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HSMAI honored the 2022 Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, Revenue Optimization and Distribution — recognizing leaders from hospitality, travel, and tourism organizations for their accomplishments. Gillian Ware, CMP, National Sales Director, San Diego Tourism Authority is one of these honorees.
Gillian Ware, CMP is a National Sales Director in the Hotel Meetings Sales Department with the San Diego Tourism Authority. She has been with the DMO for over 15 years and handles the Pacific Northwest, Western Canada, Sacramento, and Multicultural markets nationally.
Coming from an operational background and growing into sales, her career experiences span from selecting service properties to resort and convention hotels in the US and abroad. A 38-year veteran of the hospitality industry, in her current position, Gillian acts as a destination expert and liaison between meeting planners and local hotels, restaurants, attractions, and venues to help find the ideal location for each program while offering the best possible experience for participants.
Key accomplishment:
Gillian’s superpower is bringing people together and making everyone feel included. She is a visionary, a leader and continues to help lead San Diego Tourism Authorities Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts. Her advocacy work is all above and beyond her role as a National Sales Director in which she achieved 5 in Fiscal Year 2022.
What inspired this nomination?
“Gillian is a mentor, a role model and is passionate about inspiring the next generation of hospitality professionals. When you have the ability to connect with Gillian, she makes you feel like you are the most important person in the room. She is the epitome of a hospitality professional, and one that I hope to emulate throughout my career.”
Q&A with Gillian Ware
What keeps you inspired?
Helping to plan event experiences in San Diego for a variety of organizations and clients. Successfully bringing programs to our city to keep our tourism industry thriving! Every day is a new day!
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Get involved, invest and network, network, network!
Nominations are now open for the 2023 HSMAI Top 25 – Deadline September 8