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Visit Seattle has officially appointed Stephanie Byington as the new Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, effective from July 31, 2024, following an extensive national search. Byington, a seasoned marketing executive with extensive experience in the Seattle area, has previously led marketing efforts for notable local brands such as Slalom, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, TCS World Travel, Nordstrom, and Starbucks. In her new role at Visit Seattle, she will be responsible for guiding all marketing and brand development efforts aimed at boosting the city’s tourism across various travel sectors, including meetings and conventions, leisure, transient, and international markets.
With over two decades of experience in Seattle’s marketing sector, Byington has gained substantial expertise in different industries, including wine, professional services, and consumer goods, positioning her perfectly for innovative leadership in her new position.
“Marketing is how we position Seattle as a premier travel destination,” said Tammy Blount-Canavan, President and CEO of Visit Seattle. “We searched far and wide for the best candidate for the CMO position and found it right in our backyard with Stephanie. She has spent years honing her skills at some of the biggest brands that call our great city home. We’re looking forward to seeing Stephanie put her magic to work for us.”
Her background in travel and tourism is equally impressive, with prior roles such as Vice President of Marketing and Product Development at TCS World Travel and Director of Global Advertising and Sponsorships at Continental Airlines. Notably, she received the Global Leadership Award from Travelopia in 2019 while at TCS World Travel.
“Stephanie is a results-driven marketer who made a lasting impact at TCS World Travel, where she served as Vice President of Marketing and Product Development,” said Shelley Cline, President of TCS World Travel. ”During her time at TCS she successfully led many efforts that drove greater awareness of our company and product, including a re-launch of the brand, an overhaul of our website and the creation of a new PR strategy. I am excited to see Stephanie return to the travel and tourism space in her new role with Visit Seattle, and am looking forward to seeing what amazing things she will do for our city.”
Byington is also renowned for her strategic influence in brand and experiential marketing. A dedicated Seattleite, she has consistently demonstrated her ability to lead high-performing teams effectively. As the Senior Director of Marketing at Slalom, she launched the company’s inaugural global brand marketing campaign, significantly boosting customer acquisition and achieving substantial returns on investment. Prior to that, at Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, she led the Elicit Wine Project as the Director of Product Innovation, focusing on innovative value creation strategies.
Byington steps into the Chief Marketing Officer role at Visit Seattle during an exciting time, with the recent arrival of Seattle Convention Center’ Summit building – which is noted for its commitment to sustainability; the city’s extensive waterfront renovations currently underway; and the FIFA World Cup coming to Seattle in 2026, which will be a major economic lift for the city. Current marketing campaigns from Visit Seattle include Kissing in the Rain, a traveling rain booth enticing travelers from warm-weather cities to experience the wonder of Seattle rain; I Know A Place, a video series inviting travelers to experience an insiders’ tour of Seattle led by notable locals; and Bookmarked, which embraces Seattle’s status as a UNESCO City of Literature and honors a story set in the Emerald City read by personalities like Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
“I moved to Seattle thinking I would be here for two years and that was 20 years ago,” said Byington. “I am looking forward to sharing all the things that have kept me here including our incredible food and wine scene, the vibrant arts community, the many ways to connect with nature, and the leadership of companies in the business and technology space.”
In her personal time, Byington is pursuing a graduate certification in teaching English as a second language, aiming to educate adult immigrants. She holds a certification as a Specialist of Wine and actively volunteers at Food Lifeline, a local charity combating food insecurity.
She steps into the role previously held by Ali Daniels, who after over a decade with Visit Seattle, has transitioned to a new role as SVP Marketing for the Seattle Kraken.
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