Claudia Ludlow and Marco Tabet were appointed as interim chair and interim vice chair of Discover Coronado, the city’s tourism marketing organization. They both have extensive experience in hospitality and with Coronado’s tourism industry. They will serve in the role temporarily until June 30, 2026.
Ludlow previously served as vice chair from 2013-2014 and chair from 2014-2018. She is the manager of the Glorietta Bay Inn and has a deep history with Coronado.
This story came from notes taken by Taylor Rau, a San Diego Documenter, at a Discover Coronado meeting this month. The Documenters program trains and pays community members to document what happens at public meetings. It’s run by inewsource, a nonpartisan nonprofit newsroom dedicated to investigative and accountability journalism. Read more about the program here.
“My family has been here since 1919,” she said. Her first job was at the Hotel del Coronado at 18 years old, and she has worked in hospitality for more than three decades. “My grandfather fought in the Spanish-American War. I’m Black and Mexican and about two years ago they designated Black History in the City of Coronado on Feb. 2, and my family was a part of that story.”
Ludlow describes herself as someone who runs nonstop. She also serves on the board of the Coronado Chamber of Commerce, is an honorary Optimist Club of Coronado member and walked in the annual holiday parade on Dec. 5.
“It’s always a balancing act to run a hotel at the same time as overseeing an organization, but our executive director, Todd Little, is wonderful at what he does,” she said. “I’m just excited to help out in any way I can.”
Because the organization is in its mid-year budget cycle, Ludlow said her focus will be on keeping operations running smoothly, including setting agendas and facilitating meetings.
“Ultimately, the board makes the decisions,” she said.
Ludlow said Discover Coronado’s goal is to keep hotel beds filled. If one hotel reaches capacity, the organization works to help fill another through collaborating with Little and his marketing team. Higher occupancy generates more revenue and increases the city’s transient occupancy tax, or TOT, which hotels collect and remit to the city, according to Ludlow.
Marco Tabet was appointed as interim vice chair on Dec. 4 and will serve through June 30, 2026. The board is expected to elect officers for fiscal year 2027 this spring.
Tabet is currently the general manager of the Hotel del Coronado and has more than 20 years of experience in hospitality, working in 10 countries, including Mexico. Prior to joining the Hotel del Coronado, he served for six years as general manager of the Conrad Punta de Mita in Nayarit, Mexico. He has also held general manager and leadership positions at Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort, Hilton Lima Miraflores in Peru and the Waldorf Astoria Panama.
As interim vice chair, Tabet said the role functions as a “right-hand person,” ready to step in when needed.
“Every board member of Discover Coronado is focused on efforts that attract groups and guests to our resorts and local businesses,” Tabet said in an email. “With the challenging economy, the work is even more important. I hope all the experiences I’ve collected around the world have prepared me to make a positive impact here.”
