The Hall of Leaders was established in 1969 as part of U.S. Travel's National Awards Program to recognize individual contributions to the travel and tourism industry.

Induction to the U.S. Travel Hall of Leaders is the single highest and most revered honor an individual in the travel and tourism industry can receive.

The award is presented by the U.S. Travel Association. Inductees into the Hall of Leaders are individuals who have made sustained, noteworthy contributions that have strengthened the broad travel and tourism industry. The exemplary vision and leadership demonstrated by these individuals have strengthened and unified the industry well beyond their own organizations, industry segments or communities.

If you have questions, please email Judith Harris, Vice President, Member Services.

Past Honorees

2024 Christopher L. Thompson Brand USA
2024 William D. “Bill” Talbert, III Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau
2023 Elliott L. Ferguson, II Destination DC
2023 Peter F. Herschend Herschend Enterprises
2022 Roger Dow U.S. Travel Association
2021 Roger Miles Miles Partnership
2020 Joe D'Alessandro San Francisco Travel Association
2020 Ernest Wooden Jr. Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board
2019 Bob Moore Hilton
2019 Nancy Novogrod Travel + Leisure
2018 Todd Davidson Travel Oregon
2018 Spurgeon Richardson Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau
2017 Arne Sorenson Marriott International
2017 Randy Smith STR
2016 Caroline Beteta Visit California
2016 Christopher J. Nassetta Hilton Worldwide
2015 Michael A. Leven Georgia Aquarium
2015 W. Stephen Maritz Maritz Holdings Inc.
2014 Sam Gilliland Sabre Corporation
2014 Rossi Rallenkotter Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
2013 Mike Gallagher CityPASS
2013 Randy Garfield The Walt Disney Company
2012 Gary Sain Visit Orlando
2012 Peter Greenberg CBS News
2011 The Honorable Harry Reid U.S. Congress
2011 Donald S. Freeman Freeman Companies
2010 Isadore Sharp Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
2009 Adam Goldstein Royal Caribbean International
2009 Stevan Porter InterContinental Hotel Group
2009 Andrew Taylor Enterprise Rent-A-Car
2008 Jay Rasulo Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
2007 Stephen P. Holmes Wyndham Worldwide
2006 Jonathan S. Linen American Express
2005 William S. Norman  Travel Industry Association of America
2005 Alan Fredericks Travel Weekly
2004 Richard D. Fain Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd.
2003 Marilyn Carlson Nelson Carlson Companies Inc.
2002 Jonathan M. Tisch Loews Hotels
2001 Walt Disney Walt Disney Co.
2000 Joseph Vittoria The Travel Company
1999 Michael Egan Certified Vacations Group, Inc
1999 Edward Hogan Pleasant Holidays LLC
1998 Curtis Carlson Carlson Companies, Inc.
1997 Marjorie Beenders Missouri Division of Tourism
1997 Thomas Kershaw Hampshire House Corporation
1997 Patrick McMahon Virginia Tourism Corporation
1996 The Honorable Ronald Brown U.S. Department of Commerce
1996 Kenneth Hine, CAE American Hotel & Motel Association
1996 George Kirkland Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau
1995 Jim Host National Tour Association, Inc.
1994 Roger Ballou American Express Travel Related Services Co., Inc.
1994 Darryl Hartley-Leonard Hyatt Hotels Corporation
1994 David Humphreys Recreation Vehicle Industry Association
1993 Ted Balestreri The Cannery Row Company
1993 Earlene Causey VIP Travel Agency of Baytown
1993 The Honorable John Rockefeller IV U.S. Congress
1992 Stanley Fisher Allied Tours
1992 Charles Goeldner University of Colorado, College of Business
1992 Robert Harnsberger Luray Caverns
1991 Preston Robert Tisch Loews Corporation
1991 Charles West Alaska Sightseeing Tours TravAlaska
1991 Kemmons Wilson Holiday Inns, Inc.
1990 Robert Dickinson Carnival Cruise Lines
1990 The Honorable Ernest Hollings U.S. Congress
1990 Dr. John Hunt University of Massachusetts--Amherst
1990 Norman Philion Air Transport Association
1989 Bob LeBlanc Louisiana Office of Tourism
1989 Jack Lindquist Walt Disney Productions
1989 William Toohey Travel Industry Association of America
1988 Chuck Gee University of Hawaii
1988 Voit Gilmore Four Seasons Travel Service
1988 Arthur Tauck, Jr. Tauck Tours
1987 Eric Friedheim Travel Agent Magazine
1987 Robert Giersdorf Exploration Cruise Lines
1986 Edward Book Hershey Entertainment and Resort Company
1986 William Edwards Hilton Hotels Corporation
1986 J. W. Marriott, Jr. Marriott Hotels and Resorts
1985 Paul Ignatius Air Transport Association
1985 Howard "Bud" James American Hotel & Motel Association
1985 Irwin Robinson Travel Weekly
1984 The Honorable Donna Tuttle USTTA
1984 Peter Ueberroth Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee
1983 Howard Clark American Express Company
1983 Mary Huddleston Trailways, Inc.
1982 Jeanne James Arizona Hotel & Motel Association
1982 James Michener Author
1981 Bunny Grossinger Grossinger Hotel
1981 The Honorable James Santini U.S. Congress
1980 Melinda Bush Hotel & Travel Index
1980 James Montgomery Pan American World Airways
1979 Elana Andersen Hyatt Hotels Corporation
1979 Robert Sullivan San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau
1978 Marjorie McDonald Georgia Hospitality & Travel Association
1978 Paul Rodgers Ozark Airlines, Inc.
1977 Betty Blake Betty Blake & Company
1977 James Kerrigan Trailways, Inc
1976 Katharine Kane City of Boston
1976 William Walton Holiday Inns, Inc.
1975 Florence Somers Redbook
1975 C. Langhorne Washburn United States Travel Service
1974 The Honorable Daniel Inouye U.S. Congress
1974 Frances Koltun Frances Koltun Enterprises
1973 Bill Hardman Hardman Productions
1972 Charles Gillett New York Convention and Visitors Bureau
1971 William Patterson American Express Company
1970 Laurance Rockefeller Rockresorts, Inc.
1969 Clarence Arata Metropolitan Washington Board of Trade
1969 Robert Murphy, Jr. Washington State Travel Council