Travel Tacoma + Pierce County promoted Claire Vilk to a new role as Partner Relations Manager.

In this new role, Vilk will work with Travel Tacoma’s active Partners to help them take advantage of the benefits offered by the team’s marketing and sales efforts promoting Pierce County tourism.

“This new position, coupled with Claire’s talents, allow us to truly cultivate our strong individual relationships with our partners,” said President and CEO Bennish Brown. “This is critical at a time when the destination is ripe for new business because of the national and international attention Tacoma and Pierce County have garnered. We want to make sure local businesses are seizing the opportunities tourism offers.”

Vilk’s employment experience in customer service and as a sales associate, and her nearly two years of working with Travel Tacoma as Executive Assistant, make her a perfect fit for this new role.

The Partner Relations Manager position, will work complementary to the role of Business Development Manager, held by Melinda Lowe, and will report directly to the CEO.

In 2014, tourism became a $1 billion industry in Pierce County, and is expected to exceed that in 2015.