Tourism professionals earn Southeast Tourism Society designation
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
Media Contact:
Ally Dorrough • Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism
[email protected] • GulfShores.com/Media-Room
1-800-745-SAND • 251-968-9327 (direct) • 334-752-7745 (cell)
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism awards more scholarships for three-year Marketing College® program
GULF SHORES AND ORANGE BEACH, ALA. – For more than 25 years, Southeast Tourism Society (STS) has hosted its three-year Marketing College® continuing education program in which students receive a Travel Marketing Professional (TMP) certification upon completion. STS member Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism (CVB) believes in and promotes this program by awarding scholarships to team members and industry partners.
”Local brand ambassador development begins with affording our area’s tourism employees the opportunity to continue their education,” said Joanie Flynn, vice president of marketing for the CVB. “We are proud to play a small role in promoting professional development in our beach communities, and Marketing College is an excellent choice for broadening local company marketing and communications knowledge.”
Marketing College® requires students to attend one week of marketing-related classes taught by tourism industry leaders at the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega for three years. Upon completion of the coursework, students must carry out two comprehensive projects in their home destination to apply concepts learned in the classroom to their everyday work environment.
In the spring of 2018, the following CVB scholarship recipients became TMPs: Gabrielle Barnett of LuLu’s Gulf Shores, Jordan Bodenhamer of Young’s Suncoast Vacation Rentals and Alex Lute of Sunset Properties. The following industry partners were selected to begin the program in 2018: Cindy Hudson of Kaiser Realty by Wyndham Vacation Rentals, Stephen Lee of Intercoastal Safaris and Sheena Mizell of The Wharf.
Other industry partners participating in the program include Cecelia Mace of The Original Oyster House and Tara McMeans of Design Print Promote as well as CVB employees Claire Blackwell, Claire Galluzzi and Mary Sergeant. CVB employees Morgan Barna and Ally Dorrough graduated in 2017. The tourism bureau will open its scholarship application for 2019 classes in the fall of 2018.
For more information on STS Marketing College®, visit SoutheastTourism.org/Marketing-College.
Photos:
Download: https://gsob.co/2J30YLi (Gabrielle Barnett of LuLu’s Gulf Shores)
Download: https://gsob.co/2Le6c3u (Jordan Bodenhamer of Young’s Suncoast Vacation Rentals)
Download: https://gsob.co/2Jk1jsm (Alex Lute of Sunset Properties)
Caption: Gabrielle Barnett of LuLu’s Gulf Shores, Jordan Bodenhamer of Young’s Suncoast Vacation Rentals and Alex Lute of Sunset Properties received the Travel Marketing Professional (TMP) certification by completing the three-year Southeast Tourism Society Marketing College® program.
About Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism:
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism serves as the official destination marketing organization for the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in addition to the unincorporated area of Fort Morgan. To learn more about the whole different state of discovery on Alabama’s 32 miles of white-sand beaches, visit either GulfShores.com or OrangeBeach.com. This convention and visitors bureau is an accredited Destination Marketing Organization (2012-2016).
