The U.S. Travel Association on Thursday announced the appointment of Todd Davidson, CEO of Travel Oregon, as its new national chair. Davidson, who previously served as the association’s first vice chair, succeeds Interstate Hotels & Resorts CEO Jim Abrahamson.
“We are thrilled to welcome Todd as our new national chair,” said U.S. Travel Association president and CEO Roger Dow. “With the travel industry driving U.S. economic growth, jobs and exports, Todd is well-positioned to further expand the reach and influence of America’s travel sector. Todd’s experience and expertise will greatly benefit the travel community.”
As national chair of U.S. Travel, Davidson will guide the board and association’s efforts to:
Aggressively highlight the role of the U.S. travel industry in driving increased economic growth and opportunity.
Firmly establish leisure travel as essential to American life.
“Given travel’s outsize contributions to U.S. economic strength and the growing evidence of the benefits of leisure travel, we have more opportunities than ever to tell its powerful story in Washington and beyond,” said Davidson. “My goal is to ensure that the travel sector has a strong voice and a seat at the table when critical decisions are made. I am honored to serve in this leadership capacity during this time of growth and success for the industry.”
As CEO of the Oregon Tourism Commission, dba Travel Oregon, Davidson has overseen the growth of his state’s $9.6 billion industry that employs more than 94,000 Oregonians. He helped lead the effort to establish dedicated, stable funding for Travel Oregon, which facilitated the growth of Oregon’s travel industry. During his tenure, Travel Oregon has garnered 13 Mercury Awards, including the top award for Best Website and Best Overall State Marketing Program in 2013.
Davidson outlines his course of action for his two-year term in his introduction as chair on U.S. Travel’s Friday Check-In. His appointment will give Oregon exceptional insight into national and international trends in the tourism industry.
