Brand USA announces new board members and leadership

Edited by Travel Weekly

Brand USA, a destination marketing organisation, has today announced its new leadership and members that make up its 2025 board of directors.

Elliot Ferguson, chief executive officer of Destination DC, serves as board chair for a one-year term. Ferguson was first appointed to the board in 2022 and most recently served as treasurer. In addition to serving as chair, he will lead alongside vice chair Lauren Bailey, treasurer Kristen Esposito, and secretary Allen Orr.

Brand USA is also pleased to announce the appointment of two new directors with Danny Hughes, president, Americas, Hilton (representing Hotel Accommodations) and Gus Antorcha, president, Princess Cruises (representing Land or Sea Transportation). Additionally, Ferguson, Bailey, and past-chair Todd Davidson were all re-appointed to serve second three-year terms.

“Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo has selected five outstanding industry leaders to join the Board of Directors and help guide Brand USA as it markets the United States as the premier travel and tourism destination around the world,” deputy assistant secretary for Travel and Tourism, U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, Alex Lasry, said. “We look forward to continuing our close collaboration with Brand USA to advance the goals of the National Travel and Tourism Strategy and bring more international visitors to the United States to drive economic growth and support jobs across the country.”

The new board appointments come as Brand USA sets its sights on achieving the US Department of Commerce’s National Travel and Tourism Strategy goal of welcoming 90 million visitors by 2027, which it expects to do one year ahead of schedule, in 2026.

“My priorities align with Brand USA’s mission to welcome the world to the US and generate incremental economic development,” Ferguson said. “We want the global community to know that the US is welcoming, and we’re prioritising all things tied to making travel safe and easy for visitors to come here. I will work with the amazing team at Brand USA to focus on growth opportunities tied to international meetings, the recovery of the Asia market and areas of the world that haven’t been as emphasised. The diversity of our marketing is important from a competitive standpoint as we aim to reflect the US as a welcoming destination with broad appeal.”

The newly appointed members include:

Reappointment: Todd Davidson, chief executive officer, Travel Oregon (State Tourism)
Reappointment: Elliott Ferguson, president & chief executive officer, Destination DC (City Convention and Visitors’ Bureau)
Reappointment: Lauren Bailey, chief executive officer and co-founder, Upward Projects (Restaurant)
New Appointment: Danny Hughes, president, Americas, Hilton (Hotel accommodations)
New Appointment: Gus Antorcha, president, Princess Cruises (Land or Sea Transportation)

“As we shift from international visitation recovery to growth and new records, we are privileged to work alongside this talented board including the new slate of officers and directors led by Board Chair Elliott Ferguson to help advance the vital work of promoting the U.S. to global travel audiences while positively impacting our nation’s economy and at the same time, bolstering jobs,” Brand USA president and CEO, Fred Dixon, said.

Brand USA extends its gratitude to departing board members Don Moore and Mark Hoplamazian for their outstanding service and dedication. Their leadership has been instrumental in advancing our mission and their contributions will leave a lasting impact on our efforts to promote the U.S. as a premier travel destination.

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