The Stanley Awards for Excellence were established to demonstrate IITA inbound operators’ appreciation for their supplier and DMO partners.
LEXINGTON, KY – IITA’s Annual Stanley Awards – The International Inbound Travel Association recognizes excellence in the international inbound community through its annual Stanley Awards, named in honor of Stanley Fisher, founder of Allied Tours and recognized as a founder of the U.S. inbound industry.
Award Categories and Criteria:
The Stanley Awards for Excellence were established to demonstrate IITA inbound operators’ appreciation for their supplier and DMO partners. IITA inbound operator members nominate and vote for organizations that demonstrate excellence in international marketing, operations and collaboration with inbound operators contributing to the growth of international travel to the United States.
Award for Excellence in Inbound Destination Marketing
This award is open to IITA member and nonmember destination marketing organizations (DMOs).
San Francisco Travel Association
Award for Excellence in Lodging
This award is open to IITA member and nonmember lodging properties and may be corporate hotel companies or independent properties.
IHG
Award for Excellence in Transportation
This award is open to IITA member and nonmember point-to-point transportation organizations, including air, rail, motorcoach, and passenger vessel.
Academy Bus
Award for Excellence in Attractions and Experiences
This award is open to all IITA member and nonmember attraction and experience organizations.
Hornblower Cruises and Events
Award for Excellence in Dining
This award is open to all IITA member and nonmember dining organizations.
CARMINE’S Family-Style Italian Restaurant and VIRGIL’S BBQ
The following awards recognize individuals for outstanding contribution and achievement in the international inbound travel industry.
Chairman’s Award for Contribution to IITA
This award is open to DMO and Supplier IITA members. Recommended by the IITA Chairman and approved by the Board of Directors, this award recognizes individuals for their outstanding contribution to IITA.
Jennifer Lloyd’s career has come full circle within the hospitality industry. One of her first jobs after college was with the Crowne Plaza in Nashua, NH and she is now back at IHG 18 years later as the Wholesale Manager for IHG’s Global Sales Strategy team. Her years of experience have taken her from New England to Florida and she has held positions at the property, regional and global levels with Starwood Hotels, Marriott International and IHG.
Jennifer’s passion has always been in the wholesale segment, working with customers and hotels to understand and grow with this ever-changing, often misunderstood, and valuable market segment. She is delighted to be back with IHG and looks forward to what the future holds as the company expands to 15 brands and 5700+ hotels throughout the world.
Jennifer attended Southern New Hampshire University, earning both an MBA and a BA in Hotel & Resort Management. Jennifer Lloyd is an active member of IITA as a Sustaining Member, member of the Advisory Council and Chair of the Membership Committee.
Rising Star Award
Open to IITA members and nonmembers age 40 and under, this award recognizes emerging leaders for their outstanding contributions to IITA and the inbound industry over their limited career. This individual has demonstrated exceptional growth and high potential for future impact. The award may be presented to individuals from supplier, inbound operator or destination marketing or other industry organizations.
Jordi Zarroca has been serving as Chief Executive Officer of Cosmopolitan Incentives since September 2010. Cosmopolitan Incentives is a boutique Destination Management Company, that provides their clients with a creative and innovative take on the planning and execution of Incentive Programs, Corporate Meetings, Product Launches, Multilingual Tours, Pre/Post Convention Programs, Gala Events, Team-Building Activities, Themed Events, and VIP Services for Corporate/Leisure Travelers in New York and around the US.
Each member of the Cosmopolitan Incentives team, including Jordi, are highly qualified, multilingual experts with years of hands-on experience.
Prior to joining Cosmopolitan Incentives Jordi worked in several other positions within the travel and tourism industry.
Stanley Fisher Lifetime Travel Professional Award
In honor of Stanley Fisher’s contribution to IITA and the travel industry, this award recognizes individuals for their outstanding contributions and dedication to IITA and the inbound industry throughout their careers. This award may be presented to individuals from supplier, inbound operator, destination marketing or other industry organizations. This award is open to IITA members and nonmembers.
Gary Schluter began his career in tourism while in college in Iowa working summer seasons as a tour guide in Yellowstone National Park. After college, this summer job led to a full-time position with the Tour Department for the park concessionaire from 1974-1980. In the fall of 1980, Gary moved to Cheyenne where he developed a new position for the Wyoming Travel Commission to work with travel professionals (domestic and international) to develop itineraries and promote travel to the Cowboy State.
In 1987, working with regional transportation company Powder River Transportation, Gary began Rocky Mountain Holiday Tours – a company set up to assist tour operators in Europe to book their guests into the American West. In 1997, he bought out the interest of Powder River and has proceeded as the individual owner of what has become the largest “regional” receptive operator for the American West.
Gary has been a member of the Colorado Tourism Board’s International Travel Promotions Committee and was instrumental in having RMH Tours named as the “Official Receptive Operator” for the marketing promotion group Rocky Mountain International (European Marketing program for Idaho, Montana, South Dakota and Wyoming). In 2011, Rocky Mountain Holiday Tours was given the “International Travel” Award at the North Dakota Tourism Conference in recognition of working with International Tour Operators to see that North Dakota was included in drive routes into the region. RMH Tours was the first recipient of this award not from the State of North Dakota.
Gary chairs the Board of Directors for the International Inbound Travel Association (IITA). And in June 2016 was appointed by the US Secretary of Commerce to the US-Travel and Tourism Advisory Board and sits on its Visa Evaluation Committee. He also serves as an At-Large Board Member for the US Travel Association.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
