At Advance Travel & Tourism, we believe the best partnerships start with understanding the realities destination organizations face every day.

That’s one of the many reasons we’re excited to welcome Thomas Salley to the team as our newest Account Executive.

Thomas brings more than 25 years of experience across hospitality, tourism, and community leadership. His path into the travel industry started at Raffaldini Vineyards in North Carolina, where he spent 12 years helping grow the visitor experience and operations side of the business.

That work eventually led him to destination marketing.

Thomas later served as director of his local tourism organization, where he helped lead a major transformation for the region. During his seven years with the DMO, he successfully helped lobby for the creation of a county-wide DMO and occupancy tax, breaking a 17-year stalemate in the process.

“When I started, our annual budget was around $165,000,” Thomas shared. “When I left, we were collecting over $900,000 in revenue.”

Because the organization was essentially being rebuilt from the ground up, Thomas helped steward everything from enabling legislation and strategic planning to brand development, website creation, and marketing strategy.

That firsthand experience gives him a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities destinations are navigating today.

“The people,” Thomas says when asked what he loves most about tourism. “I have never met a more convivial, supportive and uplifting group.”

Originally from Albany, Georgia, and raised primarily in Orangeburg, South Carolina, Thomas now lives in Elkin, North Carolina with his family. Outside of work, you’ll usually find him outdoors, whether that’s coaching softball, attending swim meets with his daughters, working on a motorcycle, hiking, or gardening.