DestinationWeddings.com has announced the appointment of travel industry expert Richard Calvert as President and CEO following the retirement of founder and current president Quentin “Bud” Carmichael at the end of February 2012. With a career spanning more than 25 years in the travel and leisure industry, Calvert is perfectly suited to take the helm of the world’s fastest growing destination wedding planning and romance travel service.
“On the heels of my retirement, we are thrilled to welcome Richard to our team and look forward to leveraging his multi-faceted experience in the travel industry to continue the rapid growth of DestinationWeddings.com,” said President Quentin “Bud” Carmichael, who grew the company to become a part of the esteemed Inc. 5,000 for four consecutive years. “Richard’s impeccable track record of setting and achieving strategic goals – especially in the areas of product innovation, consumer delivery, and negotiation – along with his significant expertise in the international travel market uniquely qualify him to take DestinationWeddings.com to new heights.”
Calvert joins DestinationWeddings.com in June 2012 armed with 25 years of experience in the international travel and leisure industry. Born and raised in Wales, Calvert forged a unique career path ultimately leading him to become the U.K. Managing Director of Mainstream Tour Operations for Thomas Cook Group plc, one of the world’s leading leisure travel groups. Prior to his tenure at Thomas Cook, Calvert quickly progressed through the ranks of various international travel companies, specializing in product and purchasing. After spending 15 years living and working in Spain, Calvert returned to the U.K. where he served as Overseas Purchasing Director for the U.K., Canada and Scandinavia for TUI Travel PLC, the world’s largest integrated travel organization.
“I am honored and delighted at the opportunity to take the reins of DestinationWeddings.com,” said Calvert. “DestinationWeddings.com provides a one-of-a-kind, customized service that ensures couples have their perfect destination weddings. With the support of one of the best teams in the industry, I am committed to expanding DestinationWeddings.com’s scope nationally and internationally through a variety of new platforms, including the launch of new customer offerings and resources in existing and new source markets”