The New York City Tourism + Conventions Board of Directors has named Julie Coker as President and CEO. She will begin the role on December 9, 2024.
Coker currently serves as the President and CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority (SDTA), where she helps promote San Diego as a top destination for meetings, conventions, overseas travelers and leisure visitors.
“Julie is a respected industry expert and deeply experienced leader who will steward both NYC Tourism + Conventions and New York City’s $74 billion tourism economy,” said NYC Tourism + Conventions Board Chair and Shubert Organization EVP Charles Flateman.
“I want to thank Nancy Mammana, our CMO, for also serving as our Interim CEO for the past four months and paving the way for a seamless transition. I also want to thank the search committee—Emily Rafferty, Luis Miranda, Melba Wilson, John Calvelli, Dan Nadeau and Marlene Poynder—who diligently led our recruitment effort with a commitment to finding the best talent in the country. We are thrilled to have Julie on board.
“Leading the San Diego Tourism Authority has been an incredible journey, and I’m immensely proud of what our team has accomplished,” said Coker. “Together with our Board of Directors, members and the local tourism community, we successfully navigated the challenges of the pandemic and have driven San Diego’s tourism recovery. This resilience and collaborative spirit have laid a strong foundation for my new chapter with New York City Tourism + Conventions. I’m eager to bring my passion for the tourism industry to New York City and look forward to building upon the remarkable work of the talented team in place, further enhancing the global appeal of one of the world’s most iconic cities.”
Coker has served in executive roles across the tourism and hospitality sectors for more than three decades. Under her tenure, San Diego has ranked as one of the top-performing US destinations, ranking third in the nation in hotel occupancy at 73.5 percent in 2023, while the city’s groups and convention business surpassed 2019 levels and the tourism industry generated $14.3 billion in visitor spending. With Coker at the helm of SDTA, tourism jobs returned to pre-pandemic levels with more than 200,000 employed; San Diego County’s Transient Occupancy Tax generated more than $360 million for regional services; SDTA’s sales and marketing programs delivered a $30 to $1 return on investment, the highest in the organization’s history; and the retention rate among SDTA members was 93 per cent.
Coker’s commitment to serving on impactful boards gives her unique insight and notable influence in the tourism industry. In January 2023, she was appointed to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, joining 31 other leaders from the domestic travel and tourism industry in providing advice to the Secretary of Commerce on travel priorities. She also serves on the executive boards of the U.S. Travel Association and Visit California, the boards of Meeting Professionals International, the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, the San Diego Lodging Association and Sharp Health Care.
Previously, Coker served as the President and CEO of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) where she oversaw the 2017 NFL Draft and the 2016 Democratic National Convention, which had a combined economic impact of $325 million for Philadelphia. Prior to that, she was PHLCVB’s Executive Vice President, Convention Division, and managed a staff of 25 sales and services professionals responsible for selling the expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center and hotel packages to customers across the country.
