Chris Thompson

Chris Thompson is President and Chief Executive Officer for VISIT FLORIDA®.  In this role, Mr. Thompson leads the state’s destination marketing organization in partnership with the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors, the Florida Commission on Tourism and the statewide tourism industry.

Mr. Thompson has over thirty years of professional experience including twenty seven years in tourism at the state and local levels.  His tourism career began with the Division of Tourism in the former Florida Department of Commerce in April 1983, and was appointed Bureau Chief over Domestic Tourism in April 1986.  In November 1988 he was appointed the first Executive Director of the Leon County Tourist Development Council adding the position of President and CEO of the Tallahassee Area Convention and Visitors Bureau in April 1991.

In August 1995, Mr. Thompson founded MarketServe, Inc., a professional management, marketing and planning services company based in Tallahassee, Florida.

Mr. Thompson joined VISIT FLORIDA in December 1997 as Senior Vice President Partner Development and was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in May 2003.  He was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer in May 2009.

In 2009, Mr. Thompson was named one of the “Top Twenty Five Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales & Marketing” by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International.

Mr. Thompson has served on numerous national, regional, state and local trade associations and organizations and is currently active in service as:

·      Board of Directors Member, Executive Committee Member, Policy Council Member, Travel Promotion Act Implementation Task Force Member and International Advisory Council:  US Travel Association

·      Member, Travel and Tourism Advisory Council for the Miami Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta;

·      Board of Directors Member, Travel South USA

·      Board of Directors Member and Policy Council Member: Southeast Tourism Society;

·      Board of Directors Member, Florida Sports Foundation;

·      Member, Florida Film and Entertainment Advisory Council;

·      Member, Destination Marketing Association International;

·      Member, Association of Travel Marketing Executives; and

·      Member, International SKAL.

In 1980, Mr. Thompson received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida.