Daniel Kuperschmid, a 30-year Hyatt Hotels executive, has been named the new president and CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority (SDTA). The STDA Board of Directors appointed Kuperschmid following a four-month national search, and Kuperschmid will assume the new role on March 24.
Kuperschmid began his career in hospitality as a sales manager at Hyatt New Orleans, later serving as general manager for Hyatt properties in Arizona, New Mexico and California before being appointed to area vice president and general manager of the Grand Hyatt San Diego, where he oversaw eight hotels in the Southern California market. In June 2024, Kuperschmid was promoted to vice president of global asset management for Hyatt, where he oversaw a portfolio of 42 hotels.
“After 30 years with Hyatt, I am incredibly grateful for the experiences and relationships that shaped my career in hospitality and tourism,” Kuperschmid said in a press release. “Hyatt taught me the power of exceptional service, collaboration and innovation—values I look forward to continuing at the San Diego Tourism Authority.”
Kuperschmid has also been an active member of San Diego’s travel industry for a number of years, having served as board chair of the SDTA Board of Directors from 2019 to 2023, and was instrumental in selecting Julie Coker as SDTA’s president and CEO, who started her tenure in 2020 before leaving the organization for a new role in December 2024.
Kuperschmid played a vital role in guiding San Diego’s tourism community through the COVID-19 pandemic and its recovery. He has also served on the advisory committee for the Yes for a Better San Diego campaign, supported an expansion of the San Diego Convention Center and served on the San Diego Tourism Marketing District Board of Directors from 2023 to 2024.
“Daniel brings a wealth of expertise in tourism, and is an enthusiastic advocate for our travel industry, understanding its economic impact on San Diego's economy,” said Annie Fitzgerald, SDTA’s vice chair and general manager of the Westgate Hotel in a press release. “His extensive background in marketing and sales, combined with his proven record in building high-performing teams and managing multifaceted operations, positions him perfectly to lead SDTA into its next chapter of success.”
