Ovation Travel Group has announced the appointment of Gina Gabbard to the role of senior vice president of leisure and independent advisors, a new position within Ovation. Despite the new position, she will largely be replacing the role held by Jack Ezon, president of Ovation’s leisure travel division, Ovation Vacations.
In her new role, Gabbard will manage the resources that support Ovation’s growing network of independent advisors, as well as the leisure sales generated through its business division. Travel Agent is told that Ovation plans to put a focus and additional resources into its luxury/leisure/independent side and that Gabbard will be overseeing the expanded infrastructure. She will report to Sunil Mahtani, one of the agency’s partners.
Gabbard has over 20 years of industry experience, most recently serving as vice president of leisure sales and marketing at Tzell Travel Group; there, she was responsible for the development of independent advisors and the agency’s leisure division, including sales and marketing strategy.
As for Ezon, he will be transitioning roles to exclusively manage his own luxury leisure business within the Ovation family. In the search for someone to replace him, he stated, “Gina is a long-term industry veteran and one of the most respected people in our industry. I cannot think of anyone more qualified and passionate to take my place in leading Ovation’s growing luxury leisure and independent affiliate network.”
Ovation is a $1.1 billion travel management company with travel consultants in more than 30 locations throughout the United States and the United Kingdom. Ovation is the largest affiliate of BCD Travel and has over 600 employees and 200 independent travel advisors. Ovation provides business travel services, luxury travel experiences and meeting and special events planning for over 700 professional organizations and over 200,000 travelers.
This story first appeared on www.luxurytraveladvisor.com.
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