FAIRFAX, VA (November 12, 2013) - During the recent IHG Americas Investors & Leadership Conference in Las Vegas, B. F. Saul Company Hospitality Group President and Founding Visit Fairfax Board Member Mark Carrier was honored with the 2013 Kemmons Wilson Service Award. Carrier's leadership as an advocate on Capitol Hill and within the federal government for hotel owners and operators and their businesses provided significant wins for the hotel industry, and for that, he was recognized.
Mark Carrier has been an active member of the Visit Fairfax Board of Directors, and formerly served as the second-ever Chairman of the Board. In this role, his contributions have been an incredible asset to the success of Visit Fairfax in its mission to promote Fairfax County as a premier destination for businesses and leisure travelers alike.
"The National Capital Region is exceptionally fortunate to have a man with this kind of acquired knowledge, with such an expert vision, and an unwavering commitment and passion to our industry. He does a huge service to the travel and tourism business - which in Fairfax County is a $2.7 billion industry - and his work is highly advantageous to our area and our nation as a whole," said Barry Biggar, President and CEO of Visit Fairfax. "We thank him for all that he does for us, the community, and the industry and we sincerely congratulate him on such a well-deserved award."
The IHG Owners Association specifically recognized Carrier with the award for continued work on the GSA per diem rates, which helped minimize potential damage from decreased rates in many markets. He also worked to educate hotel owners on the effective use of online travel agencies as a distribution channel as a co-sponsor of the Distribution Channels Study, released in 2011.
A former Chairman of the IHG Owners Association and current Chairman of the Crowne Plaza Committee, Carrier was also just elected as the incoming Secretary/Treasurer of the Board of Directors of The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA). With AH&LA, he serves as a member of the Governmental Affairs Committee, the Strategic Advisory Committee, the Funding Task Force, and the Executive Search Committee. He was also appointed by the GSA as an alternate to serve on the Government Travel Advisory Committee.
Visit Fairfax is the official tourism organization for Fairfax County, Virginia. Charged with destination marketing and tourism promotion, it is directed by many of the County's top tourism and hospitality leaders. For more information, please visit our pressroom.
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