Charlottesville, Va., March 28, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For more than nine years, Kurt Burkhart has been at the helm of local tourism as the Executive Director of the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau (CACVB). Today, he announced his retirement from the CACVB, effective May 1, 2018.
“I remember first visiting the City of Charlottesville Albemarle area in the fall of 2009 and how much I fell in love with this place. It’s an incredible destination, and I thank both localities for providing me with the opportunity of a lifetime to lead their destination marketing efforts,” said Burkhart. “The warmth of this community is awesome, and I truly value the many wonderful friendships that I’ve made along the way. I have found no other community in my destination marketing career that has such a diverse array of partners, all working to support each other and the community at-large. I became passionate with the ‘Land of Jefferson,” always enjoying my time at our UNESCO World Heritage Site created by Thomas Jefferson – Monticello and the Academical Village at the University of Virginia.”
Burkhart further reflected by saying, “I got to witness and be part of the ever-expanding lodging industry, with three new hotels to open next month, and more ahead. The Paramount, John Paul Jones Arena, Fridays After Five, and many other local venues have provided me and my family with countless hours of entertainment fun; nothing like it! And I am especially proud of how we were able to step up our game by supporting our Signature Events – Virginia Film Festival, Virginia Festival of the Book, Heritage Harvest Festival of Monticello – and to do the same with so many other festivals, special events and arts initiatives. I’ve been a part of the growing agribusiness scene locally, and I have enjoyed seeing our local wines and craft beers bring home awards. Being here, working with the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport during its runway and terminal expansion projects, and witnessing increased direct flights in and out of the area is something that few regional airports can boast. Most of all, I am proud of the record and work accomplished under my watch, as I have had the good fortune of working with a team of highly professional colleagues.”
“Kurt has been a wonderful tourism ambassador for the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County,” CACVB Board of Directors Chairman Anthony P. de Bruyn said. “On behalf of the CACVB Board, I want to express our sincere gratitude for his years of service and dedication to our communities, and we wish him well in his future endeavors.”
In addition to his work with the local tourism bureau, Burkhart has served as a board member of the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association and the Virginia Association of Convention & Visitor Bureaus, and he currently sits on the Professional Development Committee for Destinations International. He previously served as Special Assistant for Tourism and Trade to the governor of the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, followed by tourism directorships in Flagstaff, Arizona and Carlsbad, California.
“Leaving when you’re at the top of your game is something I’ve wanted to do, and this opportunity to retire gives me just that,” said Burkhart.
A search for a new executive director of the bureau will begin soon.
About the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau (CACVB)
In addition to serving as the global resource for marketing the tourism assets of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Virginia, through www.visitcharlottesville.org, the CACVB assists tour operators, meeting planners, reunions and other groups in planning visits to the destination. CACVB’s mission is “to enhance the economic prosperity of City and County by promoting, selling and marketing the City of Charlottesville and County of Albemarle, as a destination, in pursuit of the meetings and tourism markets.”
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