Al Hutchinson is the president and CEO of Visit Baltimore. He also serves on numerous industry boards including the U.S. Travel Association, Destinations International, and Tourism Diversity Matters, and is currently serving as the chair of the Religious Conference Management Association (RCMA).
A quote from his nomination: "Al is an enthusiastic advocate for the travel industry, for marginalized voices, and for Baltimore, using creative storytelling and industrywide collaboration to raise the city's profile as a hot spot for events and conventions."
How he got here: "I got into the DMO space after seeing an ad in the local Richmond newspaper about getting paid to sell your city, and I had no idea that was something I could do. After working as a sales manager for the Richmond Metropolitan CVB, I went on to work in sales at a number of DMOs, eventually climbing the ranks of the industry and becoming vice president of convention sales and services at the Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau. I took my first CEO role working for Visit Mobile in 2014, and became the president and CEO of Visit Baltimore in 2016."
His greatest career accomplishment: "My most memorable career accomplishment has been leading the charge to help differentiate Baltimore from other nearby destinations and incorporate local voices into our storytelling through our rebranding in 2019. The new brand and campaign set out to rewrite the stories people are telling about Baltimore, inviting locals to rediscover their city as well as visitors to come to Charm City and meet the people making up this great destination.
The first six months of the stakeholder-driven initiative was spent in Baltimore neighborhoods speaking with and collaborating with over 200 local residents, civic leaders, and cultural influencers. The result of this collaboration was a brand spotlighting the unapologetic pride that Baltimoreans have for our city, using the faces of our residents in our advertising, brand materials, and foundational narratives. Since going through this rebranding process, our entire team has prioritized telling local stories in a way like never before, bringing local makers and artists into our brand by incorporating their stories into our trade shows, familiarization tours, and marketing efforts."
A specific improvement he's made: "I am most proud of the work that I have done to serve as both a local and industry leader in the space of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). Throughout my career, I have seen firsthand the lack of BIPOC representation, especially in senior leadership roles. To address this gap, Visit Baltimore launched two key initiatives: a diversity apprenticeship program and a data analytics fellowship. These 600-hour paid programs offer hands-on experience and guarantee job placement, creating career pathways for BIPOC students in hospitality.
From continuously finding ways to uplift our BIPOC- and minority-owned businesses through innovative advertising campaigns and digital guides to launching our Warm Welcome program, which aims to educate Baltimore's hospitality community on various aspects of DEI, the team has made Baltimore a model city for DEI in the international hospitality industry. Beyond our local efforts, I have led national initiatives, including the creation of the first-ever Destinations International Foundation HBCU Scholarship program. This scholarship aims to support students attending historically Black colleges and universities, building a more diverse leadership pipeline for our industry."
The biggest change he's observed in the industry: "Since joining the industry, I’ve noticed that DMOs have become more involved in their local community happenings over the years, working within the travel space to solve complex issues for the greater good of their destinations. Previously, DMO leaders would stay away from talking about issues that were considered political for fear of alienating travelers, but the reality is that we live in a society where both residents and visitors are impacted by issues such as gun violence, reproductive healthcare access, and access to DEIA resources. Over the last few years, I have noticed DMO leaders discussing these issues and the way they impact travelers in our destinations in open forums with other leaders, discussing solutions to these complex issues."
His ideal day OOO: "My perfect day outside of the office is spending time with my family while enjoying one of the many restaurants in our neighborhood and catching a game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards."
The career advice he'd give his younger self: "Be more curious and ask more questions. Many of the great ideas and things that have happened through my career came from being curious and trying to increase understanding."
