Eric Basha

Eric Basha
Managing Director, Tourism Industry
Worldwide Public Sector Group
Microsoft Corporation

Eric leads the recently formed Tourism Industry within Microsoft which is dedicated to providing a wide range of solutions to Public Sector Tourism organizations around the world. These tourism organizations include local, regional and national tourism organizations (NTOs and DMO ranging from Tourism Ministries to local Convention & Visitors Bureaus) as well as multi-national organizations of every size.
The solution areas include helping organizations create awareness and increase positive perceptions about a city, region or country to connecting travelers directly with travel providers (such as airlines, hotels, rental cars, attractions, tour operators, etc.) in a particular destination. This is in addition to providing solutions that enable and facilitate the travel of individual tourists.

Eric joined Microsoft in 2002. Prior to joining the Public Sector team he was the Industry Marketing Director of the Retail & Hospitality Industries which focused on providing solutions to travel providers such as hotels, casinos, cruise lines, rental car agencies, restaurants, etc. as well as major retail businesses in the United States. Eric has also led several advertising, public relations and program management teams during his tenure at Microsoft.

Earlier in his career, Eric spent almost ten years working in various positions in mountain resorts in Utah and New Mexico (including Sundance and Snowbird resorts in UT). Most of that time was in marketing and sales roles where he worked closely with the Salt Lake Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Ski Utah and the Utah Travel Council.

Prior to joining Microsoft Eric has served as Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for a number of companies including a US national retailer and two technology start-ups.

As a graduate of the Robert O Anderson School of Management at the University of New Mexico, Eric earned a dual major in Travel & Tourism Management as well as Marketing.

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