Lynn D. Minges, Assistant Commerce Secretary for Tourism, Marketing and Global Branding, for North Carolina was elected as chair of the National Council of State Travel Directors (NCSTD). Minges most recently served as vice chair of the organization and has been a board member since 1999.
NCSTD is an industry council of the U.S. Travel Association. Established in 1969, the NCSTD leverages the collective strength of state tourism offices to influence public policy issues impacting tourism.
“Lynn Minges is an internationally-recognized leader in the travel industry who knows the powerful economic impact travel and tourism can have on state and local communities,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “She is an excellent advocate for North Carolina, and our industry will greatly benefit from Lynn’s leadership as chair of the National Council of State Tourism Directors.”
In North Carolina, domestic visitors spent a record $17 billion in 2010, an increase of 9 percent from 2009. Visitor expenditures directly generated 183,880 jobs and nearly $4 billion in payroll income within North Carolina in 2010. Visitor spending in the state also directly generated close to $1.5 billion in tax revenue for state and local governments in 2010, up 10 percent from 2009.
In her role as Assistant Secretary for Tourism, Marketing, and Global Branding for the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Minges provides leadership and strategic direction for the state’s tourism, film, sports, and wine industries while marketing the state as the preferred location for domestic and international business.
Minges is a past chair and executive committee member of Travel South USA. She also serves on the Business Advisory Council of the John A. Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University.
Under her leadership, the Department of Commerce has been recognized with numerous national and international awards for marketing excellence. Minges was recently recognized by Triangle Business Journal with their “Outstanding Women in Business Award.”
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