CORNING, NY – The Steuben County Conference & Visitors Bureau, the county’s official Destination Marketing Organization, lands a Finger Lakes native as it’s new leader. Kevin Costello, who grew up in Skaneateles, has returned to the region as President of the Steuben County CVB. In his previous position, Kevin served as Director of Economic Development and Tourism for the Town of Abingdon, Virginia.
“Even though I left in the mid-1980s,” says Kevin, “if asked where I called home the answer has always been the Finger Lakes of New York. Having spent the past couple decades south of the Mason-Dixon line, I have missed the great food, the sheer beauty of the Finger Lakes, and the true sense of community.”
With degrees in Travel Management and in Tourism Management, plus extensive experience with some of the top businesses in the hospitality industry—like Hyatt, Marriott and Disney—Kevin’s entire career has been in the hospitality and tourism industry.
In his previous position, Kevin developed several award-winning programs such as the Wine Trail of Botetourt County, the Upper James River Water Trail, the Abingdon Music Experience and Rooted in Appalachia. Under Kevin’s leadership, the Abingdon Convention and Visitors Bureau was awarded the Tourism Office of the Year by Southeast Tourism Society in 2014.
When asked why he decided to leave his position in Abingdon and return to the Finger Lakes region as the CVB President, Kevin replied: “I wanted to take on a role where I could be a leader and use the experience I have gained in tourism product development and tourism marketing to help make a difference in a destination. I also wanted to make sure my children would have a better educational opportunity and quality of life. Corning and the Southern Finger Lakes present both of those opportunities for my family and I and the decision to leave Virginia behind was the right choice.”
