Hilton CEO Nassetta to chair U.S. Travel Association

The U.S. Travel Association elected Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO of McLean-based Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc., as its national chair.

The Washington, D.C.-based association, which represents the interests of more than 1,000 industry organizations, announced Nassetta’s election Thursday. As national chair, he will lead the association’s executive board and board of delegates, and he will work with association President and CEO Geoff Freeman to boost domestic and international travel and associated industries.

“Chris leads one of the most respected global hospitality companies with a tremendous presence across the United States, and we deeply appreciate the perspective he will bring to our collective work on behalf of the travel industry,” Freeman said in a statement.

Eligible to serve two consecutive terms, Nassetta succeeds Christine Duffy, president of Florida-based Carnival Cruise Line.

“The U.S. Travel Association has long been an incredible advocate for the travel industry and its significant contributions to our national and global economies,” Nassetta said in a statement. “I’m honored to represent our industry in this capacity and collaborate across sectors to advance the many opportunities ahead of us to create seamless, secure and efficient end-to-end travel experiences.”

Hilton, which dropped off the Fortune 500 list due to the pandemic’s drop in travel, has about 7,000 hotels worldwide. In a May 2022 earnings call, Nassetta, who has led Hilton since 2007, acknowledged “significant issues” continue to hamper the hospitality industry’s labor force even as workers return.

In August 2022, Hilton announced a $50.3 million expansion of its Fairfax County headquarters, with plans to add 350 jobs during the next five years. The announcement was among Northern Virginia’s largest economic development deals in 2022.

A graduate of the University of Virginia, Nassetta also serves on the board of Washington, D.C.-based CoStar Group Inc.