Native of: Louisiana
Industry: Convention and Visitors Bureau
Region: Dallas/Fort Worth
Phillip Jones joined the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau (Dallas CVB) as President and CEO in2003, moving from Louisiana where he served as Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism.
Under Jones’ direction, the bureau established additional sales forces in Austin, New York and the west coast to complement others in Chicago and Washington, D.C. In fiscal year 2012-13, the Dallas CVB sales team booked a record 1,504,299 definite room nights for future years, including 31 citywide meetings with a total economic impact of $1.6 billion, making it the ninth consecutive year to exceed the bureau’s goal and secure the No.1 ranking in the state. In addition, Dallas reclaimed top-five status as a convention and meetings destination nationwide, achieving a major goal for the City of Dallas and the Dallas CVB.
Among significant accomplishments during Jones’ tenure:
Convention Center Hotel – Successful city campaign, voter approval, construction and continued success of the city’s first attached convention center hotel, which debuted in November 2011. The new Omni Dallas was an immediate game changer for bureau’s sales efforts, resulting in larger citywides and more room nights booked per group. Example: ASAE (American Society of Association Executives), the “Super Bowl” of the meetings industry, selected Dallas as the site for its 2012 annual meeting on assurances that the new hotel would be available, bringing 5,500 meeting planners and industry professionals who spend $60 billion annually on meetings and $21 billion on products and services.
Tourism Public Improvement District – Creation of the state’s first Tourism Public Improvement District, championed by the Dallas CVB and approved by the State of Texas legislature and City of Dallas, enabling Dallas hotels to assess a two percent hotel guest fee dedicated to additional marketing initiatives that promote Dallas for meetings and leisure travel.
International Initiatives – Collaboration with DFW International Airport and area partners on new and expanded routes and international sales and media missions to build visitation to the U.S. and DFW area. The Dallas CVB maintains bureau representation in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Australia, South America and other strategic locations in partnership with the City of Dallas and State of Texas Tourism Office. In addition, the Dallas CVB has partnered with US Travel on travel-friendly legislative proposals in the U.S. Congress to streamline Visa access and interviews, US Customs processes and other significant issues.
Diversity and Inclusion – Creation of the first Diversity and Inclusion department by a destination management organization nationwide and appointment of a Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. Initiatives include T.D. Jakes’ MegaFest, which brought record attendance of 75,329 to its hometown Dallas in 2013, becoming one of the largest citywides hosted to date. Seventy-eight percent of attendees originated outside the DFW area, and 31 countries were represented. In 2014, a multi-day business/community celebration is planned to promote values of inclusion.
Dallas Sports Commission – Creation of the Dallas Sports Commission in January 2014 reinforces the continued success of the Dallas CVB’s sports marketing department’s initiatives and bids (Super Bowl, Big 12 Basketball, Final Four, World Cup and others). Headquartered at the Dallas CVB, the commission will continue to build North Texas’ reputation as a leading sports destination.
Throughout the years, Jones created CityArts Celebration in the Dallas Arts District, Savor Dallas international food and wine festival and has actively pitched and/or sponsored major exhibits and events including “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs” at the Dallas Museum of Art; the Dale Chihuly exhibition at the Dallas Arboretum (2012); Super Bowl XLV; NCAA Men’s Final Four (2014); and the regional World Cup bid (2022).
Under his leadership, the Dallas CVB was recognized for the as a winner of the 2013 Alfred P. Sloan Award for Excellence in Workplace Effectiveness and Flexibility in the At-Large worksite category. In addition, the Dallas Morning News designated The Dallas CVB as one of the Top 100 places to work among small businesses in the DFW area for 2013.
Jones board and committee memberships have included the AT&T Performing Arts Center, the Dallas Assembly, the Texas Travel Industry Association and Destination Marketing Association International. He currently serves on the boards of PCMA Foundation and U.S. Travel.
Prior to his former position in Louisiana, he served as Director of Legislative/Intergovernmental Affairs for the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Travel and Tourism Administration in Washington, D.C., where he helped organize and was a lead spokesman for the inaugural White House Conference on Travel and Tourism. Jones has served on the board of the Travel Industry Association of America, was named one of Tradeshow Week’s “Top CVB Executives” (2009); Tradeshow Week’s “100 Power Pack,” featuring the most influential people in the tradeshow industry; and one of the “Marketing 100” by Advertising Age magazine. In addition, he is a member of the Alpha Nu Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership honor society.
An avid triathlete, Jones completed Ironman competitions in France, Arizona, California, Florida,
Germany, Idaho, Texas, Utah, Canada and Australia. He is now training for Ironman competitions in
Australia and Hawaii. In addition, he qualified for Team USA in long-course competition at the world
triathlon championship in 2007.
