Black Meetings & Tourism - Visit Orlando's President Gary Sain Passes

Industry Briefs
Visit Orlando's President Gary Sain Passes
Black Meetings & Tourism (BM&T), and indeed the entire travel and tourism industry, has lost a dear friend and colleague with the passing of Gary Sain. A statement issued by Paul Tang, Chairman of the Visit Orlando Board of Directors, reads: “On behalf of the Board of Directors, I have sad news to share with you. Friday evening [May 4], Gary Sain, president & CEO of Visit Orlando, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. Gary was a loving son, husband and father. Our thoughts go out to the people he most cherished, Gary’s mother Elizabeth Sain, wife Pam and daughters Vanessa Sain-Dieguez (Luis) and Olivia. As the leader of Visit Orlando, Gary served as our community's brand ambassador working tirelessly on behalf of Orlando and the entire travel and tourism industry. He spent his entire career working in hospitality and was honored numerous times for his contributions. The Visit Orlando team, our destination partners and our community have lost a wonderful leader and friend. He will truly be missed by all that knew him. The family has asked for privacy as they go through this very difficult time. Additional information will be shared as it becomes available.” “Gary worked tirelessly to promote Orlando, and was one of those leaders in our industry who not only valued, but also made a concerted effort to reach the African-American market segment,” said Solomon J. Herbert, Black Meetings & Tourism publisher/editor-in-chief. “Gary, who received a BM&T 2010 Apex Award for Outstanding Service, was a familiar face at all of the major industry conferences. I had the pleasure of seeing him recently in Los Angeles at Pow Wow. The industry has lost a giant."

Industry Briefs

Visit Orlando's President Gary Sain Passes

Black Meetings & Tourism (BM&T), and indeed the entire travel and tourism industry, has lost a dear friend and colleague with the passing of Gary Sain.

A statement issued by Paul Tang, Chairman of the Visit Orlando Board of Directors, reads: “On behalf of the Board of Directors, I have sad news to share with you. Friday evening [May 4], Gary Sain, president & CEO of Visit Orlando, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. Gary was a loving son, husband and father. Our thoughts go out to the people he most cherished, Gary’s mother Elizabeth Sain, wife Pam and daughters Vanessa Sain-Dieguez (Luis) and Olivia.

As the leader of Visit Orlando, Gary served as our community's brand ambassador working tirelessly on behalf of Orlando and the entire travel and tourism industry. He spent his entire career working in hospitality and was honored numerous times for his contributions. The Visit Orlando team, our destination partners and our community have lost a wonderful leader and friend. He will truly be missed by all that knew him.

The family has asked for privacy as they go through this very difficult time. Additional information will be shared as it becomes available.”

“Gary worked tirelessly to promote Orlando, and was one of those leaders in our industry who not only valued, but also made a concerted effort to reach the African-American market segment,” said Solomon J. Herbert, Black Meetings & Tourism publisher/editor-in-chief. “Gary, who received a BM&T 2010 Apex Award for Outstanding Service, was a familiar face at all of the major industry conferences. I had the pleasure of seeing him recently in Los Angeles at Pow Wow. The industry has lost a giant."