Al Hutchinson, CEO and president of Visit Baltimore, the city’s tourism arm, will step down when his contract expires on June 30, the organization announced Thursday.

Hutchinson, who was hired in 2016, will take on a consultant role as the quasi-governmental agency searches for a new leader, according to a press release. A committee led by Baltimore Convention & Tourism Board Chair Charles Tildon III has been formed to guide the transition.

With Hutchinson at the helm of Visit Baltimore, the city saw more than 27.5 million visitors in 2023, a 2.9% year-over-year increase, per the organization. He also brought the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association basketball tournament to Baltimore from Charlotte, North Carolina, which Visit Baltimore said created $32.5 million in economic impact last year.

“After careful consideration, I’ve decided to step back from full-time executive leadership to focus on other personal interests and opportunities, once my existing contract concludes,” Hutchinson said in a statement.

The Baltimore Banner thanks its sponsors. Become one.

The Richmond native previously told The Banner the role of selling Baltimore as a destination has not always been easy.

“This job in Baltimore has been the most challenging job I’ve had to date. However, it has also been the most rewarding to date,” Hutchinson said in 2022.

Read More

Al Hutchinson is Baltimore’s highest-paid ‘storyteller.’ Supporters say he’s worth every cent.

In the past, some had questioned Hutchinson’s $430,000-plus compensation when the tourism and hospitality sectors had not recovered from the pandemic. While some city officials considered him overpaid, others defended his work.

“Al is to be commended for leading the charge in helping the recovery of our hospitality and tourism efforts as we came out of the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said years back.