Delaware North Companies Principal Jerry Jacobs Jr. Appointed to U.S. Department of Commerce Travel and Tourism Advisory Board

BUFFALO, N.Y., April 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Delaware North Companies Principal Jerry Jacobs Jr. has been named to the U.S. Department of Commerce's Travel and Tourism Advisory Board.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, a member of President Barack Obama's cabinet, on March 25 announced the appointment of the elite members of the advisory board. Jacobs was appointed to a two-year term that began Tuesday after he was officially sworn in.

Jacobs has been active in travel and tourism industry issues and currently serves on U.S. Travel's CEO Roundtable.

Delaware North, a global leader in hospitality and food service, has a portfolio of operations that include sports, travel, hospitality and entertainment destinations in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Among its operating locations are Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Niagara Falls State Park and several U.S. national parks, including Yosemite, Yellowstone, Shenandoah and Grand Canyon. The company also operates at more than 20 U.S. airports.

The Travel and Tourism Advisory Board advises the secretary of commerce on matters related to the travel and tourism industry in the United States, including travel and tourism policies, travel facilitation and infrastructure and the National Travel and Tourism Strategy and its continued efforts to attract 100 million international visitors to the United States by 2021.

In her announcement, Pritzker reiterated the important role the Commerce Department plays in expanding U.S. exports in the travel and tourism sector, supporting millions of jobs and providing a major contribution to the recovery of the economy.

"The Travel and Tourism Advisory Board is a critical public-private partnership that helps drive growth in the travel and tourism industry," Pritzker said. "I look forward to working with the new Board members to continue our efforts in making America a more attractive and accessible destination."

The travel and tourism industry generates more than $1.2 trillion and supports more than 8 million jobs. Last month, the Commerce Department released new data showing the spending by international visitors in 2013 totaled more than $180.7 billion, up nearly $1.3 billion per month from 2012. The travel and tourism industry now accounts for 26 percent of all American services exports and nearly eight percent of overall exports.

In his position with Delaware North, Jacobs provides long-term strategic direction and leadership to the company that his grandfather founded nearly 100 years ago.

Jacobs is active in the sports and hospitality industry. In 2001, he was named among the most influential in sports by Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal's Forty Under 40. In addition to his senior management post with Delaware North Companies, Jacobs serves as an alternate governor for the Boston Bruins.

Jacobs is very active with a wide variety of civic and philanthropic organizations on a global scale. His visionary leadership and philanthropy have been recognized by numerous organizations and associations. Jacobs and his family reside in Buffalo, N.Y.

About Delaware North Companies

Delaware North Companies is one of the largest and most admired privately held hospitality companies in the world. Founded and owned for nearly 100 years by the Jacobs family, it is a global leader in hospitality and food service. Its family of companies includes Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, Delaware North Companies Gaming & Entertainment, Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services, Delaware North Companies Sportservice, Delaware North Companies International and Delaware North Companies Boston, owner of TD Garden.

Through these companies, Delaware North manages and provides food and beverage concessions, premium dining, entertainment, lodging, and retail at many large venues and special places. These include high-profile venues ranging from sports stadiums, entertainment complexes, national parks, airports, and some of the top regional casinos in the country.

Delaware North Companies has revenue exceeding $2.9 billion annually and 55,000 associates serving half a billion customers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. For more information, visit www.DelawareNorth.com.

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SOURCE Delaware North Companies