MSC CRUISES WELCOMES NEW WESTERN BDM
MSC Cruises Canada has announced the appointment of Facinet Yansane as Business Development Manager for Western and Central Canada, based in Vancouver. Originally from Conakry, Guinea, Yansane joined MSC Cruises Canada in January 2023 as a bilingual cruise consultant. MORE
CHRISTOPHER AUSTIN TO STEER EXPLORA JOURNEYS
Christopher Austin has been named President, North America, of Explora Journeys, the luxury lifestyle brand of the MSC Group. Based in Miami, Austin will direct Explora’s efforts and teams in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. He joined Explora Journeys in November 2020 as the brand’s Chief Sales Officer. MORE
ANDREW WEIR NAMED CEO OF TOURISM TORONTO
After a thorough search across North Amerca, Destination Toronto veteran and current executive vice president Andrew Weir has been named President & CEO of the organization effective May 1. Weir has been an integral member of the leadership team at Destination Toronto for the past 18 years. MORE
NICOLE DAVEY NEW TRAVELBRANDS BC BDM
TravelBrands has announced the appointment of Nicole Davey as its new Business Development Manager for British Columbia. With over 10 years of experience in the travel industry, both as a selling agent and an office manager, Davey brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her new role. MORE
A LIFETIME OF ACHIEVEMENT
Carnival president Christine Duffy honoured by CLIA
A “global travel industry champion,” Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy has been honoured with the Cruise Lines International Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award for 2024. Steering the flagship brand of Carnival Corp., Duffy leads more than 48,000 Carnival Cruise Line team members who cater to more than 5.5 million guests each year. MORE
BROWN-ALCE NAMED NEW DDG OF BAHAMAS TOURISM
Valery Brown-Alce, a veteran in the Bahamas tourism sector, has been appointed as the newest Deputy Director General (DDG) of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation. Her appointment is effective immediately and responsibilities include oversight of the Bahamas Tourist Offices in the US, Canada, and Europe. MORE
MARRIOTT NAMES NEW CANADIAN EXECS
Marriott International has appointed two new members to its Canadian senior leadership team. Susie Grynol will join Marriott International as Market VP, Eastern Canada, while Keri Robinson will assume the position of Area VP, US Western Mountain Pacific and Western Canada, expanding her current responsibilities. MORE
MOVING ON UP
Fred Dixon named top dog at Brand USA
Satisfying nearly nine months of avid curiosity in the trade, Fred Dixon has emerged as the choice to be the new CEO of Brand USA, the US’s important destination marketing organization. Currently President and CEO of NYC Tourism + Conventions, the well-known Dixon will succeed Chris Thompson on July 15. MORE
COLIN WOOD RETURNS TO VOX, HAWAII
VoX International has announced the return of Colin Wood as Senior Account & Business Strategy Director to lead the Hawaii Tourism account and support overall client strategy and business development for the Toronto-based marketing and PR firm. MORE
Air Canada Vacations has strengthened its sales team with several new additions and internal appointments – moves the tour company says “underscore our dedication to building strong partnerships, providing unparalleled support, and driving growth opportunities for the travel community and our travel partners.” MORE
FAMILY AFFAIR
Rocky Mountaineer taps second gen for CEO
Rocky Mountaineer is looking to the second generation as Tristan Armstrong, son of Founder Peter Armstrong, steps into the role of chief executive officer. The Vancouver-based luxury train company is the largest privately-owned premium tourist train in the world and has hosted 2.3 million guests since it was founded in 1990. MORE
INDUSTRY VETERAN KAREN EVANS TO RETIRE
Discover the World has announced the retirement in March of Karen Evans after 30 years at the company. She will be succeeded in her role as National Sales Manager for SATA Azores Airlines by her colleague Andrea Thornton, who has worked alongside Evans for many years MORE
MASSIMO BRANCALEONI TAKES ON A NEW ROLE AT SILVERSEA
Ultra-luxury cruise line Silversea has expanded the role of cruise industry veteran Massimo Brancaleoni who becomes Senior Vice President, Global Sales & Revenue. In this new role, Brancaleoni will continue to report to Silversea President Barbara Muckermann. Brancaleoni has almost 30 years of experience in the global cruise industry and has held executive positions for international organizations in Europe and Asia. He joined Silversea in January 2023 as Senior Vice President, Global Sales. MORE
SONIA MACHADO JOINS JAMAICA AS WESTERN BDM
The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) has announced the appointment of Canadian travel industry veteran Sonia Machado to the role of Business Development Manager for Western Canada. Based in Calgary, she’ll be responsible for overseeing sales initiatives and industry engagement activities across British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. MORE
LAURA HAMRE JOINS VOX INTERNATIONAL
VoX International has hired Lora Hamre as Account Manager-Travel Trade, working primarily on Tourism Australia and Hawai’i Tourism Canada teams, as well as providing support for other company clients. MORE
PORTER SPLITS EXEC DUTIES, JACKSON NEW PRESIDENT
Porter Airlines is introducing a new senior leadership structure to support its ongoing growth. The president and CEO roles will be separated, with Michael Deluce continuing in the position of CEO, while current executive VP and CCO Kevin Jackson assumes the role of president. MORE
PRON NAMED VP COMMERCIAL AT AIR TRANSAT
Air Transat has announced the appointment of Benjamin Pron as Vice-President Commercial Air Transat. Employed by the airline company since 2019, Pron until recently held the position of Commercial Director for Air Transat. MORE
NEW JETBLUE CEO FIRST FEMALE TO LEAD A U.S. AIRLINE
JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes will step down next month and be replaced by the airline’s president, Joanna Geraghty, who will be the first woman to lead a major US carrier. Geraghty, 51, joined JetBlue in 2005 and has taken on an increasingly prominent role at the New York-based airline in recent years, including becoming president and chief operating officer in 2018. MORE
NEW PRESIDENT AT ONTARIO TOURISM, ANDREW SIEGWART
The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) has announced the appointment of Andrew Siegwart as its new President & CEO, effective Jan. 21. In his new role, Siegwart will guide the organization in promoting and advancing Ontario's tourism industry while ensuring its growth, sustainability, and alignment with important societal goals. MORE
ANDREW PILKINGTON NEW PRESIDENT AT TRAVEL EDGE
Travel Edge has announced the appointment of Andrew Pilkington as President. Pilkington will oversee Travel Edge's three divisions: Travel Edge Network, a luxury host agency; Travel Edge Retail; and Travel Edge Corporate. MORE