apt travel ceo

• Latest News
• Industry HQ

Travel Inspiration

• Sustainability
• All Latest News
• Experiences
• Corporate And Mice
• Destinations
• Accommodation
• All Industry HQ
• Movers & Shakers
• Travel Leaders
• Travel Influencers
• Travel Advisors
• Competitions & Incentives
• Latest Jobs
• All Travel Inspiration
• Travel Deals
• Accessories
• Travel Hacks
• Apps & Gadgets
• Hotels & Resorts
• Luxury Summit
• Advisory Board
• All Sustainability
• Accreditation
• All Level up
• New For You
• Masterclasses
• Road Trip New Zealand
• Road Trip Usa
• If You Seek
• Spotlight On The Usa
• Destination Canada
• Qatar Stopover
• Training Centre
• Event Calendar
• Open Mindset
• All About Us
• Join The Team
• Partner With Us
• Creative Services
• Join The Karryon Collective

What happened on Travelmarvel Vega’s maiden voyage? David Cox, APT Travel Group CEO shares the goss

David Cox, APT Travel Group CEO, recently hopped aboard the brand-new River Ship, Travelmarvel Vega, for the first cruise of the year and has given Karryon the lowdown on the shippin' good news.

Most viewed

Save on 2025 albatross tours (incl. 3 new ones) , make the connection: intrepid travel onboards new rail range with 40 train itineraries, win a hamilton island holiday for 101 people with virgin australia’s 1 velocity point promo, david cox, apt travel group ceo, recently hopped aboard the brand-new river ship, travelmarvel vega, for the first cruise of the year and has given karryon the lowdown on the shippin’ good news..

David Cox has recently returned from his visit to check out Travelmarvel’s newest ship in Europe and we’ve managed to get the inside scoop on what he found out and experienced during his #ArrivalRevival adventure.

WARNING: you will probably want to book a trip to Europe shortly after reading this.

What was it like travelling to Europe for the first time in over two years?

Leaving Australia was remarkably easy COVID tests are no longer necessary to fly out of Australia or enter Hungary. 

Upon arriving in Europe travel was just as breezy, with minimal queues – we were out of the airport and on the road to in no time.

Traffic is notably light in Hungary – due in part to it being the start of the season, but also likely due to some incorrect perception that travel in Europe is difficult. The result means visitors can travel across the city with relative ease… not that a slower pace would bother a tourist when there are such incredible views of Budapest to enjoy!

It must have been exciting stepping on board, tell us about your first impressions

Arriving at our brand-new contemporary river ship, the Travelmarvel Vega – the excitement was palpable.

After many years in development and building we were finally able to get on board and experience it for real.

Guests were incredibly excited to board the new vessel and explore the features too.

The conscientiously designed suites offer all the mod cons with a few little extras thrown in. You can rest assured the curtains all close perfectly so no early morning light will wake you, and the self-shutting draws mean you can’t hear noise from the next cabin.

And for the Australian travellers specifically we have ensured that large suitcases fit under the bed comfortably.

The spacious public areas include multiple restaurants and lounge areas and the Sky Deck Bar understandably became a firm-favourite very quickly.

McGeary’s Bar , a feature that was always close to our hearts in development also proved to be a hit with the passengers. 

What was the vibe like getting out and about?

From Budapest to Puszta, Mohács to Vukovar, the sentiment was always the same – Europe is open!

The passengers on board were particularly proud to be early adopters of the return to international travel, and felt they were reaping the rewards of taking flight first.

Apart from showing our vaccination certificates upon boarding, once the ship left the port, COVID felt very far away.

Did you get a taste of home away from home at all?

The Travelmarvel onboard chefs do an incredible job of exceeding expectations when it comes to dining – incorporating local cuisine and delicacies into the restaurants lunch and evening menu; but sometimes after a day of excursions, nothing beats a pint and a Parma!

Thanks to the McGeary Bar, guest won’t feel far from home. The décor is reminiscent of an Irish style pub, with a classic bar and a menu offering typical pub fare.

There is also entertainment on most evenings, so you and like-minded passengers have an opportunity to chat about the day’s events over a well-earned beverage. 

Any final thoughts? Is Europe the place to be, once more?

As Australia heads steadily into winter, it was great to be back in Europe for the start of spring, especially when we were able to travel in such style. 

Overall, the new Travelmarvel Vega was highly impressive and  The Best of Balkans cruise really did deliver on its name.

I left the tour confident that Europe is open and poised to welcome back all our guests. It is as magical and exciting a place to visit as ever. It’s good to be back!

Guests can also experience the brand new Travelmarvel ships on the most-popular European Gems tour. With the added incentive of a current great deals on 2022 departures – starting at just $4,995 for 15 days!

There has never been a better time to book your clients to Europe with Travelmarvel.

FoFor more information head to  travelmarvel.com.au   or speak to your awesome ATG BDM.

Related stories

Travelmarvel launches 2025 Canada and Alaska tours

Check in and sign up!

Get all the latest travel news, deals, comps and inspiration.

Home » News » APT announces partnership with Seabourn to charter luxury expedition cruise ships in 2025

APT announces partnership with Seabourn to charter luxury expedition cruise ships in 2025

Two giants of the travel industry have joined forces as APT and Seabourn announced a multi-year partnership on board Seabourn Odyssey yesterday in Sydney.

APT, Australia’s leading luxury tour and cruise operator, and Seabourn, the leader in ultra-luxury travel and expedition travel, are pleased to announce an exclusive multi-year partnership that will redefine luxury expedition cruising for APT guests.

The announcement will redefine luxury expedition cruising for APT as it charters two of Seabourn’s ultra-luxury expedition ships to destinations including the Kimberley, Greenland and Antarctica in 2025.

The partnership brings together APT’s near century of touring expertise with Seabourn’s reputation for delivering extraordinary luxury at sea.

Guests can expect to experience meticulously curated itineraries which APT is renowned for, including signature experiences, luxury dining, and all-inclusive journeys that blend with the elegance and comfort of Seabourn’s fleet.

APT Travel Group’s CEO, David Cox, said, “We are excited to embark on this journey with Seabourn, to create unforgettable travel experiences for our guests.”

“This collaboration represents a significant milestone for both companies as we elevate the luxury experience for our guests in partnership with Seabourn.”

A Champagne toast to APT and Seabourn! (Supplied)

Seabourn’s President, Natalya Leahy, agreed,

“We are delighted to join forces with APT, a trusted name in the travel industry renowned for its commitment to excellence,” president, Seabourn, Natalya Leahy, said.

“Seabourn is known for offering the pinnacle of ultra-luxury experiences, and we look forward to sharing this with APT guests.

“Together, we’re excited to offer travellers exclusive opportunities to explore the world in unprecedented luxury.”

Email the Travel Weekly team at [email protected]

Latest news, aman group announces janu dubai.

Hospitality group Aman has unveiled plans for Janu Dubai, set in a prime location directly on Jumeirah Beach after the successful launch of its inaugural property, Janu Tokyo. Located in the business heart of Dubai International Financial District (DIFC), Janu Dubai is set to sit in a key position close to world-class retail, restaurants, venues, […]

Adina Town Hall donates to families in need

Adina Town Hall Sydney underwent a major refurbishment and donated its preloved furniture from the apartment hotel to help families in need this winter. The multi-million-dollar transformation of the Adina Apartment Hotel Sydney Town Hall resulted in a variety of preloved furniture and fixtures needing a new home. Now all of it has been donated […]

• Tour Operators

MW Tours China famil with Xiamen Airlines

MW Tour completed its China Famil, in collaboration with Xiamen Airlines, which showcased some of the region’s captivating destinations and rich cultural tapestry. The expedition, led by the experienced Karen Robertson BDM NSW/ACT, took a group of Australian travel agents on a journey that merged adventure, luxury, and cultural immersion. It began with a comfortable […]

• Travel Agents

Entire Travel expert explores Canada’s wild northwest

Canada and Alaska expert from Entire Expert, Sam Treby, has joined a Canada famil to British Columbia’s northwest as a guest of Destination BC. Treby joined a group of Canada experts on a week-long journey around northern BC following this year’s Rendez-vous Canada in Edmonton. They started in the small town of Terrace in west […]

Rex announces leadership shakeup, with COO Neville Howell appointed CEO

The string pullers at Rex decided it was time for a change but apparently didn't want to look outside the business.

ACCC green lights Virgin – Air NZ codeshare for trans-Tasman routes

Another notch in the codeshare belt, but what will Qantas have to say about it?

• Travel DAZE

GALLERY: Travel DAZE Exec 2024 is a wrap. All the action on stage

Travel DAZE Exec is a wrap for 2024 and there’s no better time to show you some of our favourite moments. The talent that appeared on stage included: Chris Taylor: Australian Comedy Writer, Performer and Broadcaster & Travel DAZE Exec MC Melinda Petrunoff: Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand, Pinterest Sunita Gloster AM: Non-Executive Director […]

• Destinations

One & Only Resort’s new Kéa Island, Greece location

Once you've experienced an infinity pool it is hard to really enjoy other, lesser pools.

Travel DAZE Exec: Cultural tourism is a key driver of travel, but are we listening to Indigenous communities?

A very important question that we should continue to ask ourselves as an industry.

• First Nations

Virgin Australia launches first flights to Uluru from Melbourne and Brisbane

Welcome aboard Virgin, but this 500-million-year-old monolith has been an attraction for few millennia.

TV celebrities Andy Allen and Darren Robertson launch inaugural Bellingen Food & Wine Escape

If you're a foodie, you're going to be more than little bit excited about this delicious offering!

• Road & Rail

Intrepid Travel launches new rail range, as on-track interest rises

Apparently 75% of travelers want to spend more time on trains - they clearly haven't spent much time on Sydney's subway.

nib Travel announces major prize winner in $10,000 Cash Splash promotion

We hope Teresa has a big enough purse to put that in... and can find a bank branch to cash it.

• Health & Wellness

Gold Coast’s Lights Camera Action moves into wellness, collaborating with The Farm, Philippines

At this rate they might have to change their name to 'Lights, Camera, Relax!". Yes, we'll se ourselves out...

B2A travel tech platform TBO goes public with an eye on APAC

Travel Weekly is considering going public just so that we get to ring a big bell! It seems like a good enough reason.

• Attractions

Short getaways after visiting Vivid Sydney

Need a break from crowds and people after VIVID? Here's some getaways for you.

Rail Europe shares routes to Pride celebrations across Europe

Still resentful about all the Prides you missed during Covid? This one is for you!

World Expeditions announces Pam Dewar as new national sales manager

We imagine it probably helps a lot if you actually enjoy being outside and you sell expedition trips.

Officials greet Vietjet’s inaugural Hanoi-Melbourne flight

The main question we want to know the answer to is how can we one of those little planes.

Travel DAZE Exec 2024: Day one in Cairns kicks off with a bang

Couldn't join us in Cairns this year? Here's what you missed out on!

Air Astana receives multiple awards at the WTCE 2024

Air Astana cleans up at WCTE. Don't know what that is? You'll have to click here.

• Exhibitions

GALLERY: Museum of Underwater Art and Artistic Swimming Australia amazing art ahead of World Oceans Day

We want to know exactly how many takes it took to get this photo. We imagine it would be a few...

Via Travel launches new west coast tour

Local Australian boutique group tour operator Via Travel expands its top-rated offerings with the addition of the West Coast Australia tour. This 13-day adventure takes guests to towering natural limestone Pinnacles, snorkel through the waters of Ningaloo Reef, and enjoy bush-tucker with the Nhanda and Malgana people. It continues to scenic views of ancient gorges, […]

VIVA Holidays hosts agent famil in New York City

As famils go, this one looks pretty fabulous! Unless you're afraid of heights that is....

Cirque du Soleil unveils its first resident production in Hawai’i

We tried to pull together a resident production in the Travel Weekly office but sadly there was no talent.

The Travel Corporation 2023 Impact Report notes progress on climate action

TTC gives us the run down on all things green. We mean sustainability by the way, not that stuff Bob Marley made famous.

• Appointments

CLIA announces Carnival’s Peter Little as new chair in Australia

Out with the old, in with the new. Not that the old did anything wrong, his contract was just up.

Travel DAZE Exec 2024: Journey Beyond’s Alicia Triggs and Justine Lally share 12 tips to bring sales and marketing closer together

Like any public speaker worth their salt in 2024, the duo of course managed to squeeze in a Taylor Swift reference!

Travel DAZE Exec 2024: Flight Centre’s Clinton Hearne says people make a successful business

If anyone reading can send us pictures of Clinton dressed as Winnie the Pooh, we will buy them a schooner.

Winter is a whale of a time to visit the Sunshine Coast – and Big Pineapple reopens

We usually save the puns for this section of the newsletter but we couldn't help ourselves on this occasion.

Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours’ three D-Day river cruises

Better half banned you from the History Channel? They'll surely love this tour...

Ponant’s latest luxury cruise expeditions for 2024 and 2025

Ponant's all luxury, until ships hits rough waters and sea sickness sets in, luxury then takes a back seat.

Fiji Airways to become the 15th full member airline of Oneworld

We flew Fiji recently, like a front-row forward, this tiny Pacific Island nation is mixing it with the big boys.

Carnival scraps the P&O brand after 90 years of cruising from Australia

Like an outdated onboard buffet, P&O is off the menu, and will be gobbled up by the Carnival brand.

Qantas rolls out “Australian-first” boarding procedure to reduce queues

Boarding a Qantas flight will now be as easy as 1, 2, 3. Or 5 or 6. Wait, what? I'm 10?

Trump faces ban from Aussie travel following recent hush payment conviction

Although it's unlikely, we quite like the idea of seeing Trump star on an episode of Border Security.

You are using an outdated browser

Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

Signing in with LinkedIn

Please wait while we sign you in with LinkedIn.

This may take some time.

Please be patient and do not refresh the page.

(A new window from LinkedIn should open for you to authorize the Travel Weekly login. If you don't see this please check behind this window, and if it is still not there check your browser settings and turn off the pop-up blocker.)

SUBSCRIBE NOW FOR FREE

Never miss a story again. Sign up for daily newsletter now.

APT unveils plans for two new ultra-luxury river ships in Europe for 2025

Entering its latest phase of investment, product innovation and fleet elevation, the luxury river cruise operator, APT has announced the forthcoming launch of two new vessels, the APT Solara and APT Ostara, for the 2025 season.

Designed in Australia by multi-award-winning, world-renowned architects, Hecker Guthrie, the sister ships will be masterpieces of modernity, drawing inspiration from Europe’s waterways and harnessing the unpretentious ease of Australian-style luxury. Cutting edge technology and the structural optimisation of space and light artfully balance the elegant design and meticulous attention to detail. These ultra-luxury floating hotels will redefine the brand, cementing APT’s elevation into the ‘ultra-luxury’ category. Solara and Ostara will be deployed on APT’s most popular European itineraries from Spring 2025, transporting guests along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers in unprecedented comfort and style.

The new luxury river ships proudly set a new standard in sustainability, ensuring greater emphasis on saving fuel, energy optimisation, and waste reduction. With only 154 guests on board serviced by 60 dedicated crew, guests can also be assured of outstanding service and care.

Each ship will feature six world-class, all-inclusive dining options: a main restaurant, an intimate wine cellar, a relaxing conservatory, a casual dining option, an exclusive aft restaurant, rooftop dining, plus the additional option of in-suite dining. Up on the sun deck, guests will find a heated pool, alfresco dining, and a lounge area in which to relax. A choice of three expertly designed, elegantly appointed suite options include Twin Window Suites, Balcony Suites, and Owner’s Suites.

APT Travel Group CEO, David Cox, was excited to introduce the new fleet: “With two brand-new river ships in Europe for 2025, this is another momentous milestone in APT’s near 100-year history. The APT Solara and APT Ostara will redefine luxury river cruising, thoughtfully designed with our valued guests in mind.”

APT Travel Group’s CEO, David Cox, introduced the brand-new fleet to the Rhine, Main and Danube programme: “With two brand-new river ships in Europe for 2025, this is another momentous milestone in APT’s near 100-year history. The APT Solara and APT Ostara will redefine luxury river cruising, thoughtfully designed with our valued guests in mind.”

Paul Hecker of Hecker Guthrie captures the essence of the design, stating, “One of the particularly lovely things in this design is there are lots of places to go to. Guests don’t just have to head to the ‘main lounge’. We are creating many opportunities for guests to find their space, be it reading nooks or spaces where you can observe the action and engage as and when you choose. We want guests to have as many options as possible.”

  SAMPLE PACKAGE:  APT’s luxury, eight-day Highlights of the Rhine & Main will sail from Amsterdam to Munich between April to November 2025. The itinerary includes a private cocktail reception and recital at Namedy Castle, and a private performance at the Lichenstein’s City Palace in the heart of Vienna. The cruise costs from £2,995 per person, including return home to airport transfers, flights, onboard accommodation, sightseeing in seven destinations, 20 meals and a wide range of onboard beverages, the services of an APT Cruise Director, transfers, port charges and gratuities.

Pegasus launches direct route from Istanbul to Bratislava

TOP 5 BREATHTAKING VIEWPOINTS IN KRAKOW

Ryanair and ‘On the Beach’ partnership takes off

Kempinski Hotels to make its Vietnam debut with a luxury hideaway on the banks of…

Since you're here...

...there are many ways you can work with us to advertise your company and connect to your customers. Our team can help you design and create an advertising campaign

We can also organize a real life or digital event for you and find thought leader speakers as well as industry leaders, who could be your potential partners, to join the event. We also run some awards programmes which give you an opportunity to be recognized for your achievements during the year and you can join this as a participant or a sponsor.

Let us help you drive your business forward with a good partnership!

Yes, contact me I want to download the media kit

Comments are closed.

LATEST STORIES

New data shows Brits prioritising staycations and Greek Islands this summer

Accor & Amadeus announce a new collaboration

Weekend Flights to Destinations That Power Up Your Spirit

TTM+ 2024 witnessed 15000+ meetings with 430 sellers from across Thailand and 425 global buyers

Welcome, Login to your account.

Sign in with Google

Powered by wp-glogin.com

Recover your password.

A password will be e-mailed to you.

Welcome back, Log in to your account.

SIGN UP FOR FREE

Be part of our community of seasoned travel and hospitality industry professionals from all over the world.

• LOGIN / SIGN UP
• Middle East
• UK & Europe
• USA & Canada
• Hospitality
• HR & Careers
• Luxury Travel
• MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions)
• Travel Tech
• Travel Agents
• Airlines / Airports
• Conferences
• Cruising (Ocean)
• Cruising (River)
• Destination Management (DMC)
• Hotels & Resorts
• Hotel Management Company
• Hotel Technology
• HR / Appointments
• Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions (MICE)
• Travel Agents (all)
• Travel Technology
• Tourism Boards
• TDM Travel Show
• Industry appointments
• Travel Bloggers
• Podcasts – Features
• How to join
• RSVP Portal
• Event Photos/Videos
• Competitions
• Travel Club
• Middle East September 2024
• Thailand October 2024
• Destination NaJomtien BanAmphur BangSaray *NEW*
• จุดหมายปลายทาง นาจอมเทียน หาดบ้านอำเภอ บางเสร่ *NEW*
• South Australia Reward Wonders *NEW*
• Ponant Yacht Cruises and Expeditions
• Encore Tickets (Chinese Guide)
• Affordable Luxury in Thailand by Centara Hotels
• Rising Above the Oridinary by Conrad Bangkok
• The Best of Thailand
• Who is IWTA
• Philippines
• Recommend Someone
• Recommend yourself
• IWTA Awards

APT Travel Group

CEO at APT Travel Group

Show contact

View in org chart

Lorna Heyward

Jason Shugg

Chief Marketing Officer

Felipe Rincon

Head Of Analytics And Data

Liezl Adams

Head Of CSC Operations | Customer Sales Centre

Current role

APT reveals new luxury ships for Europe 2025

APT has announced the launch its sparkling new river ships – the ultra-luxury APT Solara and APT Ostara with interiors by award-winning Melbourne design team Hecker Guthrie – for its 2025 Rhine, Main and Danube cruises.

The local line says the new river ships draw inspiration from Europe’s waterways, blending European elegance with unpretentious Australian ease to create a European experience through Australian eyes.

The launch comes in the wake of APT Travel Group announcing last year that it had ended its partnership with AmaWaterways whose European cruises it had been selling in the Australian market for 18 years. 

The partnership had been in existence since 2005, with Australian Pacific Holdings (owner of APT) also owning a significant stake in AmaWaterways.

AmaWaterways and APT split river cruise partnership

APT Travel Group CEO, David Cox, said he is excited to introduce the new vessels for Europe which have a capacity of 154 guests and 60 crew.

“With two brand-new river ships in the Europe program for 2025, this is another momentous milestone in APT’s near 100-year history. The APT Solara and APT Ostara will redefine luxury river cruising, thoughtfully designed with the Australian guest in mind.”

The line says its own new luxury river ships set a new standard in sustainability, ensuring greater emphasis on saving fuel, energy optimisation and waste reduction. 

World-class inclusions

Each ship will feature six world-class, all-inclusive dining options including the main restaurant, a wine cellar, conservatory, casual dining option, an exclusive aft restaurant, rooftop dining, plus the option of in-suite dining. On the sun deck, guests will also find a heated pool, alfresco dining and a lounge area. 

“One of the particularly lovely things in this design is there are lots of  places to go to,” said Paul Hecker of Hecker Guthrie.

“Guests don’t just have to head to the ‘main lounge’. We are creating many opportunities for guests to find their space, be it reading nooks or spaces where you can observe the action and engage as and when you choose. We want guests to have as many options as possible.”

Related Posts

Find out all you need to know from our professional Cruise Passenger team

Regional cruisers beached and year-round sailings under threat in fallout from P&0 Australia’s sinking

Azamara may send ships to Australia to fill the gap left by P&O

Cruise veteran Sarina Bratton steps down from CLIA board

Asia is the hot new destination with lines offering great new deals

‘Regulation and high costs in Australia closed P&O Australia after 90 years’

P&O Australia to close and merge into Carnival Cruise Line

Fit for a foodie: Oceania’s Marina gets three new dining options

Too many cabins: Alaska and Caribbean prices slashed over 20%

“I bought Carnival shares and got over US$1160 in bonuses”

Viking Ocean: The ultimate guide

Are cruisers right to whinge over lost New Caledonia ports?

Silversea unveils 149-day, World Cruise in 2027

Cruise&Travel magazine is Australia’s No.1 publication for travel enthusiasts.

There are four issues per year, with each issue is packed full of must-read features, including cruise news, reviews, destination guides and the most enticing itineraries.

• Tips & Advice
• &Travel
• Cruise Planner
• Editorial Guidelines
• Privacy Policy

APT Travel Group owner Geoff McGeary hands over to the next generation

After 6 decades leading the APT Travel Group, owner Geoff McGeary is delighted to confirm the company is now in the capable hands of his children, Robert McGeary and Lou Tandy.

In a recent interview with Adam Bishop from Travel Daily and Travel Bulletin, Rob and Lou, now the driving force behind ATG, shared insights into the company’s future.

Within the interview, Lou Tandy humorously recalls her father’s advice: “don’t stuff it up,” reflecting the weight of inheriting a successful legacy. However, Tandy highlights her father’s enduring business ethos—prioritising customers and planning for the long term. With a foundation laid during their upbringing, both Rob and Lou express gratitude for the opportunity and bring over 47 years of combined directorship to their new roles.

The feature unveils APT’s recent triumphs, including the launch of the Mekong Serenity and the upcoming MS Estrela. APT’s commitment to innovation remains strong, with two new ships anticipated in 2025, set to redefine luxury river cruising.

As APT Travel Group enters this new chapter, the legacy of Geoff McGeary lives on, guiding Rob and Lou with a spirit of adventure, a commitment to improvement, and an unwavering dedication to customer satisfaction.

Read the interview here.

APT congratulates long-term partner AmaWaterways on new investor, L Catterton.

A new dawn sets for APT Europe River Cruising in 2025

APT Travel Group leaders featured in The Australian Financial Review's Summer Edition

Tourism CEOs: The Link Between Pay and Performance

Dawit Habtemariam , Skift

May 30th, 2024 at 10:58 AM EDT

CEOs at destination marketing organizations are compensated based on the economic impact they have. Independent research is needed.

Dawit Habtemariam

Skift recently reviewed the pay for more than two dozen top bosses at U.S. destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and results varied widely: From less than $200,000 a year to more than $1.5 million — 14 made more than a half-million dollars in 2022, the most recent data available. 

But determining a DMO’s value isn’t clear-cut. One issue is that it’s difficult to assess how much credit a DMO should take for tourism. After all, there are several reasons a tourist may visit that have nothing to do with marketing. 

It’s even harder to attribute results to the CEO. 

“A core part of the job is to promote the destination, but I think that the question then is how much of the success is attributable to that particular CEO,” said Michele McKenzie, former CEO of Destination Canada. “I would be a bit wary of directly attributing a full economic impact to one person.”

As part of a CEO’s compensation review, a DMO’s board of directors considers a range of metrics, according to Mike Gamble, president of SearchWide Global, an executive recruiting firm. 

For example, did the DMO’s marketing efforts lead to higher visitor spending, convention bookings, and higher hotel occupancy rates? Those are factors that drive critical tax revenues for a local economy.

Visit Florida’s Return on Investment

Florida’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research released a review in March and estimated, for every dollar the state invested in Visit Florida between 2019 and 2022, it received just 58 cents in return. 

That’s a low return on investment, but the researchers said Covid was to blame and that Visit Florida has typically returned much more. 

“They are absolutely the three worst Covid-impacted years to be measured against what happened in that period,” said Amy Baker, chief economist for the state legislature and coordinator for the agency.

The researchers expect the return on investment to climb to $3.30, in line with past levels, said Baker. In its analysis for the 2016-2019 cycle, Visit Florida had an estimated ROI of $3.27.

“If you’re thinking about the program going forward, we fully expect that they’re going to be back at the levels we’ve seen in the past,” said Baker, adding that those levels make it “among the top programs of the state.”

The state government invested $146 million in Visit Florida in the 2019-2022 cycle. Visit Florida CEO and President Dana Young made $214,876 in 2022. The state limits the amount of CEO compensation that can come from government funds to $120,000.  

Brand USA’s Impact

Brand USA, America’s destination marketing organization, has shown varied results from its marketing: a return of $34.36 for every $1 spent in 2013 to as low as $1.05 in 2021 during the Covid pandemic, according to a report in November 2023 by the Congressional Research Service . 

But the CRS report notes that Brand USA commissioned the firm that did the ROI analysis and cites a 2014 Skift article that questioned Brand USA’s findings. 

One 2019 academic study cited by CRS found Brand USA’s advertising has had “little effect on inbound international travel to the U.S.” once economic factors like exchange rates were taken into account. 

“The organization presents a picture of success to sustain funding given that, when adding social, economic, and other controls for the nations targeted, their marketing efforts abroad do not work well,” the study said. 

“It’s a challenge to tap into those psychological reasons of why people want to visit,” said Staci M. Zavattaro, co-author of the study and professor of public administration at the University of Central Florida, told Skift.

“Considering these factors, Congress may be interested in authorizing a neutral, third-party evaluation of Brand USA,” the CRS report said.

Brand USA’s ROI analysis was completed by Tourism Economics, a research firm and subsidiary of Oxford Economics.  Tourism Economics President Adam Sacks said its ROI studies isolate external factors that will influence tourism to accurately capture Brand USA’s impact.

“We include those in the model as offsetting effects. Because one of the control factors is how is the U.S. performing relative to expectations based on exchange rates, economic performance, and that overall outbound market as it — as it ebbs and flows,” he said.

Sacks added that Tourism Economics’ study goes deeper than other studies thanks to its access to data. The study, for example, uses mobile device location data to determine how many travelers visited the U.S. after they saw a Brand USA digital advertisement, he said. 

“Tourism Economics is widely respected as a trusted source of information, data, and analytics related to the travel and tourism industry. In fact, Adam Sacks, Tourism Economics president, also serves on the [U.S. Secretary of Commerce’s] Travel and Tourism Advisory Board,” said a Brand USA spokesperson.

Tourism boards have an easier time measuring the impact from meetings, conventions, and large events, according to Don Welsh, CEO and president of Destinations International. Events have a scheduled start and end date, and group-room bookings. DMOs know how many attendees came who wouldn’t have otherwise visited. 

“The easiest thing to measure for the most part are meetings and events,” said Welsh. 

Board Members Support the CEOs 

Some DMO board members credit their destination’s success to the CEO.

“Atlanta is doing extremely well, and I credit that to the leadership that has a fantastic team that is at the Greater Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau,” said Leona Barr-Davenport, a board member for Atlanta’s convention bureau and president and CEO of Atlanta Business League.

Tourism board CEOs can open up new markets through creative campaigns, said Travis Wilburn, a former board member of Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau and co-founder of the 100 Collection , a vacation-rental company.

“Some of the tourism is going to come no matter what,” said Wilburn. “You can look at the individual success of the individual campaigns that they [the CEO] have created and/or worked on.”

Tourism board CEOs entice meeting planners to come to pick their destination for conventions and events, both of which bring large groups of business to hotels and downtown businesses.

“They are hugely important. That’s the only organization that can talk collectively with meeting planners,” said Vijay Dandapani, a member of NYC Tourism’s board of directors and CEO and president of the Hotel Association of New York City.

According to Welsh, CEOs have to defend their budgets, room night goals, estimated convention sales, and expected economic impact in front of their boards of directors.

“I’m not exaggerating, in many cities it’s a good 30-60 day discussion before you arrive at that number, both at a budget and a goal standpoint,” he said.

Welsh said executives are heavily scrutinized by their boards.

“Every destination organization has an annual business plan that is approved by their board of directors,” he said. 

It’s Tough to Evaluate Economic Impact Objectively 

But some boards of directors and their compensation committees may not be in the best position to evaluate performance. 

Independent research is limited. And a lot of economic analysis doesn’t take into account alternative places tax dollars could have gone, including other projects or government programs.

Many boards are dominated by tourism and hotel industry veterans and local businesses, and their members serve on a non-paid, voluntary basis.

“The people there, they’ve been there for a few years. They’re usually friends with the CEO,” said McKenzie. 

McKenzie said having someone not hired by management to evaluate impact is key to transparency and ensuring that CEOs are paid what they are actually worth.

Still, McKenzie said you can’t paint with a broad brush.

“Some of these CEOs are probably underpaid, some of them are probably overpaid,” she said.

U.S. Tourism CEOs Get Paid

Today’s podcast looks at tourism CEO pay, Spirit Air’s industry complaints, and Expedia’s tech outage.

Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch

Tags: brand usa , ceo pay , destination marketing , tourism , tourism marketing

Photo credit: Times Square, New York City. Nelson Ndongala / Unsplash

Expedia Rewards is now One Key™

Elektrostal, visit elektrostal, check elektrostal hotel availability, popular places to visit.

• Electrostal History and Art Museum

You can spend time exploring the galleries in Electrostal History and Art Museum in Elektrostal. Take in the museums while you're in the area.

• Cities near Elektrostal

• Places of interest
• Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center
• Central Museum of the Air Forces at Monino
• Peter the Great Military Academy
• History of Russian Scarfs and Shawls Museum
• Ramenskii History and Art Museum
• Bykovo Manor
• Pekhorka Park
• Balashikha Arena
• Malenky Puppet Theater
• Drama Theatre BOOM
• Balashikha Museum of History and Local Lore
• Pavlovsky Posad Museum of Art and History
• Saturn Stadium
• Church of Vladimir
• Likino Dulevo Museum of Local Lore
• Orekhovo Zuevsky City Exhibition Hall
• Noginsk Museum and Exhibition Center
• Fairy Tale Children's Model Puppet Theater
• Fifth House Gallery
• Malakhovka Museum of History and Culture

• Yekaterinburg
• Novosibirsk
• Vladivostok

• Tours to Russia
• Practicalities
• Russia in Lists

Rusmania • Deep into Russia

Out of the Centre

Savvino-storozhevsky monastery and museum.

Zvenigorod's most famous sight is the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, which was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva from the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, at the invitation and with the support of Prince Yury Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod. Savva was later canonised as St Sabbas (Savva) of Storozhev. The monastery late flourished under the reign of Tsar Alexis, who chose the monastery as his family church and often went on pilgrimage there and made lots of donations to it. Most of the monastery’s buildings date from this time. The monastery is heavily fortified with thick walls and six towers, the most impressive of which is the Krasny Tower which also serves as the eastern entrance. The monastery was closed in 1918 and only reopened in 1995. In 1998 Patriarch Alexius II took part in a service to return the relics of St Sabbas to the monastery. Today the monastery has the status of a stauropegic monastery, which is second in status to a lavra. In addition to being a working monastery, it also holds the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.

Belfry and Neighbouring Churches

Located near the main entrance is the monastery's belfry which is perhaps the calling card of the monastery due to its uniqueness. It was built in the 1650s and the St Sergius of Radonezh’s Church was opened on the middle tier in the mid-17th century, although it was originally dedicated to the Trinity. The belfry's 35-tonne Great Bladgovestny Bell fell in 1941 and was only restored and returned in 2003. Attached to the belfry is a large refectory and the Transfiguration Church, both of which were built on the orders of Tsar Alexis in the 1650s.  

To the left of the belfry is another, smaller, refectory which is attached to the Trinity Gate-Church, which was also constructed in the 1650s on the orders of Tsar Alexis who made it his own family church. The church is elaborately decorated with colourful trims and underneath the archway is a beautiful 19th century fresco.

Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is the oldest building in the monastery and among the oldest buildings in the Moscow Region. It was built between 1404 and 1405 during the lifetime of St Sabbas and using the funds of Prince Yury of Zvenigorod. The white-stone cathedral is a standard four-pillar design with a single golden dome. After the death of St Sabbas he was interred in the cathedral and a new altar dedicated to him was added.

Under the reign of Tsar Alexis the cathedral was decorated with frescoes by Stepan Ryazanets, some of which remain today. Tsar Alexis also presented the cathedral with a five-tier iconostasis, the top row of icons have been preserved.

Tsaritsa's Chambers

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is located between the Tsaritsa's Chambers of the left and the Palace of Tsar Alexis on the right. The Tsaritsa's Chambers were built in the mid-17th century for the wife of Tsar Alexey - Tsaritsa Maria Ilinichna Miloskavskaya. The design of the building is influenced by the ancient Russian architectural style. Is prettier than the Tsar's chambers opposite, being red in colour with elaborately decorated window frames and entrance.

At present the Tsaritsa's Chambers houses the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum. Among its displays is an accurate recreation of the interior of a noble lady's chambers including furniture, decorations and a decorated tiled oven, and an exhibition on the history of Zvenigorod and the monastery.

Palace of Tsar Alexis

The Palace of Tsar Alexis was built in the 1650s and is now one of the best surviving examples of non-religious architecture of that era. It was built especially for Tsar Alexis who often visited the monastery on religious pilgrimages. Its most striking feature is its pretty row of nine chimney spouts which resemble towers.

Plan your next trip to Russia

Ready-to-book tours.

Your holiday in Russia starts here. Choose and book your tour to Russia.

REQUEST A CUSTOMISED TRIP

Looking for something unique? Create the trip of your dreams with the help of our experts.

An Expedia exec agreed to take the job ‘nobody wanted.’ That helped her become CEO

Good morning, Broadsheet readers! A Rockefeller heir is going after the oil company that made her family a fortune, the gender pay gap is growing among high-paying jobs in the U.K., and Expedia’s new CEO got the top job by taking the one no one wanted. Have a wonderful Wednesday. – Jet set. A decade ago, Ariane Gorin accepted the job no one else wanted. She was a year into working at Expedia, the travel giant. And she agreed to move from Paris to London to lead Expedia’s affiliate network, a nexus of travel partners like the hotels that list bookings on Expedia’s sites. “Nobody else in the company really wanted that job. It wasn’t seen as a great place to be, because everyone wanted to be in the consumer business,” she remembers.

But Gorin turned the role into a surprise cash cow. She asked questions like, “Where is the market opportunity? Where should we go? How do we understand customer needs, and then build solutions for them?” she remembers. What is now called Expedia’s B2B private label business today makes up about one-quarter of the company’s $11.6 billion in annual revenue.

The leap of faith helped Gorin earn another title: CEO of Expedia, a role she officially began this month. She was promoted to the top job after a decade at the company, most recently as president of Expedia for Business.

B2B travel is no longer seen as an undesirable slice of the industry to be in. But now that Gorin is in a new role, she’s circling back to where everyone wanted to be a decade ago, and doubling down on Expedia’s consumer business, the travel-booking products from Expedia to VRBO that the company is best known for.

She says that earning a CEO job as an internal candidate gives her an advantage to execute on her goals, which in addition to growing the consumer business include incorporating AI into the travel booking experience, and diving into Expedia’s marketing—including a partnership with Netflix capitalizing on the growing popularity of TV show-inspired vacations. Her other priority? Getting used to shopping in American grocery stores again after moving to Seattle following more than 20 years in Europe.

The job makes Gorin one of the 10% of Fortune 500 CEOs who are women. “I’m conscious that there aren’t as many female CEOs running Fortune 500 companies,” she says, “which means that people are looking to us even more to be role models.”

Emma Hinchliffe [email protected]

The Broadsheet is Fortune’ s newsletter for and about the world’s most powerful women. Today’s edition was curated by Joseph Abrams. Subscribe here .

ALSO IN THE HEADLINES

- Billing for oil. Rockefeller heir Miranda Kaiser is leading her family's efforts to fund dozens of environmental lawsuits against fossil fuel companies including Exxon Mobil, the gas giant founded by her great-great-grandfather, because “it would be unconscionable to benefit from something that you then know is harming the world and not do something about it.” The Wall Street Journal

- The 1%. The gender pay—and career—gap is widening in top-earning jobs in the U.K. Women there are four times less likely to be in the top 1% of earners in finance and professional services than before the pandemic. Fortune

- Need a her-o. Women in Mexico are hoping that one of the two women poised to win the country’s presidential election on June 2, former Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum or former Sen. Xóchitl Gálvez, will put an end to the long hours, abuse, and low pay in the country's female-dominated domestic work industry. Fortune

- Shunning swipes. Match Group and Bumble Inc. will introduce tools like enhanced content moderation to improve the experience of female dating app users. The changes come as surveys show that women are becoming disillusioned with apps because of unsolicited messages and an overabundance of male users. Financial Times

- Captain of the ship. An internal organization chart from rocket and spacecraft manufacturer SpaceX indicates that president and COO Gwynne Shotwell is calling the shots despite the notoriety of owner Elon Musk. Shotwell oversees almost every team at the $180 billion company and manages multiple company executives. The Information

MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Medtronic appointed Linnea Burman to senior vice president and president of the company's neurovascular operating unit. 

ON MY RADAR

Why Enterprise is one of the world’s best private companies Forbes

The queen of the beach read hangs up her bikini The Wall Street Journal

Sex and the single 47-year-old woman in Paris Vogue

PARTING WORDS

“I want the next generation to compete on an equal playing field.”

— Michele Kang, a businesswoman and owner of three women's soccer teams, on why she entered the business

Latest in Newsletters

A UN Report on AI and human rights highlights dangers of the AI revolution—and our own power to prevent substantial harms

AI’s regulatory troubles pile up as U.S. prepares antitrust probes and activists target Meta over privacy

Robinhood just made a very big bet on crypto: What the $200 million Bitstamp deal means for the company

Jensen Huang’s Nvidia bests back-to-back winner Microsoft to be named Fortune 500’s best-led company

Does diversity fall by the wayside during a business crisis? The Washington Post points to ‘yes’

Companies are slowing down recruiting but they’ve got big plans for recruiters

Most popular.

Whole Foods founder said Jeff Bezos is a ‘genius’ who got rid of the ‘whole paycheck’ stigma

Traders who scooped up Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway shares at a massive $620,000 discount during glitch will have their deals canceled by the NYSE

Media mogul Rupert Murdoch, 93, ties the knot for the 5th time, marrying the ex-wife of a billionaire energy investor and Russian politician

He taught at MIT, worked at Morgan Stanley, and convinced Bill Ackman and Galaxy to back his $200 million crypto fund by his early 30s. His future is now in jeopardy

The ‘funflation’ economy is dying as a consumer attitude of ‘hard pass’ takes over and major artists cancel concert tours

The Fed was too focused on the soft landing and has stuck the U.S. economy with higher prices, Stifel chief economist says