California Poaches NYC’s Tourism Chief Ahead of 2028 Olympics

Visit California has named Julie Coker, head of New York City Tourism + Conventions, as its next president and CEO, effective October 1.

Coker is stepping in as California, along with many other states, contends with sluggish inbound travel from international visitors. Overseas visits fell 5% last year while visits from Canada plunged 20%, according to a May report from Tourism Economics prepared for Visit California.

The wildfires that swept through the Los Angeles area earlier this year dealt a blow to California's tourism image. And while California’s visitor volume is forecast to rise 1.5% this year, the May