Sylva, NC (March 2019) – Nick Breedlove, Executive Director at Jackson County Tourism Development Authority has completed the three-year program of the Southeast Tourism Society Marketing College and earned certification as a Travel Marketing Professional (TMP).

As Executive Director, Breedlove oversees all digital and print marketing, social media, public relations, visitor center operations, research and strategic planning for Jackson County Tourism Development Authority.  He has previously been recognized as A Rising Star by the Travel and Tourism Research Association and this year received the Southeast Tourism Society’s Shining Star Award for Tourism Office of the Year. He serves on the board of the Blue Ridge Parkway Association and was recently elected as one of two board members from North Carolina to the Southeast Tourism Society Board of Directors. He also serves as State Chair for the Washington, D.C. Congressional Summit on Tourism.

“I am honored to receive my TMP certification and have enjoyed learning from the faculty at Southeast Tourism, which furthers the work we do in Jackson County to make it a great place to live, work, and visit,” Breedlove said.

Breedlove was among 62 STS Marketing College graduates in the Class of 2018. The graduates were announced at the STS Connections conference in Daytona Beach, Fla., earlier this month. The Class of 2018 had members from all 12 states in Southeast Tourism Society. The program began in 1992 and has produced 1,154 TMPs.

STS Marketing College uses facilities at the University of North Georgia at Dahlonega for three one-week sessions each spring. Tourism industry professionals from a variety of tourism sectors volunteer their time to teach all classes. They include convention and visitors bureau executives, public relations practitioners, sales and marketing consultants, and research experts.

“STS absolutely is enhancing the professional skills of people throughout the Southeast and elevates the tourism industry,” said Monica Smith, president and CEO of STS. “Earning TMP certification is a challenging combination of classroom work and special projects in the students’ workplaces. Becoming a TMP takes dedication.”

Study topics include tourism advertising, vacation research, crisis management, special events marketing, media relations, heritage tourism, tourism sales and community/rural tourism. In addition to classroom work, students must complete projects that relate to their employment.

About Southeast Tourism Society (STS)
Headquartered in Roswell, Georgia, STS is an association that works to unite all segments of the travel and tourism industry through its four pillars of education, advocacy, recognition, and networking. Established in 1983, STS is an engaged network of 1000+ members from twelve states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.  For more information, visit SoutheastTourism.org