CEO of Explore Waterloo
Michele Saran BIO
As CEO of Explore Waterloo Region, Michele Saran is focused on establishing strong relationships with industry stakeholders, making research-based decisions, and leveraging local, regional, and national partnership opportunities to support and grow the region’s tourism economy.
Prior to joining Explore Waterloo Region in January 2022, Michele was CEO of Tourism Nova Scotia where she led the development of its export-focused strategic plan Driving Export Revenue and led her team to several national awards for exceptional work in product development and media relations. Nova Scotia enjoyed its highest numbers ever in terms of revenue and visitation. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Michele’s leadership helped Tourism Nova Scotia navigate unprecedented upheaval and change in the tourism industry at the local, national, and global level. In less than eight months, Tourism Nova Scotia conducted extensive research, created and launched new marketing campaigns in new target markets, developed a number of new industry development and support programs, and provided real-time public health guideline updates—all aimed at helping Nova Scotia’s tourism industry pivot and adapt in an ever-changing travel landscape.
Michele has almost 30 years of sales and leadership experience in the tourism industry. Prior to taking the helm at Explore Waterloo Region, she served over 5 years as CEO of Tourism Nova Scotia and prior to that, 7 years as the Executive Director of Business Events Canada, a specialized unit of Destination Canada, where she oversaw the development of a new brand identity and implemented a strategy that aligned with Canada’s private-sector trade and investment growth priorities. Previously, she was Director of Incentive Sales Development for 11 years in Chicago where she was responsible for attracting international tourism to Canada and driving private-sector growth. Her background also includes sales positions with Tourism Toronto, Schenker International and several major hotel chains.
Michele holds a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Ryerson University and a Certificate in Marketing from Queen’s University Executive Leadership program. She has sat on several boards and is an active volunteer.