Tourism Business Development Consulting is a leadership team with a well-established track record in business development, training, consulting, teaching, research, publications, and professional practice in the travel and tourism industry. The team’s intellectual objective is to examine tourism destinations as integrated systems, incorporating elements such as strategic business development, destination planning, tourism product innovation, alignment with sustainable development goals, entrepreneurship, community engagement, and the identification of actual and potential tourists’ needs. The practical objective is to support tourism stakeholders in formulating and implementing strategic initiatives that align with a shared destination vision.
Ph.D. Jose Lazaro Quintero Santos
He is the Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.) of Tourism Business Development Consulting (TBD Consulting), and he leads the organization’s leadership team. Over the past twenty-five years, he has devoted his career to teaching, training, research, and consultancy in the travel and tourism industry. In this role, he has developed curricula in the areas of sustainable tourism, destination management organizations, and business management strategies. He is an expert in leadership, strategic thinking, business management, teamwork, and tourism destination management.
He holds a Ph.D. in International Economics and Development with a specialization in tourism from Complutense University of Madrid, Spain. This degree is equivalent to a Ph.D. in Economics in the United States, as certified by Academic Evaluation and Translation Services Inc., Tampa, Florida, U.S.A. He also holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Economics. Additionally, he completed a Diploma Programme in Tourism Management at the Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management in Klessheim, Salzburg, Austria.
BA. Marlene Permañez Santos
She is a Business Advisor at Tourism Business Development Consulting and joined the leadership team in February 2022. She is also the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of D’Kmino, a company that focuses on the commercialization of textile-manufactured products and food items. In addition, the company specializes in distributing these products to customers through an efficient courier service. She is an expert in business management, teamwork, and customer service, and supports entrepreneurs with a range of business challenges, including leadership, strategic management, business planning, teamwork, customer service, and delegation. Her expertise is a valuable asset to the leadership team at Tourism Business Development Consulting.
M.Sc. Ryan Whitson
He is an advisor at Tourism Business Development Consulting. Mr. Whitson has studied and worked extensively in the fields of language-based and cultural tourism, both of which are important sectors of the global tourism market. He is an educator, professional linguist, and Florida State Certified English/Spanish court interpreter. He graduated from the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL, with his B.A. in 2002 and went on to earn his master’s degree in Global Studies from Sophia University in Tokyo in 2012. After living in Japan for 12 years and working in the field of second language acquisition, he returned to Florida in 2015 to pursue a career as a professional court interpreter for the state of Florida. Mr. Whitson has an extensive background in teaching English as a second language at all levels and is an expert in foreign language acquisition.
M.Sc. Luis Perez Nieto
He is the Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.) of Madrid en Ruta. Over the past twenty years, he has devoted his career to training, teaching, research, and consulting related to historical, artistic, and cultural heritage tourism. In that role, he has developed curricula in the areas of tour guiding, cultural heritage tourism management, cultural tourism business, leadership, tourism development, and entrepreneurship. He holds a Master of Science in Analysis, Management, Projects, and Industrial Heritage from the National University of Distance Education (UNED) in Madrid, Spain. He graduated from Complutense University, also in Madrid, with a Bachelor’s degree in Art History.
B.A. Mercedes Amada Díaz
She is an expert in Accounting and Finance, with a background as a Financial Auditor. Over the past forty years, she has devoted her career to training, teaching, research, and consulting in areas related to business financial and economic studies, accounting analysis, financial reporting systems, account balances, cash flow statements, income statements, balance sheets, tax returns, and internal control systems. She has conducted accounting and internal control audits in both public and private sector companies, as well as in non-governmental organizations. She has served as a Project Management Consultant, Principal Advisor, Economic Director, Accounting Director, and Chief Accountant. She graduated from the University of Havana with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics. She has also completed over twenty certificate programs in General Accounting, Financial Accounting, Corporate Accounting, Financial Statement Auditing, Business Accounting, Internal Controls, and Business Strategies.
Ph.D. Rodrigo Vaz Gomes
He holds a Ph.D. in Accounting and Finance from the University of Zaragoza in Spain. Over the past twenty-five years, he has devoted his career to teaching and research in the fields of public accounting, business management, and non-profit entities. He is a consultant in transparency and accountability. He has served as a professor and researcher at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, the Faculty of Igarassu, SENAC, and the Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil. He holds a Master’s degree in International Business Management from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, a Master’s degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Zaragoza, and a postgraduate qualification in Politics and Strategy from ADESG. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.
M.Sc. Rocio Heras
She is an expert in cultural heritage and tourism. Over the past twenty-two years, she has devoted her career to teaching, training, research, and consultancy in the fields of art history and the conservation of artistic heritage. In this role, she has developed curricula in areas such as tour guiding, cultural heritage tourism management, and cultural tourism business development. She has worked with the tour operator Politours as a river cruise travel guide. She is skilled in planning, selling, and organizing both group and individual tours, including recreational activities and events. She has designed trip itineraries for the European, Philippine, and New Zealand markets. She holds a Certificate of Pedagogical Aptitude (CAP) from the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Art History and Conservation of Artistic Heritage from the Complutense University of Madrid.