Evan Smith

TOURISM CHAMPION: Evan Smith has been the CEO and president of Discover Newport since 2005, and in that time he has helped build tourism for the City by the Sea in the offseason, expanded the conference and events market, broadened the cruise ship market and increased visits from international travelers. / PBN FILE PHOTO/ELIZABETH GRAHAM
TOURISM CHAMPION: Evan Smith has been the CEO and president of Discover Newport since 2005, and in that time he has helped build tourism for the City by the Sea in the offseason, expanded the conference and events market, broadened the cruise ship market and increased visits from international travelers. / PBN FILE PHOTO/ELIZABETH GRAHAM

PBN 2021 Leaders & Achievers Awards
Evan Smith | CEO and president, Discover Newport


Evan Smith is convinced he has the best job in America.

Smith has been the CEO and president of the tourism agency Discover Newport since 2005, a job that he says combines a few of his greatest passions. “I love to travel, but I also love to help people travel,” he said.

The travel industry veteran has been helping people visit the City by the Sea since he first joined the organization in 1990 as vice president of marketing. Now as Discover Newport’s top executive, he leads a 10-person staff that promotes destinations and upcoming events in Newport and Bristol counties, and he maintains close ties with cultural institutions, businesses and government leaders. Prior to joining Discover Newport, Smith worked as the manager for the Water’s Edge Resort & Spa in Westbrook, Conn.

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Smith grew up in New York and majored in geology at the State University of New York at Geneseo – but he said he fell in love with Rhode Island. “I’ll put my passion up for where I live with anybody,” he said.

During his tenure at Discover Newport, Smith has helped build tourism in the offseason, expanded the conference and corporate events market, broadened the cruise ship market and increased visits from international travelers – at least before COVID-19 hit in March 2020.

The pandemic has presented massive challenges for tourism, as many travelers from outside the region stayed home. At one point, Smith was forced to reduce his staff in a bid for survival. Now he has seen tourism improving. Summer 2021 has been busier than anticipated.

“What we learned, and what unfolded, was there was actually a very large number of people who wanted to migrate away from metropolitan areas, to resort areas … and get out of cities,” he said.

Smith is still working to give more people reasons to travel. “It’s my greatest hope that … people’s love for travel will be fully restored,” he said.

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