Travel industry leaders Roger Dow, former president and CEO of the US Travel Association, Elliott L. Ferguson, II, president and CEO of Destination DC, and Peter F. Herschend, co-founder of Herschend Enterprises, were inducted into the US Travel Association Hall of Leaders at a ceremony last week. Dow was the 2022 inductee while Ferguson and Herschend were the 2023 honorees.

Dow, Ferguson and Herschend were honoured at a dinner attended by more than 100 US Travel board members and guests in Washington, DC.

Distinguished individuals are named to the US Travel Association’s Hall of Leaders for sustained, noteworthy contributions that have positively impacted the travel industry and raised industrywide standards. To date, 106 individuals have been named to the hall, US Travel’s highest honour.

Dow

Now retired, the ubiquitous Dow led US Travel as chief executive for 17 years. Prior to his appointment in 2005, Dow served for 34 years at Marriott International, where he led the company’s global sales and marketing functions, notably developing the first hotel loyalty program, which would become Marriott Bonvoy and the related Marriott credit card.

At US Travel, Dow’s innovative and forward-thinking approach resulted in signature legislative victories, including the creation, enactment and renewal of Brand USA, the nation’s destination marketing organization. Thanks to these efforts, and his expansion of US Travel’s IPW trade show and the addition of more than a dozen nations to the US Visa Waiver Program during his time at US Travel, inbound travel to the US has increased 61% during Dow’s tenure.

Ferguson

Elliott L. Ferguson has served as president and CEO of Destination DC since 2009, having previously held the role of senior vice president for seven years. He also led U.S. Travel’s board of directors as National Chair from 2019 through 2020, providing guidance to the industry through the dual challenges posed by the pandemic and the aftermath of the George Floyd murder. Ferguson emerged as a key voice, tirelessly advocating for federal assistance for travel organizations and businesses nationwide and leading critical discussions on race and racial equality in the workplace and throughout the travel industry.
Prior to joining Destination DC, Ferguson was VP of sales at the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau for 10 years.

Herschend

Herschend and his brother Jack, along with their family employees, grew a small cave tour in Branson, Missouri, into the internationally acclaimed Silver Dollar City. More than 70 years later, the company, known today as Herschend Enterprises, is widely recognized as the world’s largest family-owned themed attractions company. Its 12,000-plus employees collectively entertain 15 million annual guests at more than two dozen entertainment brands across North America, including Dollywood, Silver Dollar City, the Harlem Globetrotters and many other beloved family attractions.

Herschend is an advocate for tourism development across the United States and was an early proponent of what would become Brand USA, helping inform Senate leaders of the critical need to create and fund a national-level program to promote U.S. destinations.