Anna Marie Presutti - President & CEO, San Francisco Travel Association

Send us Fan MailSan Francisco has been called everything from a cautionary tale to a comeback story, but the truth is more practical and more interesting: you have to get people back into the city so they can judge it with their own eyes. We talk with Anna Marie Presutti, President and CEO of the San Francisco Travel Association and the first woman to lead the organization in its long history, about how tourism recovery really happens and what leadership looks like when you’re balancing business goals, civic expectations, public pressure, and nonstop headlines.Anna Marie shares the origin of her leadership style through an unexpected start at Walt Disney World, where she learned that culture is built in the details and trust is earned through consistency. We dig into “surprise and delight” as a real hospitality strategy, the discipline of delivering great guest experiences even on hard days, and career advice for anyone trying to grow in hospitality, tourism, sales, or city leadership.We also get specific about the post-pandemic shifts that still ripple through downtowns: remote work, community loss, and why being present matters for mentorship and decision-making. From major events that put San Francisco back in living rooms worldwide to partnerships that bring convention planners in for site inspections, the episode breaks down destination marketing organization tactics, convention booking realities, and the economics behind hotel occupancy tax and city recovery. We close with clear leadership principles, including when to listen, when to stop talking, and how to lead without fear of being wrong.If you care about San Francisco travel, tourism strategy, hospitality leadership, and how great cities reinvent themselves, hit follow, share this conversation with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.📌 ABOUT OUR GUEST:  🔹 Name: Anna Marie Presutti🔹 Title: President & CEO, San Francisco Travel Association🔹 Guests Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-marie-presutti-261b1a7/Support the show🎧 New episodes every Month. (Dark in July & December)🎓 Powered by California Leaders Workshops – advancing leadership through immersive learning experiences.🌐 Learn more at: https://www.californialeaders.com/workshopsLet’s build a city of leaders — one story at a time.🌟 SUPPORT THE PODCAST  Want to sponsor a future episode or provide gifts for our guests?  👉 Email [email protected]🔗 CONNECT WITH CALIFORNIA LEADERS 🎙️ Host: Christopher Luna 🌐 Website: https://www.californialeaders.com/📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caleadersofficial/💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/californialeaders/🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/caleadersx📧 Email: [email protected]🔔 Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more inspiring stories from leaders shaping California and beyond.#CaliforniaLeaders #CaliforniaLeadersPodcast #Networking #CaliforniaBusiness #PodcastInterview #Entrepreneurship #LeadershipDevelopment #BeyondNetworking #ChristopherLunaLeading California Leaders - Real stories. Real leaders. Real impact.