, as the changes have left them without readily available traffic light information—no matter how quickly changes are posted. The 50 changes noted above means that there has been a traffic light change every other day since the plan was announced.
INBOUND has no solution to offer. We merely report on matters. But we can tell our friends in the UK that U.S. destinations are aching for your return.
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● Unafraid and vaccinated, senior travelers treating travel for 2022 the same as before. The mature traveler segment plans on spend the same or more on holidays in the coming year but on the same number or fewer trips. This is just one of the key findings on research recently conducted by Silver Travel Advisor, a travel reviews website.
Completed in July by more than 3,000 respondents—73 percent were aged 50 to 70—the survey’s results indicated that older travelers are strongly in favor of vaccine passports.
Also from the study:
—An overwhelming 94 percent of respondents said they were double-vaccinated and 82 percent indicated that they favored the introduction of vaccine passports.
—Sixty-eight percent said they would spend as much as money as before or more on holidays in the next year. Forty-six percent of those said they would spend the same as in the past and 22 percent said they would spend more.
—However, when asked about how many trips they would take, 46 percent said that they planned the same number as in the past, while 44 percent planned fewer holidays, and just 10 percent planned more.
—The results on holiday spend comport with the study’s findings that older travelers have not been as hard-hit by the pandemic: Twenty-four percent reported they are as well off as before and 35 percent said that they were not much affected by it. Another 27 percent remain financially stable but cautious and careful in their spend.
—Forty-eight percent said they expected to take more UK trips and 38 percent said destinations in Europe, in case a quick return home was necessary.
—For travel up to the end of 2022, 55 percent of older travelers preferred hotel stays, compared with 40 percent for 2021. Twelve percent hoped to take a cruise by the end of next year, compared with 6 percent this year.
—There was a slight uptick in attitudes toward escorted tours, which interested 8 percent of respondents by the end of 2022, compared with just 3.5 percent for 2021.
HODGE PODGE: Appointments, Openings & Changes
Katja Jahn has left G2 Travel North America after more than four years, and has joined TripArc/Travel Edge/Kensington Tours where she is vice president procurement DMC. Previously, she had been senior product manager at YMT Vacations; and manager, tour development at AmericanTours International, where she served as manager of tour development.
Former Tourico and Hotelbeds executive Matias Elisavetsky has been appointed as the first chief commercial officer for the transportation booking platform Bookaway following the recent global launch of the Bookaway Group. The company’s mission is to modernize the ground and sea transportation industry by supporting local, independent transport suppliers around the world to bring their operations online. The former director of sourcing at Hotelbeds, Matias brings just over 16 years of global experience in commercial strategy in the travel and tourism industries, managing client relationships and driving new contracts. Mattias spent just over 11 years at Tourico Holidays, where he became executive vice president of global product development before the business was acquired by Hotelbeds in 2017.
Maria Vazquez has been named product manager at AmericanTours International, one the largest tour operators in the Americas. Her résumé includes tenures as an area contract manager for Hotelbeds; area sourcing manger, Florida & South USA; and senior product manager, Florida, for AlliedTPro.
Peter Gamez has taken over as president and CEO of Visit Oakland. A lifelong San Francisco resident and familiar figure in the region’s travel and tourism industry, Gamez replaces interim CEO Michael LeBlanc, who stood in following the departure of Mark Everton who left the organization last April after five years to become president / CEO at the Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority. Gamez has held senior sales, marketing and business development roles for several different lodging entities, including a tenure of more than 14 years with Joie de Vivre Hospitality.
Brian Fisher, who was a founding board member of the Lake County Tourism Improvement District, which is located about 100 miles northwest of Sacramento and is home to several lake attractions in Central California, has been named the first executive director of the tourism promotion agency. Prior to starting his curated apartment hotel business in Kelseyville, known as Suite on Main, Fisher held a number of executive sales and management positions in advertising including publishers including The Wall Street Journal, Condé Nast, and Hearst Publishing.
The aviation and travel technology provider Dohop has announced the appointment of Sarah Hanan to its executive team as commercial director. Sarah joins from Omio where she led the team that delivered the company’s strategic partnership program. Also on her resume: Hanan was commercial director at UK-based Cheapflights, where she spent nearly 14 years.
Tom Maynard has been appointed new head of UK and Europe sales for Virgin Atlantic. He joined the airline from travel management company (TMC) BCD Travel, and before that he worked for management consultancy McKinsey & Co in Singapore and New York.
Cindy Hartner has taken on a new leadership role within the DMC Network’s headquarters team as senior director of global sales for the company. Hartner has played pivotal roles on both the sales and operations side of the DMC Network business. She is active with the MPI community, having served as president for both the MPI Washington State Chapter and ILEA Dallas Chapter, as well as serving on both the ILEA Seattle and MPI Dallas Ft. Worth boards. DMC Network’s member-owned community of destination management companies operate in 100 destinations across North America, Central America, South America, the Caribbean and Europe.
In the UIK, Rob Carroll has been appointed senior product manager for the Leger Shearings Group. He will lead and direct the product management team across both the Leger Holidays and Shearings brands. Carroll joins the company from the Association of Group Travel Organizers. A veteran of more than two decades in the travel and tourism sector, his previous experience includes tenures in senior roles with Airedale Tours, Railtrail Tours Ltd., Great Rail Journeys Ltd., and Wallace Arnold Tours
The Maui Visitors and Convention Bureau has appointed Meagan DeGaia as destination manager. In this newly created position being funded by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, DeGaia will be responsible for supervising, managing, implementing and reporting on the Maui Nui Destination Management Action Plan, its Community Enrichment Program, as well as signature events within Maui County. Prior to joining the Maui bureau, served as Makoa Quest’s president and director. DeGaia was also the media publisher for the Neighbors of Wailea and Mākena and Neighbors of West Maui publications, where she partnered with local nonprofits, community organizations and residents.
Kim Borneman has been hired by the San Diego Tourism Authority to serve as its national sales director for the West Coast, overseeing sales for the San Diego Convention Center. Borneman joins the organization from Visit Dallas, where she served as regional director of sales for the West. Previously, she spent more than five years with Starwood Hotels & Resorts in different sales positions.
The Travel Corporation (TTC) has appointed Nicholas Lim as its new Asia CEO. In his new position, Lim will report to Gavin Tollman, TCC president. Lim is no stranger to TTC having headed TTC Asia as managing director from 2018 to 2020, and before that, as president (Asia) for Trafalgar from 2011 to 2018. Prior to his appointment as CEO of TTC, Lim was general manager of Norwegian Cruise Lines in Asia. TTC, which is headquartered near Anaheim, California, owns 40 travel brands, including tour operators, hotels, and transportation companies. It operates in 70 countries and has 40 offices around the world, and it serves 1.9 million travelers annually
Benjamin Maddy has been appointed sales manager for Fogo de Chão in New York City. Well known in the city’s travel and tourism community, Maddy’s career has included senior sales positions at Ripley’s Believe it or Not, ATTRACTOUR, The Madison Square Garden Company and Discovery Times Square.
Renata Cenni of Hotelbeds recently made the move from Los Angeles to Orlando to take over as the company’s regional director for North America. Cenni joined Hotelbeds three-and-a-half years ago. Previously, she was head of sourcing, Americas, West Coast / Latin America for GTA, where she served for almost 16 years.
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Job Postings
From SearchWide Global:
—Discover The Palm Beaches is looking for an associate vice president of group sales. More details here.
—Discover The Palm Beaches is searching for a director of events, tradeshow & strategic sales partnerships. More details here.
—The Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau, which represents an area of coastal communities in northwestern Michigan, has an opening for a new executive director. More details here.
—The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau is seeking a senior vice president of convention sales. More details here.
—The Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade is searching for a director of marketing and communications. More details here.
—The Roebbelen Center @ the Grounds, a multi-purpose event facility on 60 acres situated between San Francisco and Lake Tahoe, is seeking a general manager. More details here.
—In Arlington, Texas, there is an opening for president and CEO of the Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau. More details here.
—Freeman is searching for a vice president, national graphics. More details here.
—Visit Dallas has an opening for a senior vice president/chief marketing officer. More details here.
—Visit Estes Park, about 90 miles north of Denver, is search for a director of finance & administration. More details here.
—Destination Door County (Wisconsin) is looking for a president and CEO. More details here.
—In Oregon, the Josephine County Visitor Association’s Destination Marketing Organization, Experience Grants Pass, us searching for an executive director. More details here.
—The Oklahoma State Fair is seeking a president and CEO. More details here.
—There is an opening for a chief executive officer at Explore Skagit Valley in Washington State. More details here.
—In the Charlotte/Concord area of North Carolina, Great Wolf Resorts has an opening for a director of sales and catering. For details, click here
—Georgia’s Valdosta-Lowndes County Conference Center & Tourism Authority is searching for a conference sales director. More details here.
Also, Visit Dallas, one of the Top 100 Places to Work in Dallas-Fort Worth, has the following job openings. For more details, click on the individual links: Administrative Assistant; Diversity & Inclusion Resource Manager; Event Manager; Sales Coordinator; and Site Coordinator.
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From LinkedIn Jobs: Known to many across the board in the travel and tourism industry, the LinkedIn list (click here) has numerous job opportunities posted. Following is a brief sample of some of those jobs currently listed.
—Sky Land and Ocean Travel in Philadelphia has an opening for a virtual travel coordinator. More details here.
—Barefoot Wanderlust Adventures has an opening for a travel specialist who can work from a remote location. More details here.
—New York City & Company has an opening for a coordinator, global communications. More details here.
—Delta Air Lines is searching for a specialist, reservations strategic initiatives. More details here.
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From Indeed.com: We’ve taken a look at this site (click here) which says that it has hundreds of new jobs listed, including a fair number in the travel, tourism and related industries. A sampler of what to expect is below.
—The city of Eustis, Florida is looking for an events & tourism manager. Salary range is $50,361 to $75,670 a year. More details here.
—The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, is searching for a director of corporate and travel industry sales, the Americas, in New York. More details here.
—The Philadelphia office of Tiquets, the global ticket booking company for attractions, is looking for a U.S.-based supply coordinator (the company is headquartered in the Netherlands. More details here.
—Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City is looking for a manager of tourism and travel. More details here.
—The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is looking for a vice president of guest experience. The salary range is $130,000 – $157,000 a year: More details here.
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Have a job to offer in the travel and tourism industry? Let us know and we’ll post your notice—no cost to you. Email tom@tomberrigan.com
