Why he’s leaving this job bringing millions of visitors, billions of dollars to Columbus

Whether it was the millions of visitors or the billions of dollars they spent in the Columbus area during the past three decades, Peter Bowden probably had something to do with it.

Bowden plans to retire Dec. 31 after 29 years working for the city’s convention and visitors bureau, VisitColumbusGA , including the past 21 years as president and CEO.

After rebuilding the organization following the COVID-19 pandemic, Bowden figures the timing is right for a leadership transition because his team is back on a successful track.

In fiscal year 2024, Columbus had an estimated 2.07 million visitors travel to the city and spend an estimated $377 million, according to the VisitColumbusGA analysis in partnership with the Butler Center for Business and Economic Research at Columbus State University.

That compares favorably to fiscal year 2019, which had estimates of 2.3 million visitors spending $364 million, then dipped to 1.9 million visitors spending $213 million during the height of the pandemic in fiscal year 2020. To put that in perspective, Columbus had estimates of 896,000 visitors spending $234 million in fiscal year 2004, when Bowden became CEO of VisitColumbusGA.

With a staff of seven associates and an annual budget of $1.8 million, funded by the city’s hotel/motel tax, that’s impressive growth and return on investment.

“I’ve got some great people that I work with, that I’ve been fortunate enough to lead, and we’re also in good financial shape,” Bowden told the Ledger-Enquirer. “The market has rebounded much, much quicker than any of us projected. … So having accomplished those two major goals, I felt like it was just time to say, ‘OK, let’s step back and let new leadership — younger, smarter people — take this organization to the next level.”

Peter Bowden’s servant leadership in Columbus

Bowden often asks his staff, “Did we make a difference today?” and “Are we being relevant?”

Well, ask the folks who know Bowden’s work, and it’s clear whoever becomes the next CEO of VisitColumbusGA will have an excellent legacy of servant leadership to follow. Here’s what some of them told the Ledger-Enquirer about Bowden’s impact:

Lauren Becker, VisitColumbusGA Board of Commissioners chairwoman: “Peter certainly leads by example in his professionalism, and he trusts his team to spread their wings and bring their best on behalf of Columbus. His leadership through the pandemic, and his team’s willingness to tough it out, shows what can be done when you love what you do and enjoy who you do it with.”

Shelby Guest, VisitColumbusGA executive vice president: “I can’t think of anyone else who deserves some time to do things he wants to do because he’s been so focused on making Columbus not only inviting for our visitors, but for the rest of us who live here. … He is not only admired statewide as a leader in the travel and tourism industry, but also in the city as a respected and admired leader at the helm of this organization. And most importantly, he is appreciated, prized, revered, and loved by this staff.”

Ashley Woitena, VisitColumbusGA senior vice president: “Peter’s leadership style is best characterized by his focus on always doing the right thing. He has always challenged our staff to not just come to work and check a box, but to think and have pride in our work. … He consistently prioritizes ‘we’ over ‘I,’ a quality I deeply admire. With that same regard, I’ve observed him in various meetings, ensuring that other organizations are represented and worked to make sure no one was overlooked.”

Joel Slocumb, commissioner of the Columbus Film Office , a VisitColumbusGA department: “His standards are high, so therefore so were ours, but he gave us the tools to do our job. He would ask many times a year, ‘What do you need to do your job better and what can I do to help you?’”

Jerald Mitchell, CEO of the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce : “Peter embodies thoughtful leadership and has made an enormous impact as it relates to presenting experiences for visitors to our community. … Peter’s analytical and soft-spoken leadership style is effective and delivers results.”

Growth of VisitColumbusGA

In 2017, the organization rebranded itself from the Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau to VisitColumbusGA to better describe its mission and be more easily found online.

In 2019, VisitColumbusGA transformed the Camera Ready destination designation it earned in 2010 from the Georgia State Film Office into the Columbus Film Office, helping to bring Hollywood movie productions with budgets ranging from $2.5 million to $10 million to the Columbus area, such as:

• 2019 The Long Night
• 2019 Electric Jesus
• 2021 The Neon Highway
• 2022 Cash Out
• 2024 The Razor’s Edge
• 2024 Thieves Highway .

To save money on rent and utilities, VisitColumbusGA moved in 2022 from its headquarters at 900 Front Ave. to 118 11 ^th St., joining the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce in the renovated former downtown YMCA building.

VisitColumbusGA recently launched its PopUp Visitors Center , a van that travels to area attractions, hotels and events to distribute information and promote the city.

Peter Bowden’s impact on VisitColumbusGA

In 1996, when Columbus hosted the Olympic softball competition , Bowden worked for the Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau as the coordinator responsible for activities celebrating the event beyond the sport, including festivals, entertainment and opening and closing ceremonies.

Bowden’s team produced marketing for the grand openings of Columbus tourist attractions, such as the National Civil War Naval Museum (2001), National Infantry Museum (2009), RushSouth Whitewater Park (2013) and Historic Westville (2016, although closed in 2023).

In 2017, Bowden’s team helped rebrand the Columbus slogan from the 2004 version, “What Progress Has Preserved,” to “We Do Amazing.”

Reflecting on his team’s achievements, Bowden is grateful to play a significant role.

“You can craft the message, tell that story to an out of-town audience and then see the benefit of it,” he said, “whether it’s economic development or whether it’s just watching the numbers or the success of those institutions and organizations go from a ribbon-cutting to what they are today.”