KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Following an extensive nationwide search, Visit KC is proud to announce the appointment of Brett Oetting as the organization’s first-ever Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective November 11, 2024. Oetting brings 24 years of hospitality and tourism experience to his new role, where he will provide executive leadership, helping to shape and execute strategic initiatives that will continue to elevate Kansas City’s global reputation.
“With Kansas City currently experiencing an unprecedented time of growth and opportunity, now was the perfect time for the Visit KC leadership team to expand and begin building towards the future of tourism in Kansas City,” said Kathy Nelson, President and CEO of Visit KC. “In his position as COO, Brett’s expertise will be critical to developing programs to increase leisure travel as well as a coordinated approach to attracting meetings, conventions and sports events to the destination.”
A highly respected leader in the tourism industry, Oetting joins Visit KC from Visit Corpus Christi, where he served as CEO of the Texas-based tourism organization. Under his leadership, the destination earned several accolades, including being one of only 30 destinations worldwide to achieve Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP) with Distinction, the creation of the Corpus Christi Tourism Public Improvement District, and recognition as the Texas Association of CVB’s 2022 Destination Management Organization (DMO) of the Year.
A Kansas native, Oetting holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Bethany College. He also holds the Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) credential through Destinations International, the highest individual educational achievement in the tourism industry, and currently serves as Board Chair of the CDME program. Additionally, he is actively involved at the international level, serving on the boards of both Destinations International and the U.S. Travel Association.
Before his tenure at Visit Corpus Christi, Oetting was the CEO of Visit Topeka, where he played an integral role in the recent growth of Kansas’s state capital. He is also a past national award winner in both the restaurant and hotel industries.
“My love for all things Kansas City runs deep, and I truly believe KC is the best destination in the country,” said Oetting. “As Kansas City continues to gain international recognition, I couldn’t be more excited to return to the Midwest and help lead the Visit KC team as we build on the momentum that has ignited global passion for KC. I look forward to leveraging my experience and passion to help drive visitation and position Kansas City as a premier travel destination and meetings hub.”
In the new COO role, Oetting will work in collaboration with Nelson to lead the Visit KC team, providing strategic leadership and fostering a high-performing, collaborative team culture. The COO position will also be responsible for shaping and implementing new initiatives to help redefine and grow the tourism and convention industry in Kansas City.
About Visit KC
Headquartered in Downtown Kansas City, Visit KC is the chief hospitality sales and marketing organization for the region. With a mission of creating global passion for Kansas City, Visit KC collaborates with nearly 1,000 community partners to drive the marketing, sales and service of the destination’s convention and tourism industry—a sector that supports more than 128,000 local jobs. For more information about Kansas City, go to VisitKC.com.
