PENSACOLA, Fla.—Visit Pensacola has appointed Tony Lyle as its next president and CEO, effective Oct. 26. Lyle brings more than 25 years of experience in destination marketing and tourism leadership to the northwest Florida organization.
Lyle joins Visit Pensacola from Visit Galveston (Texas), where he served as executive director for three years. Throughout his career, he has held senior leadership positions at destination marketing organizations, overseeing multimillion-dollar public tourism budgets, teams, boards, and strategic initiatives. His experience spans coastal and Gulf Coast destinations, leisure and group travel, sports tourism, international travel trade, brand development, digital transformation, and research-driven destination strategies. He also has extensive experience in public tourism funding, fiscal oversight, and transparency.
“We are thrilled to have selected Tony Lyle as our new president and CEO,” says Visit Pensacola board chairman Sterling Gilliam. “His experience leading exceptional organizations makes him a great fit for the Visit Pensacola team, which is already performing at an impressive level. There is a tremendous opportunity ahead for northwest Florida.”
Lyle brings a listen-first leadership approach and a reputation for fostering collaboration among tourism professionals, community stakeholders, boards, and elected officials. His previous work has included increasing group and off-peak visitation, developing sports tourism programs, strengthening international travel trade partnerships, and leading digital and emerging technology strategies.
Lyle earned a Bachelor of Education in Outdoor and Science Education from Liverpool John Moores University in Liverpool, England.
“I’m honored to join Visit Pensacola and become part of a community with such a strong sense of place and a compelling story to tell,” Lyle says. “The most successful destinations are built through collaboration, trust, and a shared vision for the future. I’m looking forward to listening and learning from our tourism partners, community leaders, and residents, and working together to build on Pensacola’s momentum while creating new opportunities for visitation and meaningful economic impact for Escambia County.”
Lyle is scheduled to speak at Visit Pensacola’s annual meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 28. The luncheon, themed “Celebrating Our Impact. Building Our Future,” will bring the community together to recognize the destination’s tourism efforts and look ahead to future opportunities.
Community members and media representatives are also invited to meet Lyle at Visit Pensacola’s board meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 3 p.m. at the Bowden Building.
