printer friendly

 The World Trade Center of Mississippi spotlights William Bryan

William "Bill" Bryan represented the southern U.S. at the Conference on Tourism in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

William (Bill) Bryan, owner of World Travel Consultants and long-time travel executive attended the Conference on Tourism in Jerusalem, February 21-25 at the invitation of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Binjamin Elon, Israel's Minister of Tourism. Bryan represented the southern U.S. at the three day conference held in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

The Bryan family founded Bryan Tours in 1964 and was a major operator of group travel to Israel. In 1998 Bryan Tours was sold to MTS Travel in Pennsylvania. Bill Bryan remained until March 2003 as Vice President of Intenational group travel and part owner of MTS. His new venture forming World Travel Consultants offers travel brokerage service for individual vacation travel including cruises, customized private sightseeing, and international group operations. His relationship continues with Bryan Tours/MTS and other prominent travel agencies in Mississippi and other states.

"Tourism is coming back to Israel," said Bryan who recently returned with a group from New Orleans. Other groups are booked for 2004 and even 2005. A veteran of more than 20 personal trips to Israel, Bryan's desire is for more people to experience excitement of touring Israel, whether for religious pilgrimage or for historical and cultural study. "There is a peace that comes over you when you visit this land," says Bryan. "All who have visited Israel will say it changed their lives," Bryan comments. "You see how the great majority of people, Israelis and Palestinians, want peace and restoration of their economy."

The Prime Minister's Conference included speeches from Prime Minister Sharon, Minister of Finance Binyamin Netanyahu, as well as Mr. Francesco Frangialli, Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization. Bryan participated in panel sessions on the future of tourism in Israel, the impact of a visit to Israel on the Christian and Jewish communities, and other cultural and Biblical touring issues. Other world travel leaders where invited along with Bryan to tour Israel at the conclusion of the conference as the guest of Prime Minister Sharon.

In addition to his work in travel, Bryan serves as an instructor in the Aspine program at Bellhaven College teaching international business, economics, and marketing courses.

"I try to bring my personal travel and international business experience into the classroom," said Bryan, "to inspire students to get involved with the global economy." As one of America's youngest professors in 1969 at the age of 21, Bryan served full time on the faculty of Carson Newman College in Tennessee and taught Swiss banking seminars in the summers of 1970-1992. Bryan also serves as Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Mississippi World Trade Center. "Travel has been my life," says Bryan. "I'm honored to have been invited to this special travel conference in Israel to help restore travel to this land that is so important to many major religions."

(Back to Top)