Luisa Mendoza is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of GTSE (Global Tourism Sports & Entertainment) and a globally recognized visionary with more than 25 years of leadership in international business development and marketing across the tourism and sports industries.
Her distinguished career includes senior leadership roles as Senior Director at New York City Tourism and Conventions and as the first Director of Sports and Tourism Development for the Brooklyn Nets. At NYC Tourism, Mendoza led high-impact strategies focused on Spain, Latin America, and U.S. Hispanic markets, strengthening New York City’s global brand and visitor engagement. Her tenure with the Brooklyn Nets further deepened her expertise at the convergence of professional sports, tourism, and destination marketing.
These formative experiences laid the foundation for the creation of GTSE, which today serves as the Official Sports and Tourism Ambassador for the U.S. Travel Association and IPW. Under Mendoza’s leadership, GTSE has become a trusted strategic partner and brand ambassador for destinations seeking to attract travelers from Spain and Latin America, delivering culturally authentic, market-relevant strategies that drive measurable results.
Mendoza is deeply committed to positioning U.S. sports as powerful economic and tourism drivers while fostering cross-sector partnerships that expand global visibility. A defining focus of her work is elevating secondary and emerging destinations, ensuring they gain meaningful exposure within the global travel and sports tourism ecosystem.
Her innovative leadership and industry impact have earned her numerous distinctions, including NAF National Alumni Honoree, Industry Impactor Honoree by the Microsoft Legacy Project, Mujer Destacada and Distinguished Woman at the Harvard Club of New York, and Women in Tourism Honoree in New York City.
Founded on January 1, 2020, at the height of the global pandemic, GTSE has grown under Mendoza’s guidance into a leading force within the rapidly expanding global sports tourism sector, valued at $564.7 billion in 2023 and projected to reach $1.5 trillion by 2032. Drawing on her experience at NYC Tourism and within the NBA ecosystem, Mendoza has positioned GTSE at the forefront of economic impact, innovation, and global leadership development.
A visionary founder, global ambassador, and industry trailblazer, Luisa Mendoza exemplifies what is possible when purpose, vision, and perseverance align. Her journey stands as proof that with conviction and leadership, extraordinary outcomes are not only achievable, they are inevitable.