New DMAI Leadership to Advance Value of Tourism in Demanding Year Ahead
Incoming Chairman Daniel Fenton to Focus on National Partnerships
Atlanta, GA (July 30, 2009) –Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) incoming Chairman of the Board of Directors Daniel Fenton took the reins Thursday to lead DMAI, the world’s largest resource for official destination marketing organizations, launching a new campaign to establish national partnerships with arts, hotel and labor groups.
“These critical partnerships tie directly to the industry’s focus on relevancy and advocacy both at the national and local level,” said Daniel Fenton, CEO of Team San Jose. “I am proud to represent the tourism industry and look forward to strengthening DMAI’s position and supporting Convention and Visitor Bureaus and destination marketing organizations across the nation.”
Fenton leads Team San Jose, a $US20 million organization that acts as both Convention Center and Cultural Facilities manager as well as the San Jose Convention and Visitors Bureau (SJCVB). This unique model has increased revenue for the SJCVB and Cultural Facilities by 84 percent since Team San Jose began management in 2004 and resulted in a one team approach for all customer service needs for meeting and event planners visiting San Jose. Created in 2003 after the City of San Jose solicited proposals for management of the Convention Center and multiple theaters, Team San Jose is lead by a Board of Directors representing arts, hotel and local labor union groups.
“Local tourism’s success takes the commitment of key stakeholders working together and San Jose is an example where this has worked well,” said Fenton. “This success also has great potential at the national level and the national campaign will give DMAI members tools to stay relevant and support advocacy efforts to move the industry forward.”
“Dan is a thought leader in the industry,” said Maura Gast, Executive Director of the Irving Texas CVB and Immediate Past Chair of DMAI Board of Directors, “by forming Team San Jose, he is changing the way our industry approaches customer service. I know he will apply the same thinking and skill as he leads DMAI over the next year.”
The association, under Fenton’s leadership will also focus on technology and social responsibility. These priorities follow a key report, lead by Gast, coined The Future’s Study, launched last year highlighting these areas as priorities for the organization and encouraging its membership to increase the knowledge of the industry through supporting the nation’s economic growth. Travel and tourism is one of the world’s largest service exports and largest employers. In the United States, travel and tourism is the third biggest retail sales sector. The industry contributes more than US$599 billion annually to the nation’s economy and generates US$99.4 billion in tax revenues (2004 figures from the Travel Industry Association).
DMAI has been the key leading advocate for destination marketing organizations worldwide since 1914. DMAI’s Board of Directors includes 25 Board members representing the industry.
DMAI Executive Officers for the Board of Directors working with Fenton include:
J. Steven Perry, New Orleans Metropolitan CVB, Inc. LA USA (Chair- Elect)
Kevin Kane, Memphis CVB, TN USA (Secretary/Treasurer)
Maura Allen Gast, FCDME, Irving CVB, TX US (Immediate Past-Chair)
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About Team San Jose
Team San Jose, Inc. is a management company for the San Jose Convention Center and multiple theaters in Downtown San Jose including the San Jose Civic, Center for the Performing Arts, California Theatre and Montgomery Theater. Team San Jose is a unique customer service model where the company acts as the San Jose Convention and Visitors Bureau and works in partnership with local hoteliers, organized labor, local arts leadership and business community to provide a one team approach to all event planning needs.
About Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI)
DMAI is the world’s largest resource for official destination marketing organizations (DMOs). With offices in North America and Europe, DMAI is dedicated to improving the effectiveness of professionals from nearly 650 destination marketing organizations in over 30 countries. DMAI’s membership represents more than 2600 DMO professionals, students, educators and industry vendors and partners. Proving cutting-edge educational resources, networking opportunities and marketing benefits, the association has worked to enhance the professionalism, effectiveness, and image of DMOs since 1914. www.destinationmarketing.org.
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