American tourism marketers, including CEOs of destination marketing organizations, are often well-compensated. Skift examined the pay packages of these executives at city, state, and national levels, focusing on the top 20 cities with the highest inbound visitation from overseas. The data was gathered from Form 990 filings with the IRS as well as government agencies. The fiscal year of 2022 was used as it provided the most up-to-date information on executive compensation. The study excluded states that did not have large, non-profit DMOs, such as New York.
The pay for high-profile U.S. tourism marketers in fiscal year 2022 varied significantly. CEOs such as Caroline Beteta of Visit California and Chris Thompson of Brand USA received over $1.5 million and over $700,000 in total compensation, respectively. Other top earners included executives from organizations like San Francisco Travel Association, Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Destination DC. Factors such as performance indicators like hotel occupancy, visitor spending, and convention bookings often played a role in determining executive compensation.
Some smaller destinations also offered substantial compensation to their tourism marketing executives, despite their lower inbound international visitation numbers. For example, Visit Indy CEO Leonard Hoops in Indianapolis earned over $900,000 in fiscal year 2022. Justifications for high pay packages are often based on individual performance and the impact of the CEO on the destination’s growth. Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp’s former CEO Christopher “Butch” Spyridon, who helped turn Nashville into a popular tourist destination, earned over $1.3 million before his retirement.
Various factors influence the compensation of DMO CEOs, including the size and complexity of the organization, the economic impact expected from the CEO, and the board of directors’ priorities. State-level destination marketing organizations with massive budgets, like Visit California, often pay their executives significant amounts due to their oversight of substantial funding. The role of tourism board CEOs has become increasingly complex in recent years, requiring them to manage marketing, development, funding acquisition, and community relations.
The determination of how much of a destination’s success is attributable to the CEO versus the organization as a whole can be difficult to quantify. Performance indicators, strategic plans, and key performance indicators (KPIs) often play a role in assessing executive performance. Boards of directors may use various metrics to evaluate CEO performance, with some placing more emphasis on resident sentiment and community relations. The compensation of tourism bosses is often tied to the overall success of the destination and the organization’s strategic goals.
