Destinations International unveils the Class of 2026 for the 30 Under 30 and Rising Industry Professionals programs

Destinations International unveils the Class of 2026 for the “30 Under 30” and “Rising Industry Professionals” programs

Destinations International, the global professional association that brings together destination management and promotion organizations as well as convention and visitors bureaus, announced on April 2, 2026, the names of the participants in the Class of 2026 for two development programs intended for young professionals in the tourism and meetings sector. These are the “30 Under 30” and “Rising Industry Professionals” programs, which in recent years have become one of the more recognizable tools for building future talent in the destination management industry. This year’s announcement comes at a time when the tourism sector, especially in North America, is speaking ever more openly about the problem of attracting and retaining workers, the need for new skills, and the pressure to connect destination development more strongly with sustainability, the local community, and digital transformation. That is precisely why programs like these have a broader meaning than a merely symbolic list of award recipients: they are a signal of what type of professionals the industry wants to retain and promote in the years ahead. According to the published information, both programs are supported by the DI Foundation and founding partner SearchWide Global, and participants go through a one-year cycle of professional development, networking, and mentoring-oriented activities.

What these two programs actually mean

The “30 Under 30” program is intended for employees of organizations that are members of Destinations International, while “Rising Industry Professionals” is aimed at employees of the association’s partner organizations. In practice, this means that the first program brings together young professionals from destination organizations, convention bureaus, and tourism offices, while the second opens space for people coming from partner companies and professional service providers working alongside the destination marketing and management sector. According to the description on Destinations International’s official website, neither program is conceived merely as a promotional recognition, but rather as a structured development framework that includes workshops during the year, professional education, contacts with leading figures in the industry, public speaking opportunities, and a final boost in visibility through the organization’s annual convention. The official description of the “30 Under 30” program emphasizes that its goal is to build a global network of early-career leaders and to develop professional and innovation capacities, while “Rising Industry Professionals” places particular emphasis on virtual networking and additional development opportunities for young people employed by partners. In this way, DI is trying to build a talent pipeline not only within its member organizations but also in the broader ecosystem of the tourism industry.

The organization’s message: investing in talent is becoming a strategic issue

In the announcement presenting the Class of 2026, Destinations International President and CEO Don Welsh said that both programs are directly aligned with the mission and vision of the association and its foundation. According to his message, the destination sector and the broader tourism industry continue to offer a wide range of career opportunities, but at the same time it is becoming ever more important to identify, support, and highlight future leaders in time. A similar emphasis was placed by Martha J. Sheridan, President and CEO of Meet Boston and chair of the foundation, who said that empowering new generations is essential for the industry’s long-term resilience. Such statements are not merely routine corporate rhetoric. In recent years, tourism and meetings organizations in several countries have openly warned that the sector can no longer count on a stable inflow of labor without systematic investment in development, mentoring, and a sense of belonging to the profession. When this is combined with the growing need for digital knowledge, destination reputation management, data analytics, and sustainable planning, it becomes clearer why professional associations are increasingly presenting programs like these as an infrastructural rather than ceremonial tool.

Class of 2026: 30 young professionals from destination organizations

The 2026 “30 Under 30” list includes 30 young professionals from different organizations and cities, from Albany and Dallas to Miami, New York, Seattle, and Halifax. Among those selected are specialists in digital marketing, public relations, content management, sales, membership, visitor centers, sports tourism, sustainable tourism, and services for convention guests. The very structure of the list shows how the profile of a future leader in the destination sector is expanding far beyond the classic promotional function. The list includes, for example, social media and web managers, multicultural marketing specialists, sustainable tourism leaders, tourism partnership managers, destination experience specialists, and people working on the development of sports and convention content. This points to the fact that destination organizations are no longer focused solely on advertising cities and regions, but are increasingly working on visitor experience, relations with the local community, sustainability, major events, and data quality.

Among the names in the Class of 2026 are Aaron Roddy from Discover Albany, Abby Tingle from Discover Monroe-West Monroe, Abigail Waldron from VisitLEX, Alex Hilse from Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, Allyson Ennis from Delaware Tourism Office, Amie Diehl from Visit Haywood, Anna-Grace Agnini from Martin County Office of Tourism and Marketing, and Belen Alvarado-Roman from Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. The list also includes Breanna Martinez from Visit Corpus Christi, Cameron Caldwell from Visit Dallas, Carla Bonilla from Discover Puerto Rico, Christen Miller from Destination DC, Clara Rooks from Explore Gwinnett, Daniel Cabrera from Visit Oxnard, Dylan Hammon from Destination Cleveland, and Emily Treme from Visit Lake Charles. The class is further made up of Erin Hofener from Visit Broken Arrow, Genevieve Andrea from Destination Cape Breton, Hayden Pigott from Brand USA, Jenna Theriot from New Orleans & Company, Julie Bicknell from Discover The Palm Beaches, Julie Madsen from Visit Ventura, Kaelynn Ball from Visit Howard County, Kate Hertz from Visit Colorado Springs, Maggie Duffy from Discover Halifax, Marijah Pruitt from Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, Mykenzie Johnson from Visit Franklin, Oakley Swint from Visit Salt Lake, Patrick Laske from New York City Tourism + Conventions, and Paula Cintron from Visit Seattle. Such a geographic and functional range allows DI to make the program both a platform for individual development and a kind of miniature cross-section of the industry.

Special space for industry partners

Alongside the main group of 30 selected participants, Destinations International also announced four participants in the Class of 2026 for the “Rising Industry Professionals” program. They are Aviva North from Coraggio Group, Hanna Lester from Miles Partnership, Kory Chinn from Simpleview, which operates as part of Granicus, and Micaela Nardino from Tourism Economics. Although smaller in number, that program carries particular weight because it brings together professionals from partner organizations that provide consulting, technological, marketing, and analytical services to the destination sector. It is precisely at this intersection between destination organizations and partners that a large part of new knowledge in tourism has been formed in recent years: from the development of digital platforms and CRM systems to market research, economic impact modeling, and strategic consulting. That is why, at the end of 2025, when opening applications, DI emphasized that by expanding the program to all partners it wanted to open more development pathways for young professionals working alongside the very core of the industry, but not necessarily employed in classic destination organization structures.

From recognition to a one-year professional cycle

DI’s official website shows that selection for the program is not a one-time media announcement after which the story ends. During the year, participants go through a series of workshops and professional content focused on leadership, personal development, and specific skills needed in modern tourism. The “30 Under 30” program particularly highlights three benefits: building a strong network of peers within the class, future-ready professional development, and opportunities to strengthen personal visibility through thought leadership and public speaking. An important final element of the entire cycle is the in-person gathering at Destinations International’s annual convention, which in 2026 will be held from July 21 to 23 in Portland, Oregon. The organizer states that the convention will focus on practical solutions to current challenges facing destination organizations, from revenue growth and relations with the local community to building more resilient teams and measurable results. For young professionals who are only just building their careers, this means direct access to a network of people who decide the direction of the sector, but also an opportunity to test their ideas in a space that goes beyond the boundaries of their own organization.

Broader context: the industry is seeking new leaders and new competencies

The announcement of the Class of 2026 fits into a broader trend in which tourism and meetings organizations are redefining what it means today to be a successful professional in destination management. In the past, classic promotional tools and trade show appearances were at the center, whereas today the range of tasks is much broader. Professionals are expected to understand content strategies, social media management, sustainable tourism, accessibility, work with local stakeholders, data analysis, event management, and the ability to present a destination as a place to live, work, invest, and visit. It is no coincidence that the official website of the 2026 annual convention highlights topics such as strengthening community trust, team resilience, and actionable solutions for tomorrow. These are terms that show how much the work of destination marketing organizations has changed after a period of major disruptions in global travel, but also under pressure from new social expectations toward tourism. In such an environment, programs for young talent become one of the ways for the entire profession to adapt to change, rather than merely to reward individuals.

Program continuity and institutional support

On its official website, Destinations International states that the “30 Under 30” program has existed since 2011 and that 450 honored participants have gone through it so far. That information is important because it shows that this is not an ad hoc project linked to one campaign or one administration, but rather a longer-term talent mechanism that DI clearly considers strategically valuable. This year’s announcement further emphasizes the role of the 30 Under 30 Alumni Council, a network of former participants that helps support the programs, as well as the support of the Anne Daly Heller USAE 30 Under 30 Scholars Fund, intended for further educational opportunities for participants. This creates something resembling a closed development circle: from selection and mentoring, through networking and public visibility, to the involvement of former participants in shaping new generations. In professional communities that depend on reputation, recommendations, and the exchange of experience, it is precisely such alumni mechanisms that often determine whether a program will remain merely a nice reference on a resume or grow into a lasting network of influence.

Why this announcement matters beyond the organization itself

At first glance, this is news from a narrowly specialized part of the tourism industry. Yet its importance goes beyond the internal dynamics of a single professional association. Destination management today is one of the places where the economy, urban planning, culture, transport, sustainability, and local politics meet. Who will lead such organizations in the future, and with what competencies, matters not only for the promotion of travel but also for how cities and regions will manage the pressures of growth, reputational risks, and relations with citizens. In that sense, the Class of 2026 list can also be read as an indicator of which profiles the industry now considers crucial: people who understand content, data, sustainability, visitor experience, and cooperation with different sectors. At a time when tourism is increasingly seeking a balance between economic impact and social acceptability, it is precisely such profiles that will likely play a greater role in shaping future destination management models.

Portland as the meeting place and the next checkpoint

The next concrete test of the visibility and value of this year’s class will be the July annual convention in Portland. According to Destinations International’s official information, the gathering will last from July 21 to 23, 2026, and the organizer presents it as the central annual meeting intended for the exchange of practical solutions, case studies, and professional contacts. It is also the space in which the young professionals of the Class of 2026 will be presented more strongly to the wider industry audience for the first time. In that sense, the announcement of April 2 is not the final act, but the beginning of a process in which it will only become clear how DI will turn selection into real developmental impact. For the industry itself, it is also a reminder that the question of future leaders is no longer a secondary topic reserved for HR departments, but part of the strategic debate about what destinations will even look like in the next decade.

Sources:
- Destinations International – official page of the “30 Under 30” program with a description of the program’s benefits, development framework, and the information on 450 honorees so far since 2011 (link)
- Destinations International – official page of the “Rising Industry Professionals” program with a description of the program’s purpose for young professionals from partner organizations (link)
- Destinations International – announcement on the opening of applications for the Class of 2026 with application criteria and a statement on expanding development opportunities for partners (link)
- Destinations International – official page of the 2026 annual convention with confirmation that the Annual Convention will be held from July 21 to 23, 2026, in Portland, Oregon (link)
- eTurboNews – announcement dated April 2, 2026, with the list of participants in the Class of 2026 for the “30 Under 30” and “Rising Industry Professionals” programs as well as statements by Don Welsh, Martha J. Sheridan, and Mike Gamble (link)
- Conference & Meetings World – report on the announcement of the Class of 2026 confirming that it is an annual professional program with education, networking, and mentoring (link)