Title: Executive Director
Workplace: Southern Delaware Tourism
Alma Mater: University of Maryland
Boards: Sussex Economic Development Action Committee (SEDAC), Delaware Botanic Gardens, Fort Miles Museum, Nanticoke Heritage Byway
Best advice for your younger self? “Take on jobs and opportunities that fit doing what you enjoy.”
Every year, Delaware’s beaches draw scores of visitors and the season grows. For the past 16 years, Southern Delaware Tourism Executive Director Scott Thomas has worked to lift the image not only of Delaware’s coastal towns, but also attractions in Western Sussex County like the Nanticoke River and the Delaware Botanic Gardens. During his tenure, Thomas has worked with several advertising campaigns, notably the “Welcome Back” campaign to draw people back to the beach in 2020. Tourism is a $2.7 billion industry in Sussex County and supports 23,000 jobs, and Thomas collaborates with several businesses and hoteliers to continue to keep the industry strong. Right now, he is working to develop the “Culinary Coast” reputation that shines a light on farm-to-table and rock star chefs in the county.
