At the recent 41st annual ESTO conference—an annual conference for destination marketing professionals from city, regional and state tourism offices—the U.S. Travel Association announced recipients of the 2025 ESTO Awards.

Visit Duluth has welcomed Haley Hedstrom as the organization's new Executive Director.

The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism has proudly welcomed the nomination of communications and public affairs executive Jennifer Matarangas-King as their next Commissioner of Tourism.

The nomination, which was announced by Governor Albert Bryan Jr. during a Government House press briefing, positions Matarangas-King to continue building on the Department's unprecedented momentum and growth over the past six years.

A native of St. Croix and a respected voice in the Virgin Islands community, Matarangas-King brings more than 30 years of experience in strategic communications, public affairs, and organizational leadership across both the public and private sectors. Her deep-rooted understanding of the Territory's culture and strong service record align with the Department's continued focus on responsible growth, innovation, and global brand expansion.

"Tourism is more than our economy. It is how we tell our story to the world and create opportunity for the people of the Virgin Islands," shared Gov. Albert Bryan, Jr. "Jennifer understands that. She is a strategic thinker, a skilled communicator, and a proud Virgin Islander with a deep commitment to service. I am confident that she will lead the Department of Tourism with vision and distinction."

"I am honored and humbled to be considered for this role," Matarangas-King said. "Tourism is one of the most powerful tools we have to shape the future of these Virgin Islands. It drives investment, fuels entrepreneurship, and celebrates our identity. I look forward to working alongside our tourism stakeholders and the incredible team at the Department to elevate our product, empower our people, and expand our reach as a premier Caribbean destination."

Matarangas-King began her public service career as press secretary to Governor Roy Schneider and later served as public relations director for Senator Vargrave Richards. For over two decades, she played an integral leadership role at Viya and its predecessor companies, spearheading public relations, corporate communications, customer experience, and strategic planning initiatives. Through her work in telecommunications, Matarangas-King played a pivotal role in ensuring connectivity for visitors to the territory and has also served as a board member on the St. Croix Hotel Association.

During outgoing Commissioner Joseph Boschulte's tenure, the Department delivered one of the most transformative eras in its history, leading the Caribbean in Average Daily Rate (ADR), welcoming record-breaking air and cruise arrivals, reimagining signature festivals, launching award-winning marketing campaigns, and forging groundbreaking partnerships across sports, entertainment, and global travel markets. The Virgin Islands emerged as a premier destination during a time of global tourism disruption, with the Department's efforts driving consistent economic recovery, increased visitor spend, and all-time high collections into the Tourism Advertising and Revolving Fund (TARF).

The Department of Tourism thanked Boschulte for his years of leadership and innovation. In the interim, the department shared that Boschulte will provide support to Commissioner Matarangas-King and the Department of Tourism through the transition period, ensuring operational continuity and alignment of strategic priorities.

Learn more by visiting the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism.

Courtesy of Groups Today.

Photo courtesy of U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. 

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Tariffs, Travel Bans and Economic Uncertainty Drive Travel Advisors to Pivot Business Strategies

The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) recently released findings from its June 2025 follow-up survey of U.S. travel advisors, highlighting a noticeable shift in sentiment and business strategies compared to similar data gathered in March 2025. The surveys explored the impact of recent federal executive actions, travel bans and tariffs on the travel industry.

"Our members expressed their views plainly in our most recent national survey," said Zane Kerby, ASTA President and CEO. "They are seeing hesitation in their clients, cancellations in their bookings and fear in their conversations. They are shouldering the burden of misinformation and working overtime to educate and protect the travelers who count on them most. For some, business is still thriving. For others, survival demands a pivot toward new markets, safer regions, more flexible pricing and above all, clear-eyed strategy."

The full results of the survey are proprietary and an ASTA Premium Member benefit, along with an accompanying white paper compiled by ASTA staff. The efforts, ASTA says, are intended to help guide industry leaders during this time of uncertainty.

"In the travel industry, uncertainty is poison," Kerby said. "We know that when consumers feel unsure about the state of the economy, about global conflict, about whether they'll be welcome at their destination—they pause. They wait. Sometimes, they cancel their travel plans altogether. In that moment, our members who are the backbone of the travel economy pay the price."

• Survey results show a moderate but clear downward shift in consumer demand between March and June. While the proportion of agencies reporting a significant drop in demand held steady, those noting a slight decrease rose from 32.5% to 38.8%. This reflects a broadening impact across consumer segments.

• The perception of policy-driven disruption also intensified. In June, more advisors pointed to both tariffs (27.9%) and travel bans (12.4%) as key factors affecting their business, up from 23.1% and 8.3%, respectively, in March.

• Postponements of international travel climbed to nearly 59% in June, up from 49% in March. While outright cancellations saw a slight decrease, this shift suggests that while travelers haven't given up on international trips entirely, they're increasingly opting to wait and see.

• International leisure travel remains the hardest hit segment of advisor business, with 69.2% of advisors citing it as the most affected category—up a striking 9.2 percentage points from March.

Respondents across both surveys voiced concerns over economic instability, misinformation and fears related to international safety and immigration policy. However, tone and urgency shifted notably from March to June. Many advisors are "anxiously reactive," noting the mounting sense of burnout, client frustration and realignment of business models.

Themes in commentary included concerns about international perception of U.S. travelers, client hesitations rooted in political rhetoric and economic headwinds impacting discretionary spending.

"Looking ahead to the rest of 2025, travel interest is still high, but so are the potential risks and roadblocks," said Michael Schottey, ASTA Vice President of Membership, Marketing and Communications. "Understanding what's changing and how agencies are responding is key. ASTA is here to support that process and ensure the travel advisor community stays informed, prepared and connected."

Learn more by visiting ASTA.

Courtesy of Groups Today.