London: President of travel and tourism chapter

In an announcement received by Historic City News late yesterday afternoon from Jay Humphreys, Communications Director with The St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau, we were notified that Brian London, research manager for the St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau, has been elected president of the Southeast Chapter of the Travel and Tourism Research Association.

The association is an international professional organization comprised of providers and users of travel and tourism research which serves as a primary resource to the travel and tourism industry. As the global leader, TTRA promotes the education, application and integration of quality travel and tourism research and marketing information.

London, a 2003 graduate of Florida State University, joined the VCB in 2005 as the organization’s fulltime travel and tourism researcher. At the VCB, much of his work has centered on conducting formal surveys of visitors to St. Johns County – especially with regard to events funded by the Tourist Development Council. In addition, he has greatly expanded the distribution of statistical information of value to the local tourism industry.

The Southeast States chapter of TTRA is composed of travel and tourism researchers representing Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee. As a result of recent accomplishments, the chapter was selected as TTRA’s “Chapter of the Year” for 2007-2008. London will serve as chapter president for 2008-2009. London’s goals for the organization include enhanced website content and the creation of a scholarship endowment fund which will allow undergraduate and graduate students interested in tourism research to attend the annual conference free of charge.

Last year, London’s presentation at the chapter’s research symposium in Asheville, N.C. was titled Economic Blueprints and Marketing Intelligence: A Composite. The presentation is the basis for a forthcoming article by London that will appear in the Journal of Travel Research.