Nathan Claycomb, a long-time fixture at Sight and Sound Theatres, has left the organization and the tour and travel industry to pursue a career in higher education at his alma mater, Millersville University in Pennsylvania, where he was just appointed assistant director of alumni engagement. Claycomb spent a decade at Sight and Sound, working backstage as a techie, then for the past four years serving as business development manager for the attraction company, which has theatres in both Lancaster County, Pa. and Branson, Mo.
In the UK, Clare Tobin has been promoted from chief commercial officer to chief executive of Olympic Holidays. Her predecessor as chief executive, George Michalias, has become chairman. A veteran of more than 20 years in the tour and travel industry, Tobin joined Olympic Holidays last February. Previously, she spent 17 years with Tui Travel and First Choice, where she held senior board roles and oversaw the group’s specialist premium family brands including Hayes & Jarvis and Sovereign Holidays.
TUI France has announced the appointment of Caro Degryse as director of long-haul product. She has 20 years experience in working with large tour groups, as well as receptive and niche tour operators. Most recently, Degryse was director of development at Emirates Holidays. Previously, she worked for the TUI group in Belgium from 1997 to 2005.
Visit Surfside, Miami’s “uptown beachtown,” has announced the appointment of Lindsay Fast as tourism director. Fast brings 10 years of travel marketing and management experience to the position. Prior to joining Surfside, Fast lead numerous upscale marketing programs, promotions and marketing events. Fast comes to the post from Club Med USA where she was trade marketing manager.
After six years of successfully guiding Luxperience, founder Helen Logas has sold the luxury travel trade forum to the U.S.-owned company Diversified Communications. Logas created Luxperience in 2012 as a high-end B2B event based in the Southern Hemisphere. It has also sponsored pop-up shows in such destinations as New York City. The current Luxperience team will transition to Diversified, moving into a new home in its Kent Street offices in Sydney.
Chris Oakes has joined Faremine, the UK-based online travel trade-only company, as head of sales following a short period of consultancy with the brand. Oakes has nearly 30 years travel industry experience in senior roles at such companies as Hays Travel Independence Group, Holidaytaxis.com, Traveltek and Stella Travel Group.
Brian McCartin has been named president and CEO of the Tempe (Ariz.) Tourism Office. He joins the organization after heading up his own consulting firm for a year. Previously, he was with Travel Portland, the tourism office for Portland, Ore., for 14 years, lastly as executive vice president. McCartin succeeds Stephanie Nowack, who recently announced her retirement after 18 years with the organization.
Natalie Alvanez is the new director of sales and marketing for the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose California. She comes to the position from Visit Oakland, where she was vice president of marketing and business development. Previously, Prior to Visit Oakland, she was senior marketing officer for Amtrak in the company’s Oakland operation.
Former Brazilian receptive tour operator Antonio Lima, is now CEO at Envision Business Development Consultant in Miami. A veteran of nearly 30 years in the tour and travel industry, he was most recently senior vice president and head of business development, Americas, for VFS Global, which he had joined in 2009. Previously, he had served tenures in senior positions with AlliedTPro & Kuoni Connect, Bancor International Travel Inc., and Gray Line of Ft. Lauderdale.
Paul Nakamoto has been named director, strategic promotions, for Aquarium by the Bay in San Francisco. He joins the attraction from Gray Line of San Francisco, where he was executive vice president. Previously, he had been vice president of business development at Super Sightseeing Tours in San Francisco.
