Cleo Battle leads a team dedicated to driving more people to come to visit the city of Louisville. Louisville Tourism offers excellent resources on the many exciting things Louisville has to offer a potential tourist.

He became President and CEO of Louisville Tourism in July 2021. Before becoming President, Battle worked in the hospitality industry for nearly 35 years including as Vice President of Sales & Services of the Richmond Convention & Visitors Bureau in Richmond, VA. He held the positions of Director of Sales and Sales Manager at the Richmond CVB.

As President and CEO, Battle focuses on rolling out new diversity initiatives in Louisville’s hospitality industry, including heading a Black Tourism Advisory Council in June designed to help Louisville Tourism curate and properly tell stories of Black Louisville.

Battle is a graduate of Metropolitan State University and earned his Masters of Business Administration from Averett University in Virginia. He is both a Certified Destination Management Executive and Certified Association Sales Executive. He is heavily involved in the community serving on the Meeting Planners International Board of Directors, Kentucky Derby Museum Board of Directors, Louisville Sports Commission Executive Board, LRAA Board, Louisville Zoo Foundation Board, and Board Member for Northeast YMCA of Louisville.

For more about him and the work of Louisville Tourism, visit gotolouisville.com.