Kelly Miller, chief executive of Visit Huntington Beach, will retire from his post on Oct. 15 after 12 years at the tourism marketing organization.
Under Miller’s leadership, Visit Huntington Beach (VHB) helped drive the city and its hotels to reach record visitation and performance metrics such as a 90.1% occupancy rate in July 2018 and $349.78 revenue per available room (RevPAR) in July 2023.
The organization, which promotes and partners with the city’s collection of hotels, restaurants and visitor sites to attract business, said it saw annual group hotel bookings grow from approximately 10,000 room nights a year to more than 85,000 yearly during Miller’s tenure.
“Having served on the VHB Board throughout Kelly’s entire tenure as President & CEO, I’ve witnessed his unwavering dedication to doing what’s right for our community and the tourism industry,” former world championship surfer and board member Peter “PT” Townend said in a statement.
Miller also helped Visit Huntington Beach gain a 10-year funding agreement with the city.
“VHB is in a strong position moving forward, with an exceptional team and a bold vision for the future. I’m committed to working with the VHB Board of Directors to ensure a seamless transition and continued momentum,” Miller said.
