ETOA appoints President of Tauck and VP of Leisure Sales at Accor Hotels to board

ETOA (European Tourism Association) has appointed two new members to its Board of Directors.

Jennifer Tombaugh, President of Tauck and Jean-Claude Balanos, Vice President of Leisure Sales at Accor Hotels join ETOA’s board.

Tombaugh has worked for Tauck – the first licensed tour operator in the USA, founded in 1925 – for 17 years. The company has six brands offering 150 programmes across 70 countries which cover land, river and small ship cruising. She commented “Europe is both the top long-haul destination for the US market and the top destination for Tauck’s guests.  I am delighted to share insights about the American traveller and work with ETOA’s leadership and fellow board members to enhance the experience across the continent for in-bound visitors.”

As Europe’s largest hotelier, and a major supplier of accommodation to inbound markets, Accor is the first non-tour operator member to join ETOA’s Board. Balanos brings considerable experience, having worked his entire career at Accor in both Spain and France. He said, “I am very happy and honoured to join the board of ETOA. Accor is a leading hotel company in Europe, and we have a global outlook with all our partners and the tourism trade throughout the continent. My aim is to support the board members with my experience and share good ideas that serve the association in the interest of all its members.”

Mario Bodini, Chairman of ETOA said: “We are delighted to welcome Jennifer and Jean-Claude onto the ETOA Board as Tauck and Accor are long-standing members. Jennifer brings a profound understanding of the American market for luxury travel to Europe, while Jean-Claude provides a vital French perspective. Their appointments also signal how ETOA is expanding and diversifying and I look forward to their valuable contributions in promoting Europe as the world’s number one destination.”