CASANDRA MATEJ

PRESIDENT & CEO, VISIT ORLANDO, ORLANDO

Visit Orlando is the tourism association for Orlando, the most visited destination in the U.S. and the No. 1 meeting destination. It’s a trade association that brands, markets and sells the Orlando destination globally, with more than 1,600 member companies, including 40% that are small businesses. It has 160 employees, and Matej has been President and CEO since 2021.

EDUCATION: University of Texas (BS)

FIRST JOB: A lifeguard for a community center, which was a great introduction to the world of hospitality. My first job upon graduation was a coordinator position for Visit Dallas.

DREAM ALTERNATE CAREER: During my first year of college, I thought I was going to be an international translator, even took Russian and Spanish as languages. The idea of being a translator and sitting in a meeting of the United Nations and helping with global priorities always seemed thrilling to me.

SOMETHING SURPRISING: Don’t ask me to go crab a cup of coffee, as most people are surprised to learn that I have never even tasted coffee. However, I am always willing to meet over a glass of wine.

INDUSTRY TREND: AI is transforming how we connect with travelers. From content creation and media optimization to SEO and multilingual translations, we’re already leveraging AI to drive efficiency and engagement. Looking ahead, we’re launching an AI-powered trip planner offering 24/7 support, personalized itineraries and interactive maps in multiple languages.