Stacy Ritter to Lead Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB

June 15, 2016
Stacy Ritter

Ritter

As Stacy Ritter takes the helm as the new president and CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, the long-time Broward County resident and former county commissioner is setting an agenda filled with big goals and plans, including a long-term vision to elevate the destination into one of the premier travel attractions in the country.

“With our beautiful beaches and natural beauty, combined with an economic boom driving upscale and luxury development, Greater Fort Lauderdale is among the country’s very top travel spots,” said Ritter. “I look forward to working side by side with our hospitality partners to create a compelling brand premise and promise to assure strong success and growth as we enter into 2017 and beyond.”

Greater Fort Lauderdale is in the midst of an unprecedented economic development boom with an influx of affluent visitors driving $1 billion+ in new hotel and condo investment in the destination, leading to a record-breaking 15.4 million tourists spending $ 14.2 billion annually. The destination has set a goal of 16 million visitors in 2017.

In her new role, Ritter, who officially became head of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Bureau on June 5, takes on a robust 45-person organization with a $24 million operating budget, providing sales and marketing development that spans leisure, international, sports and convention and group sales, multicultural and LGBTQ development, film and entertainment as well as national and international advertising and public relations.

Ritter’s mandate is to improve the appeal of the destination’s diverse travel and tourism industry, advocate on the local, national and international tourism scene, and provide strong leadership in guiding the Broward County Convention Center master plan expansion.

Based on her time as a Broward County Commissioner and the Broward County Tourism Development Council, Ritter is well placed to lead the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau into a new era with her diverse experiences, relationships and deep interest and involvement in the destination’s hospitality industry.

Before she was elected to the Broward County Commission in November of 2006 — and as mayor in 2008 — Ritter served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1996 to 2004, representing the 96th District, until the end of mandated term limits.

As mayor, she was instrumental in pushing for improvements at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, including the expansion of the south runway, which in turn is attracting new airline service and stimulating record-breaking passenger traffic.

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