STI celebrates 10th Anniversary
Washington : Sustainable Travel International’s staff and Board of Directors were joined by 75 thought leaders at George Washington University on October 17 to celebrate the organization’s 10th Anniversary.
The event theme was Global Destination Sustainability and Tourism Policy, and brought together both current and prospective partners to look at trends and challenges facing sustainable tourism in the coming years, with a special focus on fostering increased collaboration.
President and CEO Brian T. Mullis kicked off the event with a 15-minute overview of Sustainable Travel International, including a look at highlights from our first decade, and a thoughtful vision for a future centered on scalable market-based solutions and cross-sectorial collaboration.
Travel Oregon CEO Todd Davidson, who is also Chair of the US Travel and Tourism Board, followed with an inspiring keynote, sharing with the audience the critical role of leadership and sustainability Nationally in the recently released domestic tourism strategy and at a state level in Oregon.
The program culminated with an engaging panel discussion, including REI Adventures’ Luis Vargas, Santiago Noboa of the Organization of American States, Kristen Nelson of the USDA Forest Service, and our own Seleni Matus, Senior Advisor Destination Management. Attendees shared their ideas and questions with the panel, and the lively discussion continued into the subsequent reception.
“The night was intentionally reflective of the organization Sustainable Travel International strives to be,” shared Senior Director of Marketing and Communications Jeremy Sampson. “As leaders in sustainable tourism development, we relish the opportunity to bring together key individuals. We whole-heartedly believe that open dialogue and discussion of real issues leads to better understanding of how we can work together to accomplish our common goals.” – STI
