San Diego Tourism Authority Names New CEO

Veteran Hyatt Hotels executive Daniel Kuperschmid has been named the new president and CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority, effective March 24. He will step into the role that opened up when former head Julie Coker left in December to become president and CEO of New York City Tourism + Conventions.

Kuperschmid, most recently Hyatt's vice president of global asset management, served as area vice president and general manager of the Grand Hyatt San Diego for more than six years, during which he oversaw eight hotels in the Southern California market. Half of those were in the San Diego area.

Kuperschmid's appointment follows a four-month national search led by SearchWide Global and an executive search committee comprised of local leaders.

"Daniel’s experience and leadership will further unite our tourism community and elevate our destination, strengthening San Diego’s position as a world-class destination," said Shawn Dixon, COO of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and chair of the SDTA.

Bringing deep hotel experience

Kuperschmid spent more than three decades in executive roles with Hyatt. In his most recent position he managed a global portfolio of more than 40 hotels. He began his career as a sales manager in New Orleans, before serving as general manager at properties in Arizona, New Mexico and California. Over the course of his career he has driven significant revenue and group sales growth, overseen major renovations, and promoted diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that fostered a more inclusive workplace culture.

"After 30 years with Hyatt, I am incredibly grateful for the experiences and relationships that shaped my career in hospitality and tourism," Kuperschmid said. "Hyatt taught me the power of exceptional service, collaboration and innovation — values I look forward to continuing at the San Diego Tourism Authority. The team at SDTA has done an outstanding job in making San Diego one of the top destinations in the U.S., and I am honored to build upon their efforts."

A long relationship with San Diego tourism

Kuperschmid served as chair of the SDTA board of directors from 2019 to 2023, and was instrumental in the selection of Julie Coker, who led the organization from 2020 to 2024. Along with Coker, he played an important role in guiding the city's tourism industry through the pandemic and recovery.

The city's current tourism numbers are strong, with some 32 million visitors in 2024 contributing a record $14.6 billion in direct spending locally. San Diego ranked third among STR's top 25 U.S. markets in occupancy last year with a 74.3 percent occupancy rate, up 1.1 percent year over year.