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Washington, D.C. (December 12, 2018) – Destinations International Foundation Chair Jason Fulvi, President and CEO of Visit KC and Destinations International President and CEO Don Welsh today announced that tickets are available for the Spirit of Hospitality Celebration. The annual event will be held on February 12, 2019 at The Hamilton, 600 14th Street, N.W. Washington, D.C.

About the Spirit of Hospitality Award Honoree:
Samantha Brown is this year’s Spirit of Hospitality Award honoree. The award is the highest recognition presented annually to individuals and organizations that show exceptional dedication and commitment to the travel and tourism industry. Samantha Brown has been inspiring travelers for 18 years. During her time at Travel Channel, she created 10 original international and domestic travel series generating over 170 hours of television. Samantha’s new travel series, Samantha Brown’s Places to Love premiered on PBS in January 2018. In Places to Love, Samantha features the destinations, experiences and most importantly the people that make us the traveler feel like we belong to a place.

“I am honored to be recognized by the Destinations International Foundation for my work in promoting tourism and travel,” said Samantha Brown. “My passion for travel focuses on people and their culture, and with the support of organizations like the Destinations International Foundation, we can continue to support the success of destinations around the world.”

“Samantha Brown is an icon in our industry,” said Fulvi. “She has been inspiring millions with her television shows for almost two decades and we look forward to celebrating her and her commitment to the travel and tourism industry at this critical event for the Destinations International Foundation.”

“The Spirit of Hospitality Celebration brings together travel and tourism peers to network, entertain clients and recognize leadership in our industry,” said Welsh. “We look forward to seeing many of our members and partners at this critical Destinations International Foundation event that raises funds to ensure the continued growth of destination around the world. We are also looking forward to celebrating Samantha Brown, who continues to inspire travelers around the world, as our 2019 Spirit of Hospitality Award honoree.”

Ticket Sales and General Information:

General admission tickets are US$ 395 each and may be purchased at destinationsinternational.org/2019-spirit-hospitality-celebration. For those who wish to support the event or the Destinations International Foundation in a greater capacity, sponsorships with packaged admissions are available.

Doors for the event will open at 6 p.m., followed by the Award Ceremony at 7 p.m. The event will conclude with a reception at 7:45 p.m. with entertainment by The Pat McGee Band.

The Destinations International Foundation supports the following important initiatives:

• Education: The Destinations International Foundation invests in building knowledge by funding educational programming for destination professionals throughout the year at the Destinations International Annual Convention and discipline-based Summits and educational events. The Foundation also provides scholarship opportunities to professionals to participate in industry conferences and certification programs.

• Research: Through industry specific research such as the “Weaponization of Travel Report” and the “DestinationNext Futures Study,” the Foundation creates new knowledge and is one of the largest funders of studies to develop a better understanding of industry standards, trends and opportunities, as well as forecasting future threats.

• Advocacy: Destination organizations face a growing need to advocate for the outcome of their efforts. The Destinations International Foundation works diligently to empower these organizations with facts, best practices and tools to mitigate current threats, and get ahead of future issues on the horizon.

• Leadership Development: Through programs like 30 Under 30 and the Apprenticeship Program, the Destinations International Foundation is developing future industry leaders that represent a diverse set of backgrounds and perspectives.

Destinations International and the Destinations International Foundation are grateful for the support of the Spirit of Hospitality Celebration Presenting Sponsor, Tempest.

For more information on the Destinations International Foundation or the Spirit of Hospitality, visit destinationsinternational.org/2019-spirit-hospitality-celebration.

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About Destinations International:

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 more than 4,700 members and partners from nearly 600 destinations in approximately 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 information, visit www.destinationsinternational.org.  

About the Destinations International Foundation:

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 information visit www.destinationsinternational.org.