Space Coast Tourism Director Eric Garvey Chosen to Head Federal Advisory Committee on Travel and Tourism Infrastructure

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., June 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao has appointed Eric Garvey, the executive director of Florida's Space Coast Office of Tourism, to serve as chair of the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Advisory Committee on Travel and Tourism Infrastructure (NACTTI). Garvey's two-year term in this new role began April 19, 2018.

The 25-member NACTTI was established in accordance with the 2015 Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act, aka the FAST Act. The committee's objective is to provide the secretary of transportation with information, advice and recommendations "on matters relating to the role of intermodal transportation in facilitating mobility with respect to travel and tourism activities."

As chairman of the NACTTI, Garvey is representing the viewpoints of organizations with expertise in travel, tourism and destination marketing. His committee is responsible for the development of measures that address the condition, safety and performance of transportation related to travel and tourism, as well as the formation of planning tools that will help federal, state and local officials in making investment decisions related to transportation projects that would improve travel and tourism.

The committee also will address other transportation policies and programs that impact the movement of travelers for tourism and recreational purposes, and it will have the freedom to make legislative recommendations.

"I'm honored to serve the administration in this important advisory role," Garvey stated. "Tourism has been underrepresented in national transportation policy and I believe there is a great opportunity through this special travel and tourism committee to provide the secretary with useful input."

As executive director of Florida's Space Coast Office of Tourism, Garvey's responsibilities include leadership and strategic direction for all programs within the Brevard County Tourism Development Office, including destination marketing for the Space Coast, visitor information, beach re-nourishment, sports and film commissions, cultural marketing, and grants.

"Few areas can match the breadth of transportation infrastructure that the Space Coast has," Garvey noted. "We have the world-renowned Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station spaceports, the Port Canaveral seaport, two international airports, the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, and Interstate 95 all within our market area."

In 2017, Florida Gov. Rick Scott recognized Garvey for leading the state in key tourism growth metrics. And with a 14-percent year-to-date increase in lodging revenue for 2018, tourism growth on Florida's Space Coast continues to outpace other markets.

"Mr. Garvey is an excellent choice to head this federal advisory committee on travel and tourism infrastructure," said Puneet "PK" Kapur, chairman of the Brevard County Tourist Development Council. "Eric is a great tourism leader and we are proud to have him as a national tourism ambassador for the Space Coast."

A final report from the NACTTI is due by the end of 2018. All of the committee's meetings are open to the public.

SOURCE Florida's Space Coast