Salina Area Chamber of Commerce Press Release
Salina, Kan., April 1, 2025
The Salina Area Chamber of Commerce has announced the appointment of Tiffany Benien as the new director of Visit Salina, the city’s convention and visitors bureau. Benien, who has served as Visit Salina’s sports and special events manager since 1995, succeeds Sylvia Rice, who led the organization for 34 years until her passing in April 2024.
Visit Salina is operated by the Chamber and funded through transient guest tax revenue allocated by the City of Salina. In a statement Tuesday, Chamber President Renee Duxler cited Benien’s decades of experience in tourism and destination marketing, as well as her deep connections within the local and regional community, as reasons for her selection.
“Tiffany has such a wealth of knowledge and experience regarding tourism and destination marketing, as well as critical relationships that continue to make Visit Salina a premier convention and visitors bureau throughout the state,” Duxler said. “She also has the passion and drive to continue to elevate how Salina promotes itself, which will be crucial as we move forward with our community marketing initiative.”
Following Rice’s death, Duxler served as acting director of Visit Salina while the Chamber worked with city officials to renegotiate the transient guest tax agreement. The updated agreement, which was approved earlier this year by the Salina City Commission, includes the reallocation of a portion of guest tax revenue to support a broader community marketing initiative. The director search began shortly thereafter.
Benien, a lifelong resident of the Salina area, graduated from Bennington High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a marketing emphasis from Kansas Wesleyan University, where she was a standout athlete in volleyball and softball. Her professional credentials include certifications as a Certified Sports Events Executive and a Kansas Destination Specialist.
During her nearly three-decade tenure at Visit Salina, Benien has played a leading role in welcoming thousands of visitors and organizing major sporting and community events. She currently serves on the Executive Board of the Travel Industry Association of Kansas, is a member and past president of SportsKS, and is affiliated with SportsETA and the Kansas I-70 Association.
“I’m excited and honored to take on the role of Visit Salina Director,” Benien said in a statement. “The Chamber and the Salina community offer so much, including countless community-minded people who make this a great place to visit. Whether you're interested in sports, the arts, history, food, unique attractions, or comfortable places to stay, Salina has something for everyone. I’m thrilled to be part of this amazing community and look forward to collaborating with others to share the wonderful things that make Salina an exceptional place.”
