PRESS RELEASE

Visit Seattle Appoints Marco Leal as Vice President of Destination Development

Seasoned global tourism and destination strategist to lead new division focused on tourism growth, strategic partnerships, and community impact

SEATTLE – Visit Seattle, the official destination marketing organization for Seattle and King County is thrilled to announce the appointment of Marco Leal as the organization’s first Vice President of Destination Development, a newly established senior leadership role designed to elevate Seattle’s visibility and long-term vitality as a premier global destination. Leal began his role on February 17, 2026.

In his new role at Visit Seattle, Leal will provide visionary leadership across Membership & Strategic Partnerships, Tourism Development, and Visitor Services, guiding a portfolio that shapes Seattle’s destination product, strengthens global competitiveness, and deepens community connectivity.

“Marco’s global expertise and proven ability to build collaborative, high-impact destination strategies make him the ideal person to lead Seattle’s next chapter of tourism growth, innovation, and community partnership,” said Tammy Canavan, President & CEO of Visit Seattle. “His experience uniting government leaders, industry partners, and local communities across continents aligns perfectly with Visit Seattle’s vision for inclusive, sustainable destination development.”

Leal’s role also includes expanding and diversifying Visit Seattle’s membership base; advancing domestic and international travel trade relationships; strengthening alignment with SEA Airport’s expansion and route development initiatives; and elevating visitor services, including growth of the Seattle Certified Tourism Ambassador program. He will serve on Visit Seattle’s senior leadership team, helping shape the organization’s strategy and impact across Seattle and King County.

A global executive with more than 20 years of experience in tourism development, international travel trade, strategic partnerships, and destination strategy, Leal brings a track record of building high-performing teams and scaling initiatives that drive measurable economic impact, brand visibility, and community engagement. His career spans leadership roles across North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, with deep expertise in uniting diverse partners toward shared destination and economic goals.

Leal most recently served as Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Concacaf, where he led regional operations, destination-level strategies, and major events across 41 national markets. In this role, he guided organizational transformation, strengthened cross-sector tourism partnerships, and secured strategic commercial agreements that enhanced brand positioning, expanded international visitation, and drove sustained revenue growth and economic impact. Prior to Concacaf, Leal held senior leadership roles at FIFA, overseeing international development, government relations and public affairs initiatives. He advised executive leadership on global strategy and implemented unified standards that enhanced destination readiness and elevated visitor experiences across six continents.

“Seattle is a world‑class destination with an extraordinary blend of natural beauty, cultural depth, innovation, and community spirit,” said Leal. “I’m honored to join Visit Seattle at such a pivotal moment and look forward to working with partners across the region and around the world to elevate the visitor experience, strengthen economic impact, and champion the values that make this city truly exceptional.”

Leal holds a Juris Doctor and a Bachelor of Juridical and Social Sciences and has completed executive education in Finance and Accounting at Columbia Business School, along with advanced executive leadership and management programs through FIFA. He serves as an Arbitrator for the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and is fluent in English and Spanish.

This appointment underscores Visit Seattle’s commitment to strategic growth, community engagement, and forward-looking destination development, ensuring the visitor economy continues to benefit residents, businesses, and the broader region.

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About Visit Seattle
Visit Seattle has served as the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for Seattle and King County for more than 50 years. A 501(c)(6) organization, Visit Seattle enhances the economic prosperity of the region through global destination branding along with competitive programs and campaigns in leisure travel marketing, convention sales, and overseas tourism development. Visit visitseattle.org.