NYC Tourism + Conventions has announced that Fred Dixon will leave his role as President and CEO in June to lead Brand USA, as President & CEO starting July 15.
“This is a bittersweet moment for NYC Tourism + Conventions and the City’s tourism industry,” said NYC Tourism + Conventions Board Chair and Shubert Organization Executive Vice President Charles Flateman. “For nearly twenty years, Fred Dixon has been synonymous with New York City tourism, the industry’s continued success and its impact on New York City. His leadership and expertise created a template for excellence in destination marketing and the team of talented individuals who make the work possible. We are thrilled beyond measure for him in this new role and know that he will always be a champion for NYC.”
“Fred Dixon is a world-class destination marketing professional with a keen eye for talent and successful marketing strategies,” said said Greg Freeman U.S. Travel Association President and CEO. “His 20-plus year experience in New York City and focus on metrics, accountability and achieving ambitious goals are critical attributes as Brand USA writes its next chapter. Fred’s deep relationships across the business community and throughout the travel industry position him extraordinarily well to lead Brand USA and build on the strong foundation provided by Chris Thompson.
The U.S. Travel Association—and the entire travel industry—congratulates Fred on this well-deserved new opportunity and looks forward to partnering with him to steer Brand USA into the future.”
Dixon joined the organization in 2005 as Vice President of Tourism and became CEO in 2014. With more than 30 years of experience in the travel industry, he has been leading the City’s tourism, meetings and events strategy, and programming to grow business and leisure travel globally. During his tenure, international visitation has more than doubled to over 13 million travellers. Today, New York City is represented in 17 overseas markets and active in nearly 40 locations globally.
In the early months of the pandemic, Dixon organized the Coalition for NYC Hospitality and Tourism Recovery, which brought together industry leaders across all five boroughs to plan a path back. In July 2020, New York City Tourism + Conventions (previously NYC & Company) and the coalition published “All In NYC: The Roadmap for Tourism’s Reimagining and Recovery,” which was implemented with the support of a $30 million investment from the City of New York for recovery messaging and promotion.
Dixon is a respected leader serving on travel industry association boards and committees. He is the current Chair of Destinations International, serves on the New York Convention Center Operating Corporation Board, the board of IGLTA, the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association, the U.S. Travel Association Executive Committee and is an Officer of the Board for the FIFA World Cup 26™ New York New Jersey Host Committee.
NYC Tourism + Conventions Chief Marketing Officer Nancy Mammana has been named Interim CEO who has been with NYC Tourism + Conventions since 2018 including five years as CMO.
Dixon will remain in the role until June 5. A search committee has been formed to lead the process of identifying and selecting a new CEO.