ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - (May 4, 2016) - The Visit Albuquerque (Visit Albuquerque) announces the hiring of Shawn Buckley as the organization's new Vice President of Marketing, Communications & Tourism.

Buckley's first day at Visit Albuquerque will be Monday, May 9. He will oversee the Marketing, Communications & Tourism division, which is responsible for stimulating economic growth by marketing Albuquerque as a visitor and convention destination. In his role, he will guide Visit Albuquerque's marketing team in creating, implementing and measuring the success of strategic marketing plans and brand building efforts to drive the city's performance as a premier leisure and meetings destination.

"We are very excited about the experience, enthusiasm and energy Shawn will bring to this position," said Visit Albuquerque President & CEO Tania Armenta. "With over 10 years of experience in executive-level sales and marketing capacities-along with his background of working with domestic and international clients in the outdoor and tourism industries-Shawn is an ideal addition to the Visit Albuquerque team."

"When you consider the wealth of natural, historical and cultural amenities that Albuquerque has to offer, you quickly realize that there is no other American city quite like it," said Buckley. "From the exceptional cuisine to the grandeur of the Sandia Mountains-and everything in between connected by the Mother Road herself-Albuquerque has a genuine appeal to every travel interest you can imagine. Coming from a region that is rich in both outdoor recreation and Native American heritage, I'm extremely excited for the opportunity to contribute this experience toward the promotion of Albuquerque as a world-class destination."

Buckley comes to Albuquerque from Sheridan, Wyoming, where he served as Executive Director of Sheridan Travel & Tourism. Prior to Sheridan, he held the positions of National Sales Director for the Brunton Outdoor Group and Director of Sales & Marketing for Eastmans' Publishing, Inc. He has proven experience in all aspects of communication and product strategy-from traditional marketing through digital execution-with an emphasis on business development, market retention and brand ambassadorship.