The U.S. Travel Association on Wednesday announced the Arlington (TX) Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) as the winner of its 2019 Grassroots Travel Champion Award.
U.S. Travel announced the award today at Destination Capitol Hill—the travel and tourism industry’s premier legislative fly-in event dedicated to educating policymakers about the power of travel and showcasing the industry as one of America’s strongest economic sectors.
Arlington CVB, led by Ron Price, is being honored for its industry-leading efforts to connect sports and travel, and for educating policymakers on travel’s limitless potential for growth.
“Major sports are evolving as a significant driver of travel for destination marketers, and Ron and his team at the Arlington CVB are helping lead the way, both locally and nationally,” said U.S. Travel President and CEO Roger Dow. “We began discussing the intersection of these two major industries at last year’s IPW, and that led to the creation of the first-ever Sports Travel Forum last November, which relied on input and expertise provided by Ron and the Arlington CVB.”
Arlington CVB also hosted a key “Travel Talks” session with U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey in his home district, showcasing the new Texas Live! entertainment complex—a central part of Arlington’s burgeoning sports tourism scene. Thanks to Arlington CVB’s advocacy efforts, Rep. Veasey is now one of the industry’s champions in Congress.
Said Dow: “Ron and the Arlington CVB demonstrate a deep understanding of the future of travel and tourism, and we are honored to present the organization with this year’s Grassroots Travel Champion Award.”
In addition to serving as Arlington CVB’s president and CEO, Price also serves on the executive committee of U.S. Travel’s Board of Directors.