NAPA, CALIF. -Destination leaders Christopher L. Thompsonprevious president and CEO of Brand USA, and William D. “Bill” Talbert, IIIprevious president and CEO of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, will be honored as the 2024 conscripts into the U.S. Travel Hall of Leaders this fall, the U.S. Travel Association revealed today.
Expense and Chris embody the greatest suitables of a travel leader. Over several years, each has actually contributed in significant methods to the success and development of this market.
Under Chris's stewardship, Brand USA has actually thrived to increase visitation to the U.S. and take full advantage of travel's financial effect. His profession in location marketing shows years of extremely reliable work that allowed travel to prosper at the regional, state and nationwide level.
It's difficult to picture a much better brand name ambassador or location supporter than ‘Miami Bill'. Costs worked relentlessly to develop Miami into an effective travel entrance understood around the world to leisure and organization tourists. His service extends far beyond the beaches of Miami to the many companies that have actually benefitted from his proficiency.Geoff Freeman, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association
Differentiated people, such as Talbert and Thompson, are called to U.S. Travel's Hall of Leaders for continual, notable contributions that have actually favorably affected the travel market, promoted higher accomplishment and raised industry-wide requirements.
Receivers are honored for not just serving their company with quality, however likewise for contributions that have raised travel nationally and internationally.
Christopher L. Thompson
From 2012 to 2024, Thompson served Brand USA– a public-private collaboration developed by the federal Travel Promotion Act of 2009– as the company's president and CEO. He led ground-breaking efforts, consisting of acclaimed storytelling and material methods, the production of 3 giant-screen movies seen worldwide, and the launch of the very first nationwide location connected-TV channel.
Under his assistance, Brand USA ended up being a design public-private collaboration for nationwide location marketing companies. Thompson led the company to tape-record numbers prior to 2020 and it has actually played a critical function in the return of worldwide incoming visitation to the United States in the post-pandemic years.
Prior to Brand USA, Thompson functioned as president and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA and the Tallahassee Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, in addition to leading the Leon County (Florida) Tourist Development Council. He started his profession in travel in 1983 at the previous Florida Department of Commerce, Division of Tourism.
William D. “Bill” Talbert, III
Talbert was the veteran president and CEO of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, serving the company from 1990 to 2021. He is credited as a devoted public servant and an extremely appreciated travel and civic leader who served the market in Miami-Dade and beyond for 5 years.
Under his assistance, Greater Miami and Miami Beach regularly accomplished record-setting numbers in regards to visitors, work and travel-generated taxes, which contributed in considerable methods to moneying necessary efforts in transport, public security, and regional arts and culture, to name a few services.
Talbert was at the leading edge of “whatever Miami,” using management and know-how to the development of the Miami area. He was a directing force in the remodelling and growth of the Miami Beach Convention Center and an essential figure in protecting prominent worldwide occasions, from the Summit of the Americas to 5 NFL Super Bowls.
He is a previous chair of the VISIT FLORIDA board and a leader of other popular regional and nationwide companies, consisting of the U.S. Department of Commerce's Travel & & Tourism Advisory Board, the Black Hospitality Initiative of Greater Miami and Florida International University's Chaplin School of Hospitality & & Tourism Management, to name a few.
With these inductions, 108 travel market experts have actually been inducted into the U.S. Travel Hall of Leaders considering that it was developed in 1969. The 2023 conscripts were Elliott L. Ferguson, II, president and CEO of Destination DC, and Peter F. Herschend, co-founder of Herschend Enterprises. A list of all previous Hall of Leaders honorees is offered here.
Talbert and Thompson will be honored at a November 20 supper gone to by more than 100 travel market leaders throughout U.S. Travel's Fall Engagement Week in Washington, D.C.
About U.S. Travel Association
U.S. Travel Association is the nationwide, non-profit company representing the $1.3 trillion travel market, an important factor to our country's economy and success. U.S. Travel produces programs and insights and supporters for policies to increase travel to and within the United States. See ustravel.org for details and recovery-related information.
Greg Staley
U.S. Travel Association
