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Santa Barbara, Calif. (Nov. 17, 2025) — Vanessa Bechtol, CDME, has joined Visit Santa Barbara, the official destination marketing organization for the Santa Barbara South Coast region, as chief strategy officer.
With an extensive and accomplished career in the public service, Bechtol brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Visit Santa Barbara. In her new role, she will lead a dynamic team and spearhead strategic initiatives to enhance the Santa Barbara South Coast’s visitor experience and drive economic growth. Bechtol began the position on Nov. 10.
“I am honored to join Visit Santa Barbara and contribute to an organization that prioritizes both the well-being of the community and the vitality of its visitor economy,” Bechtol said. “I look forward to advancing collaborative strategies that enhance organizational effectiveness and drive sustainable success for the destination and the region it serves.”
Bechtol’s 20 years of professional experience includes advancing community-focused initiatives dedicated to sustainable tourism, heritage-based economic development, cultural and historic preservation and supporting local businesses. As vice president of destination stewardship at Visit Tucson, Bechtol’s work supported a balance between quality of life for residents and quality of experience for visitors. Her leadership emphasized sustainable tourism, placemaking initiatives, strong community engagement and strategic planning.
Prior to joining Visit Tucson, Bechtol served eight years as the executive director of the Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance, where she co-authored the first nomination for the City of Tucson to be designated as a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) City of Gastronomy, the first in the U.S.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Latin American studies, a Master of Science in Planning, and a certificate in nonprofit leadership and management, all from the University of Arizona. Bechtol earned her Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) certification, the tourism industry’s highest individual educational achievement, from Destinations International in 2022. She further advanced her expertise in 2025 by earning the Professional Certificate in Sustainable Tourism from the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.
ABOUT VISIT SANTA BARBARA
The mission of Visit Santa Barbara is to inspire overnight travel to the Santa Barbara South Coast in order to enhance the community’s economy and quality of life. VSB’s primary vehicles are tourism marketing, PR and sales channels that lead to overnight bookings, increase business and tax revenue and support jobs. Visit Santa Barbara is a nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization jointly funded by the South Coast Tourism Business Improvement District and a membership of hospitality-related businesses, as well as grants from the City of Santa Barbara and the County of Santa Barbara. Annual spending by travelers to the South Coast totals more than $2.24 billion, supporting more than 15,000 jobs and generating more than $82.9 million in yearly tax revenues, according to Future Partners, a tourism market research firm.
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