Destinations International Hosts CEO Summit in Asheville, NC

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE        

Media Contact:
Caitlyn Blizzard
[email protected]
1.202.835.4202

Destinations International Hosts CEO Summit in Asheville, NC

Washington, D.C. (April 24, 2018) – Destinations International Chair, William Pate, President and CEO of the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau and Destinations International President and CEO, Don Welsh today announced the final attendance numbers for the organization’s CEO Summit. More than 250 attendees attended the summit, which took place April 15-18, 2019 in Asheville, NC.

Attendees came together to learn from global leaders addressing high-level topics. Speakers for the 2019 CEO Summit included:

  • Dr. Michelle Rozen
  • Sheryl Connelly, Ford Motor Company
  • Tracy Lanza, Brand USA
  • The Honorable Andrew J. Ginther, Mayor Of Columbus, Ohio
  • Ann Ashley, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CFN, The Biltmore Company
  • Philip Lovas, Deputy Assistant Secretary For The National Travel And Tourism Office In Industry And Analysis, Department Of Commerce
  • Rob Torres, Managing Director, Google
  • Nan Marchand Beauvois, Meetings Mean Business
  • Erik Hansen, U.S. Travel Association
  • George Morvis, Financial Shares Corporation
  • John Lambeth, Civitas
  • Dr. Brandi Baldwin, Millennial Ventures Holdings

In addition to the above presentations, Jack Johnson, Chief Advocacy Officer of Destinations International shared a new initiative to attendees that destination organizations must change their ideology and become a shared community value that everyone in a destination can support and embrace.

Andreas Weissenborn, Senior Director of Research & Advocacy of Destinations International, shared the newest part of the Weaponization of Travel Study Toolkits. Later to be released in July 2019, Destinations International will release toolkits to assist destination organizations and meeting and event planners to help deal with both the threat of a travel boycott and being an actual target of one.

Melissa Cherry, Chief Operating Officer of Destinations International, shared the work the association is leading focused on diversity and inclusion. Launched in 2018, Destinations International has a strategic goal to lead and engage diversity and inclusion initiatives and opportunities within the destination management industry.

Destinations International is grateful for the support of our Pinnacle Partners: Brand USA, Miles Partnership and Simpleview; our Premier Partners: Longwoods International, MMGY Global, Tempest and TripAdvisor; and our CEO Summit Sponsors: Adara, Arrivalist, CFO By Design, Destination Analysts, Expedia Group Media Solutions, Explore Asheville, Hills Balfour, IMEX Group, Magellan Strategy Group, PGAV, SearchWide Global, STR and U.S. Travel Association.

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About Destinations International:
Destinations International (formerly Destination Marketing Association 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.