Brian Beall

Brian Beall is Vice President of Government Affairs at Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). In this role, he supports public policy efforts across North America, overseeing state and local advocacy and community relations in key U.S. and Canadian cruise markets. He also provides global leadership for the industry by ensuring cruise is represented in broader policy initiatives with intergovernmental bodies, trade associations, and organizations representing other travel and tourism sectors.  

Brian brings extensive experience to his role from both the public and private sectors. He rejoined CLIA in 2025 after serving as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Travel and Tourism and Director of the National Travel and Tourism Office at the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce). While at Commerce, he led implementation of the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Strategy, oversaw the federal travel and tourism research and statistics program, and represented U.S. interests in major international policy forums. From 2020 to 2023, Brian served as Vice President of Government Affairs at CLIA, where he advanced initiatives promoting constructive dialogue between the cruise industry and its stakeholders. 

His distinguished federal service prior to CLIA includes several additional leadership roles at  Commerce, where he received awards for his exceptional contributions to strengthening the competitiveness of the U.S. travel and tourism sector. Earlier in his career, he served as a Legislative Fellow in the U.S. Senate, focusing on travel and tourism policy issues, and was an analyst at the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Brian earned his Master of Tourism Administration degree and Graduate Certificate in International Trade Policy from The George Washington University, following his undergraduate studies at Truman State University where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration. In addition, he completed an executive certificate in public leadership at The Brookings Institution.