Granville County has selected Siri Emereje as its new tourism director. Emereje is scheduled to begin the new position on Oct. 26, 2026.
He brings to the role more than eight years of experience in destination marketing, tourism development, public sector tourism funding and community and stakeholder engagement. As director of the tourism authority, Emereje will lead Granville County’s efforts to promote the county as a destination, strengthen partnerships with tourism and hospitality stakeholders, and support the continued development of the local visitor economy.
Mallory Richard, chair of the Granville County Tourism Development Authority, welcomes Emereje to the position. “His experience and perspective will be a valuable addition as we continue to strengthen tourism efforts throughout the county,” Richard said in a a press release announcing the hire.
Most recently, Emereje worked as a destination strategist, supporting destination marketing organizations with website content and digital visibility strategies.
“With transition of tourism under the Granville County Economic Development Department umbrella, we want to continue our destination marketing efforts but also look at ways to grow our tourism-based economy,” said Charla Duncan, Granville County’s Economic Development director and TDA board member. “Siri’s experience will be key in that transition, and we look forward to welcoming him as a new developer on our team, focused on tourism.”
Emereje describes his approach to destination marketing as creative storytelling. He finds and shapes the moments that capture the heart of a community, then shares them in ways that make people want to visit, and residents proud to call that place home.
From 2022 to 2026, he served as marketing communications manager for destination promotion with Discover DeKalb Convention & Visitors Bureau, in Atlanta. In that role, he directed marketing and communications for an organization serving three municipalities and unincorporated DeKalb County. He also managed a $1.2 million annual advertising budget and more than 110 integrated destination promotion campaigns annually across digital, social, traditional and experiential channels.
His experience also includes tourism product development and partnership building. At Discover DeKalb, Emereje developed and launched the East Side Hops Trail, a multi-partner tourism initiative designed to drive visitation to local businesses, culminating with the project receiving the Georgia Association of Convention & Visitors Bureau’s “TravelBlazer Award” in 2024. He also led a full destination website relaunch and served as a public-facing representative working with elected officials, hospitality and attraction partners, media, and community and industry organizations.
Emereje holds a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication with a minor in Marketing and a certificate in Advertising, as well as a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration from the University of West Georgia, in Carrollton, Georgia. He also holds a Certificate in Business Analytics from Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia. He is a certified Travel Marketing Professional (TMP) through the Southeast Tourism Society and a Professional in Destination Management (PDM) through Destinations International. He is also a graduate of Southeast Tourism Society Marketing College.
Emereje’s industry recognition includes being named a 2025 Destinations International 30 Under 30 Honoree, as well as receiving the 2024 GACVB Travel Blazer Award for the East Side Hops Trail.
The tourism director position is funded in full through county occupancy tax revenues, derived primarily from overnight stays at hotels located in Granville County.
Until Emereje begins, tourism-related communication should be directed to the Granville County Economic Development office, 919.693.5911 or by emailing Stephanie Velazquez, Economic Development program manager, at Stephanie.Velazquez@granvillecounty.org.