Tourism executive Anthony Cordo has been appointed president and chief executive of Visit Greensboro (officially called the Greensboro/Guilford County Tourism Development Authority). He will officially start the role on 14 July.
Cordo most recently served as executive vice-president of Visit Lauderdale in Broward County, Florida. He also led tourism organisations in Maryland and Texas. Recently, Cordo was named the Community Partner of the Year by the Hollywood (Florida) Chamber of Commerce. He is a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) – an Events Industry Council certification for organisers.
Greensboro is a city within Guilford County, North Carolina, and is also its county seat. Over half the population of Guilford County live in Greensboro.
“We’ll continue to grow our meetings and other tourism verticals”
“My goal is to build on the great work already accomplished,” Cordo said. “We’ll … continue to grow our meetings, sports and other tourism verticals, which deliver solid job opportunities and pay to residents,”
Kelly Harrill, the chairman of the authority’s board, said Cordo was chosen primarily for his experience in a major market, as well as “his forward-looking nature and polished skill set (that) will serve our hospitality community well for years to come”.
Sports events are Greenboro’s largest segment
Cordo succeeds Henri Fourrier, who retired Monday after leading the group since December 1996. Under Fourrier, the organisation made youth and adult sports events a priority.
“We recognised the opportunity and began hosting events during the summer. That has since become our largest market segment,” Fourrier said in January when he announced his retirement plans.
Travel and tourism generated nearly $1.7bn in Guilford during 2023, employing more than 11,000 people, according to a study by Tourism Economics for Visit N.C. This is against North Carolina’s overall tourism economy, valued at $35.6bn 2023.
“Greensboro and Guilford County as a whole are fantastic places to call home, and I look forward to becoming part of a community that’s on the rise,” Cordo said.
Among Cordo’s first initiatives will be a listening tour to engage local stakeholders and community leaders. “There are a lot of great attractions in Greensboro, and the growing live-music scene in Greensboro particularly excites me,” he said. “My vision is to see the day that Greensboro is known internationally as America’s vibrant, authentic, genuine destination.”
The appointment comes as North Carolina maintains its position as the fifth most visited state in the US, behind California, Florida, Texas and New York.
