The Council of the Estonian Association of Tourism and Travel Companies (ETFL) confirmed David Ryan Jenkins, a current member of the board and CEO of OÜ DenEesti, as the association’s new president.
The board of the Estonian Association of Tourism and Travel Agencies will consist of David Ryan Jenkins, Marianna Bühler, Külli Karing, Sven Lõokene, Margus Parve, Raido Randmaa, and Mauri Saarend for the next two years.
As a member of the ETFL board, David Ryan Jenkins has contributed to representing Estonian tourism businesses and developing the sector, focusing, among other things, on the sensible implementation of sustainable tourism principles. As the new president, he considers it important for the association to advocate even more strongly than before for the competitiveness of tourism businesses, the visibility of Estonia as a travel destination, and international cooperation.
“Global instability has been rocking the tourism industry for six years now, and there are no signs that this storm will subside anytime soon. In addition to new laws and growing bureaucracy, the sector is being affected by the economic downturn, marginalization, and intense regional competition,” Jenkins said.
According to him, the ETFL has gained a competent and energetic board, whose members are united by a shared desire to develop Estonia’s tourism landscape. “It is our heartfelt wish that Estonians can comfortably explore the world and that international visitors can experience what makes Estonia special. Inbound tourism is an important export sector, but it also presents a great opportunity to increase Estonia’s visibility and shape our image. We must work together to ensure that Estonia once again takes a stronger place on the world map as a safe and unique vacation destination,” Jenkins added.
The new board of the ETFL also considers it important to revamp the concept of the Tourest tourism fair in the coming years. The association’s goal is to develop the fair into a strong networking platform that brings together destinations in Estonia and abroad, tourism professionals, and end consumers.
The ETFL Council also elected a new Ethics Committee for the next term, consisting of Tiit Pruuli, Leho Nõlvak, and Kristiina Hinno. The new members of the Audit Committee are Enn Vilgo, Lembit Tomikas, and Meeli Saveli.
The Estonian Association of Tourism and Travel Companies is a voluntary association of employers in the tourism sector, with 70 members. The association’s core members are Estonian travel agencies and tour operators, while its associate members include transportation companies, tourism organizations, educational institutions, hotels, insurance companies, providers of support services for the tourism sector, state and municipal agencies, and foreign tourism organizations. ETFL is a member of ECTAA, the pan-European umbrella organization for tourism industry associations.