David joins Travel Alberta as Chief Executive Officer on November 16, 2020, to chart a new path for Alberta’s tourism sector at a critical time for the industry and Alberta’s visitor economy.
He has a long and distinguished career in Canada’s tourism and media sectors, with extensive experience in national leadership and strategic business planning as well as deep knowledge of communications and stakeholder relations (government, media, and investors).
David comes to Travel Alberta from Gusto Worldwide Media, where he served as Chief Operating Officer from November 2019. Prior to that, he spent five years (2014-2019) as President and CEO of Destination Canada, the Government of Canada’s marketing and research organization, following nearly five years (2010-2014) as President and CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, which represents the tourism industry at the national level.
During close to a decade with the two national tourism organizations, David has been at the forefront of several important initiatives driving Canada’s tourism sector forward, including: development of the Federal Tourism Strategy; changes in aviation and visa policy; increased investments in global marketing; and modernizing an aligned strategy with provincial and city destination marketing organizations to develop the Global Team Canada strategy, known as NorthStar 22.
Earlier in his career, David spent over 14 years in the broadcast and media industry, serving as Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at CTV Globemedia (now Bell Media), as Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs at CHUM Limited, and before that, in a similar capacity with the Canadian Association of Broadcasters.
David has a Bachelor of Arts (Bilingual) in History and Political Science from York University. Away from work, he is a big fan of Canada’s farm-to-table movement and is a passionate amateur chef. David is an enthusiastic skier and is looking forward to immersing himself in Alberta’s many winter experiences.
