Tourism Hall of FameTourism Cares inducted the late Robert E. (Bob) Whitley, former President of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA), into the Tourism Hall of Fame on December 10th, 2010. The induction ceremony took place during the USTOA Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The Tourism Hall of Fame is administered by Tourism Cares. The Tourism Hall of Fame recognizes and honors individuals who, among other business accomplishments, have made significant personal contributions to travel and tourism through philanthropic, volunteer and mentoring activities. Bob Whitley was a founding board member of Tourism Cares and its predecessor, the Travelers Conservation Foundation and embodied those attributes.
Whitley, who died suddenly on May 13, 2010, served as President of USTOA for 32 years. During that time he traveled the globe as a worldwide ambassador and advocate of the tour operator industry.
Whitley began his travel and tourism career as the President of the Virginia Beach (VA) Convention & Visitors Bureau. He later became the CEO of the Office of Travel & Tourism for the states of Pennsylvania and Florida. For seven consecutive years, he was recognized by a leading trade magazine as one of the travel industry's 25 most influential executives.
In 2005, Whitley was honored with the Travel Weekly Lifetime Achievement Award. On November 14, 2010, Whitley received, posthumously, the National Tour Association's Pioneer Award at its convention in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Tourism Cares has established The Bob Whitley Memorial Fund with the many generous donations in Bob's memory. |
