Tammy Blount Makes History as the Fifth Female Chair of DI
July 13, 2017
Tammy Blount accepts the gavel this morning from outgoing Chair Gary Sherwin at DI’s Annual Convention.
The Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau (MCCVB) is proud to announce that president and CEO Tammy Blount has assumed the role of chair of Destinations International for 2017–2018. Blount is the fifth woman to hold this leadership position in the organization’s 103-year history.
Over the years, she has used the experience, research and knowledge gained from her involvement with Destinations International to create a dynamic team and has helped grow tourism exponentially in Monterey County. In 2016, travel spending from overnight visitors in Monterey County was more than $2.8 billion, a 3.6 percent increase from 2015. The announcement of Blount’s appointment as the new chair comes as Destinations International hosts its 2017 Annual Convention this week in Montreal, Canada.
“It is a great honor to serve as chair of Destinations International. Our trade organization is needed by our industry now more than ever, and the opportunities to learn from the expertise and experience of our global members is key as the travel industry faces so many significant challenges in today’s world,” says Blount. “The education, tools, programs and networking offered by Destinations International are critical to the evolution of our industry, and therefore, to the growth of travel worldwide bringing economic, social, cultural and educational benefit to the communities we serve.”
Destinations International, formerly Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI), is the largest and most reliable resource serving destination marketing professionals and organizations first and foremost of more than 4,700 professionals from nearly 600 destinations in 15 countries.
Blount is a tourism professional with a career path that spans 30 years beginning with her start in the hotel industry in her home city of Vancouver, British Columbia, to her current position as the president and CEO of the MCCVB. Blount’s involvement with Destinations International began when the organization was called International Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus in the mid-1990s, and she earned her Certified Destination Management Executive certificate as one of the program’s first graduates. Her commitment to the association includes serving on dozens of committees as well as on the board for six years and the Executive Committee for three years.
“Destinations International is privileged to have Tammy serve as our new Association Board Chair,” says Don Welsh, president and CEO of Destinations International. “She has been a dedicated volunteer and advocate for the tourism industry for nearly 30 years, most recently as the chair of Destinations International’s Bylaws and Governance Task Force and Audit Committee. With her proven leadership, I am confident she will continue to lead our association in our mission of empowering our members so their destinations excel.”
Blount’s background includes the executive leadership position as CEO of the Tacoma Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau, architect and inaugural chair of the Washington Tourism Alliance and on the leadership team of Tourism Vancouver. In 2012, she began her position in Monterey where she has worked to establish a sound business plan and elevate standards that have united a diverse community. Blount also serves on Visit California’s CEO Destinations Council, marketing committee and international committee.
In the past few years, Blount has been recognized by her community and industry in several ways including Community Unity Champion, Regional Champion; one of the 25 Most Influential People in the Meetings Industry; one of the Top 25 Most Influential Women; and as 2015 CEO of the Year.