Meaghan Ferrigno Named Interim Chief of Destination Canada

Meaghan Ferrigno has a temporary, at least for the moment, promotion to president and CEO of Destination Canada, the destination marketing organization promoting the country north of the border.

Ferrigno’s title is interim and comes as former president and CEO Marsha Walden announces her retirement to spend more time with her family. Ferrigno has been with Destination Canada since 2020, helping usher in the recovery from the pandemic as chief financial officer and chief data and analytics officer.

According to its website, Destination Canada “uses research to drive our evidence-based marketing in nine key geographic leisure source markets: Australia, China, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, United Kingdom, and the United States.”

Toronto and Vancouver recently gained the global spotlight as hosts during the World Cup matches. Calgary, Montreal, and Vancouver have each hosted Olympic Games.

Among Walden’s marquee accomplishments are launching Destination Canada’s 2030 strategy, developing a new global brand platform and go-to-market strategy, introducing the Canadian Tourism Data Collective, creating strategies for investment attraction and destination development, and building foundations for an AI future.

The DMO reports that for every $1 invested in Destination Canada by the federal government, the organization has generated $24 in return for Canadians.

As further proof of the increased demand in Canadian tourism, travel and tourism revenue is projected to increase by 6% and reach $140.9 billion this year, according to the Canadian Tourism Outlook Report, produced by Destination Canada and Tourism Economics.

Last year, Toronto alone welcomed a record 28.2 million visitors, generating an all-time high of $9.1 billion in visitor spending. International arrivals were the city’s fastest-growing segment, rising 8% to 1.4 million visitors. Of course, Canada has a wide array of destinations that appeal to international travelers. Montreal has a distinct European flair; Calgary is home of the annual Stampede rodeo, and Vancouver and Whistler are popular among nature lovers, as is Banff, a luxury destination in the Canadian Rockies.

Ferrigno seeks to expand on that success. In 2025 she was named AI Innovator of the Year at the Women in Artificial Intelligence awards, was recognized as DataIQ’s Top 10 Most Influential People in Data, and was featured in Google’s “A New Era of Innovation” campaign.

Photo Credit: Destination Canada