Travel Leaders Elite has announced the appointment of Don Jones to senior vice president of West Coast operations. The position is a newly created role which holds responsibility for guiding the leadership structure and strategic plan for Travel Leaders Elite, as well as increasing market share and revenue—particularly for Protravel International and Tzell Travel Group on the West Coast. Jones is currently based in Los Angeles and will report directly to Gail Grimmett, president of Travel Leaders Elite.
“We were looking for someone who knows the luxury travel industry backwards and forwards, and Don Jones has a stellar reputation and wealth of experience. He has an incredibly well-rounded skill set in working with luxury advisors and suppliers, and he will definitely help us continue to strengthen our ever-growing West Coast operations,” said Gail Grimmett, president of Travel Leaders Elite.
Prior to joining Travel Leaders Elite in his new role, Jones served as executive vice president for Cadence Travel, where he managed the day-to-day operations with an emphasis on developing new programs meant to enhance the customer experience. At Cadence, Jones cultivated a culture of sales and marketing throughout the company, which included a new branding for all divisions, a new website launch and the creation of an agent support marketing services bureau. His belief in “people first” provided clarity around roles throughout the company.
Before arriving at Cadence, Jones was the vice president of sales – the Americas for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. There, he managed all sales activities for Four Seasons’ primary customer segments in the Americas, which included leisure and corporate travel, as well as groups and wholesale. Jones’ experience in the hospitality arena is well suited for Travel Leaders Elite’s emphasis on VIP leisure, entertainment and corporate clientele.
This story is previously reported by our partner publication, Luxury Travel Advisor, here.
For more information, visit travelleadersgroup.com.
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