The President and CEO of Visit Alexandria, Patricia Washington, has announced her intended retirement effective June 30, 2024, culminating over a decade of steering the destination marketing organization for the City of Alexandria, Virginia.
The search for a new President and CEO has commenced. A search task force, led by Visit Alexandria’s Vice Chair Denise Jackson, has been formed. They have engaged the services of the executive search firm, SearchWide Global to identify and recruit a successor. The official job posting will be made available by SearchWide Global in early January 2024.
During her tenure, starting in 2012, Washington spearheaded numerous milestones for Visit Alexandria. These include remarkable achievements in visitor spending, hotel occupancy, tax revenues, media coverage, website traffic, digital marketing reach, business group engagements, event participation, and membership growth.
Washington’s career highlights encompass collaborative initiatives with the City of Alexandria and the Office of Historic Alexandria to broaden the city’s perspective on African-American history, introducing new visitor experiences and enhancing marketing targeting diverse audiences. Notable among these initiatives are the “Drop-In” campaign, recognized for its excellence in targeting Black travelers, and the “Expand Your ALX” campaign, showcasing Alexandria’s diverse cultures and global cuisine across its neighborhoods beyond Old Town.
As Alexandria evolved as a sought-after destination, Washington’s innovative leadership evolved alongside it. Leading two rebranding efforts and four brand campaigns, she notably launched the award-winning “Best Kept Shh!” marketing campaign, highlighting Alexandria’s growing prominence as a national destination. Under her guidance, a revamped national media relations strategy propelled Visit Alexandria into the limelight, earning accolades in prominent publications like Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Southern Living, and others.
Washington’s tenure significantly contributed to revenue growth in the City of Alexandria, with sales, meals, and lodging tax receipts soaring from $55 million to over $80 million annually. These non-resident tax contributions translate to an average annual tax saving of over $750 for Alexandria households.
Washington has also supported the arts and philanthropy, serving on the Alexandria Arts Alliance board and Heard, a nonprofit providing arts services to underserved individuals. Additionally, she held leadership positions on the U.S. Travel Association’s Destination Advisory Council and the Northern Virginia Tourism Partnership.
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