Visit USA Australia has announced that President Lucy Rowe will be stepping down from the position after four years in the role.
Ms Rowe joined the Committee in 2014 and has been an advocate for the US travel industry in her roles as Committee Member, Treasurer, Vice President and President.
Ms Rowe has steered the Organisation through the turbulent pandemic providing support and expertise to the wider travel industry, and the resumption of in-person events beginning with the Visit USA Hybrid Expo to be held in early March.
“Lucy has been instrumental in promoting Australian tourism to the United States. She has been a dedicated President of the Visit USA Organisation, spearheading Visit USA’s efforts in educating the travel trade on the United States, organising the highly successful annual Visit USA Expos, and leading the organisation through these challenging times,” said Monique Roos, Senior Commercial Specialist, U.S. Commercial Service.
The President’s role, as with all Committee positions, is an unpaid, volunteer position, and Rowe has dedicated her expertise and time to the Organisation for almost a decade. Rowe believes this is the right time to transition the leadership to a new President who can continue its growth in the ever-changing travel industry.
“The Organisation is a stalwart in its arena, and it has been a privilege to serve as its President for the past four years. Visit USA is a non-profit, Member-led organisation, and its success is a credit to the Committee and all its Members,” said Ms Rowe, President of Visit USA Organisation Australia.
“I look forward to seeing the travel industry, and the Organisation thrive as international travel continues to reemerge.”
The Executive Committee expressed its sincere thanks to Lucy Rowe,
Through Ms Rowe’s tenure as President, the Organisation has grown membership by 20%, increased its financial stability, expanded the capacity of the paid roles within the Organisation, updated its brand and digital strategies including a new website, and held record exhibition weeks across Australia, with more than 1,000 travel agents and 60 exhibitors attending the Visit USA Expo week in 2020.
In addition to the trade exhibitions and events held in Australia, Ms Rowe advocated on behalf of Members and the Organisation at the annual IPW events in the USA.
Jon Handlery, President of Handlery Hotels has been a member of Visit USA Organisation Australia for more than 30 years and echoed the Executive Committee’s thanks saying:
“What Lucy has done in promoting the travel industry, her dedicated involvement in supporting the tourism efforts to the USA is unmatched by anyone. Not only did she meet the challenges presented but has exceeded them with flying colours. I can’t thank her enough for all she did for the Organisation and what she did for my company as well.”
The Organisation also thanked Sarah Stevenson, Secretary of Visit USA Organisation Australia, who has resigned from her position which she held for four years. Stevenson has been an integral member of the Executive Committee delivering the role of Secretary, as well as leading the communications and media strategy for the Organisation.
A new President and Committee for the Organisation will be announced following the Annual General Meeting to be held in March.