Ruthanne Terrero
Vice President, Content/Editorial Director
Questex Travel
Ruthanne Terrero is the Vice President/Editorial Director of the Questex Travel and Wellness Group, which includes Luxury Travel Advisor, Travel Agent magazine, Travel Agent University, Travel Agent Central, and MeetingsReview.com.
Terrero is the founder of Travel Agent magazine’s annual 30Under30 program, developed 2008 to welcome a new and more diverse generation of professionals to join the travel industry. Each year, the program recognizes the rising stars who have chosen to become travel consultants; thus far, it has profiled more than 300 young agents. Over that time, the program has helped to foster a strong community for newcomers to the field from all backgrounds. Luxury Travel Advisor's annual Trendsetters is also designed to recognize a diverse and innovative group of travel advisors and to give a voice to those who are doing things differently and making strong contributions to our industry.
Terrero is also the founding Editorial Director of Luxury Travel Advisor magazine, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2020.
In 2015, Terrero was awarded the Jamaica Tourist Board’s Marcia Vickery-Wallace Memorial Award for Excellence in Travel Journalism.
A native of the New York City area, Terrero graduated from Oberlin College with a degree in Creative Writing. She lives on Long Island in New York State and prides herself on mentoring new editors and writers.
Steve Smotrys
Head of Global Sales and Trade Relations
Seabourn
Steve is responsible for Seabourn’s overall global sales efforts, leading the teams who support the travel advisor community in North America, Australia, Asia, Latin America as well as global expedition. Steve also oversees the global expedition sales efforts. Steve and the global sales team are excited to begin this new chapter and telling the brand story about the power of Seabourn moments.
Prior to joining Seabourn, Smotrys served as vice president of Sales and Trade Marketing, Cunard North America, where he led the Cunard Line North America Sales team to significantly grow the US & Canadian markets and expand the share of voice within the trade. Steve is 20+ year veteran in the cruise industry leading teams in marketing, revenue planning, shore excursions and sales.
Daniel Taugher
National Sales Manager
Cayman Islands Department of Tourism
Daniel has served with the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism since 2011 working from the DMO’s New York City office. Formally, the Digital Marketing Specialist, Dan is responsible for leading the marketing efforts of the US Sales team.Dan brings more than 20 years of marketing experience that has spanned diverse interests including travel, hospitality, healthcare, tech, lifestyle, software, sports, and publishing.
Contact: 646-283-4497
Wendy Justo
Director
Dominican Republic Tourism Board
Former Director of the Dominican Republic Tourism Board in Chicago, actual Director for the Miami office and supervisor for USA.
Thoyyib Mohamed,
Managing Director
Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation
A Bournemouth University graduate, with Master of Arts in
Broadcast and Film Management, Mr. Thoyyib started his career in the media industry at
Television Maldives. He worked his way up to Assistant Director General, Head of HR, and
Planning and Development Television Maldives. In 2006, he served as the CEO of the newly
launched Villa Television, a private local TV channel. With his expertise in management and
public relations, he was appointed as the Chairman of Maldives Marketing and PR
Corporation in 2009. He served as the Finance Executive at the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and
Culture and also as the State Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture during the term of former
president Mohamed Nasheed.
With over fourteen years of experience in the area of management, Mr Thoyyib brings with
him extensive experience in strategic planning, decision making and international
networking, with emphasis on fostering creativity in the executive management level.
He was appointed as Managing Director of Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation on
27th November 2018, with the new government administration.
Aimee Price
Director North America Sales
Seabourn
Aimee Price is currently the Director North America Sales at Seabourn Cruise Lines. Prior to joining Seabourn in January of 2020 she spent 28 years of her professional career in the cruise industry with Royal Caribbean where she started shipboard as a youth activities director completing her seven year career onboard as a shore excursions manager and moving shoreside for the corporation holding positions in shipboard HR; product development, marketing and sales for the subsidiary Royal Celebrity Tours and managing the Sales Training team as well as a portfolio of National Accounts for Royal Sales. She resides in Tacoma, Washington with her husband, three sons, two cats and one dog. There is no where she would rather be than relaxing on the high seas watching the sunrise from the bow of the ship awaiting all the opportunities a new day brings.
Aik Wye Ng
Managing Director of Bullfrog + Baum
Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation
In his 20+ years of experience in the hospitality and tourism sector, Aik Wye has managed global luxury hospitality and tourism brands and organizations including the Singapore Tourism Board,
Changi Airport Group and now the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation. He has also managed award-winning luxury hotel brands such as Capella Hotels and Resorts, Hoshino Resorts, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, among others. Aik Wye specializes in providing creative strategy, editorial direction and strong media contacts for his hospitality and tourism clients, particularly with business, epicurean, lifestyle, travel, meetings and broadcast medias. He works closely with high-profile broadcast and production companies, including working with platforms such as Bravo, The Travel Channel, Netflix, and more.
Cheryl Bennett
Co-President of Bennett + Mercado Hospitality
Rediscover Maldives… the sunny side of life
After more than a decade as a leader and veteran within the travel industry community for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and Viceroy Hotel Group, Cheryl turned her passion into serving the travel agent community into a successful career. Her responsibilities include the overall management of Bennett + Mercado as well as representing the portfolio in the United States covering markets from the New York metropolitan area to Florida and the Mid-West. Cheryl’s knowledge working with wholesalers, retail travel agencies, travel management companies and marketing consortias including American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts, Virtuoso and Signature, has made her an expert within the travel industry field. In addition, she developed and implemented The Ritz-Carlton’s preferred partner program, STARS, which is still benchmarked today. Cheryl assisted in the strategic planning of future company developments such as new brands, brand extensions and hotel openings.
In addition to earning a Bachelor of Science degree with a Major in Hotel & Restaurant Management from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Cheryl has completed several training programs in sales, marketing and leadership. She is an active member of 41-74 Club of New York and has sat on the Luxury Travel Exchange Advisory Board.
A resident of Manhattan, when Cheryl is not traveling the globe or working, you will find her being a mother to two wonderful children. She loves spending time in the local Pilates Reformer studio, skiing or spending time in her favorite place, Margate NJ, which is a New Jersey beach town.
