Brand USA Names Caroline Beteta Interim CEO


Caroline Beteta prendra la direction par intérim de Brand USA à compter du 9 novembre 2026 - Photo : Brand USA

Aer Lingus


Brand USA has named Caroline Beteta as interim President and Chief Executive Officer. She will assume the role on November 9, 2026.

She brings to this mission more than thirty years of experience in tourism and a deep knowledge of the organization, having notably served as chair of the board and CEO on an interim basis.

She led Visit California from January 1998 to September 2026. Under her leadership, the agency notably expanded the funding for tourism promotion, opened offices internationally, and conducted marketing campaigns on a global scale.


Une priorité : la reconduction du mandat de Brand USA

Caroline Beteta connaît Brand USA depuis sa création. Elle avait participé à la mise en place des fondations de l’organisation lorsqu’elle était présidente nationale de l’U.S. Travel Association, avant d’y occuper plusieurs fonctions, dont vice-présidente chargée des opérations, présidente du conseil d’administration et PDG par intérim.

“My priority will be clear: securing Brand USA’s mandate renewal and ensuring that this essential organization can continue its mission of welcoming visitors from around the world to the United States,” she says in a statement.

She will succeed Fred Dixon, who will leave Brand USA on November 13 after more than two years at the helm. He will then join NYC Tourism + Conventions as president and CEO starting December 1.

Armenia Names Anushik Avetyan to Lead Its Tourism Committee


Anushik Avetyan prend la tête du Comité du tourisme du ministère de l’Économie de la République d’Arménie - Depositphotos.com @Vrezh90

Climats du Monde


Armenia appoints a new leader for its Tourism Committee. 

 

Anushik Avetyan has been named president of the body responsible for the country’s tourism development, with the stated aim of strengthening the destination’s international reach.

 

Her background has been built mainly in the fields of international economic cooperation, public policy, investment, and the development of partnerships.

 

Prior to this appointment, Anushik Avetyan held the position of Deputy Minister of Economy of the Republic of Armenia. There she worked notably on economic cooperation with the European Union, multilateral development institutions, bilateral partners and various international organizations.

 

She also participated in the development of investment programs as well as policies related to a knowledge-based economy and intellectual property rights.


A profile oriented toward international partnerships

The new president also knows the private sector and the challenges of representing the economy. She previously led the American Chamber of Commerce in Armenia, where she worked with public authorities, international organizations and businesses.

 

Anushik Avetyan has also held various roles within the Asian Development Bank, the Armenian government and the Eurasia Partnership Foundation.

 

For her new mandate, the leader places the development of Armenia’s international reputation among her main priorities. The Tourism Committee aims to strengthen the country’s positioning and image on international markets, while expanding its cooperation with partners around the world.

 

Another announced axis: support for tourism professionals and the creation of favorable conditions for sustainable growth of the sector. For players in distribution and international tourism, this orientation could translate into stronger partnerships and promotional actions for the destination abroad.


Focusing on a diversified tourism offering

Armenia also aims to rely on the diversity of its offerings to boost its appeal. The new president highlights historical and cultural heritage, nature, adventure, gastronomy, and well-being, with the goal of positioning the country as a destination that can be discovered year-round.

 

Beyond increasing the number of arrivals, Anushik Avetyan also hopes to work on the quality of the experience offered to visitors. “Our aim is not only to attract more visitors to Armenia, but to offer them truly memorable experiences“, she explains.

 

The new leadership also intends to embed tourism development in a long-term framework. Sustainable, inclusive and durable growth, support for professionals and the development of international cooperation are the main axes announced at the time of taking office.


Amelia Brille Published by Amelia Brille TourMaG.com Editor
See all articles by Amelia Brille

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HotelRez Names New VP of Platform Strategy


Gary Torres, nouveau vice-président d'HotelREZ, photo HotelREZ

Top of Travel


It’s official! Gary Torres has been named Vice President Platform Strategy at HotelREZ. This is a global company specializing in travel representation and distribution in the hospitality industry.

Gary Torres is a man with more than 20 years of experience designing and developing technology products tailored to travel and hospitality. He previously held executive roles at major industry players such as Pegasus Solutions and Duetto.

“I am excited to join HotelREZ at such a pivotal moment in its evolution. The focus on building a robust, forward-looking platform is compelling, and I look forward to advancing our connectivity infrastructure and supporting the continued growth of REZswitch® at the pace of our global expansion.” he stated.

Sharon Rubin, Director of Product and Marketing at HotelREZ, adds:

“Gary brings deep platform expertise and a clear understanding of how to evolve connectivity within a complex global ecosystem. His leadership will strengthen the foundations of our platform as we continue to grow with reliability, security, and consistency at the core of our priorities.”

This appointment marks the fourth senior leadership hire since December, following John Seaton as Chief Growth Officer, Hadley O’Dwyer as Vice President of Customer Success and Engagement, and Frank Fuentes as Senior Vice President for the Americas.

Read: Sabre and HotelREZ renew their partnership


As part of his role, Gary Torres will be focused on achieving precise strategic objectives, namely:

  • strengthen the core infrastructure to securely and resiliently support the company’s worldwide growth.

  • enhance connectivity, data governance, and collaboration with global partners.

  • An evolution of REZswitch®: Gary Torres will lead the evolution of this essential bidirectional API, which links property management systems (PMS) to the central reservation system (CRS).