Visit Baltimore presents $8.8 million FY26 budget, announces interim CEO and plans expanded marketing to highlight drop in violent crime

Visit Baltimore outlined an $8.8 million operating budget for fiscal 2026 and outlined marketing and sales priorities aimed at increasing overnight stays, convention business and visitor spending.

Al Hutchinson, president and CEO, told the council that Visit Baltimore will focus on three priorities in 2026: expanding storytelling about the city’s arts and culture, attracting new conventions and working with the Baltimore Convention Center Task Force on governance and modernization plans. Hutchinson said the organization measures success by total visitors and hotel-tax revenue, and cited 27,500,000 visitors in 2024 and a hotel-tax split set by state law in which the city receives 60% and Visit Baltimore receives 40%.

Hutchinson announced he will step down June 30 and that the Visit Baltimore board appointed Kareem Swinton, the organization’s vice president of sales and customer experience, as interim president and CEO effective July 1. Hutchinson said he will assist with succession planning.

Council members pressed Visit Baltimore for a coordinated communications plan to publicize recent declines in violent crime. Council President Cohen noted the city recorded its lowest monthly homicide count since tracking began in 1970 and asked for a strategic messaging campaign to change national perceptions. Hutchinson and Swinton said Visit Baltimore is already using public-safety data in sales outreach, has federal ARPA funds to support a regional campaign and will develop the campaign in coordination with the council, the mayor’s office and regional partners such as the Greater Baltimore Committee.

Kareem Swinton described tactical steps his 13-person sales team will take, including bringing small-business owners and local creators on marketing trips to testify about the city; working with a safety and security alliance and the Baltimore Police Department to improve customer confidence for conventions; and convening a customer advisory board June 16–18 to refine campaign messaging. Hutchinson and Swinton said Visit Baltimore regularly uses local social creators and compensates them as part of an ambassador program and pointed to the 2019 rebrand, which relied on community storytellers.

Council members also raised specific operational questions. Council Member Blanchard, whose district includes the Inner Harbor visitor center, asked about plans for that city-owned building; Hutchinson said visitor foot traffic has fallen and that Visit Baltimore is exploring alternative uses with MCB Real Estate as part of Inner Harbor reinvigoration. Councilman Glover asked about a COVID-era loan; Hutchinson said a roughly $2.7 million payment is the final payment and will be paid in FY26, allowing Visit Baltimore’s operating budget to move closer to pre-pandemic levels.

Hutchinson told the council Visit Baltimore uses commercial analytics tools (Placer.ai) and has a data specialist on staff to track where visitors come from and how long they stay. He also said the agency won earned-media placements, including coverage to appear in Travel + Leisure, and plans a broader regional advertising push to reach five surrounding counties.

The council requested that Visit Baltimore bring a draft communications plan to the committee during the budget hearings so members can review and provide input. The hearing recessed with the Visit Baltimore team thanked for its presentation.