Sunshine Matters

I am proud to share that last night travel industry veteran Randy Garfield of The Walt Disney Company was honored as a 2013 inductee into the U.S. Travel Hall of Leaders. Garfield, and fellow honoree Mike Gallagher of CityPASS, were recognized during a dinner attended by more than 100 travel industry leaders as part of the U.S. Travel fall board meeting at the Fairmont in Washington, D.C.

Distinguished individuals are named to the Hall of Leaders maintained by the U.S. Travel Association for “sustained, noteworthy contributions that have positively impacted the travel industry, stimulated greater achievement, and raised industry-wide standards.”

“Randy and Mike represent the best of travel businesses large and small in their never-ending commitment and engagement to advance travel and its vast benefits,” said Roger Dow, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association in a statement issued prior to last night’s event.  “Beyond their leadership for two great success stories at Disney and CityPASS, they have volunteered their time to regularly engage with policymakers and other industry leaders to ensure travel is recognized as vital to our economy and well-being.  This is well-deserved recognition, and I look forward to joining the rest of the travel community in honoring them.”

Garfield, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Sales & Travel Operations for Disney Destinations and President of Walt Disney Travel Company, is in the fifth decade of his distinguished travel industry career, during which he has served as a passionate advocate for travel and tourism at the local, state and national levels.  He has been a member of the U.S. Travel Association board of directors for more than 25 years and served as its national chair in 1997.  As co-chair of its Leisure Travel Council, he has been instrumental in developing the recently launched Travel Effect campaign to promote the benefits of travel to policymakers, consumers and business leaders.  He earlier helped develop the Meetings Mean Business campaign that promotes the value of business travel to the U.S. economy.

Garfield played an instrumental role in advocating for the creation and passage of the Travel Promotion Act and currently serves on the Brand USA board of directors.  In recognition of his substantial career contributions, he received the 2012 Travel Weekly Lifetime Achievement Award.

With these two new inductions, 88 travel industry professionals have been inducted into the U.S. Travel Hall of Leaders since it was created in 1969.  The 2012 inductees were journalist and CBS News travel editor Peter Greenberg and Gary Sain, the late president and CEO of Visit Orlando.

On behalf of the staff at VISIT FLORIDA and the entire Florida tourism industry, I congratulate Randy on this much-deserved honor and extend our thanks for his tireless efforts to support the role of tourism marketing in promoting the Sunshine State to visitors around the globe.