Jessika Alexander Earns CTE Designation
-News -
Jessika Alexander of Visit Houston has earned her Certified Tourism Executive designation from the Travel and Tourism College offered by the Texas Travel Industry Association.
"I am grateful to Houston First/Visit Houston for allowing me the opportunity to grow professionally," says Alexander. "The program offered by TTIA was exceptional and with what I have learned, I know I will be better able to market Houston as one of the world's premier destinations."
This new industry standard requires a three-year process that includes coursework, a week of tourism marketing and management courses, and a final project. Only 117 people nationwide have achieved certification from this seven-year-old program. Alexander's final project entailed the production of a Houston Visitor's Guide, which was translated and published in the UK, Germany and China.
"This is a big deal. By increasing her knowledge and expertise in the travel and tourism industry, Jessika has not only taken her career another step further, she has become a more valuable asset as a world-class professional, promoting Houston as a world-class city," says Jorge Franz, vice president of tourism for Visit Houston. "I applaud her dedication and hard work to achieve this milestone for herself and to better serve our city."
Pandemic Pivots for Texas Industry Professionals
In 2020, Houston First Corp. (HFC) reported that the city was slated to host 252 meetings and 611,000 room nights. By March 14, the Bayou City had already hosted 115 conventions and 137,400 room nights. Then the pandemic hit, and meetings and events across the country came to a screeching halt.
We asked Michael Heckman, acting president and CEO of Houston First Corp. (HFC) how the health crisis has influenced the organization's business model moving forward.
#WeMakeEvents Campaign Lights the Sky Red
On September 1, over 1,500 businesses across the country illuminated their buildings with red lights to draw attention to the devastation that the live events and performance art industries have faced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Travelers Report Which Safety Protocols are Priorities for Hotel Stays
According to a survey commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), frequent travelers feel safer when hotels adhere to AHLA's Stay Safe guidelines, which detail cleaning protocols for hotels during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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