Direct Travel Restructures Leisure Division Executive Team

Direct Travel has announced a major restructuring of its leisure division.

Effective Oct. 1, 2025, the travel agency has reorganized several executive roles within its Leisure division. The changes were made in order to “provide more focused support for travel advisors, accelerate sales growth, and establish a strong data foundation for next-generation technology,” Direct Travel said in a release.

Under the new structure, the leisure division’s teams will be aligned to advisor needs rather than by geography.

“This realignment positions Direct Travel to meet the demands of an ever-changing marketplace,” said Gerard Bellino, president, leisure travel. “By centering our structure on advisor success—supported by data, technology, and world-class partnerships—we’re equipping our teams to move faster, personalize service at scale, and capture growth opportunities across every leisure segment.”

For travel advisors, the new structure means improved sales-aligned support. According to Direct Travel, the restructure will result in faster response times, clearer insights into performance and client trends, and better technology for streamlined booking, marketing, and commission management.

Direct Travel’s Structural Changes

Joelle Goldman, vice president, host services and luxury hotel program, will continue leading resources for independent advisors, and Julie Skinner, senior vice president, leisure sales, will oversee Direct Travel’s employee advisor network across North America.

Vivienne Kouba, senior vice president, leisure operations, will lead a consolidated operations team supporting both retail and host agency advisors across North America to streamline workflows and service levels.

Rene Schneeberger, senior vice president, groups & revenue optimization, will continue to lead the groups team in North America while also working closely with Bellino to expand the leisure organization based on Direct Travel’s recent acquisition of ATPI. 

Direct Travel also named Rebecca Adams vice president, data strategy & insights, leisure travel, in a data analytics role, and Stephen Smith, executive vice president, leisure travel, to oversee partnerships, strategy, and marketing while advancing technology innovation.

“This integration will bring tighter collaboration, smarter tools, and innovative programs designed to help advisors succeed across every channel,” said Smith.