Rita D. McClenny serves as president and CEO of the Virginia Tourism Corporation, a state agency charged with marketing the Commonwealth as a premier travel destination and film location. The mission of VTC is to expand domestic and international in-bound travel and motion picture production to generate revenue and employment in Virginia.

A native Virginian, Ms. McClenny received a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Fisk University. She was born and raised in Southampton County and presently resides in the City of Richmond.

As president and CEO, Ms. McClenny serves on the boards of directors for the U.S. Travel Association, the National Council of State Tourism Directors, the Aerospace Advisory Council, the Society of International Business Fellows, the Southwest Virginia Cultural Heritage Foundation, the Virginia Film Festival, the African American Cultural Resources Task Force, and Venture Richmond. In addition, Ms. McClenny is involved in volunteer outreach and community organizations serving the Commonwealth.

Tourism and film are instant revenue generators for Virginia. In 2020, tourism in Virginia generated $17.5 billion in direct spending, supported 171,000 jobs, and provided $1.4 billion in state and local taxes. 1 out of every 20 nonfarm jobs in Virginia is directly supported by tourism. Virginia’s travel and tourism industry contributed 3.1% to the total GDP of the commonwealth in 2020.