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Fueled by his tireless work ethic and contagious enthusiasm, Bi is on a mission to capitalize on the region’s vast potential. Encompassing 59 cities across Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, he sees the Inland Empire’s cultural and geographic diversity as a key strength. Bi brings the unique expertise he’s cultivated throughout his 15-year career in hospitality and tourism to his new role. Among his resume highlights are guiding major brands such as Visit Orlando, Caesars Entertainment, and the Pechanga Resort & Casino to success in the Asia-Pacific market. Read on to learn more about his career path and how the Inland Empire is becoming a destination to watch.
How did you get started in the hospitality industry?
I would like to say hospitality has always been my passion. Before I graduated from UCLA, I spent a semester tasting my way through Europe. My studies took me to explore Salzburg, Vienna, Paris, and Venice, which all ignited my passion for travel, tourism, and hospitality. This opened a door for my debut in tourism and I was recruited by China’s national tourism agency based in Los Angeles. My major responsibility was to secure Chinese inbound meetings and convention travel into first-tier cities throughout the U.S. and curate amazing cross-cultural experiences.
What brought you to the Inland Empire and your current post?
The immediate priority of Discover Inland Empire was to uplift their California rural communities by strengthening tourism within San Bernardino County and Riverside County. Although home to many world-class destinations, attractions, and events, the Inland Empire has yet to receive the recognition it deserves.
My prior experience building international markets for Pechanga Resort & Casino, located in the Inland Empire, inspired me to magnify the hidden gems of the region and rebuild its future. I was selected to move Discover Inland Empire forward based on my extensive entrepreneurial industry experience, particularly with areas poised for significant growth in international markets.
I feel like an artist with a blank canvas. And I am challenging the status quo in an industry that lacks diversity in executive leadership.
How has your background and expertise in the Asia-Pacific markets been an asset throughout your career?
Over the past decade, I built a reputation as a sales and marketing expert in the Asia-Pacific region, having held executive positions at renowned organizations in our industry such as Caesars Entertainment, Pechanga Resort & Casino, and my latest stint at the most visited destination in the U.S., Visit Orlando. My focus was to develop strategies that capitalized on the growing opportunities in Asia. In each role, I guided large transformations to extract synergies from business mergers and acquisitions as well as strategic planning around internationalization.
I am passionate about American tourism brands succeeding as new entrants to the Asia-Pacific marketplace. I have consulted widely with DMOs and tourism stakeholders on issues such as civic engagements within the Asia-Pacific markets.
What is your perspective/prediction for the return of travelers from the Asia-Pacific region as the world emerges from the pandemic?
I challenge my industry partners to shift their focus to proactive destination marketing during these unprecedented times. Targeting the continent of Asia is a broad spectrum, so it’s important for us to examine cultural and behavioral differences in order to capture, retain, and grow in this widely diverse market. According to a recent report from the Boston Consulting Group, by 2030, more than 50% of growth in global travel traffic will come from the region.
My tenure with Discover Inland Empire will include the heavy lifting to attract Asia and other international markets to the region. I believe that some of the strongest American inbound tourism will occur in rural California attracting Asian visitors, and Inland Empire can be the catalyst given our unique outdoor experiences.
What project(s) or challenges have had the biggest influence on you personally and/or professionally?
Every job I have had so far had a huge influence on me. Passion, dedication, and relationships are everything and made me who I am today. I live and breathe tourism. My experiences have led me from one side of the boardroom as a travel planner to the other side as travel supplier. I had zero casino and resort experience; however, I was recruited by the nation’s largest casino group, Caesars Entertainment, and outperformed. I had zero tribal gaming marketing experience; however, I was recruited to build the international market and I was single-handedly successful. I had zero DMO experience; however, I landed with the world’s theme park capital, Orlando. Ultimately, these experiences paved the way for me to be selected as President and CEO of Discover Inland Empire.
What accomplishments are you most proud of?
As the tourism industry grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, I have played a leading role in rebuilding a 33-year-old organization, bringing together a cohesive and diverse group of community leaders, as well as establishing new resources to bring the organization forward through strategic recovery. I have also formed strategic partnerships between Ontario International Airport and Visit California, with many others on the horizon.
Like many DMOs, Discover Inland Empire is prioritizing rebuilding a strong workforce that was lost during the pandemic. We launched the inaugural Discover Inland Empire Travel Academy to educate travel professionals and hospitality students about our region in an effort to stimulate 20% employment growth, which we forecast to result in approximately 17,000 jobs by 2025.
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