VisitDallas has appointed Craig Davis, currently president and chief executive of VisitPITTSBURGH, as its new president and chief executive.
Davis will take up his new role early in the new year; his first day in the VisitDallas office will be 6 January 2020.
VisitDallas, represented in Australia by Kent Marketing, markets Dallas as “The Most Texan City in Texas” – the ideal visitor and convention destination in Texas.
Davis has worked in the hospitality industry for more than three decades. He began his tenure at VisitPITTSBURGH in 2000 as executive director of convention sales. He was promoted to Vice President of Sales and Marketing in 2007 and to the position of president and chef executive in March 2012.
“Craig stood out among many highly qualified applicants for his strong leadership abilities and extensive destination, hotel and hospitality experience,” said Joyce Williams, Chair of the VisitDallas Board of Directors. “He has an impeccable reputation in the industry and we’re thrilled to bring his expertise to Dallas.”
Davis’ background in the hospitality industry includes executive experience at hotels in Toronto, Chicago and Pittsburgh. While at VisitPITTSBURGH Davis was responsible for overseeing the convention sales and marketing efforts for the new David L. Lawrence Convention Center, the first Gold and Platinum LEED-certified convention center in the world. Today, he serves as the Chair of Destinations International, a professional organization representing destination organizations and convention and visitor bureaus worldwide.
Craig Davis
“Dallas is an amazing city and the VisitDallas team is regarded very well nationally,” Davis said.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining the team of the No. 5 convention city in the nation, the only Texas city in the Top 10, and the No. 1 visitor destination in the state. Dallas is a city on the move, and I’m honored to be a part of its future.”
The president and chief executive was selected by a special VisitDallas Board of Directors selection committee led by outgoing Chair Mark Woelffer and incoming Chair Joyce Williams.
“I’ve been honored to serve as interim president and CEO these past few months, but now I’m pleased to be handing the reigns over to Craig’s very capable hands,” said Sam Coats, VisitDallas interim president and chief executive.
Born in St Catharines, Ontario, Davis became a US citizen in 2001. He will reside in Dallas, the leading business and financial centre in the US Southwest, offering travellers an unparalleled array of amenities and a central location with two major airports with more domestic nonstop flights than any other US city.
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