Brand USA Head Fred Dixon Is Returning to NYC Tourism + Conventions

New York City Tourism + Conventions on Wednesday announced that former President and CEO Fred Dixon was returning to the organization, just two years after leaving to head Brand USA.

Dixon will take the reins in NYC on Dec. 1, filling in for Julie Coker, who took over for Dixon and, in June, left to head Visit California. NYC had been operating without a president and CEO since Coker’s departure.

Dixon originally spent a decade as head of NYC Tourism + Conventions, which was previously called NYC & Company prior to a rebrand in 2023. His previous tenure included working with three mayors—Michael Bloomberg, Bill de Blasio, and Eric Adams—and taking the organization through the pandemic, one of the most turbulent times in its history.

Dixon’s time at Brand USA was also bumpy—Brand USA’s federal matching funds were slashed by 80%, dropping from $100 million to $20 million, under a new budget passed by Congress in July 2025. That forced Brand USA to undergo staff layoffs and shut down GoUSA TV, its travel streaming network.

In a statement, Dixon said that returning to NYC is an “extraordinary honor and responsibility.”

“I return to New York with that experience, along with a renewed appreciation for the strength of this city and the extraordinary people and businesses that make its visitor economy so vital. I look forward to working with our members, partners, and City leadership to grow visitation, strengthen our global position, and ensure tourism continues to deliver for all five boroughs,” he said.

Back in Washington, D.C., Brand USA will now start a search for Dixon’s successor. Dixon will continue in his role through Nov. 13.

“The board has full confidence in the depth and strength of Brand USA’s leadership team and is committed to a thoughtful, timely transition that keeps the organization focused on advancing its mission,” it said.

The U.S. has suffered from the loss of inbound international tourism over the last few years even as global international travel broadly expanded. According to estimates from the World Travel and Tourism Council, the U.S. lost about 5.5% of its international visitors since 2019.

While a lot of that decline is concentrated in major international destinations, New York City isn’t necessarily one of them. New York welcomed 65 million visitors in 2025, the second-highest volume in the city’s history.

And, in 2025, direct visitor spending scaled up to $55.6 billion, driving a total economic impact of roughly $79 billion across the city and state and supporting nearly 388,000 local leisure and hospitality jobs.