Destinations International Appoints Sharon Houghton as Chief Revenue Officer
Seasoned revenue and partnership leader to drive growth, innovation and member value
POTOMAC FALLS, Va., U.S. (Jan. 8, 2026) – Destinations International (DI), the world’s leading resource for destination organizations, today announced the appointment of Sharon Houghton as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), a newly elevated executive leadership role focused on driving sustainable revenue growth and advancing DI’s global impact.
As Chief Revenue Officer, Houghton will lead revenue-focused strategies across DI’s products and tools portfolio and partnerships to ensure offerings generate both meaningful member value and long-term financial sustainability. She will work closely with internal teams and industry partners to strengthen DI’s value proposition, scale innovative offerings and align revenue strategies with the evolving needs of destination organizations worldwide.
Houghton is a dynamic sales and revenue operations leader with a proven track record of delivering double-digit revenue growth, securing multimillion-dollar partnerships with globally recognized brands and leveraging data and technology to drive strategic decision-making. She brings deep experience across the travel, media and events sectors, with particular expertise in destination and DMO partnerships, multi-stakeholder programs and scalable revenue generation.
Most recently, Houghton founded Rev-Engine, a specialized consulting firm focused on accelerating revenue growth through revenue operations, sales strategy and go-to-market optimization. She also served in senior revenue leadership roles at Outside Inc., where she led a $100 million commercial portfolio, grew the travel vertical threefold, launched high-profile destination partnerships and events, and led regular double-digit sales growth via strategic acquisitions and organic expansion. Throughout her career, Houghton has consistently built high-performing teams, delivered revenue solutions and fostered cross-functional collaboration rooted in respect, ethics and inclusion.
Don Welsh, president & CEO of Destinations International, welcomed Houghton to the organization, saying, “Sharon’s leadership, growth mindset and deep experience building innovative partnerships will be instrumental as Destinations International continues to expand its offerings and strengthen the value we deliver to our members and partners. Her ability to align revenue strategy with mission-driven impact makes her an exceptional addition to our executive team.”
Tim Smith is a strategic communications leader with over 20 years of experience across government, industry, agency, and association sectors. He has held senior roles at Delaware North, APCO Worldwide, and Edelman, and served abroad as a U.S. diplomat promoting trade and investment. As Vice President of Communications, he leads strategy to elevate brand, support the association’s mission, and engage global stakeholders. Tim is active in civic and professional organizations and has served on multiple boards. He lives outside Buffalo, New York, with his wife and has three grown children.