Destinations International announced the new 2021-2022 association board of directors and foundation board of trustees. Gretchen Hall, CDME, president and CEO of the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau, assumed the role of chair of Destinations International. John Percy, president and CEO of Buffalo Niagara USA, assumed the role of chair of the Destinations International Foundation.
“Destinations International and the Destinations International Foundation are driven by the experienced volunteers serving on our boards and committees,” says Don Welsh (pictured left), president and CEO of Destinations International. “We are truly grateful for the time, counsel and service these individuals dedicate to our industry, and we look forward to their leadership during their time as a board member and beyond. It is our pleasure and honor to welcome our newest directors and trustees to the Boards for 2021/2022.”
“We now know what a world without travel looks like,” says Gretchen Hall (pictured right), president and CEO of the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau and Chair of Destinations International. “How tenuous our attachment to each other can be when our only connection is on a screen or through a mask. The power of travel – its necessity, its fundamental role in the nature of our humanity, has never been more evident. And now, as vaccines are distributed and the globe begins to reopen, the world needs a different kind of healing. A kind of healing that only comes from shared experiences and expanded horizons that travel allows. Seventeen months ago, this industry was at its worst, and now the world is calling for us to be at our best. Destinations International will play a key role in preparing and assisting destination organizations as we answer that call and define this industry for generations to come.”
“The role of the Destinations International Foundation could not be more relevant in its support of the work of Destinations International and its membership as we exit this most turbulent year and look forward with a brighter vision,” says John Percy (pictured left), CDME, president and CEO of Destination Niagara USA. “I am truly honored and look forward to leading and supporting the vision and many initiatives that will progress throughout this next year including our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion strategy, 30 under 30 program, US Conference of Mayors Partnership, and the 2021 DestinationsNEXT Futures Study, just to name a few.”
The 2021-2022 Board of Directors and Board of Trustees officers are listed below. For a full list of Destinations International’s Board of Directors, click here. For a full list of the Destinations International Foundation Board of Trustees, click here.
2021/2022 Destinations International Board of Directors:
- Craig Compagnone, MMGY Global
- Erin Francis-Cummings, Destination Analysts
- Fred Dixon, NYC & Company
- Melyssa Reeves, CDME, Visit Vacaville
- Monica Smith, CDME, Southeast Tourism Society
- Rickey Thigpen, Visit Jackson
- Scott White, Greater Palm Springs CVB
2021/2022 Destinations International Officers:
- Chair: Gretchen Hall, CDME, Little Rock CVB
- Chair-Elect: Al Hutchinson, Visit Baltimore
- Immediate Past-Chair: Butch Spyridon, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corporation
- Secretary/Treasurer: Fred Dixon, NYC & Company
- At-Large Officer, Leslie Bruce, President and CEO, Banff & Lake Louise Tourism
2021/2020 Destinations International Foundation Board of Trustees Officers:
- Chair: John Percy, CDME, Destination Niagara USA
- Chair-Elect: Vail Ross, STR
- Immediate Past-Chair: John Lambeth, Civitas
- Secretary/Treasurer: Ellie Westman Chin, CDME, Destination Madison
- At-Large Board Position: Amir Eylon, Longwoods International
2021/2022 Destinations International Foundation Board of Trustees:
- Adam Burke, LA Tourism & Convention Board
- Angela Nelson, Experience Grand Rapids
- Ellie Westman Chin, CDME, Destination Madison
- Jayne DeLuce, CDME, Visit Champaign County
- Linda John, CDME, Linda John Consulting
- Rolando Aedo, CDME, Greater Miami CVB
- Yoshiko Maruyama, CDME, World Business Associates Co., Ltd.
Destinations International is the world’s largest resource for official destination organizations, convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) and tourism boards. Destinations International is about serving destination marketing professionals first and foremost. Together with almost 6,000 members and partners from nearly 600 destinations in 15 countries, Destinations International represents a powerful forward-thinking, collaborative association: exchanging bold ideas, connecting innovative people and elevating tourism to its highest potential. For more info, visit www.destinationsinternational.org.
The Destinations International Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering destination marketers globally by providing education, research, advocacy and leadership development. The Foundation is classified as a charitable organization, under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code and all donations to the Foundation are tax-deductible. For more info, visit www.destinationsinternational.org.
