Meet David Breisch, our Director of Marketing Technology at Destinations International. David has a passion for the tourism industry and moved to Washington, D.C. in 2018 from the Quad Cities, where he worked at the Quad Cities CVB for nine years, to join the marketing and communications team at Destinations International. He has been involved with Destinations International (then DMAI) since 2013 when he was selected as one of the 30 Under 30 honorees for the year. It was that year in Orlando, FL at the Annual Convention that David got his nickname "Dancing David." Next time (and hopefully soon!) you are at a Destinations International event and want to talk to David, you will most likely find him on the dance floor! (Editors Note: The first time I met David was at that year's convention and I remember him taking over the dance floor!)

Although it may seem like three times as long to David (with such a small and nimble team, one day may seem like a year!), he has been with our team for just over two years and is the go-to on staff for anything website-related or backend questions to our online systems. He is also the email guru, making sure you receive the correct communications and keeping our content new and fresh. If you have ever had an issue with registering for an event or webinar, chances are, you have had a chat with David. He has worked in customer service environments throughout his life and if you have interacted with David, you may have noticed his knack for excellent customer service! Enjoy getting to know a little more about David with our short interview below.

Favorite Destination and why?

I’ve always loved London. I studied abroad there for five weeks when I was in college, and I loved the mixture of historic and modern architecture and amenities. London is incredibly walkable, well connected, easy to explore and just a great place to visit. It’s also well-connected to other destinations both within the UK and on the European continent as well.

In one sentence, what is your job at Destinations International?

I handle all things digital marketing and content development, so I’m in charge of the website, email campaigns to members as well as in-house video production.

How long have you been with Destinations International?

Two years with a great group of people passionate about the industry!

What was your first job in the tourism industry?

I worked for the Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau for nine years as Multimedia & Web Manager, so I ran all aspects of digital marketing for a destination organization. It was a great introduction to the industry and I really fell in love with the strong sense of community amongst destination professionals as well as the opportunity to support and promote the place that I was living.

What inspires you to keep doing the work you do for Destinations International on a daily basis?

Travel and tourism is one of the greatest industries in the world – creating jobs, bringing people together, bridging cultures and spreading new knowledge far and wide. Travel brings new ideas and fosters a sense of community amongst countless people across the globe and I’m excited to be in a position where I can support destinations around the world encouraging new people to come to their community and helping them be the best that they can be.

When you were growing up, what was your dream job?

Probably being a locomotive engineer or working for the railroad industry – I have always had a hobby of studying the transportation industry and I’m fascinated by all things trains, planes, roads and everything in-between.

What is your bucket list vacation?

I checked off a big one last year when I had the opportunity to visit Singapore. Another big one on my list is visiting China at some point in my life. I am half-Chinese but neither my mother nor I have ever actually been to China so we would love to visit and learn more about our family history and cultural background.

What is one fact about you that surprises people?

I think one thing that people don’t notice about me right away is that I’m a pretty strong introvert. People don’t notice that because I’m a naturally energetic person, I get along with almost everyone (and I love hosting dinner parties!) So, I come off as very outgoing but I actually enjoy having time to myself to recharge and relax.

What is your favorite restaurant/meal in the world that you have tried when traveling?

Hmm, that’s a tough one. I’m not sure that I have any memories of any specific meals, but I always enjoy trying new things and learning the unique cuisines that you might not expect from a destination. For example, London has a strong Indian community and some incredible Indian restaurants that I loved to frequent when I was there. Another great memory I have from my most recent trip is visiting Bread Street Kitchen, a Gordon Ramsay restaurant – because who doesn’t want to eat at a Gordon Ramsay restaurant?

I am overly competitive about…

Games of all types, including board games and video games. I’ve been a gamer my entire life and I get pretty competitive during a good gaming session.