David Goldstein
President and Chief Executive Officer
Bio:
For over three decades, David Goldstein has been dedicated to building bridges between the public and private sector to increase the global competitiveness of Canadian business.
Appointed CEO of Travel Alberta in 2021, David spearheaded the province’s post-pandemic tourism recovery strategy, achieving the fastest post-pandemic sector recovery in Canada and accelerating the long-term growth of the sector through the innovative Bootstrap Plan.
From June 2023 to March 2026, he was named Deputy Minister of Tourism & Sport with the Government of Alberta, bringing private-sector and tourism expertise to the government. He drove the development of Higher Ground: A Tourism Sector Strategy, with the ambitious goal to more than double annual visitor spend in the province to $25 billion by 2035. His leadership is central to unlocking the full potential of the $12.7 billion sector, which supports over 260,000 jobs across the province.
A respected strategist and collaborator, he is committed to advancing sustainable growth across Alberta’s tourism and sport sectors and growing the destination’s presence at home and around the world.
Prior to Travel Alberta, David held senior leadership roles across Canada’s tourism and media sectors. As President and CEO of Destination Canada (2014–2019), he led the development of the Federal Tourism Strategy, accelerated the modernization of aviation and visa policies, and launched the globally coordinated NorthStar 22 strategy. He previously served as President and CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (2010-2014), championing national tourism priorities and driving growth in the sector.
Fluently bilingual, David holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from Glendon College. A graduate of the Institute for Corporate Governance (ICD), David is an acknowledged expert in Crown Agency governance and regularly guest lectures as part of the ICD program at the University of Calgary.
For his service to the sector and to the community, David has been honoured with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012), the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal (2023), and the King’s Coronation Medal (2025).