NYC Tourism + Conventions Names Julie Coker as New President and CEO

New York City’s tourism arm has a new leader.

NYC Tourism + Conventions has named Julie Coker, the current president and CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority, as its new president and CEO, effective Dec. 9, 2024.

Coker succeeds Fred Dixon, who announced in the spring that he was leaving to head Brand USA. Nancy Mammana, NYC Tourism’s chief marketing officer, had been serving as interim president since Dixon’s departure in April.

Coker’s tenure in San Diego includes helping the city rank third in the nation in hotel occupancy at 73.5% in 2023 and achieving $14.3 billion in visitor spending in 2023, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. She also helped employ more than 200,000 in the tourism sector.

Prior to her role in San Diego, Coker served as president and CEO of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau and as general manager of the Hyatt Regency Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing during her 21-year career at Hyatt.

Both Dixon and Hyatt Corp. President and CEO Mark Hoplamazian praised Coker’s appointment to the top tourism role in New York.

“Julie is an incredibly accomplished and respected leader across the travel and hospitality sectors, making her an excellent choice to serve as president and CEO,” Dixon said. “She will undoubtedly bring great vision and care to the role, and I am excited to continue working with her as she stewards NYC Tourism + Conventions and New York City’s tourism economy in the years ahead.”

“As someone who used to work with Julie and has known her for many years, I can say that NYC Tourism + Conventions is fortunate to have her advocating for the tourism economy and its many stakeholders,” Hoplamazian said. “Her values and people skills will carry New York to higher heights of visitation and engagement.”

New York City has been one of the biggest drivers of inbound travel to the U.S. and of domestic travel for Americans. In 2023 alone, New York City welcomed more than 62 million travelers, generated over $74 billion in economic impact, and supported over 380,000 leisure and hospitality jobs.  For comparison, other major American cities for travel include Las Vegas, which saw 40 million visitors in 2023, and Orlando, which saw 74 million visitors in 2023, according to their visitor bureaus.