Destination On The Left (Nicole Mahoney)

In this episode, you will learn about why collaboration at the regional level makes a huge difference from Valerie Knoblauch.

Valerie is President and CEO of the Finger Lakes Visitors Connection where she has worked since 1984 when she was hired as the organization’s first employee. In her role, she is responsible for guiding a team of tourism marketing professionals who are charged with promoting all of the fun experiences offered in Ontario County and the Finger Lakes region. Valerie thrives on the challenge of figuring out people’s motivations to travel and translating that into marketing programs that inspire travel to the destination where she lives, works and plays. Prior to beginning with the Finger Lakes Visitors connection, Valerie worked as a Tour Guide and Public Relations Manager for Gold Seal Vineyards in Hammondsport, NY after a career as a High School English teacher at Red Jacket Central High School.

Valerie loves to travel – imagine that. She also enjoys bicycling, wine, gardening, photography, and cooking. She loves the theatre, especially live theatre and musicals, and likes history – especially as it is interpreted to put into place “where we are today …”

Valerie is blessed with a very large family, many of whom have settled in the area. She has been married to her husband Kurt since 1982. They have three sons and three wonderfully diverse daughters-in-law and three grandsons. Valerie has friends across the world, because of her career in travel and tourism and because of her multicultural family. She loves learning every day from all of the characters in her life.

What you’ll learn about in this episode:

• The importance of analyzing your strengths and weaknesses, and surrounding yourself with people who complement your skill set.
• How the regional Hike & Bike collateral piece and her ‘Slice, Dice & Spice’ event were ahead of the curve in showcasing local assets.
• Using creative ways to meet the challenges of stretched resources.
• The importance of communicating ROI to stakeholders and knowing which metrics to report.
• The importance of agreeing, up front, what the desired outcome is when collaborating
• The indirect impact of a thriving tourism industry.
• Using research and a strategic marketing plan to identify opportunities for extended stay and return visitation.
• Reaching visitors while they are in the destination to encourage extended stay and return visitation.
• How Ontario County engaged their Board of Supervisors with National Tourism Week.

Ways to contact Valerie:

• Website: www.Visitfingerlakes.com
• Twitter: @VisitFingerLake

Douglas Ralston is the President and CEO of True Omni. With over 20 years of expertise in the digital and technological industry, Doug is a digital experience expert who reinforces innovation. Equipped with an industry-wide background in omnichannel, eCommerce, social and interactive digital strategy, Ralston steered technology businesses from different Fortune 500 companies over the last ten years.

Doug has a core focus on how traditional organizations can rethink their engagement strategies, utilize technology to increase efficiency, drive revenues and still provide memorable personal experiences.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Douglas Ralston, who describes why he sees the digital visitor experience as a way to open new channels for revenue, data, and engagement. We discuss the evolution of consumer behavior over the last 18 months and how it aligns with recent technological advances. Doug shares case studies of big brands that have added an omnichannel approach and how destinations of all sizes and budgets incorporate similar strategies into their visitor experience.

What You Will Learn:

• How creativity and innovation combine when applying an omnichannel marketing strategy
• How large brands are fully developing this type of strategy
• Affordable ways to develop an omnichannel strategy for your destination
• Tactics that destinations can use to gather data that helps them better serve their visitors
• How to leverage your current technology to enter the omnichannel world

Personalized Information

Understanding and personalizing the customer experience is the future for the travel industry, and omnichannel communication allows you to meet your customers where they are most comfortable. When you’re developing technology, remember that the more value you give your visitor in the form of information, coupons, or tickets, the more value you will get back in the form of data that you can use to understand and improve the visitor experience.

Enhancing Visitor Experience

The omnichannel approach to the visitor experience is all about allowing your customer to access the content they want on a device of their choosing to enhance their experience of your destination. Smartphones and mobile devices have opened up a whole new medium of communication, and if destinations can evolve their marketing on a digital level, then they will be able to open up new channels for revenue and visitor engagement.

• Douglas Ralston, on behalf of True Omni, will be part of the upcoming Louisiana Governor’s Travel Summit (Aug 24-26), Alabama Governor’s Conference (Aug 28-31), and eTourism Summit Tourism (Sept 20-22)
• Website: https://www.trueomni.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglasralston/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trueomni
• Twitter:
  • https://twitter.com/ddralston
  • https://twitter.com/trueomni

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Brook grew up in Norfolk, NE and moved to Casper in 2015. During her time here she has fallen in love with the people of Casper and the sense of community. Brook is the CEO at Visit Casper and her favorite part about her position is continually forming strategic partnerships with fellow community members and working together to come up with creative solutions for impossible problems. When she’s not at work you can find her out for a run, reading at the beach, or planning her next adventure. Brook is also a big fan and attendee of many of the events that go on throughout downtown, and says her favorites are the 5150 Feast and 5150 Festival, which take place every year in August.

In this episode of Destination on the Left, I am joined by Brook Kaufman, CEO of Visit Casper. Brook shares her story and discusses the role of DMOs in the community. She explains the challenges Visit Casper has faced, and how her team overcame them with creativity.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• Brook Kaufman’s story and her role as CEO of Visit Casper
• What Brook is doing to set Casper apart from other destinations
• “The One-and-Only” campaign and the inspiration behind it
• How Brook uses creativity to solve impossible problems
• The lessons Brook took away from Visit Casper’s role in preparing the town for an influx of visitors due to the eclipse
• How Brook overcame the challenge of building credibility and authority for her organization
• How Visit Casper collaborates with its competitors

Visit Casper

When Brook Kaufman joined the team at Visit Casper, she was already an accomplished entrepreneur and a strong leader. But, sometimes we stumble upon the greatest opportunities by pure chance. Brook fell into the travel and tourism industry and her career turned into a burning passion. She quickly grew into her role embedded herself in the community, taking a holistic approach to destination marketing and making every move with the big picture in mind. Now, she is tackling some of our industry’s most difficult challenges with creativity, passion, and a collaborative spirit.

The One-and-Only

Brook approaches destination management with greater goals than heads in beds. Everything that comes out of Visit Casper is created with the best interest of its residents and visitors at heart. It is the reason Brook and her team have spent the last four years building credibility and authority, earning them an equal seat at the table in local government. The DMO is playing a much larger role in the community, which is reflected in its work. Campaigns like “The One-and-only” are industry-recognized and best-in-class. Visit Casper’s creative work has stabilized the brand and brought consistency to all channels. Brook is doing everything in her power to help set Casper apart.

You’re Only Less-Than Until You’re Not

Brook says she uses creativity to solve impossible problems and creativity, which is often the best approach in our industry. When you look at her accomplishments like tackling the influx of visitors for the eclipse, it becomes apparent that we all need to have more pride in what we get to do. We are not party planners for second-rate agencies that waste taxpayers’ dollars; we are an integral part of every community. You’re only lesser-than until you’re not, so acknowledge your value! If you are interested in hearing the insights and stories from Brook’s role as CEO of Visit Casper, check out my podcast episode, The One-and-Only Casper, with Brook Kaufman.

• Twitter: @VisitCasper
• Website: www.visitcasper.com

Episode Transcript

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Kristi Gole, EVP of Strategy at Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), about the importance of collaboration and how the alliance helps these hotels compete against the world’s largest brands. Kristi shares examples of brand partnerships that GHA’s loyalty program has allowed them to start with complementary luxury brands, and she gives us a great formula for evaluating partnership opportunities.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• How GHA became the largest alliance of independent hotel brands and the benefits this provides to its members.
• Why the GHA Discovery loyalty program was transformed into “Discovery Dollars” and how this new approach is more rewarding for members.
• What strategies Kristi Gole used to attract high-net-worth customers and enhance customer engagement.
• How the collaborative environment within GHA helps independent hotel brands compete globally, share best practices, and grow.
• Why Kristi values deep relationships over standard partnerships and how aligning with like-minded partners can lead to successful collaborations.
• What key technological and operational challenges GHA faced, and how ensuring tech compatibility is crucial for a seamless customer experience.

A Collective Strength in Hospitality

Formed in 2004, GHA’s mission was to aid independent hotels in competing globally against large hotel chains. Today, it’s the largest alliance of independent hotel brands, comprising 40 brands and 800 hotels across 100 countries. This alliance offers a collaborative platform for these brands to share resources, best practices, and cross-promote services.

The alliance provides tools and platforms for independent hotels to remain authentic while benefiting from a larger network. This unique value proposition has enabled GHA member hotels to retain their independence and character while being part of a valuable global support system.

How Strategic Partnerships Elevate the Customer Experience

A core aspect of GHA’s strategy is building deep, strategic partnerships that enhance customer offerings. The collaboration with Regent Seven Seas Cruises, for example, attracted high-net-worth customers by offering Discovery Dollars usable at hotels. Launched publicly in 2010, the GHA Discovery loyalty program was designed to provide customer value, encourage cross-promotion, and increase bookings through profitable channels.

In 2021, GHA revamped the loyalty program into “Discovery 2.0,” transitioning from a points-based system to a cash-back model called “Discovery Dollars.” This shift aimed to make rewards more accessible and appealing to a broader audience.

Scaling and Innovating for the Future

GHA plans to continue expanding and iterating on the Discovery Dollar currency. With a goal of reaching 100 million members, the focus remains on signing new brands and growing their partnership network. Kristi emphasized the importance of aligning with partners with a similar mindset and targeting the same luxury segment. She shares why GHA looks for partners who are agile, entrepreneurial, and approachable.

Resources:

• Website: globalhotelalliance.com
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristi-gole-7687893/
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-hotel-alliance/
• Facebook Business: https://www.facebook.com/GHADISCOVERY/
• Instagram Business: https://www.instagram.com/ghadiscovery/
• Q&A: How Global Hotel Alliance Has Empowered Independent Hotel Brands for 20 Years: https://skift.com/2024/08/12/qa-how-global-hotel-alliance-has-empowered-independent-hotel-brands-for-20-years/

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With a talent for creating special events that blossomed while working for my dad’s car stereo shop, Nicole got her start in marketing at Frontier Field in Rochester and began serving as the executive director of the internationally known Lilac Festival. Later on, she headed the Canandaigua, New York Business Improvement District while also performing projects for the tourism promotion agency Visit Rochester.

In 2009, Nicole founded Break the Ice Media, with more than 20 years of experience in tourism marketing. She now hosts “Destination on the Left,” a highly successful tourism marketing podcast.

As a business owner, Nicole knows what it takes to be successful. She founded BTI to help businesses tell their brand story through public relations digital and traditional channels. She has the ability to uncover unique marketing opportunities and develop marketing and public relations initiatives that help clients build long-term success.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, Nicole Mahoney highlights the importance of collaboration. In this ever-changing world, it’s essential to find ways to collaborate in order to survive and thrive. We need to step outside our self-imposed silos and actively seek out opportunities to create partnerships with others that move the whole travel industry forward.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• Why the global events mean it’s more important than ever to connect positively with others
• How collaboration can be powerful in the travel and tourism industry
• The situation that helped Nicole understand the power of collaboration
• What makes some partnerships successful, while others struggle to get off the ground
• An overview of the findings from Nicole’s 2020 research study on collaboration in the travel, tourism, and hospitality
• How perceived competitors can use coopetition to accomplish something bigger than themselves
• The three different types of collaborators and how each one affects and how they come together to form a framework for success

A Passion for Collaboration

Nicole shares her personal experience of building a community collaboration from the ground up when she was involved in the Rochester Frontier Field project. She describes how her experience of town-wide cooperation led to her subsequent passion for finding ways to build successful partnerships in the travel and tourism industry.

Bringing a community together to make something happen is magical — and it’s what sets the groundwork for success during challenging times. Nicole and her partner Susan Baier teamed to conduct a study on the effects of coopetition. This term refers to those times when perceived competitors come together to accomplish something more significant than they could achieve alone.

Breaking Out of Silos

As travel and tourism industry professionals, we need to harness the power of collaboration with other organizations — even with our competitors. Recognizing and understanding the positive impacts of inter-organizational collaborations on business success is key in effectively leveraging our available tools. As Nicole says, collaboration is the exponential multiplier that makes one plus one greater than two. When we commit to working in partnership with others, we can move forward faster and more effectively.

A Collaboration Framework

There are often challenges on the path to achieving successful collaboration, and Nicole describes why she grouped these challenges under three broad headings. The three C’s framework comprises communication, commonality, and commitment; while some specific challenges may be encountered more often than others, Nicole explores why it is clear from her research that overcoming challenges in all three areas is critical for collaborations to be successful.

This framework is critical in identifying opportunities in the face of adversity, and professionals and organizations that are able to navigate these three areas can thrive under any circumstances.

Resources:

• Email: nicole@breaktheicemedia.com
• Website: www.destinationontheleft.com/
• Website: https://breaktheicemedia.com/
• Twitter: @Break_TheIce
• Facebook: @BreakTheIceMedia

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Lakshmee Lachhman-Persad, accessible destination marketer and board member of NYC Tourism + Conventions, who explains why it’s so important to create inclusive experiences for everyone with disabilities, whether visible or invisible. Lakshmee shares specific actions that any destination or attraction can take now to make themselves more accessible and provides practical advice on becoming more welcoming to people with a wide range of abilities.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• How destinations can create a great inclusive experience for all their visitors
• Why visible representation for people with disabilities is crucial in marketing campaigns
• What destination marketers can do to engage with local disability advocates for a better understanding of barriers and challenges within their cities
• How businesses and DMOs can create an inclusive internal culture to support employees with disabilities
• Why the social justice movement has influenced the way destinations think about welcoming visitors
• Upcoming projects and collaborations Lakshmee has planned to showcase inclusivity in travel

Engaging with Local Disability Advocates for Inclusive Destinations

Lakshmee advises destination marketers to actively engage with local disability advocates to better understand their cities’ barriers and challenges. She emphasizes the significance of learning from locals’ experiences and the idea of providing positive experiences for all visitors, regardless of their abilities.

Lakshmee goes on to shed light on the size and value of the disabled population as a market segment within the travel and tourism industry—and why understanding this is a crucial step towards recognizing the needs of this demographic and tailoring travel experiences to be inclusive and accessible.

Creating an Inclusive Internal Culture for Employees with Disabilities

We dig into why travel and tourism businesses and Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) should foster an inclusive internal culture that supports employees with disabilities. Lakshmee stresses the importance of both internal culture and marketing representation, as well as providing accessible information externally. She highlights the lack of widespread knowledge about disability inclusion, the challenges of finding accessible facilities in the community, and how the social justice movement has significantly influenced the discourse around disability inclusion and accessibility.

A Holistic Approach to Inclusivity and Collaboration

Lakshmee shares her experience as a NYC Tourism + Conventions board member and discusses the importance of collaborating with various organizations to showcase inclusivity and accessibility for people with disabilities. We talk more about the need for a deeper and more sophisticated inclusivity work, moving beyond performative actions.

Resources:

• Website: www.accessibletravelnyc.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lakshmeelachhmanpersad/

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more o​f. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

On this episode of Destination on the Left, you’ll hear my conversation with Sharon Toerek about the importance of finding your niche and how growth happens once you commit to it. We also discuss how becoming a thought leader in your niche leads to new relationships and opportunities. While this interview centers around building a marketing agency, I’m sure you’ll find value in the insights we share in our discussion.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• Why having a clear vision is crucial for agency leaders and how it helps in making decisions and evaluating opportunities
• What the accidental birth of the Destination on the Left podcast allowed me to achieve, and how it became a lifeline for global listeners during the pandemic
• How I diversified my client base and funding sources to grow the business
• How the DOTL podcast allows me to develop a reputation as a thought leader in the travel and tourism industry
• How I manage content creation with limited bandwidth as the owner of an agency and the time commitment involved in scaling my business

Vision-Driven Decision Making

On the podcast I share why it was so important to have a clear vision for the future of Tap Into Travel to support economic growth and prosperity within the communities we serve. We discussed why having that well-defined vision allows agencies to align their strategies with their long-term goals and adapt to ever-changing market dynamics.

Our conversation explores the importance of diversifying client bases and funding sources to avoid dependency on a single mechanism. I share how my participation in an economic gardening program through a local economic development organization allowed us to expand into new markets in the northeast.

Building a Media Ecosystem

I detail my vision of integrating three existing brands – the podcast brand (Destination on the Left), the agency brand (Break the Ice Media), and TAP allows us to realize the concept of building a robust media ecosystem. We discuss why an interconnected approach to content creation and thought leadership allows agencies to maximize their reach and impact across various platforms and engage diverse audiences.

Thought Leadership Impact on Business Confidence

Sharon and I also discuss the challenge of calculating the direct return on investment (ROI) of thought leadership, but we ultimately understand the significant impact it had on both our agencies’ confidence and billing rates. I loved digging into all of these fascinating topics with Sharon, and I know you’ll find our insights into the power of strategic vision, adaptability, and the ever-evolving nature of thought leadership in shaping the success and relevance of agencies in today’s dynamic market landscape helpful.

Resources:

• Tap Into Travel: https://www.tapintotravel.com/
• Research: Collaboration in the Travel, Tourism, & Hospitality Industry: https://breaktheicemedia.com/collaboration/

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more o​f. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

In any competitive landscape, keeping a legacy cultural institution relevant is a challenge. Keeping it relevant while retaining the original vision is an even greater challenge. For many in the travel and tourism industry, we’re always looking to strike a balance between differentiation and collaboration. We really need both to thrive. In New England, where you can’t walk ten feet without bumping into a place with historical significance, Old Sturbridge Village is striking this balance.

In this episode, we hear from Jim Donahue. Jim is highly regarded in the nonprofit sector as a collaborative visionary. He is recognized as one of the top nonprofit executives in New England, with an impressive background in leadership, education, and fundraising.

Prior to taking the position as president and CEO for Old Sturbridge Village, Jim was the CEO of the Bradford Dunn Institute for Learning Differences in Providence, Rhode Island. In that time, he managed the merger between the Bradford Dunn Institute and CVS Highlander Charter School in 2004. During his seven-year tenure as the director of the charter school, he led the renovation of two campuses for the school and the establishment of several key capacity-building partnerships.

Since taking over as Old Sturbridge Village president in 2007, Jim has led the institution through a renaissance by increasing attendance, fundraising, and revenue from special programs. Highlights of his tenure include the reopening of the museum’s restaurant division, the renovation, and reopening of the lodging complex, the creation of the Ken Burns Lifetime Achievement Award, establishing an immersive theater program, including The Sleepy Hollow Experience, and the expansion of popular events like Christmas by Candlelight and Fourth of July.

In 2017, he launched Old Sturbridge Academy, the first public charter school located in a museum in Massachusetts. A revolutionary model of experiential learning, and a partnership between a school and museum, the academy is already changing the lives of its students, many of whom come from underperforming school districts. In 2010, he was named Nonprofit Leader of the Year by the Worcester Business Journal, and in 2013, received the Larry Meehan Award for the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. He is a member of the American Antiquarian Society, a Fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society, and has served on the boards of a number of Rhode Island nonprofits.

Full show notes available here: https://breaktheicemedia.com/podcasts/jim-donahue/

Getting influencers and travel writers to pay attention is a great way to showcase what you are offering to the travel and tourism public. Bringing them onsite and having them write about your organization can be a big public relations win. But how do you make the connection? Email and phone calls are hit-or-miss at best, if you haven’t got an established relationship already.

That’s why a tactic called the “desk-side visit” can really break the ice and get you and that writer enthused about working together. On this episode of Destination on the Left, we do a deep dive into the desk-side visit. How do you make it happen? How does it really make a difference in your organization?

Today we are talking to one of the Break The Ice Media team members in a team cast episode, Sarah Blackwell.

Sarah is a consultant and brings knowledge of the public relations industry to her work at Break The Ice, including the ability to write, pitch and tell a great story. Her experience working with journalists and a passion for PR and social media has allowed her to help her clients get great exposure and effectively connect with their target audience. Sarah is a graduate of The College at Brockport Suny with a bachelor of Science and Journalism and Broadcasting, with a concentration in PR and a dual degree in English.

She joined Break the Ice Media in 2013 and brought with her hospitality and marketing experience from internships at Disney, Southwest Airlines, American Cancer Society, and the Susan B Anthony House. Since joining Break The Ice, Sarah leads many of the travel PR clients that the agency serves, including the Haunted History Trail of New York State, Genesee County Office of Tourism, and the Canadian PR program co-op made up of 15 partners. She is very involved with the Public Relations Society of America, Rochester Chapter serving as a board member and co-chairing the PRISM Awards Committee.

Full show notes available here: https://breaktheicemedia.com/podcasts/sarah-blackwell-desk-side-visit/

As America’s Road Trip Expert, Dr. Forbes has traveled by car in all 50 states, enjoying hundreds of scenic byways and scenic drives passing through thousands of historic towns. Her love of the road trip began at age 7 and even her High School was on a Scenic Byway. After a career in architecture and facility management, ending at The World Bank in Washington, DC, she was able to transform her love of the road trip into a successful career. Since beginning to develop road trips and driving travel packaging for destinations throughout the United States, Dr. Forbes has assisted over 300 locations to develop and promote new travel products in their areas. While managing an international inbound tour operator, she included scenic byways in every possible driving trip for overseas visitors.

Even though Dr. Forbes still assists destinations and regional locations to develop road trip experiences, more recently she contracted to take on the role of Director of Development and Marketing for the National Scenic Byway Foundation, and also the management of the effort to develop a comprehensive website to include all scenic byways and scenic roads throughout the United States. In addition to those roles, she serves as Professor of Destination Management and Marketing for the Temple University Masters in Travel and Tourism program. Dr. Forbes is conversant with the economic impact of Scenic Byways and scenic roads along with methods to create economic development in areas where it is hardest to come by. Her unique background in working on all sides of the equation – developing road trip experiences for the travel sellers and selling road trips as the head travel agent, holding an IATA number to travel buyers, plus teaching the subjects and working in economic development delivers a comprehensive perspective on what today’s visitors need and want and what travel sellers must do to respond, not found anywhere else.

She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Art and Architectural History from the University of Wisconsin, a Doctorate in Environmental Planning from Union University, a Certificate in Digital Marketing from the University of Illinois, and is currently working on an MBA at Taft University.

Destination on the Left is joined by Dr. Maree Forbes, Director of Development and Marketing for the National Scenic Byway Foundation. As America’s Road Trip Expert, Dr. Forbes has traveled by car in all 50 states, enjoying hundreds of scenic byways and scenic drives passing through thousands of historic towns. On our podcast, Maree shares her story and talks about the importance of scenic byways to the small towns and communities that they encompass. She also discusses the use of storytelling to create visitor experiences, and the importance of collaboration in travel and tourism.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• Dr. Forbes’ journey into the travel and tourism industry
• The importance of scenic byways to the small towns and communities that they encompass
• How Dr. Forbes creates itineraries based on visitor experience
• How Dr. Forbes drove international travel through America’s scenic byways and drives
• How storytelling enhances the ability to build visitor experiences
• What Dr. Forbes has done to target different demographics with her travel experiences
• The importance of creativity and collaboration in building road trip experiences

The National Scenic Byway Foundation

Dr. Maree Forbes is the Director of Development and Marketing for the National Scenic Byway Foundation. As America’s Road Trip Expert, Dr. Forbes has traveled by car in all 50 states, enjoying hundreds of scenic byways and scenic drives passing through thousands of historic towns. She has assisted over 300 locations to develop and promote new travel products in their areas. And her experience spans every piece of the equation. On our podcast, Maree shares her story and talks about the importance of scenic byways to the small towns and communities that they encompass.

Preserving the Beauty

Dr. Forbes designs unique road trip experiences for scenic byways and scenic drives in conjunction with The National Scenic Byway Foundation, an organization that picked up the pieces when federal funding was cut. She and her team are looking for ways to promote these one-of-a-kind travel routes on one central platform so they can fund preservation efforts and maintain the irreplicable beauty of the byways and scenic drives for generations to come. You can’t just build a new one when the beauty is destroyed, so these efforts are critical to locations across the country.

The Personal Travel Portfolio

Building these unique road trip experiences for a broad spectrum of travelers requires a lot of creativity. As competitive as the travel and tourism industry can be, Dr. Forbes had to figure out how to elevate the road trip. It was a challenge to inspire visitors to take the scenic route instead of flying to a destination and flying back, but she had a lot of success targeting international travelers with her “personal travel portfolio.” Many international travelers wanted to rent a car when they got to America, but with the grandiosity of the U.S., they didn’t quite know where to start. This program had a story for each day of travel, with detailed information about things to see and do that would make their trip more satisfying. And the use of creativity to turn driving into a travel experience did so much for scenic byways and drives around the country.

• Website: https://nsbfoundation.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maree-forbes/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalScenicBywayFoundation/

In this episode, you will learn about making the most of your resources and entering into collaborations to create a lasting impression on visitors from Hillarie Logan-Dechene.

Hillarie Logan-Dechene’s career has been about building the capacity of not-for-profit organizations. As the Wild Center’s Director of Philanthropy, she is responsible for all membership and development activities and works closely with leadership on strategy, governance, and external affairs. She recently led the center through a successful 23 million dollar fundraising campaign.

Hillarie is Chair of Governor Cuomo’s New York State Commission on National and Community Service, which administers the Americorp Program in New York State. She is a board member for the Museum Association of New York.

She is a past board member of the Adirondack Health Foundation. Hillarie is an adjunct professor at Skidmore College, guest lecturer at Syracuse University, SUNY Adirondack, and NYU. She has an MA in nonprofit leadership and community sustainability from Skidmore College and a BA from SUNY Albany. Prior to the Wild Center, she was VP for Institutional Advancement at Paul Smith’s College. Before that, she was Director of Institutional Advancement for the Adirondack Museum where she worked for more than 16 years.

Hillarie lives in Long Lake with her Husband and daughters.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Debra about making successful small talk and creating authentic connections. She shares examples of what to say to start a conversation, what the serious conversation killers are, and tactical ways to exit a conversation gracefully. If you’ve ever wondered how to set yourself up for success when attending networking events, then you’ll love this episode.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• Debra emphasizes the importance of showing genuine interest in others and connecting with people through conversation
• Why seeking commonalities with others is crucial for meaningful conversations and networking
• What free information is and how it plays a key role in initiating engaging conversations
• How to open up conversations and respond to questions about work
• Why gracefully exiting a conversation is important and how to do it with finesse
• How to cultivate genuine connections with people through open-ended questions and avoiding drilling for personal information

Building Genuine Interest and Connecting with People

Debra emphasizes the importance of showing genuine interest in others and connecting with people through conversation by looking for what you might have in common. We dig into the need to slow down, listen well, and look for opportunities to connect with others without coming off as though you’re interviewing them.

The Power of Free Information and Three-Dimensional Conversations

Debra illustrates the concept of free information and its role in initiating engaging conversations. Topics like the location you’re in or the event you’re attending are a great way to get to know someone rather than asking tricky personal questions about marriage or children. Debra shares how to start a conversation on non-business-related topics that give conversations a three-dimensional aspect, making them more engaging and meaningful.

Overcoming Social Anxiety and Fear of Rejection in Networking

Debra gives us tips about turning networking into a task and setting specific goals, such as talking to three new people at an event. We discuss how turning interactions into tasks can help overcome social anxiety and the fear of rejection.
Debra stresses the importance of gracefully exiting a conversation, showing appreciation when ending a conversation, and not feeling responsible for someone feeling abandoned. She provides tips for using the “white flag” technique and following through on promises when finishing up conversations.

Resources:

• Website: www.DebraFine.com
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debrafine/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/finedebra/
• Facebook Personal: https://www.facebook.com/debra.fine.3
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DebraFineTFAOST
• Twitter: https://x.com/DebraFine
• Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/030683121X?ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_M7A16DF2ZPT39SCAVXPD

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more o​f. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Joe Pulizzi, an expert in content marketing. You’ll learn how content marketing can not only generate leads but become a source of revenue in its own right.

Joe Pulizzi is the founder of Content Marketing Institute, a UBM company, the leading education and training organization for content marketing, which includes the largest in-person content marketing event in the world, Content Marketing World.

Joe is the winner of the 2014 John Caldwell Lifetime Achievement Award from the Content Council. Joe is the author of five books including his latest, “Killing Marketing.” His third book, “Epic Content Marketing,” was named one of five must-read business books of 2013 by Fortune magazine.

A full transcript of this episode is available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/joe-pulizzi/

Hannah DeMaio is the Vice President of Brand Strategy of Women Leading Travel & Hospitality, the sister community to Women in Retail Leadership Circle. Women Leading Travel & Hospitality is a unique, members-only networking group that offers executive women in the travel and hospitality industry a place to learn, connect, and grow through an unparalleled mix of events, content, and elite connections. The community is comprised of successful and motivated women across the entire travel and hospitality ecosystem who have a strong belief that investing in themselves and other women is good business. She is passionate about the travel and hospitality industry and uniting, inspiring, motivating, and empowering women to succeed personally and professionally.

In her free time, Hannah loves traveling, playing tennis, hiking, trying new restaurants, and spending time with her family and dog, Lulu!

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Hannah DeMaio all about the personal and professional development of women leaders in the travel, hospitality, and retail industries. She shared her findings that although women hold around 80% of the managerial roles in travel and hospitality businesses, they only make up 20% of the workforce at the director level, and that number drops even further when you get up to the C Suite. Hannah discusses why she is so inspired to champion all the incredible women in the travel and tourism space and empower them to get them to go as far as they want to in their careers.

What You Will Learn in this Episode:

• The details of the new organization Women Leading Travel and Hospitality
• The synergies between the Women in Retail and the Women in Travel and Hospitality brands
• How Hannah is hoping to lift women up and the early work she is doing to get more women into the C Suite in the travel and tourism business
• The role that DEI has played in the programing of Women Leading Travel and Hospitality
• What the organization has planned for this year, and how women in the industry can join the organization or attend events
• Examples of collaboration that have been successful for Hannah including Women Leading Travel and Hospitality’s partnership with Southwest and the Ritz
• How they are helping women attain personal growth as well as professional growth

Women’s Leadership and Growth

Hannah describes the organization’s initial pivot in the face of COVID-19 and why they decided to focus their efforts on supporting women to lead effectively through the crisis. Their programming included keeping your teams motivated, how to get through the furlough period, and crucially how to stay connected with your teams when working virtually.

Women Leading Travel and Hospitality initially launched virtual events and instigated weekly peer group calls to build a strong community. When the organization officially launched in January 2021, they continued with virtual and in-person events discussing some of the problems women in the travel and tourism industry are having, how to fix them, and how to grow.

DEI in the Travel and Tourism Industry

Women Leading Travel and Hospitality want to emphasize that they are a group for everyone. The travel and hospitality space often feels like a male-dominated space, and as part of their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, they work towards making both their speakers and their audience diverse.

There is a lot of work to be done in the travel and hospitality space in regard to DEI and Women Leading Travel and Hospitality have recently appointed a Head of Diversity onto their advisory board to ensure they continue moving in the right direction.

Personal and Professional Development

On a professional level having those hard conversations about how women can move from the managerial level to director level by having the help and support of mentors is incredibly useful. But Hannah and her organization are also bringing in the personal growth aspect too.

You have to be on top of both the personal and the professional to be a well-balanced leader. Hannah describes why their programming includes wellness advice in addition to career coaching and how bringing the two together impacts women’s work-life harmony.

Resources:

• Website: https://womenleadingtravelandhospitality.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-demaio-445a9962/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-leading-travel-hospitality/

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Carole Stizza is a Professionally Certified ICF Executive Coach, a SeniorHR Professional, and has a background in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. She has also survived 3 different car accidents (all stopped while turning left) and stage 3 cancer. Resilience, grit, and impatience for life have all been constant companions as she has supported her Air Force Husband and moved her family around the U.S. for 26 years and traveled the world.

Her ability to help clients navigate change, clarify what is important, and step into better conversations have led her to be a contributing author in two books and now releasing her own called: The ASK Framework, questions that elevate your Influence, Performance, and Leadership.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Carole Stizza about the power of self-awareness that comes when you ask for positive feedback. It may seem counterintuitive to ask people to tell you what you are doing right — but that is exactly what Carol suggests doing. Carole also discusses the framework for how to have those professional conversations that she created to help people understand the idea of self-leadership, and why she decided to expand her ideas into a book.

What You Will Learn:

• What it means to use self-leadership
• How Carole is seeing people apply self-leadership as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic
• How Carole helps her clients learn how to celebrate and realize self-leadership
• The importance of taking curiosity in a more strategic, actionable direction by giving context in conversations
• How to use Carole’s framework to introduce a sense of positivity and collaboration one-to-one or within a team
• How to remind people what they should celebrate about themselves when home or hybrid working

You Are Already Your Best Self

The first step of self-leadership is to recognize that you are already positioned to be your best self. We’re all unique — so start to embrace how you uniquely think and move away from comparing yourself with others. Adopting what makes you unique and what sets you apart, then starting to appreciate and embrace those things ensures that you understand how to put yourself out in the world.

Framework for Feedback

As leaders and individuals we are always evolving, learning, and growing, so the idea that you are already your best self can be overwhelming. And that’s because we don’t always know what to celebrate about ourselves, we need a framework for feedback about what other people appreciate about the gifts they see in us. Keep growing and keep changing but also make the choice to enjoy who you are in the moment.

• Website: https://relevant-insight.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolestizza/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/relevant4you
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/relevant4you
• Book: https://resources.relevant-insight.com/ASKFramework986140

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Carrie Simmons is a leader, strategist, and creative problem-solver with expertise in values-driven, integrated brand and marketing approaches. She is the Executive Director of the Stowe Area Association, outwardly known as Go Stowe, serving approximately 250 business members by promoting the Stowe brand through effective public relations, social media strategies, as well as and operating a visitor information center and central reservations service for hotels and inns.

Prior to Go Stowe, Carrie was the owner and creative director of New Ground Creative, a creative firm that built brands through engaging design, dynamic campaigns, and authentic messaging. Carrie finds inspiration in travel, singing, reading, and time spent outdoors with her family. She is currently a board member of Stowe Vibrancy and Executive Board Member of the Vermont Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.

Rachel is Chief Hospitality Experience Officer at the Sun and Ski Inn in Stowe, Vermont. She is passionate about hospitality, tourism, and marketing, and she serves on the Board of Trustees of her local destination marketing organization, Go Stowe. In December 2018, Rachel completed a certificate in Hospitality Management from eCornell. In 2020 Rachel founded her coaching practice, Peak, and she is currently working towards her International Coaching Federation certification. Rachel is an avid reader, community leader, proud wife, and mother of three and loves to mountain bike and nordic ski in the woods of Vermont.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Rachel and Carrie, two extraordinary leaders in the travel industry from Stowe, Vermont. We discuss how facing challenges forces you to accelerate plans and how the pandemic led to a collaboration between three communities and the creation of a new brand. Rachel also gives her perspective on what’s going on in the travel and tourism industry right now, and why she made the decision to niche down in her marketing.

What You Will Learn in this Episode:

• Why having a solid relationship with your DMO will benefit your business
• Why Rachel went into hotel management despite never planning to take over the family business
• Accelerate Women Leaders in Travel leadership retreat and how Carrie and Rachel feel it adds to professional development for women
• What Stowe as an area and Rachel as a hotelier have done to stand out from the crowd
• How Rachel reimagined and expanded the Sun and Ski Inn to exceed modern family’s vacation expectations
• Why refining your target market can expand rather than reduce your business opportunities
• Recent challenges that Carrie and Go Stowe have faced and the creative solutions that have come from adversity
• How technology has played a part in being prepared for the future
• Why taking risks and paying attention to trends has paid off for Rachel’s business
• Carris’s advice for DMOs looking to creatively collaborate with peers and neighbors

Future Travel Trends

It’s always worth paying attention to what’s going on in the market and planning for upcoming trends. The last two years have shown that constant change and evolution are the only things you can bank on in this industry.

Rachel describes her philosophy of taking risks in her hospitality business and why she constantly keeps one eye on the future as she makes decisions in her business. Thinking about how you plan to evolve as a destination prepares you for whatever is around the corner and allows you to pivot quickly with demand.

Carrie describes how the Stowe Area Association has found opportunities to collaborate with perceived competitors to create something bigger together than they could create alone. She shares examples of some amazing coopetition partnerships and why it’s essential to come together to weather storms successfully.

Collaborating with the Wider Community

There are myriad opportunities to bring visitors into your area if you creatively collaborate with others in the travel and tourism industries. Carrie discusses the DMO perspective on seeking ways to connect with others to bring people to Vermont as a whole. We need to find ways to think outside of the box and realize that it’s not always necessarily the traditional collaborations that are the most effective.

Everyone you collaborate with in your town, in the different segments, and whether for economic development or recreation, builds a beautiful network of people. Rachel and Carrie emphasize that their community is what makes Stowe so special, in addition, of course, to the extraordinary landscape, historic buildings, shops, restaurants, and places to stay. It’s really the people that make the soul of the community. And that’s a big piece that stands out.

A rising tide raises all ships, after all, so leveraging the unique mix of businesses and supporting each other as a destination helps Stowe move forward.

Marketing Your Destination

From a marketing standpoint, it can be hard to make a choice about who you’re hoping to appeal to with your destination. Many people hope by targeting as broad an audience as possible; they will be more successful in their business. Rachel describes why she decided to focus in tight on promoting her hotel and attractions to active couples and families and how that changed the business for the better.

Carrie ends our inspiring conversation by emphasizing the need to embrace the idea that the travel and tourism industry isn’t necessarily the end goal. The visitor economy is the pipeline to providing opportunities to the community and interconnecting them with other organizations. Having a holistic approach to the industry is the key as we’re moving forward into 2022.

Resources:

• Website: www.sunandskiinn.com
• Website: www.peakinspiringtransformation.com
• Website: https://gostowe.com/
• Website: https://www.womenleadersintravel.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sunandskiinn
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gostowe
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-vandenberg-2102293/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stowe-area-association/

Nasya Kamrat is the Co-founder and CEO of FACULTY, a certified women-owned spatial storytelling agency that creates human-centric experiences for global brands. Passionate about innovative storytelling, Nasya constantly searches for unique opportunities to create an authentic experience that people can connect with, whether in real life or online.

As an award-winning creative strategist, she has been creating content that spans traditional, interactive, experiential, and digital media for nearly 20 years. Nasya is also dedicated to empowering women and people of color in business.

Before starting FACULTY, Nasya had the pleasure of working at some of New York’s leading global ad agencies as a creative producer and strategist. She holds a B.A. in Theatre and English from Florida State University.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Nasya Kamrat about how storytelling can connect people to places in a more meaningful way. Nastya shares her inspirational story of collaboration amid adversity and challenge and how it inspired her to start FACULTY, which she designed as a co-op for underrepresented agencies. She shares some creative ways for your destination to stand out from the crowd by helping potential visitors experience a holistic journey. Nasya also discusses her favorite case studies that exemplify how creating a brand experience can elevate destination marketing.

What You Will Learn:

• How to use spatial storytelling in your destination marketing
• Finding the right story for your destination to tell
• How to create a connection between a place and a guest through narrative
• How the COVID-19 pandemic allowed Nasya to prompt a little bit of wanderlust in people in preparation for when we could travel again
• Moments over the last 18 months when Nasya was faced with a challenge and how she moved through it creatively
• How Nasya took the big agency model of gathering several boutique agencies under one umbrella but put a whole new spin on it to serve a more diverse range of people
• Nasya’s advice for listeners about finding those right-fit partners with the same interests as you

Finding Your Story

Brand storytelling is something that everyone talks about. But how do you create a world in which people can immerse themselves and experience stories that follow them wherever they go?

Whether you’re marketing a town, a local event, or a visitor experience, you have to keep your brand story at the forefront of your mind and reference it at every single touchpoint when the guests walk in the door. Nasya Kamrat explains the importance of defining and identifying the narrative and how to uncover the real human story behind a place — then delivering it uniquely.

Collaborating with Like-Minded Founders

As destination marketers, we’re all trying to figure out what travel looks like in the post-pandemic world. The idea of collaborating and finding like-minded founders and figuring out how to work together is more attractive than ever before.

This week, my guest on the podcast, Nasya Kamrat, describes why she was inspired to band together and build a co-op of other women-owned, Black-owned, and Latinx-owned businesses. We explore why, by teaming up as destinations, we can create value and efficiencies for our clients and better support independent agencies who are underrepresented.

To learn more about Nasya and her company, FACULTY, please check out the contact links below:

• Website: https://komuna.agency/
• https://www.wearefaculty.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nasyakamrat/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/faculty/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FacultyNY/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/facultyny

In this episode, we will learn about how to create programs and special events that attract new visitors from Starlyn D’Angelo, Kevin Walsh, and Katherine Jennings.

We recently attended the 2018 Museum Association of New York annual conference and spoke with attendees from all over New York State representing all types of museums and cultural institutions. I found the conversations enlightening and inspiring. Through this series, I hope you will find a new perspective on this important segment of the tourism industry and how museums and cultural institutions are working to build community, reach audiences beyond their local markets and creating new programming and events that enhance the visitor experience.

In this episode, I share my conversations with:

• Starlyn D’Angelo, Executive Director from The Shaker Heritage Society
• Kevin Walsh, President of Central NY Living History Center
• Katherine Jennings, Development & Major Gifts from The Edward Hopper House Museum & Study Center

A transcript of this episode is available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/museum-series-episode-3/

Drew McLellan is a marketing veteran who has run his own agency for over 25 years, helping clients create authentic love affairs with their customers. He also helps other agency owners learn how to take their business to the next level through cohort groups and resources through Agency Management Institute. He loves to create “Aha” moments for his clients, peers, and audiences across, through vivid storytelling, Italian heritage-inspired hand gestures, and the occasional tipping of a sacred cow.

Drew is also one of the world’s top marketing and branding bloggers according to Ad Age’s top 150 index. Recently, he has appeared in The New York Times, Entrepreneur Magazine, Business Week and Fortune Small Business. The Wall Street Journal calls him “One of the 10 bloggers that every entrepreneur should read.”

On this episode of Destination on the Left host, I talk with Drew about what it takes to build a great relationship with your marketing agency. Getting your destination’s message out to your ideal customers is getting more complex, not less. Open communication and confidence in your agency are crucial. It’s a wide-ranging conversation with great tips on knowing what to look for and expect from a great agency.

What You Will Learn:

• How to vet marketing agencies to find the right fit
• Why finding an agency that specializes in destination marketing is important
• How to have an open and honest relationship with your marketing agency
• How to handle tough conversations with your agency
• Best practices you should look for when hiring and working with an agency

Marketing Collaboration

We’re a long way from the Mad Men days. It’s no longer enough for an agency to swoop in to tell you the messages you need to spread, and purchase airtime and print space and make it to that 3 martini lunch by 11:30.

The channels available for your messages are almost limitless, and the work is much more complex. Clients and agencies are, or should be, working more collaboratively to discover customer personas, define the buyer’s journey, and craft the right messages to grow your business. In the conversation, Drew made this observation, “A great agency is really a great business advisor. It’s much broader than deciding what ad you are going to put on Facebook or running a radio spot.”

When it comes to agency relationships, marketing collaboration is the name of the game, you want an agency who plays that way.

Setting Expectations

A great agency relationship starts with good communication. This needs to happen at two levels. You need time and space to communicate voice-to-voice and face-to-face, along with the texting and email communication that happens while doing business. One piece of communication Drew mentions that clients and agencies too often overlook: gratitude. Saying thanks when your collaboration partner goes above and beyond the call of duty goes a long way in shaping a strong relationship.

The second part of setting clear expectations is getting it in writing. Also, put it in writing! Make a good contract that makes expectations clear. Drew’s vast experience leads him to the following conclusion: “Whatever the problem is, I promise you it’s not just the agency’s fault and it’s never just the client’s fault either.”

A great relationship with your marketing agency doesn’t just happen. This episode is full of tips, steps and best practices for making the most of your marketing dollars through that agency relationship.

Resources:

• Website: https://www.mclellanmarketing.com/
• Website: https://agencymanagementinstitute.com/

Episode Transcript

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

For this first episode in a special two-part series of Destination on the Left episodes, my team visited the Vermont Tourism Summit (without me!) to interview attendees about their experiences working in the travel and tourism industry, especially during the outbreak of and our gradual emergence from the global pandemic. The Vermont Tourism Summit draws one of the largest gatherings of tourism professionals in the state including owners, managers, and employees of the many businesses connected to this important segment of the economy. This year’s Summit was the 37th annual event and was held from November 17-18 at the Killington Grand Resort Hotel in Killington, VT.

I’m delighted to share the insights and experiences that the Vermont Tourism Summit attendees my team spoke with were willing to offer during their interviews. In this first episode of a special two-part Destination On The Left series, you’ll hear from these seven extraordinary travel and tourism leaders and experts:

• Ana Dan, Owner and General Manager of the Hyde Away Inn & Restaurant
• Bob Schwartz, Director of Marketing & Sales at the Trapp Family Lodge
• Carrie Simmons, Executive Director of the Stowe Area Association
• Diane Stockton-Breese, Director of Member Services at Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce
• Fred Cercena, CEO and Founder of GetAway Vacations
• Jenny Dewar, Owner of Karin’s Place
• Josh Palace, Sales Manager at Spirit of Ethan Allen

Discussing Challenges and Opportunities at the Vermont Tourism Summit

The Vermont Tourism Summit is an annual event that brings together area travel and tourism professionals, businesses and destinations. This year’s event offered a one-of-a-kind opportunity to discuss the many challenges and opportunities Vermont area destinations are navigating in this uniquely challenging time. My team travelled to the Vermont Tourism Summit for this year’s gathering and were able to speak with seven brilliant leaders, and here are the inspiring insights they had to share.

Ana Dan from Hyde Away Inn & Restaurant

Ana discusses the properties she owns and shares how her properties are navigating the challenge of the global pandemic by investing in technologies such as air filtration to restore traveler confidence as we emerge from the crisis. She shares how the flux of people entering and leaving travel and tourism work has created hiring challenges that her businesses are navigating by hiring foreign workers to fill vital positions. She talks about creating a welcoming community for these incoming workers, and she discusses the critical need for affordable housing for these incoming workers. She discusses allocating a few of the rooms in her inn for workers as a stopgap measure until housing accommodations are made available on a permanent basis.

Bob Schwartz from the Trapp Family Lodge

Bob shares what excites him most about the coming year and the opportunities it presents. He discusses how people’s increasing comfort with international travel is building toward a potentially great year for his organization. He explains why creating the best experience possible for visitors is an important key to attracting international travelers.

Carrie Simmons from Stowe Area Association

Carrie shares why Stowe, Vermont is excited about the coming ski season and the events her town will be able to offer in 2022 as we continue to move out of the pandemic over the course of the coming year. She also discusses how her team is ramping up for this expected coming increase in area travel.

Diane Stockton-Breese from Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce

Diane shares some of the highlights the Okemo Valley area offers across the twelve towns and villages her organization represents. She discusses a unique, pandemic-safe event her organization offered over the summer of 2021, and she shares how the event showcased many of the area’s visitor offerings. She talks about some of the key lessons her organization was able to draw from the festival that they will be able to take forward as the pandemic eases, and she shares her optimism for how the event will continue to grow in the future.

Fred Cercena from GetAway Vacations

Fred discusses why his main focus going into 2022 is the increasing amount of reservations that have been coming in from online travel agents rather than through direct reservations on their website. He shares how relying on sites like Airbnb and Expedia has created new challenges that need to be navigated. He highlights some of the programs and campaigns his organization has developed to increase the number of direct bookings. He also discusses how visitor loyalty to the area is a key concern he will be focusing on throughout the coming year.

Jenny Dewar from Karin’s Place

Jenny shares what excites her about her position as a short-term rental destination owner going into 2022, and she describes how government programs such as the PPP loan helped her businesses stay afloat through the challenges of 2020, and she shares how 2021 became a watershed year for her businesses. She describes why she is excited about her new position as the Executive Director of the Better Bennington Corporation and the opportunity the position presents for her to help in revitalizing downtown Bennington and in bringing new and returning events to the area. Jenny explains how hiring a “social media genius” has helped get the word out about the exciting things the Better Bennington Corporation is doing in the area.

Josh Palace from Spirit of Ethan Allen

Josh discusses how business boomed for his organization in 2021, even without access to travellers from Canada and other international locations, thanks to the outstanding job the state of Vermont has done in navigating the pandemic. He shares why he expects 2022 to be even bigger once international borders are fully reopened. He shares how digital partnerships have become cornerstones of his organization’s success, and he shares how the area’s more than 200 attractions have worked collaboratively to support each other through the pandemic crisis. He describes feeling like an ambassador for Vermont when encouraging travelers to take a closer look at the area’s other offerings. He explains why a strong sense of collaboration has been instrumental to his own success in his position.

Great Excitement for the Coming New Year

As each of these Vermont area travel and tourism leaders discussed, there’s an abiding sense of optimism for 2022 as life continues to move beyond the pandemic. Through key collaborations with area partners and through developing a better understanding of traveller’s safety needs and entertainment expectations, these organizations are each positioning themselves for a stellar new year!

I hope you enjoyed this first episode of our special two-part series from the Vermont Tourism Summit. I hope the positivity and optimism these leaders have shared with us inspire you as we wrap up 2021 and turn the page for a bright new year. Next week, we’ll hear from eight more remarkable Vermont travel and tourism experts, so I hope you’ll join the conversation!

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes! https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Kate Scopetti is living a full life revolving around a passion for travel, plus an exceptional ability to develop super creative and truly unique experiences, naturally led to the creation of the categorically successful Mid Atlantic Receptive Services, (MARS) and its subsidiaries: Go Performing, Go Student Tours, Go Sports Tours, and SoccerTours.net.

Destination on the Left is joined by Kate Scopetti, President and owner of MARS & Companies (Mid-Atlantic Receptive Services). On our podcast, Kate joins us to talk about the group travel industry, the work her organization is doing to prepare for recovery, and why collaborations are more important than ever. She explains her philosophy of “opening our minds to where the opportunities lie,” and talks about how that philosophy is applied in her own businesses.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• Kate’s background and her journey into the travel and tourism industry
• The evolution of MARS & Companies since its inception
• What MARS & Companies is doing to prepare for recovery after the pandemic
• How MARS & Companies transformed into a true wholesaler
• How Kate has used creativity to help MARS stand out from the crowd
• The different strains of collaboration in the group travel industry
• Why collaboration is more important than ever in the group travel industry
• Kate’s philosophy of “opening our minds to where the opportunities lie,” and how that philosophy is applied in her own businesses
• How the group travel industry has been affected by the global pandemic

MARS & Companies

Kate Scopetti is the President and owner of MARS & Companies (Mid Atlantic Receptive Services). With a full life revolving around a passion for travel, Kate has developed an exceptional ability to craft extremely creative and truly unique experiences that led to the formation of MARS and its subsidiaries. On our podcast, Kate joins us to talk about the group travel industry, the work her organization is doing to prepare for recovery, and why collaborations are more important than ever. She explains her philosophy of “opening our minds to where the opportunities lie,” and talks about how that philosophy is applied in her own businesses.

Transforming into a True Wholesaler

MARS & Companies initially started as a receptive company in the Mid Atlantic Region. They developed a substantial following in the DC area as the go-to experts for tour operators and other agents in the area. They worked collaboratively with this regional network of tourism professionals to connect different types of clients with different types of products throughout the year. And from there, they transformed into a true wholesaler. MARS & Companies now offer products around the world, and they still have a significant amount of clients that were with them from the beginning.

Creativity in the Group Travel industry

Collaboration has enabled Kate to build a powerful foundation and client base, but the use of creativity really helped MARS & Companies stand out from the pack. Kate and her team use creativity to build unique, custom strategies for their clients based on the specific needs and goals of each one. As a wholesaler, they can help their clients grow by expanding their product offerings without adding a significant amount of labor. Using creativity during these difficult times is only going to yield new solutions that will become part of your product line when things pick up again. As we make our way out of this pandemic, that is important to remember.

• Website: www.takeafuntrip.com
• LinkedIn:
  • https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-scopetti-5126b516/
  • https://www.linkedin.com/company/mid-atlantic-receptive-services/about/
• Facebook:
  • https://www.facebook.com/MidAtlanticReceptiveServices
  • https://www.facebook.com/GoPerforming
  • https://www.facebook.com/GoStudentTours
  • https://www.facebook.com/SoccerTours.net
• Twitter: @takeafuntrip

We recently attended the 2019 NYS Tourism Conference in Buffalo, New York and interviewed presenters, conference attendees, and Tourism Excellence Award winners. My interviews focused on the conference themes of inclusion, fostering community engagement, and “tourism is everybody’s business”, as well as key takeaways from the conference. This episode focuses on some of the award winners, and I hope you find these conversations informative and inspiring.

In this episode, I share my conversations with:

• Lisa Burns, Executive Director of the Finger Lakes Regional Tourism Council
• Bill Sweitzer, Marketing Director at New York State Canal Corporation
• Mary Kay Vrba, President and CEO of Dutchess Tourism
• Cassie Green, Sales and Social Media Manager at Visit Binghamton

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• How the Finger Lakes Regional Tourism Council has fostered collaboration between fourteen different New York counties for their “Finger Lakes Region Goes Beyond Wine as a Tourism Hot Spot” program
• How the New York State Canal Corporation’s partnerships with local businesses and organizations have helped them expand the number of programs and attractions on offer throughout the canal system
• How Dutchess Tourism is using social media tools such as Facebook Live videos they call “Dutchess Live” to generate interest and showcase destinations and experiences of all kinds that travelers can have in the area
• How Visit Binghamton is using video interviews as an opportunity to showcase the extensive history of the area and how local entrepreneurs are merging it with new innovations

Finger Lakes Regional Tourism Council

Executive Director Lisa Burns shares details about the Finger Lakes Regional Tourism Council’s award-winning program, “Finger Lakes Region Goes Beyond Wine as a Tourism Hot Spot”, and she shares the remarkable results the program has produced for the region. She shares how the PR-focused program has found great success in publications and media outlets like Conde Nast, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Today Show and others. She shares how fourteen counties in the area are working together in a collaboration to promote the entire region and benefit everyone, and she talks about how the program has far exceeded their goals and in 2017 alone produced more than 2.1 billion impressions and almost five hundred media placements. Lisa discusses how the collaboration between the fourteen counties can serve as a benchmark for how destination management organizations should work. She shares how honored she is that their program was recognized by peers within the industry, and she discusses the further honor of being asked to chair the 2019 NYSTIA Tourism Excellence Awards. She discusses work that is being done to enhance how the awards are presented and promote the value of the NYSTIA organization. She talks about how NYSTIA is now sourcing the awards locally from the area where the awards ceremony is being held each year, and she discusses the process and deadline for nominating others for the 2019 awards.

New York State Canal Corporation

Marketing Director Bill Sweitzer shares details of award-winners the Canal Corporation has nominated in the past, and he discusses why those programs were nominated. He shares how he realized that the tourism industry in the area is the sum of its parts, and why business partners are a major contributor to its marketing success. He discusses how many of the small local tourism businesses are unaware of their own huge contributions to the fabric of local tourism. He discusses nominating the team that creates the canal map and annual guide materials that are given out, and he shares why he wanted to recognize the map and guide’s creators for giving spots in the area a true sense of place. He shares why partnerships are vital to the success of the Canal Corporation, and he explains why being involved in NYSTIA is a huge benefit. He shares his plans for nominations for the next awards, specifically for the Corning Museum of Glass’s GlassBarge program that had more than 55,000 visitors last summer. He shares details about another future nominee, the Cycle the Erie Canal Bike Tour, a seven-day bike ride from one end of the Erie Canal to the other.

Dutchess Tourism

President and CEO Mary Kay Vrba discusses details of their award-winning Facebook Live initiative, “Dutchess Live”, where they create videos showcasing many of the varied experiences available in the area, both large and small. She discusses how the program works and how subjects are targeted and showcased through the video series. She shares pre-promotion efforts to ensure that viewers are aware of the live broadcasts, and she shares how the videos can be repurposed for future productions and promotions. She talks about why it is important to plan your project and do a test run to ensure that the technical side of things is working. She explains why it is important to stay aware of social media and marketing trends, and she shares the steps they have taken to stay current on those trends including sending staff to conferences and participating in webinars as well as doing extensive research. She talks about creating “lunch and learn” programs for partners and vendors so that they can benefit from the research and learning that is being done. She shares why winning an Excellence Award is reassuring and tells her that Dutchess Tourism is on the right track.

Visit Binghamton

Sales and Social Media Manager Cassie Green shares details of their “Be Part of Our Story” campaign, an initiative to tell the past of the community of Binghamton and the unique stories of young entrepreneurs and innovators who are building upon the past to create something new. She shares how the organization brought together the nine stories that Binghamton is showcasing in the campaign, and she shares how the campaign is still growing. She talks about being surprised at the number of great opportunities to promote the area when she first moved into her role. She shares her community pride at being an award winner and recognizes the community collaborations that have made it possible.

Overview

These Excellence Award winners each demonstrate how innovation, technology, history, and collaboration come together to create compelling programs and campaigns that truly showcase the remarkable experiences these communities have to offer. The New York State Canal Corporation’s partnerships with local businesses and the Finger Lakes Regional Tourism Council’s collaboration between their fourteen area counties show us that working together truly benefits everyone involved. Dutchess Tourism’s Facebook Live videos and Visit Binghamton’s “Be Part of Our Story” videos demonstrate the power that technology and social media have to reach new audiences in innovative and compelling ways. These four organizations truly deserve to be honored as Excellence Award winners.

Resources:

• Finger Lakes Regional Tourism Council website: www.fingerlakestravelny.com
• New York State Canal Corporation website: www.canals.ny.gov
• Dutchess Tourism website: https://dutchesstourism.com
• Visit Binghamton website: https://visitbinghamton.org
• 2019 NYSTIA Excellence Award nomination website: https://www.nystia.org/news/excellence-in-tourism-call-for-nominations

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Passionate about the interconnection between food, agriculture, tourism, arts, and culture, Rebecca has been instrumental in developing tourism products, including Prince Edward County’s award-winning Taste Trail & Arts Trail and the Culinary Tourism Alliance’s Feast On® certification program.

In her role at the Culinary Tourism Alliance (CTA), Rebecca manages highly participatory and asset-based community development projects at the local, regional, provincial, and national levels. She oversees programming, partnership development and develops comprehensive marketing partnerships to increase awareness of Canada’s food tourism experiences.

Rebecca contributes her expertise to a variety of industry boards, including the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) and the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) Sustainable Development Goals Working Group. She has written the curriculum for Centennial Colleges Food Tourism Post Graduate Program, contributed chapters to the 2nd UNWTO Global Report on Gastronomic Tourism, and produced a chapter on Transforming the Terroir into a Tourist Destination to the Routledge Handbook of Gastronomic Tourism (release date of fall 2019). Rebecca completed a Master of Arts in Global Leadership at Royal Roads University in 2021 with a specific interest in sustainable tourism. She is a part-time professor at George Brown College in their Food Tourism Entrepreneurship program.

Born and raised in Toronto, Rebecca spent her summers in rural Prince Edward County. In her grade 12 year, she sailed with West Island Colleges Class Afloat on a 156-foot-tall ship to 20 countries in Europe and Africa – an experience that rooted her passion for travel, adventure, and taste of place! Rebecca continues to split her time between Toronto (week) and Prince Edward County (weekends), sharing her adventures with her husband, two teenage sons, and silver labrador Blueberry.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Rebecca Mackenzie, the President and CEO of Culinary Tourism Alliance. In this enlightening conversation, Rebecca provides insightful definitions for culinary tourism and agri-tourism and shares her expertise on building partnerships and programs that are sustainable and beneficial for all involved.

What You Will Learn in this Episode:

• How destinations can leverage culinary and agritourism to stand out by defining their unique selling proposition and sharing their stories
• Why successful culinary and agri-tourism programs are grassroots-driven, and DMOs should understand and own their particular taste of place to collaborate and showcase it to visitors
• What culinary tourism is and how it reflects the history, heritage, and culture of a place
• How marketing organizations can create a curated culinary tourism experience
• How the Maple in the County event encouraged collaboration, bringing together five maple syrup producers under one brand and encouraging local businesses to create maple-themed products and experiences
• Rebecca shares her insights and best practices for initiating and developing partnerships

The World of Culinary Tourism

In this episode, Rebecca Mackenzie, the President and CEO of Culinary Tourism Alliance, dives deep into the world of culinary and agri-tourism. Mackenzie shares her insights on how destinations can truly stand out by defining their unique selling proposition and sharing the stories of the people who grow, raise and craft their tastes of place. As Mackenzie explains, the reality is that no two ingredients are quite the same, and the way they are processed or celebrated reflects the culture of that place.

Successful culinary and agri-tourism programs are grassroots-driven, and business operators must fully understand and own their unique taste of place to collaborate and showcase it to visitors. By executing excellent multi-sensory experiences, destinations can leave lifelong impressions with visitors, ultimately keeping them competitive in a rapidly growing industry. So tune in to learn more about how to make your culinary and agri-tourism program outstanding in your field.

History, Heritage, and Culture

Rebecca explains that culinary tourism includes any travel experience where a person can learn about and consume food and drink that reflects a place’s history, heritage, and culture. While agritourism is primarily focused on the production side of food and beverage, culinary tourism goes a step further by providing visitors with an opportunity to taste the products grown and raised in the area.

This immersive experience allows visitors to understand the nuances of grape growing, production processes, and the people involved in the destination. From visiting farmers’ markets and specialty food retailers to attending cooking schools and festivals, there are numerous ways to experience the taste of the place.

Maple in the County

We also discuss the development of the Maple in the County event over 20 years ago in Prince Edward County, Canada. The event brought together five maple syrup producers under one brand, encouraging local businesses to create maple-themed products and experiences. The first year saw almost 100 businesses participate, leading to increased tourism and visitors spending longer in the area.

Resources:

• Website: https://www.culinarytourismalliance.com/
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccaleheup/
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/culinary-tourism-alliance/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/OntarioCulinary
• Taste of Place Summit: https://www.culinarytourismalliance.com/events-2/taste-of-place-summit
• Great Taste of Canada: https://www.culinarytourismalliance.com/great-taste-of-canada

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Jennifer Barbee is a serial entrepreneur, professional speaker, and all-around boss. Jennifer and her partner Kristen created the agency Destination Innovate in 2017, in addition to running to successful digital branding agencies. She has been named Stevie® Female Entrepreneur of 2013, 2014 in Advertising/Media/PR (U.S. and Europe), ranked #17 in StartUp Nation’s® Top 100 Moms in Business and has represented some of the country’s leading brands, affectionately dubbing her the “dot com diva” and the “Harvard of Internet and Travel”.

Jennifer wows crowds with her unique brand of humor and real talk. She is a tireless advocate of women entrepreneurs and regularly hosts success schools and offers private coaching. She continues to offer her digital strategy expertise to consulting and speaking at conferences around the world.

Jennifer is also a mom of four and is an avid coffee and mimosa enthusiast.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Jennifer about risk-taking in travel marketing. It may push our comfort levels, but it can pay big dividends compared with the status quo. We also talk through some great marketing strategies and tactics you can start using right away – from Facebook tools to DMOs.

What You Will Learn in this Episode:

• The importance of calculated risk-taking
• Finding the gaps in marketing that others are not exploring, and getting there first
• Taking advantage of “now” opportunities, not non-existent “forever” strategies
• How to bring gender equity to leadership roles in the travel industry
• Ingredients for successful collaboration
• How DMOs can share with smaller stakeholders marketing secrets they can use themselves

Embracing Risk

Expedia and Travelocity took big risks if you can remember back to those early days of the internet. Millennials, just sit back and let us tell you the story. At the dawn of the 21st Century, a flight and hotel aggregator was literally wishful thinking. Jennifer talks about how Expedia and Travelocity took that wishful thinking and some great coding expertise and created some dramatic disruption in the industry.

Jennifer invites us to not be afraid of risk. There are so many calculated small risks you can take to make a bigger impact with your marketing budget, like putting the story in the hands of the visitor. She offers some great examples of personality-driven websites that target a specific segment you want to attract. When a visitor tells you what they like, you can target the right message that engages, building a relationship, and bumps up your visitation numbers.

Travel Marketing Hacks

We also discuss a fascinating social media hack destination marketers can use. It’s great for large organizations but even better for the smaller hotel or attraction. It’s a really great platform for the small BNB or the small hotel owner who only has 20 or 60 rooms to take control of the booking. You can do a double dip there, building awareness and doing good in marketing, but also utilizing a booking engine with no fees attached. We dig into the specifics of how you can make this happen on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

Jennifer is an amazing resource who is always willing to ask tough questions, give unexpected answers, and generally get the conversation to the level where big ideas can turn into action that makes a real difference in your organization.

Resources:

• Personal Web Site: jenniferbarbee.com
• Company Web Site: destinationinnovate.com
• Get Lost in Loudon Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgw-C2m0IXg
• SLAY IT: slayit.info

Episode Transcript

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Named one of the 11 Influential Black Women in Travel You Should Know by Travel Noire, Rachel Hill is a trailblazing Travelpreneur, Speaker, and Published Author. With a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in Marketing, she has merged her Tech and Digital Marketing expertise and passion for travel into a global brand.

Her engaged audience of over 30,000 sees her as a leader in both the travel and tourism space and the Digital Marketing industry. Utilizing her marketing and Influencer expertise, Rachel coaches new and aspiring Travel Brand Business creators and on how to build successful online brands, how to create valuable content, and how to monetize their brands.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Rachel Hill about how travel influencers can help brands reach niche markets. She shares her insights on demystifying travel in the Black community and gives an example of a successful creative influencer campaign she worked on to flip the narrative on cold-weather destinations. Rachel also breaks down the KPIs that she thinks are most important for influencer marketing and why it’s much more valuable to focus on the impact of a campaign rather than how many likes you get.

What You Will Learn:

• The best ways for destinations to approach influencers
• Why it’s critical to have a coherent strategy when working with travel influencers
• How to measure interest and conversion rates from campaigns with influencers
• Best practices for influencer marketing to niche audiences
• How destinations can ensure they are open, authentic, and diverse in their marketing materials
• Why Rachel believes this is the perfect time for organizations and travel brands to be innovative and creative to attract visitors

Engaging Your Audience

When travel destinations approach influencers, it is important that they really understand whether that influencer’s values and content align with theirs. There is no point in pursuing influencers with huge follower numbers if their audience doesn’t connect to your purpose. A recent shift in destination marketing has seen a move towards micro-influencers who have engaged audiences who trust their opinion and direction. Don’t focus on the numbers — focus on the impact.

Niche Audiences

If a destination wants to tap into a new niche audience, it’s essential to be authentic by working with someone who can represent that niche audience well. You can shift the narrative and open up your region to travelers who had not previously considered it a place to visit by asking for the feedback of an influencer in that niche group. Rachel Hill gives her perspective on approaching influencers in a specific niche and outlines the best practices for influencer marketing to niche audiences.

• Quiz: https://www.rachelvhill.com/quiz
• Websites:
  • https://www.racheltravels.com/
  • https://www.rachelvhill.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelvhill
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheRachelVHill
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Therachelvhill

Clark Twiddy is the President of Twiddy & Company, an asset management and hospitality firm founded in 1978 along the North Carolina Outer Banks. He was raised in Duck, North Carolina, and is a combat veteran of the US Navy and an alumnus of several universities.

Clark has served in numerous public, private, government, and non-profit capacities at various levels, from volunteer to Chair. He was selected as the FBLAs Business Person of the Year in North Carolina in 2019 and is currently the President of the Outer Banks Community Foundation.

Married to a native Texan, he is the father of two young daughters and enjoys time on the water and the guitar in his spare time.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Clark Twiddy about leading effectively during a crisis. Clark reflects on how he worked to build a trusting relationship with his customers even during the lockdown and why that allowed him to reap the rewards once things reopened. We also discuss how Clark’s company built capacity and value through digital innovation and how they work in partnership with the University of North Carolina in the spirit of co-opetition.

What You Will Learn:

• Clark reflects on his experience managing his vacation rental business through the pandemic
• The two reasons businesses in the travel industry can fail
• How showing vulnerability builds trust
• How Twiddy & Company built capacity and value by leveraging digital tools
• Why Clark was so keen to engage with the broader community on a sustainable tourism project
• The creative ways that Clark has guided his company through the last 18 months and the key lessons learned

Maintaining Visitor Trust

As the pandemic took hold, customer confidence in the possibility of future travel took a nosedive. Clark explores the lessons his company learned about maintaining visitors’ trust and why it was so important to be honest and transparent — and he shares the three key factors that comprised their covenant with their customers. We discuss why it is so powerful to acknowledge failures and how it allows community partners and stakeholders to have faith in your business.

Leading in a Crisis

Leaders in the hospitality industry are predisposed to want to give visitors a positive experience, but that desire was tested amid the COVID-19 crisis. Clark explains why he felt it was important to highlight to his team that it was ok to make mistakes but that the most important thing was to learn from those mistakes. He outlines how they built their founding principles of reflectiveness and transparency and how he sees them benefiting their partners in sustainable destination management in North Carolina.

• Book: Memories of the Currituck Outer Banks: As Told by Ernie Bowden by Clark Twiddy
• Website: https://www.twiddy.com/
• LinkedIn:
  • https://www.linkedin.com/in/clark-twiddy-3b61a7133
  • https://www.linkedin.com/company/twiddy-&-company-realtors/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TwiddyOuterBanks
• Twitter:
  • https://twitter.com/clark_twiddy
  • https://twitter.com/TwiddyOBX

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Robb Wells, President and CEO of the Greater Beaufort-Port Royal CVB, has been a Destination Marketing Professional for more than 15 years. Starting his career as Executive Director for Duplin County Tourism in North Carolina before moving to become Sr. Director of Marketing at the Knoxville Tourism & Sports Corporation and then became Vice President of the Tourism Division for the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce before taking on his current role as President and CEO of the CVB.

Robb is successful at establishing the vision and strategies necessary to ensure a destination’s continued success. He excels at creating relationships, networks, and business connections while partnering with all core tourism constituents to significantly increase the area’s visitor experience and overall economic impact.

In this episode of Destination on the Left, we are joined by Robb Wells, the President and CEO of the Greater Beaufort-Port Royal Conventions and Visitors Bureau in South Carolina. During this conversation, Robb discusses his journey in the travel and tourism industry, and he shares invaluable lessons about responding to adversity and uncertainty. Learn how Robb’s organization is using creativity and collaboration to cut through the noise and make a positive impact on the Beaufort community.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• Robb’s journey into the travel and tourism industry
• Robb’s role as the President and CEO of Greater Beaufort-Port Royal CVB
• How Robb’s experience with collaboration and interdepartmental connectivity has changed since he first started
• Why partnerships shape the perception of DMOs in their communities
• How Robb has used creativity to make Beaufort stand out from the crowd
• How Beaufort builds powerful public relations campaigns to cut through the noise
• How Robb uses creativity to overcome the adversity and uncertainty of hurricane season
• Future projects for the light at the end of the tunnel
• How Robb is working with other departments and organizations to create something bigger than themselves
• Advice for how to approach a successful collaboration

Greater Beaufort-Port Royal CVB

Robb Wells is the President & CEO at Greater Beaufort-Port Royal CVB in South Carolina. Robb started his journey in travel and tourism with a DMO in a small rural community that was still under economic development. The lessons and experience Robb picked up in that role set the stage for his career and prepared him to lead the operation with the Greater Beaufort-Port Royal CVB. In this episode of Destination on the Left, Robb shares invaluable insights about responding to adversity. Robb’s community has to prepare itself for hurricane season every year and the lessons he has learned from dealing with that uncertainty are widely applicable to other scenarios as well.

Never Stop Learning

Robb’s first day on the job was a governor’s conference. As a twenty-four-year-old who got thrown into the deep end, Robb had to learn on the fly and work outside of his comfort zone constantly. It is something most of us do now and then, but to this day, Robb is educating himself regularly to serve his community the best he can. Whether you find tourism or tourism finds you, it is important to stay ahead of the changing landscape by leveraging all of the resources you can find. Travel and tourism is a highly competitive space that requires creativity and collaboration to thrive in, and it is woven into the fabric of our communities’ economies.

More Than Tourism

When Robb first got into the travel and tourism industry, everything in his community’s tourism strategy was siloed. Robb put a lot of energy into facilitating interdepartmental connectivity and collaboration. He maintains that emphasis to this day because it shapes the way communities view DMOs. People might not understand the tourism industry, but they understand the role of a DMO in their community because of the prevalence of partnerships. Robb is working with his partners on things like content creation and festival production, contributing to an even greater presence of the CVB in Beaufort. Whether it is aggressive public relations campaigns or new attractions, Robb’s organization is focused on a much bigger picture than tourism alone. They are making an impact on the Beaufort community with everything they do.

• Website: http://www.beaufortsc.org/
• LinkedIn:
  • https://www.linkedin.com/in/Robbwells/
  • https://www.linkedin.com/company/greater-beaufort-port-royal-convention-and-visitors-bureau/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeaufortSC
• Twitter:
  • @Visit_Beaufort
  • @WellsRobb

David Huether currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Research at the U.S. Travel Association. In this role, David manages the association’s economic, tourism marketing and advocacy research programs. The U.S. Travel Association is a national non-profit travel advocacy organization working within all aspects of the travel and tourism industry, generating $2.4 trillion in economic output and supporting more than 15 million jobs in the United States.

Before he joined U.S Travel in January of 2011, David was Chief Economist at the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), where he served as the organization’s economic forecaster and principal spokesman on economic matters important to America’s industrial base. Prior to joining NAM in 1997, David worked with the Bureau of Economic Analysis at the U.S Department of Commerce as an economist. David received his bachelor’s degree from Guilford College in North Carolina in 1990, and he obtained his graduate degree in economics from George Washington University in 1997.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with David about the important information-gathering and analytic work his organization, the U.S. Travel Association, is doing. U.S. Travel and other advocacy groups collect, collate, and disseminate statistics about the travel industry, helping to secure funding and support from local, state and federal policy-makers. Listen to our conversation and discover what information is being gathered, and how that information is being used to reshape our industry.

What You Will Learn:

• Learn what is officially considered “travel”, and what sort of immense impact on domestic business and leisure travel have to the U.S. economy.
• David explains the challenges the United States faces in capturing its share of international travel from other nations, and what steps are being taken to address the problem.
• David discusses why many outside factors impact the state of the travel industry. Indicators such as the strength of the US Dollar, the price of gasoline, and national employment growth all have their part to play.
• The U.S. Travel “Made In America” report is a powerful tool available to destination marketing professionals to showcase how the travel industry is an important economic contributor to local communities across the country.
• Learn what fascinating and illuminating information U.S. Travel discovered when analyzing the career paths of travel professionals compared to professionals from other industries, across a thirty year period.

Why do the Numbers Matter?

One of the great challenges we face is successfully educating policy-makers on how important the travel industry is on both the local and national level. There is an unfortunate perception that travel is just a “fun but low-wage” industry to work in, which we know isn’t the truth of the situation.

Having access to the important metrics that organizations like the U.S. Travel Association track and gather can help dispel these misunderstandings. The travel and tourism industries have an incredible, far-reaching impact on communities across the country. Revenue is generated, jobs are created, and entire regions are boosted by our industry, so it’s critical that we get that message out.

How the Information is Used

Once groups like U.S. Travel have analyzed and processed the information they gather from their studies, those reports can be used to show a cause-and-effect relationship between government travel policies and funding, and how those initiatives impact communities.

By shining a light on the clear relationship between policy and outcome, advocacy groups can illustrate how important our industry is to the health of our communities and can create a stronger point from which to argue on behalf of important policies and changes. This work is crucial to the travel industry, which is why it was my pleasure to speak with David on the subject.

Resources:

• U.S. Travel Association’s “Made In America” report: https://www.ustravel.org/research/made-america-travels-essential-contribution-economic-development
• U.S. Travel Association Website: www.ustravel.org

In this episode, you will learn about leveling up your live video by creating engaging, curated experiences from Reagan Burns.

Reagan Burns started her career working for R&R Partners in Las Vegas, on the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority as a designer on the What Happens Here, Stays Here campaigns. Her career path then brought her to Baltimore and then to Rochester, NY when she decided to open Lime Creative. She stayed focused on the tourism industry, working with clients like The Adirondack Coast Wine Trail, Ugly Disco, Rochester Events, The Rochester Lilac Festival, Park Ave Summer Arts Festival, and the Highland Bowl Concert Series. Her work includes branding and identity, print and digital marketing, website design, and social media marketing.

A transcript of this episode is available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/reagan-burns/

We recently attended the 2019 NYS Tourism Conference in Buffalo, New York and interviewed presenters, conference attendees, and Tourism Excellence Award winners. My interviews focused on the conference themes of inclusion, fostering community engagement, and "tourism is everybody's business", as well as key takeaways from the conference. This episode focuses on some of the award winners, and I hope you find these conversations informative and inspiring.

In this final episode of the series, I share my conversations with:

• Kelly Blazosky, President of Oneida County Tourism
• Patrick Kaler, President and CEO of Visit Buffalo Niagara
• Rebekah LaMoreaux, President and CEO of Watkins Glen Chamber of Commerce and Ronald Roney, Director of Watkins Glen State Park

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• How seven different counties partnered for Oneida County Tourism’s “Bike Thru History” program, intended to highlight Revolutionary War destinations for visiting cyclists and to bring new cycling enthusiasts to the region
• How a character named the Unexpected Buffalo was featured in a wide-ranging marketing campaign across many forms of digital media, showcasing the numerous experiences and destinations on offer in Buffalo
• How a unique partnership between a state agency and a local chamber of commerce led to the construction of a brand new Welcome Center at Watkins Glen State Park, showcasing not only the park but the other events and destinations in the community

Oneida County Tourism

Kelly Blazosky from Oneida County Tourism discusses their award-winning "Bike Thru History" program, developed in partnership between Oneida County and six other counties. She shares how the program was developed as a way to engage biking enthusiasts and give them an opportunity to bicycle to important historical sites from the Revolutionary War throughout the region. Kelly explores how they engaged cycling professionals to help determine how to interconnect looping bike paths of varying challenge levels that would also connect with the historical sites. She shares how they developed thirty new routes for cyclists, using the Erie Canalway corridor as the main branch from which the paths would extend. She also discusses how they created a website to showcase the newly looping routes, and how they connected with a cycling route and GPS app to include the routes. Kelly explains how coordination between the various groups and assets and keeping clear communication were key to the program's success. She shares her pride in winning an Excellence Award and her gratitude toward all of the partners involved.

Visit Buffalo Niagara

Patrick Kaler from Visit Buffalo Niagara discusses their "Unexpected Buffalo" marketing campaign featuring the character of the same name and his journeys through the destinations and experiences available in Buffalo. He explains how the campaign was launched across 30-second TV spots, print ads, newspapers and magazines, transit advertising, and across social media. He discusses how the target markets for the campaign included Toronto, Rochester, Erie, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland. Patrick shares how the Unexpected Buffalo character is a fully-realized and interactive creation with his own social media presence. He also discusses how the Unexpected Buffalo campaign generated more than $108 million in its first year alone, for a return on investment of $84 for every $1 spent. He shares how the idea for the Unexpected Buffalo campaign was developed almost exclusively in-house and why taking risks and being bold were important to the success of the campaign. He discusses how being recognized by the state and peers is a great thing to take back to stakeholders.

Watkins Glen State Park and Watkins Glen Chamber of Commerce

Ron Roney from Watkins Glen State Park discusses renovations to the park and the inclusion of a welcome center located at the main entrance of the park, done in collaboration with the Watkins Glen Chamber of Commerce, and he shares how it has made a major impact on the community. Rebekah LaMoreaux from the Watkins Glen Chamber of Commerce shares how the Chamber partnered with the Park as an opportunity to share with visitors the many other opportunities Watkins Glen has on offer. Ron shares how his biggest takeaway from the project was that the collaboration between a state agency such as the Park and the local tourism services can offer powerful benefits to both parties. Rebekah shares how she learned that promoting tourism is everyone in the community's job. Ron talks about the honor he felt at being recognized for their work, and he shares the pride he feels at contributing toward the positive impact the collaboration is making to the entire region. Rebekah shares her surprise and joy that the state agency gave the project their stamp of approval in the first year, and she discusses the potential of future partnerships.

Overview

These 2018 NYSTIA Tourism Excellence Award winners truly demonstrate how thinking outside the box can create tremendous new opportunities. From unique partnerships to original characters, these organizations prove that successful tourism marketing requires creative thought, fresh ideas and teamwork. I hope you’ve enjoyed this series of episodes and learning from the 2018 NYSTIA Tourism Excellence Award winners across all three episodes. Please remember that you can now submit nominations for the 2019 awards by following the link in the resources section below. Thank you for listening!

Resources:

• The Wild Center website: www.wildcenter.org
• Destination Niagara USA website: www.niagarafallsusa.com
• Watkins Glen Chamber of Commerce Website: www.watkinsglenchamber.com
• Watkins Glen State Park Website: https://parks.ny.gov/parks/142/
• Rachel Laber Pulvino's LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rachellaber/
• 2019 NYSTIA Excellence Award nomination website: https://www.nystia.org/news/excellence-in-tourism-call-for-nominations

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with two amazing guests, Mayor Carlos Duffey of Jackson, Georgia, and Ike English of the Dauset Trails Nature Center, both of whom played a pivotal role in the Creeks Trail System and Butts County’s recent recognition with the Trailblazers Award from the Georgia CVB Association. We focus on their collaborative efforts, its positive impact on the city of Jackson, and the significance of having the right individuals involved in creating such transformative projects.

What You Will Learn in this Episode:

• Mayor Carlos Duffey shares why he was persuaded to run for public office
• How Ike’s interest in nature and building trails led to his current project
• When they first spotted the trend for people using outdoor trails and the collaboration across a variety of sectors
• How they use the trails to connect residents and visitors and bring them into the city to use local businesses
• Roadblocks Mayor Carlos and Ike had to work around in finding the right partners and bringing the trail project to completion

Connecting the Trail and the City

Mayor Carlos describes how he envisioned connecting every part of Jackson back to the town square to bring visitors and residents alike to sample the town’s restaurants, cafes, and boutiques. He shares how they can benefit from the economic impact of the trail and why the city is working with local transportation services to add new roundabouts and bike lanes that will provide safe access to the Trailhead.

2022 Trailblazer Award

Ike shares more about some of the roadblocks they hit and challenges they encountered when they first started building the trails, including convincing local landowners and residents who were less than enthusiastic about the project.

The pair share more details about their four trailheads, what kind of people are using the trails, and why their unique project won the 2022 Trailblazer Award. Mayor Carlos and Ike also dive into how they track numbers of trail users and why it’s essential for them to understand how they are being used so they can make plans for how to expand the network.

The Outdoor Capital of Georgia

Jackson is considered the outdoor capital of Georgia, thanks to its two state parks and the Dauset Trail. The city takes great pride in this title and wants to make the most of it by encouraging people to walk or bike rather than drive.

My guests share why the trails have been vital in promoting this vision, and the city is excited to see the enthusiasm around it. The younger generation is a particular focus, and the city hopes to introduce more children to the trails to develop their love for nature. The Dauset Trail already does an excellent job of engaging students, but the city wants to expand the outreach and make it a part of its future.

Resources:

• Website: https://www.dausettrails.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064581018358
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/dausettrails
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/11729253/dauset-trails-nature-center/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DausetTrails/feed
• Georgia Trend Magazine

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Adam Stoker is the Co-Founder, President, and CEO of Relic, a full-service destination marketing agency. For over 15 years, Adam has excelled in the leisure travel, stakeholder engagement, and destination branding spheres.

Immersed in the world of tourism, Adam has spent time as a member of the Utah Tourism Industry Association Board. He is a frequent speaker and collaborator at industry events nationwide, speaking at the Utah Tourism Conference, Texas Travel Summit, several Destinations International events, and more. A passionate thought leader in the world of owned media, Adam speaks on the power of branded content and the success his clients have seen with this bold strategy.

Adam hosts the Destination Marketing Podcast, a weekly podcast with over 115,000 total listens that shares insights and experiences from worldwide industry professionals. Published in 2020, Adams’s book, “Touchpoints: The Destination Marketers Guide to Brand Evaluation and Enhancement,” is available on Amazon.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Adam Stoker about his three-part formula for putting owned media to work for your DMO. He shares examples of destinations using an owned media strategy to deliver big results and how he’s helping them leverage ChatGPT to make content easily accessible and actionable.

What You Will Learn in this Episode:

• Adam’s insights on using owned media to attract today’s travelers
• How Adam uses ChatGPT strategically to make content more accessible by creating chatbots for destinations
• Adam shares the 3 C’s for building an audience — content, community, and commerce and how they influence purchase decisions
• How technology allows for building a community beyond geographical limitations, expanding destination marketing opportunities
• Adam’s scalable vision for a network of destination marketing podcasts, creating opportunities for collaboration and growth

Embracing Owned Media for Audience Engagement and Influence

On this episode, we’re talking about the importance of owned media in attracting today’s travelers. Owned media is a company’s website, blog, and social media channels, and they allow brands to build connections with their audience and potential visitors. Adam shares his three-part formula for using owned media in organizations – content, community, and commerce – and provides a strategic framework for building and leveraging an audience.

Adam discusses the strategic use of ChatGPT, to make content more accessible. He has found that by using it, destination marketers can provide accessible and engaging content experiences for their audience, such as responsive chatbots that boost their brand’s reach and keep them top of mind.

Shifting from Geographic to Interest-Based Marketing

We dig into the paradigm shift from geographical marketing to interest-based marketing. As developing technology allows for precise audience targeting based on specific interests, destination marketers can capitalize on this shift to engage niche audiences within communities. Adam shares examples like The Palm Beaches and Visit Myrtle Beach, which have successfully focused on specific audience interests, demonstrating how interest-based marketing can yield more impactful results than traditional geographical marketing approaches.

Diving into Branded Entertainment and Long-Form Content

Adam also introduces the concept of branded entertainment and emphasizes the need to prioritize entertainment over traditional advertising methods. Destination marketers can create content that resonates with their ideal audience by understanding current visitor preferences for longer and more engaging content. Building a community around this infotainment is a great way to engage your audience.

Resources:

• Website: relicagency.com
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamstoker/
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/relicadvertising/
• Destination Marketing Podcast: https://destinationmarketingpodcast.com/

In this episode, you will learn about managing a destination through all four season from Drew Broderick.

No day is ever the same for Drew Broderick, director of sales and marketing for Bristol Mountain and Roseland Adventure Attractions, which is comprised of Bristol Mountain Ski Area and Fall Sky Rides, Bristol Mountain Aerial Adventures and Zip Line Canopy Tours, Roseland Waterpark, and Roseland Wake Park.

Her enthusiasm for tourism and attractions began with a summer college internship at Walt Disney World. She spent ten years in upper management in the hotel industry and later as the owner of a successful meeting planning and consulting firm, On-Site Meeting Solutions in Dallas, Texas, before relocating to Upstate New York. One of Drew’s most memorable events was supervising the VIP hospitality venues for Anheuser-Busch during the 1994 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. She also traveled the globe as a consultant for an international training company. Some of those places included: Dubai, Singapore, Brazil, Australia, Chile, Bermuda, Spain, and Poland to name a few. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management with a Minor in Marketing from Northeastern State University in Oklahoma.

Drew has been with Bristol Mountain and Roseland Adventure Attractions for eight years and serves as the media liaison as well as handles all advertising, marketing initiatives, photography and video assets, social media for multiple attractions, and oversees the group sales efforts. Currently, Bristol Mountain has six former Freestyle athletes competing on the US Ski Team and with the next winter Olympics taking place in February of 2018, Bristol Mountain hopes to see one or more of these athletes competing for Team USA.

One of Drew’s passions is getting people involved in outdoor activities such as skiing, snowboarding, wakeboarding, zip lining, and climbing the courses in the aerial adventure park. Drew says, “There is so much to do right here that we’ve adopted the tagline of Adventure Capital of the Finger Lakes.”

A transcript of this episode is available here: destinationontheleft.com/drew-broderick

Robin Boehler is a co-founder of international management consulting firm, Mercer Island Group. Mercer Island group is a prominent global marketing management consulting firm helping clients and agencies solve a broad range of business problems from building business and tough competitive markets, to creating strategic roadmaps, and matching the right clients and agencies for productive relationships, to name a few.

Robin’s unique ability to work with teams and help improve organizational productivity is the direct result of an eclectic background, including her degree in human development and family studies from Cornell University, several years of experience in elementary education, plus training and team building experiences across a myriad of industries, and extensive volunteerism experiences. She is a frequent speaker having presented and keynoted at events sponsored by the BMA, the four A’s, AMI, and others.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Robin Boehler about her wealth of experience in starting and maintaining vital client/agency relationships. How do you uncover what you need from a marketing agency or PR firm and finding the right fit? Robin’s wealth of experience and knowledge is on full display in this can’t miss episode.

Things to Consider When Choosing an Agency Partners

If you think you are not big enough for an agency to want to work with you, think again. Travel and tourism business is a desirable category for both regional and national marketing agencies.

How do you find an agency to work with? Robin’s advice is to start with introspection. Know your organization and what you need before you start looking at your next agency relationship. Know why you need an agency. What are you trying to solve? The reason that’s important is you need to know what business results you think will be improved by hiring an agency. Figuring out the right fit may take some time, but hopefully, you and this agency will be in it for the long haul. Take your time.

Network Your Way to a Good List

You don’t want to automatically go with the first agency you meet. Find out what they are like and what their strengths are and see if that fits with your needs. Do you need a good media buyer? Help with social media? Good creative? Whatever the scope of work, Robin suggests starting with a list of 20 and meeting with at least 5 before making a final decision on who to work with.

The goal is to take the mystery out of how this relationship is going to work. This isn’t a commodity that you’re buying. You’re buying strategic intelligent, creative assets from a group of people who will be thinking partners with you.

Resources:

• Website: http://www.mercerislandgroup.net/

In this episode, you will learn how regions don't influence a travelers decision on where to go, and how to get them to come to your destination from Josiah Brown.

Josiah Brown is best known the New York Sherpa and has logged over 600,000 miles throughout New York State over the last 13 years. He is the brain and the passion behind New York’s Best Experiences. The Sherpa lives for recommending the best-kept secrets New York has to offer. He coined the tagline “because we’ve been there,” well, because he has. Josiah is President and CEO of New York Welcome’s You. He is a public speaker and trainer offering workshops to the tourism industry on topics including: winning first-time visitors to a destination, branding first, and the future of the group travel market.

A transcript of this episode is available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/josiah-brown/

This week, the podcast is coming to you from the ABA Marketplace in Nashville, where nearly 3,000 tour and travel professionals convened to learn and network with their peers. From indigenous experiences in Alberta to the revitalization of destinations like Philadelphia and Branson, this episode is packed with valuable perspectives on collaboration, envisioning the future of travel, and the power of personal connections in the tourism industry.

In this episode, you’ll hear from these extraordinary leaders:

• Vince Accardi: President at Ontario Motor Coach Association and Motor Coach Canada
• Richard Arnold: President & Director of Fun Atlantic Tours Canada
• Marcy Barnes: Market Development Specialist, Tourism New Brunswick
• Aaron Brown: Marketing & Experience Manager at Visit Cheyenne
• Greg Caren: President & Chief Executive Officer at Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Ryan Elliott: Manager – Business Development at Travel Alberta
• Bud Geissler: President, Group Collect and ABA Marketplace 2024 Chair

Insights from ABA Marketplace in Nashville

At the ABA Marketplace in Nashville, we dug deep into tourism partnerships, connections, and relationships. Our industry experts discuss the importance of building connections, the impact of border closures on the industry, and the resurgence of group travel post-COVID. Guests share their experiences of being part of the travel industry in 2023, make predictions for 2024, and highlight the vibrant energy of the travel industry right now.

Vince Accardi: President at Ontario Motor Coach Association and Motor Coach Canada

Vince and I discussed the increasing interest in indigenous experiences for group travel in Canada. He also touched on the upcoming recovery of the country’s tourism industry and why connection-building is the most vital part of attending shows like ABA Marketplace.

Richard Arnold: President & Director of Fun Atlantic Tours Canada

I loved hearing Richard’s thoughts on the challenges and rewards of promoting hands-on experiences in tour itineraries for a post-COVID new normal. He emphasizes the need to be dynamic and creative when planning tours and looks ahead to new opportunities and collaborations in 2024.

Marcy Barnes: Market Development Specialist, Tourism New Brunswick

Marcy highlights what she is most excited about for the tour and travel business in 2024, including new or expanded itineraries that come into the beautiful province of New Brunswick. She also discusses why networking is the most important thing at events like ABA Marketplace and how the event allows her to connect with buyers and build collaborations with other PMOs.

Aaron Brown: Marketing & Experience Manager at Visit Cheyenne

Aaron shares his excitement for the upcoming year in the tourism industry as someone who is new to the industry, particularly focusing on the trend of slow travel and why taking time to really connect with a destination is so important for visitors. His word for ABA Marketplace is ‘amazing,’ and it’s not hard to see why!

Greg Caren: President & Chief Executive Officer at Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau

Greg and I discuss the importance of authenticity in travel experiences, and he shares more about how his destination is meeting this need by highlighting their historical visitor attractions. He dives into the value of face-to-face interactions and the significance of industry events like ABA Marketplace in rebuilding the tourism economy.

Ryan Elliott: Manager – Business Development at Travel Alberta

Ryan discusses the importance of cultivating relationships and trust within the tour and travel industry, with a particular focus on the pivotal role of partnerships in driving shoulder season growth. He underscores the energy and passion crucial to the industry and highlights ABA Marketplace as a vital event for fostering connections and collaboration.

Bud Geissler: President, Group Collect and ABA Marketplace 2024 Chair

I was interested to chat with Bud about the travel industry’s adoption of technology, the shift towards cashless options for student travel, and the trend of longer and more exotic experiences for adult travelers. Bud also shares personal experiences that underline the transformative impact of travel experiences and how they shape people’s lives.

The Power of Partnerships

The enriching insights I got from travel industry leaders at ABA Marketplace underscores the transformative potential of partnerships and connections in shaping the tourism industry’s future. As the industry continues to rebound, the value of collaboration, innovation, and a shared passion for creating remarkable travel experiences emerge as guiding forces. Through a commitment to building meaningful relationships and fostering inclusive partnerships, the tourism industry is poised for a future defined by innovation, authenticity, and sustainable growth.

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Samantha Cole is the Director of Public Relations at Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board. The Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board is a nonprofit, membership-based sales and marketing organization that aggressively promotes the Valley Forge area and Montgomery County as a convention site and leisure visitor destination by encouraging patronage of its 500-plus member hotels, restaurants, attractions, and services.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Samantha Coles about some of the creative campaigns her destination is running right now, including using instafamous dogs, and we explore how marketing to niches helps the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board stand out.

What You Will Learn in this Episode:

• How Samantha got her start in the travel and tourism industry and how it linked to her interest in digital marketing
• Advice for aspiring or entry-level marketers
• Why you should never be afraid to reach out to people on LinkedIn
• Why making data-driven decisions is essential to the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board
• Fun influencer marketing ideas that Samantha has leveraged
• The award-winning Make it Main Street campaign and how this true backyard tourism campaign spotlights locally owned small businesses across the county
• The Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board’s partnership with Philadelphia and Chester County to brand themselves as the countryside of Philadelphia
• Samantha talks about the upcoming February campaign focused on Valentine’s Day and romantic getaways.
• The evolution of how DMOs work to serve the community in addition to attracting visitors

Building a Network Lays the Groundwork for Future Collaboration

How social media can support DMOs is an ever-changing landscape. Samantha explains how networking as an organization and as an individual helps you expand your reach and serve your clients. So many people are hesitant about reaching out to people and connecting with people on LinkedIn or other social media platforms but making those links is a great way to lay the foundation for future partnerships.

Communicating with Neighboring Organisations

Samantha shares her advice for our listeners thinking about entering into a collaboration or seeking a partner to collaborate with in 2023. Communication is critical in setting collaborations up for success — that includes going back to basics and reaching out to people locally who might even do the same job as you for a neighboring DMO. You could also prioritize building relationships by scheduling regular catch-ups with other local organizations and keeping them updated about your plans going forward.

Data-Driven Decisions

For Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board making data-driven decisions is top of mind right now. Samantha shares how her destination is leveraging geolocation data tracking to figure out how they can better serve their visitors’ needs by honing their target markets. She also shares why her proudest influencer hire to date is a Bernese mountain dog from Philadelphia and how that pupper is helping them showcase what Montgomery County has to offer.

Resources:

• Website: https://www.valleyforge.org/
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthacummons/
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/valley-forge-convention-and-visitors-bureau/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VisitValleyForge

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Episode 346:

This week on the show, we’re enjoying another travel conference edition. Join us at Destinations International (DI) as we talk to a panel of distinguished guests from the tourism industry. With decades of combined experience, they delve into the world of careers and professional development in tourism. From the resilience of hospitality professionals to the importance of collaboration and partnerships, we want to share insights gained at DI.

• Butch Spyridon: President & CEO of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation
• Catherine Jenkins: Marketing & Communications Manager at Kent County Tourism Corp
• Cheryl Kilday: President & CEO of Destination Myrtle Beach
• Darien Schaefer: President & CEO at Visit Pensacola, Inc.
• Darryl Leggieri: President at Discover Saratoga-Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau
• Gary Wheat: President & CEO at Visit Macon

The Power of Partnerships: Success Stories Shared at Destinations International

Each guest answered five questions about the value of events like Destinations International and why coming together with others in the travel and tourism industry makes you a better tourism professional. They share what the word partnership means to them and share the importance of collaboration in their roles.

Butch Spyridon: President & CEO of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation

On the show, Butch discusses his 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry and highlights the resilience and hardworking nature of those in the travel and tourism niche. He also emphasizes the importance of creating bonds and friendships in one’s career and establishing a network. Butch also shares why he believes that experiences we enjoy during travel can be more valuable than material possessions.

Catherine Jenkins: Marketing & Communications Manager at Kent County Tourism Corp

Catherine shares that attending the conference has made her a better professional by providing opportunities to learn from industry experts and peers. She emphasizes the importance of collaboration and partnerships in her success and how the travel and tourism communities provide support for her work. Overall, Catherine describes the DI conference as inspiring and exciting and a place that makes her feel ready to rejoin her colleagues in Kent County and start making plans for the future.

Cheryl Kilday: President & CEO of Destination Myrtle Beach

We welcome Cheryl back to the show to share her thoughts on Destination International as a place to access data about the travel and tourism industry, talk to the people who developed it, and interact with that information to get a deeper, better understanding than just reading it off of an online article. Cheryl also emphasizes the importance of peer-to-peer connection and why building a network and developing relationships at the conference is so helpful.

Darien Schaefer: President & CEO at Visit Pensacola, Inc.

Darien dives into why partnership is critical to what we do in destination marketing. He talks about the value of working with peer organizations in your destination and elaborates on why it is key to our success to build as many partnerships as we can. Darien also shares that his words for Destinations International in 2023 are beneficial and important.

Darryl Leggieri: President at Discover Saratoga-Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau

We’re always looking to give newcomers to the travel and tourism industry a helping hand, and Darryl shared the advice he would offer. He highlights the importance of the bonds and friendships you create over your career and why establishing your network is so important. Darryl explains why he describes his experience at Destinations International as engaging and why he loves catching up with colleagues on the conference floor.

Gary Wheat: President and CEO at Visit Macon

Gary and I discuss the power of partnership. He describes how talking to and learning from his counterparts in the travel and tourism community with a shared understanding is therapeutic. As Gary shares his enthusiasm in creating a positive experience for travelers, his deep understanding of the travel and tourism industry is inspiring. Gary explains why his words for Destinations International in 2023 are friendship and validation.

From the importance of networking and collaboration to the resilience and adaptability required in the face of challenges like the pandemic, these professionals share their insights and experiences. As they highlight the value of strong partnerships, continuous learning, and making a difference in their communities, it becomes clear that the tourism industry is not just about travel and hospitality—it’s about forging connections, creating memorable experiences, and shaping the future of destinations.

Stay tuned for the second part of our series, where we will continue to hear insights from travel experts at Destinations International.

I have exciting news! I’m publishing my first book, Stronger Together: Building World-Changing Collaborations that Succeed. I’d love for you to join my very first book launch team to help me reach my goal of 50 Amazon reviews in the month of September. Go here to join: https://nicolemahoney.com/#join

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Celebrities and influencers post their amazing travel and adventure on social media all the time. Often, that is not by accident. Product placement and influencer marketing can bring attention and interest to your hotel or travel destination.

In today’s episode, we talk with Stacy Jones, who has been doing product placement and influencer campaigns for over 20 years. We talk about the creative process of working with celebrities and influencers (pro tip: get everything in writing!) It’s a fascinating conversation about a marketing tactic you may not have thought of – but which has such potential!

Stacy is the CEO of Hollywood Branded. She has over 20 years of leadership experience building global entertainment branding campaigns for top Fortune 500 companies and hundreds of brands. Her career started after receiving her BFA in theater production and scenic design from the University of Arizona.

Stacy is an adventurer at her core. From skydiving, to hang gliding, trekking Mayan ruins in Belize, Stacy has explored the ocean as an avid scuba diver. She lives out loud, that’s for sure.

Full show notes available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/stacy-jones/

In this episode, you will learn how Greek Peak Mountain Resort prioritizes providing a great experience for families from Jessica Sloma.

Jessica Sloma is Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Greek Peak Mountain Resort and she has been involved with the resort since 2008. When Jessica first came to Greek Peak, she was a partner in an advertising agency in New York and was brought onboard to rebrand Greek Peak for the grand opening of the Hope Lake Lodge and Cascades Indoor Waterpark. She eventually transitioned from the advertising world to work directly for the resort.

In 2015, the owners of Greek Peak purchased Toggenburg Mountain, a seasonal ski resort located outside of Syracuse, New York. This season Jessica, along with the Greek Peak executive team, have taken on the oversight of that property.

A transcript of this episode is available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/jessica-sloma/

Dr. Kirsten Ellenbogen brings more than 25 years of experience to her role as the third president of Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Kirsten’s energetic leadership during the last two decades has advanced informal STEM education. Her leadership activities at Great Lakes Science Center have included the launch of a new strategic initiative, Cleveland Creates, developed in collaboration with regional workforce development leaders to change the community’s manufacturing narrative through STEM education for middle school youth and families. Kirsten has worked at five museums during the past two decades and consulted for more than 30.

She is a founding leader of the Northeast Ohio STEM Ecosystem Collaborative and has been appointed to serve on the mayor’s steering committee on sustainability as well as the planning and Urban Design Committee of the Group Plan Commission. She holds a Ph.D. in science education from Vanderbilt University and a BA from the University of Chicago.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Dr. Kirsten Ellenbogen about science, city-wide collaboration, and national partnerships in museum tourism. Kirsten also breaks down the vast difference it makes when other institutions speak with each other and work together, instead of being adversarial.

What You Will Learn:

• How to work with competitors to establish points of differentiation
• The power of saying yes
• How to manage a challenge to attendance in what should be your busiest season
• Working with other community players to achieve and exceed expectations around a huge community event
• How to maintain your roots as a beloved institution while also connecting with first-time visitors
• Working with other nearby cultural institutions to create a wider “campus”
• Cathedral thinking – Looking at tourism development from a generational perspective
• How strategic plans bring focus to both what you are working on and what you are not working on

From a “No” Organization to a “Yes” Organization

Organizations get reputations. When you have a reputation for saying no, opportunities start to dry up, and you get stuck in a rut of doing the same things year after year. Saying yes can also have its challenges, like when your city is hosting a national political convention.

Kirsten talks about how to bring stakeholders together to think through the best ways to face the challenges and opportunities when you invite the nation into your town.

Cathedral Thinking

We also revisit a concept from another episode – Cathedral Thinking – as we explore what it means to be a cultural institution with a long view, and a view to contribute and participate fully in the community where you are situated.

Planning isn’t just about the next year or two, but about laying a foundation for generations to build on. That may sound grandiose, but when you are a cultural institution in a community rich with art, sports, music, and science attractions, taking the long view together is just good stewardship.

What foundations are you laying down for future generations?

Resources:

• Website: greatscience.com
• Facebook: facebook.com/greatlakessciencecenter/
• Twitter: @GLScienceCtr

With a talent for creating special events that blossomed while working for my dad’s car stereo shop, I got my start in marketing at Frontier Field in Rochester and I began serving as the executive director of the internationally known Lilac Festival. Later on, I headed the Canandaigua, New York Business Improvement District while also performing projects for the tourism promotion agency Visit Rochester.

In 2009, I founded Break the Ice Media, with more than 20 years of experience in tourism marketing. I now host “Destination on the Left”, a highly successful tourism marketing podcast.

As a business owner, I know what it takes to be successful. I founded BTI to help businesses tell their brand story through public relations, digital and traditional channels. I have the ability to uncover unique marketing opportunities and develop marketing and public relations initiatives that help clients build long-term success.

In this solocast episode of Destination on the Left, I lay out some of the frameworks and strategies that have helped BTI maintain its composure as we respond to the initial fallout of the Coronavirus Pandemic.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• BTI’s initial thoughts on the Coronavirus Pandemic
• How the Coronavirus Pandemic is impacting the travel and tourism industry
• Steps that DMOs and other small businesses can take in response to the pandemic
• Four Strategies to help us maintain our composure during a time of crisis
• The 3 C’s of Collaboration Framework and how to apply it
• Why collaboration is critical for DMOs, especially in a time of crisis
• Some of the key ideas from my new blog post

Collaboration in a Time of Crisis

Right now, the Coronavirus Pandemic has the global economy in total lockdown. It is unclear how long it will last, and the unprecedented nature of this virus and the uncertainty surrounding it is raising concern for the future of our industries. But so many of us have been in this position before. When 9/11 took place, and the great recession of 2008 shook the United States economy, the travel and tourism industry bounced back stronger than ever. It is not about prevention anymore; this global pandemic is already taking place. It is about how we react to it, so I put together some of the frameworks and strategies that have helped BTI maintain its composure as this series of disruptive events unfolds.

Four Strategies for Responding to the Coronavirus Chaos

Last week, I traveled from Rochester, NY to Savannah, GA in an effort to keep the BTI cog turning and do my part to drive business. However, it didn’t take long to realize that the economic impact of the pandemic stretched well beyond the scope of one country, let alone one industry. It inspired my most recent blog post, where I outline four strategies for responding to the initial shockwave of pandemonium: One, Stay calm. Two, get educated about the situation and stay up to date on the latest developments through reliable sources and your industry associations. Three, prepare to pivot by doing scenario planning. And four, communicate. We cannot stop the spread of COVID-19, but we can survive the fallout if we proactively manage our mindset and collaborate with others in our industry.

A Holistic Approach to Collaboration

Since the beginning of the Destination on the Left, we have talked a lot about collaboration and co-opetition in particular. I believe that, in the complex world of the present-day tourism industry, committing to a holistic approach to collaboration will bring strong market growth and abundance for everyone. The 3 C’s of Collaboration Framework is a system that helps us band together in a time of crisis. First, communication is essential to maintain clarity with your partners and prospects, and it is an opportunity to be a calming voice amidst the uncertainty and chaos. Next, commonality is about identifying common goals and operating with the greater good at heart. And finally, commitment means sticking with your collaborative efforts no matter how tough the going gets because when we bounce back, we bounce back together. Visit the new blog to learn more.

Resources:

• Email: nicole@breaktheicemedia.com
• Website: www.destinationontheleft.com/summit
• Website: https://breaktheicemedia.com/
• Twitter: @Break_TheIce
• Facebook: @BreakTheIceMedia

Gina Nacey is president and executive creative director of Adventure Creative, an agency based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Their focus is on active lifestyle brands, recreation, and destination marketing. Gina has led the strategy and creative direction of Explore Minnesota’s brand new “Find Your True North” campaign, and the Minnesota Zoo’s “Where Amazing Lives.” Adventure Creative helped Sun RV Resorts launch a signature tier of resorts – among much more great work.

Throughout her 20 year career, Gina’s work has been recognized with hundreds of Addy awards, including many Best of Show and Judge’s Choice awards. She was also honored with the American Advertising Federation Silver Medal for achievement in advertising.

Gina has taught advertising, copywriting, and public relations. She has traveled nationally to judge advertising competitions, worked on several nonprofit boards, and served in a variety of roles with the American Advertising Federation.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Gina about the creative and strategic work it takes to connect emotionally with your target audience to build a great brand. We talk collaboration and doing work that transcends ego to put the client’s needs first. 

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• Why solving business problems is the heart of marketing
• How to make an emotional connection with people’s need to visit your destination
• Why marketing needs a seat at the table in broader business decisions
• How to use real experiences from visitors to tell your story
• How to create truly collaborative relationships

Solving A Business Problem

Destination marketing is much more than finding the right words and images to describe your organization. Ultimately it is about solving a business problem to bring visitors to you again and again.

Gina describes her education and experience and how that connects directly with the wide range of skills needed to help solve destination business problems. She said, “We are never doing creative for creative sake. We’re always trying to solve a problem. That requires looking at the numbers and understanding the audience and understanding what the client is really trying to achieve.”

Whether you’re in the agency business, or you’re a DMO or a tour operator, or working in a museum; whatever your role is, you’re there to solve that business problem, move the organization forward, and meet visitor needs.

For Real Co-opetition

Whatever aspect of travel and tourism you are in, you want to win the business. We all know that co-opetition is sometimes the best way for a rising tide to lift all boats. But what if you are competing for exactly the same client at the same time?

That’s the situation Gina found herself in. When an RFP went out for a job, her company was a strong contender. It was between Adventure and another agency local to the client. That’s when Gina said, “Why don’t we share the work? They can do PR, and we can do the branding side and collaborate on everything.” The client was shocked that they would agree to that.

The project turned out well, and the collaboration was real. They made decisions based on what was best for the client. Everyone checked their ego at the door, and that made everyone a winner. We make a point to weave co-opetition into the podcast for exactly these reasons.

Resources:

• Website: www.adventurecreative.com

Episode Transcript

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Michelle Ng brings people closer together by creating rewarding experiences through her two businesses – Vancouver Foodie Tours and Granville Island Gifting. Forbes has named Vancouver Foodie Tours one of the top 9 food tours in the world. They offer food walking tours, introducing guests to the culinary gems, vibrant cultures, and history that make Vancouver unique.

Michelle’s second business, Granville Island Delivery Co, was founded at the start of the pandemic as a way for the community to support local artisans and to send Granville Island gift boxes to friends and colleagues. Michelle has been recognized by The Entrepreneur magazine and Vancouver Sun for her contributions to uplifting the community during the pandemic.

What excites Michelle the most? She loves to generate happiness and appreciation by creating rewarding experiences that uplift the community. Michelle’s story is of resilience and optimism.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Michelle Ng about how she built her Foodie Tour business over 12 years and how her pandemic pivot led to the formation of a second company. She shares what she sees as a successful food tour in other destinations and why technology is core to both of her business’s success. We also dive into a collaboration Michelle kickstarted involving other small tour operators and how that collaboration has subsequently resulted in an injection of funding.

What You Will Learn in this Episode:

• Michelle’s journey and how she got to where she is today with her two businesses
• How food has a magical power to bring people closer together and break down barriers
• What happened to Michelle’s business when the COVID-19 pandemic hit North America
• How the Granville Island Delivery Co. came into being to serve the local community
• How Michelle evolved the design and marketing of her tours to better suit visitors who don’t know anything about Vancouver
• Michelle gives an insight into her most popular tours and why visitors love them
• How technology has enabled Michelle to be able to run a successful business
• The part collaboration has played in spreading the word about Michelle’s businesses and attracting visitors
• Michelle shares her advice for listeners hoping to grow and scale their business

Refining Your Business

Michelle Ng, founder of Vancouver Foodie Tours and Granville Island Gifting, shares why she is constantly in the process of tweaking and refining the experience she offers her customers. She describes why it is so important to her to be constantly listening to her customers, what they’re asking for and what they’re interested in. Pursuing excellence and creating rewarding experiences is very important to Michelle, and she highlights why it’s at the core of what she does as a business owner.

Creating a Network

We discussed how Michelle got involved with her local destination marketing organization and details the two most effective steps she has taken to develop her business. She walks us through what she has learned from some of the world’s most successful examples of food tours. Michelle also shares how the DMOs in Vancouver, in British Columbia, and in Canada have supported her work and provided access to the international markets by showing her how to pitch and win the business of tour operators worldwide.

How Collaboration Led to Collective Success

Both of Michelle’s businesses are built on a foundation of collaboration, and she shares how that has contributed to her success. Michelle describes why she really believes in uplifting the community in everything she and her team do and why, whenever they are looking at partnerships or any other business decisions, they’re striving to create win-win relationships. They view their foodie tour experiences through the lens of setting up an experience, interaction, or initiative in a way that serves everybody that’s involved.

Michelle also shares why she reached out to some of the small group tour companies in the city, who she felt were giving the highest quality experiences in the city, to suggest they form the Experience Vancouver Group so they could learn from each other and share their expertise.

Resources:

• Website: https://foodietours.ca/our-story/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VancouverFoodieTours/

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In this episode, you will learn about destination marketing strategies, the benefits of FAM trips, and strategies for businesses to prepare for groups from Rhonda Vaccaro, Vice President and Senior Consultant at Break The Ice Media.

Rhonda has more than 20 years sales and new business development experience. She has worked in technology, environmental services and hospitality and travel industries. She is a master at creating relationships, working with prospects and turning them into sales for Break The Ice Media’s tourism clients. She has a deep understating of sales strategies, relationship development and creating win-win opportunities.

What you’ll learn about in this episode:

• What Rhonda does at Break The Ice Media
• How Rhonda works with receptive operators to make their lives easier
• Marketing and sales tactics that Rhonda uses with receptive operators
• The proper follow-up and why it’s important in marketing
• Why Rhonda loves FAM tours
• The importance of educating everyone involved on how they will benefit from a FAM tour
• Why communication is key for a successful FAM
• How to treat your FAM guests as VIPs
• Remembering to have fun during a FAM tour
• What a business needs to do before they’re group ready

Resources:

• Rhonda’s blog: breaktheicemedia.com/collaboration-in-tourism
• Rhonda’s blog: breaktheicemedia.com/increase-foot-traffic-with-motorcoach-business-10-ways-to-become-group-ready

With more than 20 years of experience in the tourism and hospitality industry, Kristen Jarnagin oversees the official regional organization charged with furthering Long Islands $6.1 billion tourism economy. A Long Island transplant from Arizona, Jarnagin’s vast knowledge of the tourism industry spans from state tourism marketing, branding a luxury resort and serving as a lobbyist for tourism advocacy.

Kristen and her team at Discover Long Island work to promote a positive perception of Long Island across the globe, which draws lucrative visitors, stirs business attraction and drives economic development throughout the region.

She’s twice been named one of the Top 50 Women in Business on Long Island and is a graduate from the acclaimed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. Her favorite pastime is discovering Long Island with her two daughters and reigniting the passion for this place we call home for Long Island natives.

In this episode of Destination on the Left, Kristen Jarnagin, President and CEO of Discover Long Island, joins us to explain how she and her team captured Long Island’s true story. She discusses their latest work and shares advice for using creativity and collaboration to solve difficult marketing challenges.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• Kristen’s journey into destination marketing
• Advice for marketing a destination as an outsider
• Why it is important to stay true to your own voice in destination marketing
• How Kristen and her team at Discover Long Island are telling Long Island’s true story
• The latest campaign by Discover Long Island and the inspiration behind it
• Different ways Kristen has used creativity and collaboration to solve difficult marketing challenges

Discover Long Island

Kristen Jarnagin is the President and CEO of Discover Long Island, where she and her team work to promote a positive perception of Long Island across the globe. She may not be a New York native, but as an outsider, Kristen has taken a fresh perspective and a visitor’s lens to the marketing efforts of Discover Long Island. With experience in state tourism, hospitality, and the political sector, Kristen has seen almost every corner of the travel and tourism industry. She is a risk-taker and a talented marketer who is uncovering Long Island’s true story so the whole world can see it. On the latest episode of Destination on the Left, Kristen joins us to discuss her journey and talk about the art of collaboration and creativity in the travel and tourism industry.

What is Your Story?

It is easy to look at what other destinations are doing and think, “it worked for them; it will work for us too.” But Kristen believes the only way to achieve great success in destination marketing is to stay true to your voice. Long Island is different from every destination out there, so Discover Long Island put all of their energy into capturing that. To Kristen and her team, standing out means being themselves. And since Kristen is not a native, she sees the destination how a visitor would see it. You don’t have to redefine who you are, you just have to understand who you are. By listening to the community and articulating your destination’s true story, you can make an impact without reinventing the wheel.

Not Just a Destination

Kristen and her team are finally telling Discover Long Island’s true story in their latest campaign, and it is all based around the idea that Long Island is not just a place to visit; it is a community. The campaign captures the distinct flavor of Long Island, the accent, the proximity to New York City, and a bunch of other factors that make it a one-of-a-kind destination. Whether you are a foodie, a historian, a beach bum, or anything else, Long Island is not a place you go to ‘do,’ it is a place you go to ‘be.’ Chances are your destination also has an amazing story to tell, so go out and discover it; then tell it wholeheartedly with authenticity.

• Facebook: facebook.com/DiscoverLongIsland
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristen-jarnagin-7025ab1/
• Twitter: @krisjar
• Website: www.discoverlongisland.com

Wes Rhea is the CEO of Visit Stockton and has led destination marketing in Stockton, California, since 2005. A strong advocate of small destination marketing organizations, Wes is a past President of the Destination Marketing Association of the West. He has also served on the board of the California Travel Association, the Destination Marketing Association of the West Education and Research Foundation, and the Central Valley Tourism Association. Wes currently serves on US Travels Destinations Council, the Advocacy and Professional Development Committees at Destination International, and is the Rural Committee Chair at Visit California. Wes is best known for being an early adopter of new tourism tech and a big fan of data.

A Stockton native, Wes is committed to giving back to his community and currently serves on the board of the Stockton Maritime Museum, the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce, and the Airport Advisory Commission. Wes is married to Kristi, has two sons, and served ten years in the US Army.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, Wes Rhea shares his leadership philosophy and how it has empowered his team to adapt and thrive in any situation. We delve into the advantages of embracing technology and how incorporating video and graphic design services in-house has revolutionized their operations. Wes also provides insights on managing a destination with a negative perception, both internally and externally. He discusses the creative strategies his team employs to shift this perception, including leveraging Stockton’s status as the most diverse city in the nation.

What You Will Learn in this Episode:

• How the ten years that Wes served in the US Army has served him in leading his team
• How embracing new technology and bringing video and graphic design services in-house transformed operations at Visit Stockton
• Why the Visit Stockton funding model contributes to how they attract visitors to the city, and why they focus on more than just heads in beds
• How Wes and his team work to overcome the challenge of a negative perception and becomes a cheerleader for the city
• Stockton Flavorfest is an excellent example of effective collaboration between cities and tourism entities, allowing them to showcase the vibrancy of a community.

How Being a Veteran Has Helped Wes as a Leader

Wes believes that his experience in the Army has dramatically influenced his leadership style and ability to lead his team effectively. He highlights two key aspects that he attributes to his military background: team development and the ability to work under pressure and adapt. This mindset has translated into his approach as a CEO, where he values and appreciates every individual’s contribution to the team.

Stockton Flavorfest

Inspired by Stockton’s distinction as the most diverse city in the nation, Stockton Flavorfest was designed to celebrate the community’s diversity through food, arts, and cultural activities. The festival prioritized curated vendors, sustainable practices, and a cohesive visual identity. With the seed funding,

Visit Stockton was able to realize their vision, providing engaging entertainment such as Ballet Folklorico and Tahitian dancers, cooking demos, and free arts and crafts for children. The inaugural two-day event in 2022 surpassed expectations, attracting 12,000 attendees and earning Visit Stockton the prestigious Best New Festival award from the International Festival and Events Association.

Overcoming Negative Image

Visit Stockton faces the ongoing challenge of combating the negative perception surrounding the city. Despite being the 11th largest city in California, Stockton is plagued by higher violent crime rates, leading to discouraging comments from residents. However, the team at Visit Stockton remains determined to change the narrative.

They organize fun projects and initiatives, such as a campaign highlighting Stockton as the birthplace of the Fantastic Four. Although these efforts may not directly change people’s opinions or attract tourists, they create a sense of pride among residents and offer a feel-good factor for the team. Despite the daily battle against negativity, Visit Stockton embraces a proactive approach, thinking outside the box and working as cheerleaders for the city, showcasing its hidden gems and fostering positive experiences for visitors and locals alike.

Resources:

• Website: https://www.visitstockton.org/
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesrhea/
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/visit-stockton/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Stockton_CA
• Stockton Flavor Fest

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In this episode, you will learn about how regions can collaborate together and pool resources to do things together that they could not do alone from Laury Poland.

As president of Finger Lakes Wine Country Tourism Marketing Association (FLWCTMA), Laury Poland is responsible for creation, coordination, administration and implementation of all FLWCTMA programs and initiatives to promote economic development in the Finger Lakes region of the state of New York. A native of Rockville, Maryland, Laury began her employment at the Corning, New York-based tourism marketing association on September 30, 2013.

Before coming to the Finger Lakes, Laury was responsible for all advertising and promotions initiatives of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s (PLCB) Bureau of Marketing Communications, Branding & Design. During this time, Laury developed a keen interest in the wine and spirits industry, completing significant coursework in wine education. In her professional role with the PLCB, Laury constructed full-scale traditional and new media campaigns, including website development, digital advertising, and a social media presence through Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, as part of a $6M annual advertising budget. Laury also determined new areas of media to include in marketing and public relations efforts based on trends and technology. Laury wrote, produced and edited video projects for the PLCB’s 608 retail stores, Fine Wine & Good Spirits, and oversaw all print, web, radio, television and digital material, ensuring consistency of corporate brand image and messaging.

Prior to her time at the PLCB, Laury represented New York-based Church Pension Group Services Corporation (CPG) as vice president of Church Publishing Incorporated, from 2006-2011. Laury joined Continuum International Publishing Group in 2004, as director of Morehouse Church Supplies – a position she held until late 2005 when CPG acquired the book publishing, curriculum and church resource divisions of Morehouse Publishing. Laury was also a business owner, managing her own public relations, marketing and advertising firm, In-House Agency, from 1998-2004, serving as the communications specialist for numerous successful media initiatives. Laury holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism/Public Relations from the Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism at West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV.

What you’ll learn about in this episode:

• Laury’s personal story of visiting the Finger Lakes as a tourist and how it challenged her conceptions of the region and allowed her to bring an outside perspective once she joined the Finger Lakes Wine Country Tourism Marketing Association
• How to tell the story of the entire region and the success Laury has seen from doing this for the Finger Lakes Region
• Giving your visitors an organic experience and letting them live like locals
• Offering education opportunities for visitors in a way that doesn’t feel like the classroom
• Why travelers are taking shorter vacations but packing more in
• The study that shows that 81% of visitors who went to the Finger Lakes came back 5 times
• Giving visitors the opportunity to find their own escape (and why you can’t find it for them)
• Why the sum of the FLWCTMA’s parts is much greater than what the counties would have alone (ex: together they have the largest Facebook following for any wine region in America with 72,000 followers)
• The FLWCTMA’s unique structure, why they act like a marketing agency and how funding flows throughout the whole system
• The FLWCTMA’s integrated marketing plan, beginning with its website that sees a half a million unique visitors a year
• Why word of mouth is the #1 referral and how it has evolved much in recent years with social media
• The challenges Laury’s faced by collaborating with so many different organizations and how she overcame them by giving people the resources to do what they do best

Ways to contact Laury:

• Website: www.fingerlakeswinecountry.com

Paul Leone began his career as a multi-media producer for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. He soon moved on to editing, shooting, and producing several series for cable television and later worked in the studio, agency, and advertising industry. As a TV producer, he wrote and developed several television pilots on American craft beer, the first few hosted by Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head. Although they were never picked up, he discovered his passion for craft beer and knew what he wanted to do as a career moving forward. From 2008-2013, he hosted Beer America TV with John Pinkerton of Moon River Brewing and today, Paul is the Executive Director of the New York State Brewers Association. Since starting, Paul has seen New York’s brewing industry double in size, many new laws passed and has met hundreds of incredible and passionate brewers all over the state and country.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Paul about how attractive hyper-local experiences are, but how they can be a challenge to market beyond a region. They also dig into how craft brewing has grown and has become a major attraction in tourism for many regions.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• How to market hyper-local experiences
• Why craft beverages fit well in the tourism category
• The economic impact craft beverage has on the local tourism economy
• How to toot your own horn you are not top-of-mind in your category
• Event marketing that connects with visitors

The Economic Impact of Beer

It is no big surprise that beer is important to people- it’s important to economies. But to understand the economic impact on local economies, and the tourism dollars pumped into local economies, a study needed to be done. That’s where the New York State Brewer’s Association comes in and the numbers are impressive for the craft beer industry.

In New York State alone, the economic impact is 5.4 billion dollars in economic impact. Brewers employ 20,000 people across the state and craft brewing creates a $317 million impact on tourism. If those wine and brewery trails are paying off in your region, you are definitely not alone. Craft brewing is big business, spread across small businesses throughout any given region. It matters in a big way to the tourism industry in particular.

Marketing the Hyper-Local

Visitors love the local flavor and nothing offers local flavor better than a cold, locally crafted beer. But how do you let potential visitors know all that local flavor – whether beer, wine, or some other regional specialty or recreation activity? That is the challenge Paul was facing New York State’s multi-faceted craft-brewery industry.

Beer Festivals have been a recent focal point. Paul noticed that many festivals were run by distributors – people got a variety of beer for their festival ticket, but they didn’t get any real connection with the people who actually crafted that beer.

Bringing the brewers right to the festival makes all the difference – to the point where they didn’t need musical entertainment anymore! By focusing on the brewers, festivals have become even more of a draw, and the hyper-local flavors are described by the people who actually make them.

Resources:

• Website: newyorkcraftbeer.com
• 2018 Economic Impact Study: newyorkcraftbeer.com/economic-impact-county

Episode Transcript

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Leah is the Chief Marketing Officer for the Puerto Rico Destination Marketing Organization, Discover Puerto Rico. As CMO, Leah is responsible for providing strategic marketing leadership for the organization, overseeing the DMO’s paid media, creative, public relations, brand development and management, and digital strategy.

Before her move to San Juan, Leah was the Chief Marketing Officer for Explore Branson, where she led the growth of the community’s tourism industry for five straight years, repositioning the destination’s brand and posting back-to-back years of record ROI for the organization’s marketing program. In previous years, Leah led the Missouri Tourism account at H&L Partners, the agency of record for the Missouri Division of Tourism. In this role, Leah developed and guided the strategic direction of the Divisions marketing, managing paid and earned media, creative and interactive development, and campaign implementation. Leah led Missouri Tourism’s brand repositioning effort in 2013, introducing a new brand identity and corresponding campaign featuring Enjoy the Show.

Leah is a travel and tourism industry veteran, having directed the Indiana Tourism account for five years prior to joining H&L Partners. Leah earned her Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) credential in 2014. This designation from Destinations International is the tourism industry’s highest individual educational achievement.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Leah Chandler, who describes what community lead tourism means to the team at Discover Puerto Rico and how they have built partnerships across the island and internationally. She shares how her organization is building brand equity through creative collaborations, including establishing a Pantone color called Puerto Rican sunshine, teaming up with a UK fashion designer for New York Fashion Week, and pitching and landing a Spanish language countdown with Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin Eve with Ryan Seacrest that was hosted and broadcast from San Juan.

What You Will Learn in this Episode:

• Leah’s experience of building a brand new DMO in Puerto Rico
• The things that ensure Puerto Rico stands out from the crowd including encouraging visitors to connect meaningfully with the island and its culture to give them a feeling and emotion that they can’t get at home via their Live Boricua campaign
• How Leah and the Discover Puerto Rico team apply their points across a variety of verticals
• How they have moved through the challenges of the last five years, including political unrest, an earthquake, and a global pandemic, as a new DMO and how their crisis playbook helped them
• Leah’s advice for listeners building an organization from the ground up
• Some of the collaborations and initiatives that Leah is excited for in the future
• How a cold call resulted in Discover Puerto Rico landing the first Spanish language countdown with Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin Eve with Ryan Seacrest, which was hosted and broadcast from San Juan.

Building a Brand

Tourism destinations aren’t always considered a brand, but according to Leah Chandler of Discover Puerto Rico, they certainly are a brand. She describes why it can be hard for a brand to develop equity when it’s constantly changing and how her team is creating a space in potential visitors’ minds for the type of experiences they can have in Puerto Rico.

Leah also highlights the importance of finding Puerto Rico’s point of differentiation, which is the culture, and ensuring everything the DMO does ladders up to that positioning throughout all of its messaging, earned media, and paid channels.

Research

At Discover Puerto Rico, they are super serious about their research and data to ensure that before they put something into the market, they can be confident of what consumers are looking for. This is how the idea for the Live Boricua campaign was born – the term is used to signify someone of Puerto Rican heritage and brings to mind a way of life, a spirit, and a flavor of the island.

Leah shares how the concept highlights how visitors can enjoy Puerto Rico like a local and acts as a love letter to the island, its residents, and its visitors.

International and National Partnerships

We dive into some of the creative collaborations that Discover Puerto Rico has been involved in, including an innovative project that involved distilling the unique color of Puerto Rican sunshine, then working with the Pantone Colour Institute to turn it into a Pantone color they could leverage across several different verticals and work streams. Some of the partnerships that enjoyed this infusion of Puerto Rican sunshine included New York Fashion Week with designer Christian Cowan, an eco-friendly paint brand, and a local popsicle shop.

Resources:

• Website: www.discoverpuertorico.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiscoverPuertoRico
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/discoverpuertorico/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/discover_PR
• Email: leah.chandler@discoverpuertorico.com

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Introduced to the industry by a random internship application to Visit Baltimore, Andreas Weissenborn began an unexpected career that left him with a continued passion for tourism. He is currently the Vice President of Research and Advocacy for Destinations International, and he leads the research and advocacy efforts of the entire organization with an eye toward developing data-driven tools to help destinations around the world tell their story.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Andreas Weissenborn shares his philosophy that DMOS are caretakers of the data and information on the visitor economy. He also dives into why tourism has become a community shared value and explains why DMOs should view their role as serving the people of their communities as a central priority.

What You Will Learn in this Episode:

• Andreas shares a little about himself and the story of how he became interested in destination marketing
• Andreas’ early role in information technology and database management and how that has an impact on his current work at Destinations International
• How DMOs can be the primary steward of data for their community
• What it means to be a community shared value, what Andreas’ vision for Destinations International was, and how the pandemic accelerated the concept
• The importance of lexicon in how we describe things, why we need to change how we talk about ourselves to reframe our thinking around the role of the DMO
• Why leading with emotion rather than facts and figures is critical
• Where Andreas sees our most significant opportunities as destination marketing organizations in the post-pandemic world

Making Data Meaningful

The fundamental definition of effective research and analytics is taking massive swathes of data and making it comprehensible, easily understood, and applicable. Andreas shares his experience of working at Visit Baltimore and why he feels it was the start of the golden era of data analytics for Destination Marketing Organizations. He dives into why it is so critical to have individuals in the travel and tourism space who can help diagnose, dissect, and explain what this data does.

That ability to translate bookings, data, or visitor spending into understandable information that is meaningful to stakeholders was where Andreas found his niche in the industry. And those skills still feed into the broader and greater mission of Destination Marketing Organisations.

DMOs are Vital to the Community

Destination Marketing Organizations are the stewards of the visitor economy, but they also serve their community. This is why it’s so important to change how DMOs talk about themselves and how they get involved.

Destination organizations are the most uniquely qualified entity for the next normal in representing a brand because the brand transcends the physical and virtual realm. DMOs are uniquely qualified because they’re the only entity that can sit at the table with civic, social, cultural, and historical entities and bring everyone together.

Next Steps for DMOs

According to Andreas, destinations can take some tangible next steps to be successful. DMOs are often the most influential voice of a brand because of the reach of their website and their social media channels.

They need a mission or a vision statement that reads in an emotional, storied way so visitors don’t have to question who and what you are. DMOs also need to teach, train and advocate not only their entire staff but their entire membership so that everyone understands the value proposition and the work they do and is clear on why tourism matters for the community.

Resources:

• Website: https://destinationsinternational.org/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreas-weissenborn/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/destintl/
• Community Shared Value | Destinations International
• The Tourism Lexicon | Destinations International
• Why We Need a Destination Promotion Community Measurement | Destinations International

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In this episode, you will learn about the important idea of Cathedral Thinking from Rick Antonson.

Rick Antonson is the former president & CEO of the international award-winning destination marketing organization, Tourism Vancouver. Among his volunteer leadership roles, Rick was president of Pacific Coast Public Television, chair of Destination Marketing Association International (based in Washington, DC), and deputy chair of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (based in Bangkok, Thailand).

Rick collaborated with leaders of other organizations to initiate the Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Task Force. He was at the helm of Tourism Vancouver when the organization launched the bid to bring the 2010 Winter Olympic Games to Vancouver and Whistler.

Today Rick is a full-time author and scriptwriter. The New York Times noted his Route 66 Still Kicks; Driving America’s Main Street as “One of the best books of the bunch” in their Christmas travel book roundup. The Chicago Tribune called his To Timbuktu for a Haircut; A Journey Through West Africa a “travel classic.” When his most recent book, Full Moon Over Noah’s Ark; An Odyssey to Mount Ararat was released last year, the American Library Journal saw it as this tasty, spicy feast of a book”

Rick speaks frequently around the world about Cathedral Thinking and is a strong believer that tourism is a vital force for peace.

A transcript of this episode is available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/rick-antonson/

In this episode, you will learn about working with partners to create a niche culinary trail from Meg Vanek.

Meg Vanek is the executive director of the Cayuga County Convention and Visitors Bureau and has served in this capacity for 20 years. She is originally from the Finger Lakes but left the region at 17, graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and worked in the property management and hospitality industries in southern California and England for 14 years before returning to the region. In addition to her position as executive director of the Cayuga County Convention and Visitors Bureau, she also serves on the Board of Directors of the NYS Tourism Industry Association, the Cayuga Lake Scenic Byway, the Finger Lakes Regional Tourism Council, as well as several other tourism related committees.

What you’ll learn about in this episode:

• Meg’s background
• How Meg has helped Cayuga County stand out from the crowd by presenting a unique experience for the visitor- The Finger Lakes Sweet Treat Trail
• How Meg blended agriculture and culinary assets together in The Finger Lakes Sweet Treat Trail
• What’s coming up for the Sweet Treat Trail in 2017.
• How competitors worked together on the Sweet Treat Trail to grow their own businesses
• What great partners look like to Meg
• A business that thought outside of the box in order to be eligible for the Sweet Treat Trail
• How Meg set realistic expectations for new partnerships
• The Sweet Treat Trail’s upcoming appearance on HGTV

Ways to contact Meg:

• Finger Lakes Sweet Treat Trail: tourcayuga.com/farm-to-table/finger-lakes-sweet-treat-trail

Aileen Ramos is the Director at the Laredo Convention & Visitors Bureau in the heart of South Texas. With a decade of experience in the hospitality industry and a long career in Marketing and Sales, she leads the CVB team in promoting the best of the city she calls home.

In this episode of Destination on the Left, Laredo Convention & Visitors Bureau Director Aileen Ramos discusses the unique bicultural community of her city. She explains how it ties into her marketing efforts and shares some of the projects they’ve done to reach a diverse audience. Click here to listen to the episode:

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• How Aileen leverages the visitor’s perspective to create powerful marketing for Laredo
• How CVB approaches marketing Laredo’s bicultural experiences
• The challenges Aileen’s organization has faced with marketing in Mexico
• Aileen’s strategy for celebrating Laredo’s 265 year anniversary
• The role of the Laredo community in CVBs marketing efforts
• How Aileen collaborates with her sister cities and other destinations

Visit Laredo

Aileen Ramos has spent most of her career in sales and marketing roles, but hospitality has always been her passion. She was initially inspired by her grandfather, who worked for a travel magazine and traversed the globe, bringing amazing destinations into the spotlight. Now, Aileen carries the torch, and she is giving Laredo the same magic touch. Aileen has made many trips to Laredo throughout her lifetime, so she brings a unique visitor’s perspective to the table for every project.

A Bicultural Experience

One of Laredo’s most powerful traits is its bicultural community. Laredo is a border town, so it has two distinct markets, two marketing opportunities, and two campaigns. It is a major advantage because Aileen’s team can double-dip with the marketing budget. They are targeting U.S. citizens who are seeking a “true Mexican experience,” and Mexican citizens who are looking for a taste of the states. In the form of restaurants, shopping, and events, both audiences can experience the rich culture of Laredo in totally different ways.

Happy Anniversary Laredo!

Founded in 1755, Laredo is older than the United States. It was a part of the Republic of Rio Grande which turns 180 years old next year, and Laredo will turn 265. It is grounds for a celebration, and Aileen has orchestrated a year-long tribute to the one-of-a-kind destination. As a salute to the rich history, Aileen decided she didn’t need to reinvent the wheel. The staples of the celebration are designed to amplify Laredo’s existing holidays and get the whole community involved! From the university to agricultural businesses, everyone is taking part. There is a collective effort to grow the city—not just for tourism, but for the residents as well.

• Twitter: @visitlaredotx
• Website: https://www.visitlaredo.com

Sarah Imes is an experienced Tourism professional with a demonstrated history of working in the event, hospitality, and tourism industry. Her current role is Tour & Travel Manager with Visit Ithaca.

Arriving in Ithaca for school and graduating (twice!) from Ithaca College, Sarah Imes fell in love with the area and began her career in radio sales before discovering hospitality. Two hotel sales jobs and a catering director gig later, she’s spent the last 6 + years with Visit Ithaca, sharing with travelers what makes Ithaca and the Finger Lakes Region magical.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Sarah Imes about why travel and tourism professionals need to prioritize building relationships, partnerships, and collaborations to move forward. We also dive into why listening is such an essential skill and how understanding how to build trust has helped her collaborate with others to build an experience that visitors love.

What You Will Learn in this Episode:

• How Sarah approaches sales and what she has learned during her career that impacts how she does her job today
• Best practices that have helped Sarah build and cement relationships with neighboring counties
• How Sarah makes Visit Ithaca stand out from the crowd amongst all the great destinations in her part of the world
• Sarah shares her creative approach to packaging her destination for the tour and travel market
• Examples of collaboration and coopetition in the wider New York area, including a truly innovative wine cruise partnership
• How the Travel Alliance Partnership (TAP) regional pod has helped Sarah make connections with other destinations
• The purpose of the Wine, Water, and Wonders program and how it enables international travelers to experience New York State
• Steps Sarah takes to set her up for success when going into a new collaboration
• How relationships with in-market stakeholders have changed and evolved as we come out of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Sarah’s exciting future plans for Visit Ithaca

Make Your Destination Stand Out

As we move forward into a recovery phase for the travel and tourism industry, it’s critical to change your perspective and seek out complementary experiences. DMOs need to genuinely consider the point of view of the tour operator — listen to what the tour operator needs, how their business works, and what their customer is looking for from their trip.

When you understand your clients’ needs and put them at the forefront of your mind, it broadens your expertise in other areas. Sarah discusses how she embraces creativity and collaboration to bring visitors to her region and how she makes Ithaca stand out from the crowd now that travelers are eager to start exploring the world again. She describes some of the experiences and partnerships that she builds into the itineraries for tour operators.

Building Creative Itineraries

On the podcast, Sarah Imes shares her love of building relationships and describes her experience with Travel Alliance Partners (TAP). She explains how attending the TAP Dance event over the years has enabled her to be part of a supportive New York State pod that allows all of the member destinations to create wonderful itineraries stringing together all the different destinations through New York State.

Working together and organizing assets that paired well together into exceptional itineraries that tour operators could use for extended tours has created fantastic opportunities for both groups and individual travelers.

Valuable Relationships

Knowing your audience is, first and foremost, in being able to create an experience that they will love. The more you listen, the more you understand a tour operator’s business, the more you can tailor programs and become the go-to expert. You deepen relationships by really understanding who they’re marketing to, how they’re marketing, what their needs are, and responding to those needs.

Being able to tailor your elevator pitch, to speak, to the needs of the operator shows that you’re listening, that you know the resources you have around you, and who you can partner with to provide a unique experience is a crucial advantage of putting work into building genuine, long-standing relationships.

Resources:

• Website: http://www.visitithaca.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/visitithaca
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/visitithaca/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/visitithaca

Will Seccombe is President of Connect Travel, a strategic marketing business that connects destination marketers with the products, services, people, and ideas that help them thrive in a rapidly evolving and highly competitive global marketplace.

Prior to joining the tourism marketing company in May 2017, Will served four years as President and Chief Executive Officer for VISIT FLORIDA, the state’s destination marketing organization. He joined VISIT FLORIDA in March 2008 as Chief Marketing Officer, and International and out-of-state visitors to the Sunshine State increased from 80 million in 2009 to over 112 million in 2016, with an associated annual increase in visitor spending of over $30 billion.

Will’s career began as regional sales manager with Vail Associates in 1989. He then moved on to Loveland Ski Areas in 1992 as director of marketing, vice president of marketing for the Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau in 1995, and vice president and chief operating officer with PRACO, LTD in 1999. In 2004, Seccombe founded Revolution Communications, LLC, a digital travel marketing firm. Will was named one of the Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales & Marketing by HSMAI, Top 50 Global Marketers in Travel by Skift, and the 2014 Hospitality Legend of the Year by the South Florida HSMAI.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Will Seccombe, who joins me to share his perspective on creativity and collaboration in the travel industry. We discuss the upcoming eTourism Summit and the benefits that participants will get from the industry collaboration. Will also shares why he thinks that creativity is a critical skill for marketers and why building positive and productive relationships will push the industry forward over the coming months.

What You Will Learn:

• Why Will made the leap from mountain destinations to beach destinations and his career trajectory so far
• Will’s insights into current innovation in the travel industry as a response to the events of the last 18 months
• How destination marketers can recognize and tell the story of their key differentiator
• Why traditional targeting is no longer working and what destination marketers can do instead
• How the eTourism Summit evolved and what participants will get from the collaboration
• Will’s insights on how collaboration is going to help carry the travel industry forward

Innovations in Storytelling

Creativity has never been a more important skill set than it is today. The travel industry as a whole in 2019 saw record visitor numbers, so there was no real incentive to innovate. The events of 2020 and the challenges the sector faced forced innovation and creativity and drove destinations to reevaluate their messaging. Will shares his thoughts on the new ways destination marketers are using social media to tell their stories and why he feels the playing field has been reset going forward.

Capture the Authenticity

The concept of branding is to tell our stories, and the best way to get to the heart of a destination is to leverage feedback from visitors and community experiences to tell that story. We discuss why hearing about lived experiences captures the genuine authenticity of a place and why the voices of the people who are passionate about your destination are so powerful in attracting new visitors.

• Website: https://connecttravel.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seccombe/
• Twitter: @troutline

Cheryl Kilday, President & CEO, Destination North Myrtle Beach, CDME, has contributed to the communities where she has lived through destination development, tourism promotion, and economic development initiatives. And she has an extensive background working with not-for-profit membership-based organizations that affect a positive impact on the local economy and quality of life.

Cheryl joined the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau in October 2018. She previously led Visit Spokane from 2010 until October 2018 after living in the Washington DC region in Northern Virginia for several years. She launched Visit Loudoun in 1996 and was the President and CEO for nearly 15 years. She began her tourism adventure in the Willamette Valley in Oregon after graduating from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon.

Cheryl also earned the prestigious Certified Destination Marketing Executive (CDME) designation through Destinations International in 2011 and has achieved Destination Management Accreditation in both Spokane, Washington, Loudoun, Virginia, and North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Cheryl is a Trustee for Destinations International Travel Foundation and serves on committees for Destinations International Foundation and Association boards.

Her career honors include recognition for leadership in the meetings industry by Smart Meetings Magazine, and awards for marketing and public relations programs from US Travel, HSMAI, and an Emmy®.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Cheryl Kilday, who shares why she believes that working for a tourism office that is part of a Chamber of Commerce gives her office a considerable advantage. We discuss how Cheryl sees the future of tourism evolving and why the curation of destinations’ stories is likely to focus more on creating a connection between places and their visitors by positioning them where potential guests are searching. Cheryl also dives into what she loves about working in the travel industry and why a huge part of the joy she finds in her job lies in the connections she builds with the local community.

What You Will Learn:

• Different funding models that tourist organizations can leverage and why working with the Chamber gives Cheryl a better budget
• How Cheryl helps the North Myrtle Beach residents understand and appreciate that their restaurants, retail, and entertainment options improve because they’re outnumbered by visitors on any given day
• Cheryl’s advice for having a successful relationship with your team
• Creative projects that Cheryl and her team have been working on to make their destination stand out
• Why accountability and transparency feature highly in how North Myrtle Beach put together their messaging during the COVID-19 pandemic and how they differentiated the messaging for residents, workers, and visitors, to the destination
• Why Cheryl and her team did a series of commercials for social media, local television, and radio to personify how their businesses missed their customers and what they were doing to make it safer for visitors to return
• Some examples of how coopetition has worked for Cheryl and her team
• The co-op program and how it world to differentiate their positioning for North Myrtle Beach compared to the larger Myrtle Beach area as a destination
• How Cheryl has seen destination marketing organizations role evolve over her career

Creative Ways to Connect with Your Community

Over the last couple of years, times have been challenging in the travel and tourism industry, and DMOs have had to get clever and creative. COVID-19 has required them to try new approaches and behave differently while we figured out how our world would evolve.

This week, my guest on the Destination on the Left podcast is Cheryl Kilday, President & CEO of Destination North Myrtle Beach. She joins me to share what she and her team did to let their residents and visitors know how they were going to keep them safe. We discuss the creative ways that North Mrytle Beach developed media campaigns that kept them accountable and transparent with their community to demonstrate that they were being sensitive to the needs of both the workforce and the visitors.

We dive into the fun ways that Cheryl and her team brought North Myrtle Beach to their visitors when the visitors couldn’t come to them — including putting together a Spotify radio channel of beach music, sending videos of dance lessons to learn how to do the South Carolina shag dance, and setting up cooking classes. They also developed a road trip toolkit so that people would have a fun way to connect with them on their way to North Myrtle Beach when they were ready to return.

Collaboration with Regional DMOs

We dig into Cheryl’s experience of North Myrtle Beach’s collaboration with the regional DMO and how the spirit of partnership helped them move forward. I often talk about ‘coopetition,’ the idea of competitors coming together to cooperate and create bigger wins together than they can achieve independently. Cheryl shares some examples of how her small community works to differentiate itself from its larger neighbor to the south — including setting up a co-op. The co-op is a voluntary organization that contributes money to help guide the destination marketing that differentiates its brand positioning. They also have a collaborative program called Momentum that helps them raise funds for specific projects or initiatives that go beyond what the co-op dues would support.

Cheryl and I also dive into the details of her destination master plan, when the destination plans to launch it and how they have been able to fund the project through creative coopetition. She describes the ultimate goals of North Myrtle Beach to brand itself as somewhere that partners with residents to go through an inclusive community-based planning process on how they want their destination to be in the long term.

I loved Cheryl’s take on how opportunities for cooperation advance the common good by allowing everyone to buy into a common goal and work together to achieve spectacular results.

Resources:

• Website: www.ExploreNorthMyrtleBeach.com
• Learn about South Carolina Shag Dance here: https://discoversouthcarolina.com/articles/celebrating-the-shag-south-carolinas-state-dance
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylykilday/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/cyktourism

Jason Jordan joined Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance in February of 2022 with a diverse background in the areas of nonprofit organization management, journalism, public relations,, and public policy consulting.

In his new role, Jason leads the organization’s multi-channel approach to public relations, social media, and communications and facilitates marketing strategies. Former places of employment include Institute for Human Services, Inc., Gatehouse Media, and Giesta Racalto LLC. Jason is a Political Science/Political Philosophy alumnus of Syracuse University. He is a native of Hornell, NY and now lives with his wife and son in Bath, NY. The entire family is avid “Finger Lakes people.”

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Jason Jordan about the creative projects that the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance are involved in to promote their destination in New York State. We discuss how they are standing out in a crowded post-COVID travel market and encouraging visitors to spend time in the region. Jason also shares how the FLTA is using partner programs to build an engaged network of brand supporters.

What You Will Learn in this Episode:

• How an unexpected health issue changed Jason’s career trajectory and how it subsequently brought him to tourism
• Fresh and innovative ways that the FLTA are leveraging to stand out from the crowd and promote the uniqueness of their destination
• The importance of building sustainable models of travel and tourism as we go forward and how the FLTA is using data to accomplish that
• Why the designation of the National Heritage Area will mean so much to the Finger Lakes region and some of the specific things Jason is particularly excited about
• Some of the wonderful collaborations that Jason and his team have been involved in, including their participation in the AAA and CAA information and brochure exchange program
• Why Jason believes there has been a marked shift by destination marketing organizations in the post-pandemic world towards collaborative projects

How FLTA Stands Out From the Crowd

Jason highlights the FLTA’s enthusiasm for the concept of coopetition. He explains why having in many services and businesses promoting the Finger Lakes in several different ways all at the same time works fantastically to draw in visitors. One way the FLTA stands out in this crowded travel and tourism market is by drawing on their long history in travel and tourism.

The Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance has been around since 1919 which makes them one of America’s longest-running destination marketing organizations. They are an association of over 700 tourism-reliant and hospitality-based businesses, and span 14 counties in 9000 square miles. Jason shares why he has been digging through articles in the FLTA archive to inform how to communicate their point of differentiation through their social media campaigns.

The Importance of Data

Collecting data is a critical part of understanding the story of the visitor economy, particularly when there have been ups and downs as in recent years. Jason shares with us some of the key industrial indicators that FLTA are looking at to help guide them in how widely they can expand drive traffic right now.

Partnership Planning

Jason describes some of his lessons learned and gives his advice on how to make a partnership successful. His best practices in getting a getting a collaboration off the ground successfully hinge on keeping planning simple, keeping it regular, and making it engaging.

Everybody should know what the expectations are coming in, and it’s absolutely critical not to over promise. and underdeliver when it comes to building partnerships.

Resources:

• Website: https://www.fingerlakes.org/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonjordanother/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jason.jordan.12

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

In this episode, you will learn about five of the biggest travel trends to pay attention to in 2018.

Nicole Mahoney started Break the Ice Media in 2009 in response to the evolving needs of small to medium-sized businesses, in particular, the rise of social media. Break the Ice Media is a boutique marketing and communications firm with a focus on travel, tourism, food, wine, and hospitality. As CEO, Nicole is responsible for working with clients to understand their marketing needs, develop strategic marketing plans and execute those plans. She is also responsible for building a team that can deliver.

Break the Ice Media specializes in collaborations that leverage resources of multiple partners for the creation of successful marketing programs within the travel and hospitality industry. Break the Ice Media views these programs as “coop-etition” where partners cooperate with their competition to create a program that is larger than one they can execute alone. Building these programs requires a leader who is level-headed, an effective listener, with an ability to move a group towards consensus in order to move forward.

Nicole received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Rochester Institute of Technology and a Master of Arts in Communications from The College at Brockport, SUNY.

Nicole loves the Finger Lakes region of New York State where she was born and raised. She is raising 4 daughters with her husband, John.

In this episode, you will learn about how to create a fiercely loyal team from Larry Broughton.

Larry Broughton is an award-winning hotelier and entrepreneur, CEO, bestselling author, keynote speaker, and former US Army Green Beret. As Founder and CEO of Orange County, California-based broughtonHOTELS, CBS News has called Larry the nation’s foremost expert on leadership and entrepreneurship, while the host of Travel Channels hit show, Hotel Impossible, says he is, among the top hospitality experts in the country. His upbeat, creative approach to business and life has been featured in newspaper and magazine articles across the country and he has been a recurring guest expert on news and TV programs on every major television and cable network, including MSNBC, CNN, CNBC, CBS, and Travel Channel. Larry’s awards include: Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year®; the National Veteran-Owned Business Associations Vetrepreneur® of the Year; Coastline Foundations Visionary of the Year; and Passkeys Foundations National Business Leader of Integrity.

A transcript of this episode is available here: destinationontheleft.com/larry-broughton

In this episode, you will learn about how to use Pinterest to drive visitors to your content from Louise Cottrell.

Originally from the Bay Area, Louise Cottrell is a Pinterest marketing strategist working with travel content creators and business owners to generate traffic, grow their audience and increase sales. She does Pinterest account management as well as consulting and training for bloggers and social media teams through her Pinterest Marketing Mastery Program. Shes also a world traveler and dog enthusiast.

A transcript of this episode is available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/louise-cottrell/

President and CEO of Synthesis Management Group (SMG) Roberta “Bobbie” Goheen is a resourceful and committed leadership expert and Fortune 100 executive coach who promotes positive growth and development environments for individuals, executives, and organizational teams.

With more than 25 years of world-class experience, Bobbie is a motivational force who inspires her clients to steer their personal and professional lives in the direction of excellence. She has worked with companies worldwide and organizations ranging in size from five employees to 80,000. Clients include international, national, and local C-suite executives, managers, entrepreneurs, and professionals looking for curated, practical tools to match their desire to lead others with greater ease and agility.

Bobbie offers a multi-dimensional approach for successful business leaders and their workforce to achieve results through experimental learning and development. She utilizes researched and proven methodology combined with a style that is fresh, dynamic, and inspirational.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Bobbie Goheen about why following your dreams and passions leads to enjoying a more fulfilling life. She shares her insights and strategies on how leaders can enhance their skills using a build, measure, learn framework and how using this model can also help you stay motivated during challenging times. Bobbie also gives us the benefit of her leadership experience on how to prepare your team members to be future leaders and the importance of trusting your instincts and prioritizing your wellbeing so you can move forward with a positive mindset.

What You Will Learn:

• Bobbie’s advice for leaders keen to maintain focus and keep motivation levels high moving through this challenging and disruptive period of time
• When you’re committed to finding a way forward, it doesn’t mean that you can’t change course once you start down your path — you can measure it and then learn, then adjust if necessary
• Why leaders need to stay focused on the possibilities, the opportunities and cultivate a willingness to go into the unknown, be uncomfortable, and learn something new
• How we can prepare our team to be future leaders, and why we need to reframe the process from delegation to development
• Bobbie’s wisdom on what we should be doing to maintain a better work-life balance
• Key takeaways that professionals should be taking forward with them from the disruption of the last 18 months
• Why the most straightforward way companies can grow leaders is to have very clear goals and be specific on the ‘what’ of the goal, but be less specific on how they’re going to get there

The Call for Leadership

Bobbie Goheen is a resourceful and committed leadership expert and Fortune 100 executive coach whose company Synthesis Management Group promotes positive growth and inspires her clients to steer their personal and professional lives in the direction of excellence.
In this episode of Destination On The Left, Bobbie shares why she believes that leaders right now need courage, passion, and the drive to step up to the consistent atmosphere of change and challenge that we live in today. Bobbie notes that before the COVID-19 pandemic, if you were willing to put in the hard work and effort, then you had a good chance of achieving your dreams.

But now, we know that we aren’t always in control of the changes in life, which is why we need to step up as leaders and trust that even when we’re not in control of external factors, we are in control of our choices. Leaders should follow a path of build, measure, and learn, testing the terrain as they go to ensure they are on the right track, and making adjustments to continue to move forward.

Trust Yourself and Your Team

As Bobbie says, having the confidence to trust yourself, block out the external chatter, and measure what is happening in your environment is crucial when navigating uncertainty.

It’s also essential to build a trusted group around you, gain their insight and input, and use the ideas that resonate with you. Leadership is all about recognizing the possibilities and opportunities and being willing to go into the unknown, be uncomfortable, and learn something new.

To learn more about Bobbie and her company, Synthesis Management Group, please check out the contact links below:

• Website: www.getsynthesis.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbiegoheen/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getSynthesis
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/synthesismanagementgroup/

Andy McNeill is a travel and hospitality entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in his profession. He is the CEO and founder of American Meetings, Inc., an industry-leading meetings and events agency that produces thousands of live and virtual meetings annually for Fortune 500 clients. He is also the co-host of the Destination Everywhere Podcast, top travel and hospitality podcast that highlights bucket-list destinations, luxury hotels, local cuisine, and must-do activities. Andy is a significant voice in the hospitality, meeting, and travel industries.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Andy McNeill about how the travel industry has changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Andy shares his thoughts on the hybrid event model and how destinations and suppliers can benefit from this new approach to meetings. We also discuss creative ways that destinations can take their experiences and products virtual to support both online and in-person attendees.

What You Will Learn:

• Key lessons learned during the last year on how the travel industry is evolving
• Why Andy McNeill believes the hybrid-event model is here to stay
• How destinations can make their virtual event component creative
• How in-person events are making attendees feel safe
• How Conventions and Visitors Bureau (CVB) staff can innovate to promote their destination

Creative Hybrid Events

The travel and tourism industry has fundamentally changed over the last year, but we can adapt and grow with the changes. With a few creative tweaks, you can tailor your offering to what visitors are looking for both in-person and for virtual tourists. Andy describes some of the most creative online and hybrid events that he has seen in the past 12 months and gives listeners some inspiration for planning their own engaging events to attract visitors.

Technology and Collaboration

We dig into the specifics of how to leverage the spirit of ‘coop-etition’ the blend of collaboration and competition if you are part of the CVB community. Andy shares his experience of using technology to promote visitor destinations and how to ensure your region is still an attractive prospect in the new normal world of safety protocols and flexible booking policies. Collaboration is going to be key to enhancing the online event experience so we also explore the key lessons learned, and how the industry will evolve as we come out of the pandemic.

• Hotel Negotiating Tip in the New Normal: https://americanmeetings.com/tips-for-negotiating-in-the-new-normal/
• Cleaning Requirements Interview with Shari Cedar: https://americanmeetings.com/venue-cleaning-requirements/
• Safety Guideline Digital Booklet: https://americanmeetings.com/wp-content/uploads/AMI-Safety-Sanitation-Resource-Guide-for-Live-Meetings.pdf
• Destination Everywhere Podcast: https://americanmeetings.com/podcast/
• Website: https://americanmeetings.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-mcneill/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanMeetings/
• Twitter:
  • https://twitter.com/andymcneill
  • https://twitter.com/amermeetings

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Nicole Mahoney is an entrepreneur, speaker, and podcast host with a passion for business. She’s the Founder of Break the Ice Media, a PR and digital marketing agency specializing in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry, and also serves as the CEO of Travel Alliance Partners. In her weekly podcast, Destination on the Left, launched in 2016, she interviews tourism professionals from all over the globe on creativity and collaboration.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I’m talking about the significance of community in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry. Whether it’s the local community you serve, industry associations, or peer groups, being an integral part of a community is essential for making a lasting impact.

What You Will Learn in this Episode:

• Best practices to help guide you in engaging with your community and making the most of events like TAP Dance
• Why we should focus on serving others within the community, building authentic relationships rather than solely focusing on transactions
• How to build an authentic and connected community by sharing experiences, successes, and setbacks
• Why to prioritize spending time with your community, whether through attending regular meetups, participating in online discussions, or engaging in community events
• How your community can be a pillar of strength during difficult periods

Building Meaningful Connections

Whether it’s a local community, industry associations, or peer groups, connecting with like-minded individuals can have a tremendous impact on personal and professional success. This week, I’m sharing strategies for finding and engaging with your community, including attending industry events and trade shows, which allow you to create opportunities to build relationships through shared experiences and educational sessions.

Best Practices for Community Engagement

We dig deep into some of the best practices for engaging effectively within a community — things like showing up, listening, and being relentlessly helpful are key steps for building strong connections. It is so important to prioritize relationships over transactions and embrace transparency as a way to form genuine, lasting connections within a community.

Peer Group Support

We also discuss why peer group interaction plays such a significant role in fostering connections within the travel and tourism industry. Whether through local destination marketing organizations or chambers of commerce, these formal organizations provide avenues for professionals with similar roles to connect, support, and learn from one another. By actively participating in peer groups, individuals can gain valuable insights, access educational opportunities, and form long-lasting relationships that can elevate their personal and professional growth.

Resources:

• Website: https://nicolemahoney.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolemahoney/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BreakTheIceMedia
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Break_TheIce
• Tap Into Travel: https://www.tapintotravel.com/
• Research: Collaboration in the Travel, Tourism, & Hospitality Industry: https://breaktheicemedia.com/collaboration/

In this episode, you will learn about how everyone can chip in to drive visitors to a region and the economic impact that provides from Rachel Laber Pulvino.

Rachel Laber Pulvino is a Rochester native who has the privilege of promoting her hometown on a daily basis as the Director of Public Relations and Communications for Visit Rochester.

In this role Rachel is regularly reaching out to regional, national and international media to share Rochester’s story and help media and visitors alike discover the activities and attractions that make Rochester an ideal destination. One recent accomplishment was seeing the Rochester Lilac Festival be included in The Weather Channel’s list of 10 Places You Have to See in May” as well as helping Rochester be named America’s 10th Favorite City by Travel + Leisure.

Raised in Rochester, Rachel attended SUNY Geneseo, where she earned a B.A. in Communication and continued on to the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University for graduate school, where she earned an M.S. in Public Relations.

Rachel is an active member of the Public Relations Society of America, Rochester Chapter, serving on the organization’s board of directors, along with volunteering with the Women’s Foundation of Genesee Valley and the SUNY Geneseo Regional Alumni committee.

A transcript of this episode is available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/rachel-pulvino/

Connie Stopher serves as Executive Director of the Southern Idaho Economic Development Organization. In this role, she oversees the business and talent recruitment for a seven-county region. Since taking on the role of executive director in 2017, the southern Idaho region has experienced nearly $500 million in business expansions and nearly thousands of new jobs created.

Previously, Connie served as the executive director of the South Coast Development Council in Coos Bay, Oregon, and as the economic development specialist at Bannock Development in Pocatello, Idaho. In both of those roles, Connie enjoyed the opportunity to create new business retention and expansion programs that helped revitalize struggling communities and assist existing and new businesses.

Melissa Barry is the Executive Director of Southern Idaho Tourism. She is responsible for developing and promoting tourism and recreation in southern Idaho and helping to strike the balance between economic impact and environmental stewardship. Since taking the leadership role at Southern Idaho Tourism, lodging collections have risen from historically flat numbers to double-digit increases. Southern Idaho Tourism, has received multiple national press stories, and partner approval rating is at 94 percent.

Prior to joining Southern Idaho Tourism, Melissa managed the marketing department at Cabela’s, the world’s foremost outfitter.

On this episode, I talk with Connie and Melissa about how tourism and economic development go hand-in-hand, and some specific partnerships that they have forged in their region. From recruiting people to live and work to inviting visitors without damaging the natural resources that draw people to a region in the first place, working together with all potential stakeholders is the only way to really get the job done.

What You Will Learn on this Episode:

• A “best-kept secret” pitch for talent recruitment 
• Strategies you can use to marketing your region
• How to get locals to become tourism cheerleaders
• Ways stakeholders can manage visitor impact on natural resources
• How to grow tourism in rural areas

Tourism as Economic Driver

Tourism and economic development can get siloed, hampering the collaboration that can happen and boost a region economically. For Connie and Melissa, that means working together. For instance, they might combine their video promotion budgets to create a better end product than each could have done separately. Or what if tourism agencies and local chambers of commerce work in conjunction with each other? In some areas, this is a stretch, but it shouldn’t be. There is a synergy that can happen when local communities welcome visitors, new residents, and new businesses to the region. When all of that happens together, communities thrive.

Tourism in Rural Areas

Why would anyone want to visit? That can be the sentiment from locals who don’t realize the beauty and wonder of their own backyard. Connie and Melissa share how sometimes they need a little bit of help in identifying the assets they have, even in the smallest of communities. It comes down to realizing that they have assets that are worthwhile for visitors to see and participate.

Resources:

• Website: visitsouthidaho.com
• Website: www.southernidaho.org
•  Southern Idaho Economic Development’s podcast, Secret’s Out Idaho!: southernidaho.org/blog

This summer, I’m sharing five powerful life lessons I’ve learned since graduating high school. So join me as I discuss the importance of adopting appreciation over expectation, choosing faith over fear, managing self-talk, directing focus to cultivate positive energy, practicing radical self-belief, and find out how they can shape and enhance your personal and professional life, too.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• Why learning to appreciate the moment rather than being disappointed that an experience is not as you expected can lead to a happier life and a more positive outlook
• How having faith can empower you and open up new opportunities
• The power of self-talk and the impact it has on daily decisions and overall well-being
• Where focus goes, energy grows, and how shifting focus leads to a more positive mindset
• The importance of radical self-belief – and why you should remember that everyone puts their pants on one leg at a time!

Choose Faith Over Fear

On the show, I discuss how the acronym F.E.A.R. (False Expectations Appearing Real) reminds us of the illusion fear often creates and how it inhibits progress. Fear can disguise itself as being cautious, strategic, or deliberate. But it is a roadblock, and once you move through it, you’re opening yourself up to so many more opportunities.

I want to remind you to have faith in your decisions. When you choose faith over fear, you trust yourself and those around you to make the best decisions possible, which I know will make you feel happier and more confident.

Where Focus Goes, Energy Grows

The adage “where focus goes, energy grows” serves as a guiding principle for personal and professional endeavors, and I’m reflecting on redirecting attention from negative to positive stimuli and the impact of intentional focus.

On the show, I also share why you should practice radical self-belief. You must believe in yourself at all costs because when you believe in yourself, your decisions in life and your ability to achieve your dreams will become so much easier. Although there may be times when you feel like an imposter or like you don’t belong when you start to feel that way, remind yourself that everyone puts their pants on one leg at a time! Believe in yourself, and you can achieve your dreams.

Resources:

• Jenny Feterovich On Capturing The American Dream And Building An Entrepreneurial Life: https://robertglazer.com/elevate-podcast/jenny-feterovich-start-up/

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more o​f. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

Jennifer Wesselhoff is the President & CEO of the Park City Chamber of Commerce | Convention & Visitors Bureau (Chamber/Bureau). She has served in the position since October 2020.

The Park City Chamber/Bureau is responsible for the marketing and management of Utah’s preeminent luxury tourism destination, driving revenues in excess of $1 billion annually. Park City is home to the Sundance Film Festival, the nation’s largest independent film event. The town’s two ski resorts served as major event sites for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games and the Utah Olympic Park continues to attract Olympians to Park City for high-altitude training. The town also is the headquarters for the US Ski & Snowboard Association (USSA). Park City hosts ski and snowboarding world championships on an annual basis and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has selected Utah for its next Winter Olympic bid in 2030. More than two million skiers hit the local slopes each year at both Park City Mountain, featuring the nation’s largest ski terrain, and Deer Valley Resort, consistently rated amongst the top ski resorts in North America. In summer months, more than one million visitors flock to Park City for hiking, blue-ribbon fly-fishing and biking on its 400-mile trail system.

Prior to arriving in Park City, Jennifer was CEO/President of the Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau, which she joined in 2007. During her tenure, she led Sedona, Arizona to national recognition as a destination. Jennifer guided the Sedona Chamber’s accreditation as a Destination Management Organization, led the development of Arizona’s first Sustainable Tourism Plan, and saw tourism grow to become Sedona’s largest industry, with a $1 billion annual impact and 10,000 tourism-related jobs. She most recently represented the region on the Governor’s Economic Recovery Task Force. Jennifer developed and launched successful brand strategies for Sedona, including the “Sedona, the Most Beautiful Place on Earth” campaign and the “Find Your Room to Play” campaign.

Jennifer is a Certified Destination Management Executive with Destination Marketing Association International and is a frequent speaker and consultant on sustainable tourism best practices. She was the former Sedona Certified Film Commissioner with the Association of Film Commissioners International.

Before joining the Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau, Jennifer taught English in Japan and spent three years in the hospitality industry in Interlaken, Switzerland. She is conversant in three foreign languages and holds bachelor’s degrees in French and Communications from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. When Jennifer and her husband Rick are not running, biking and hiking, they enjoy cooking and traveling with friends.

Destination on the Left is joined by Jennifer Wesselhoff, the President and CEO of the Park City Chamber of Commerce, Convention, and Visitors Bureau. On our podcast, Jennifer shares her passion for sustainable tourism and talks about the steps you can take to implement it in your own community. She teaches us what DMOs can do to better communicate with their communities and grow the destination organically. And she also explains how the pandemic has provided destinations with an opportunity to rethink tourism for years to come.

What You Will Learn:

• Jennifer’s journey into the travel and tourism industry
• Jennifer’s passion for sustainable tourism and the steps you can take to implement it in your own community
• How to balance the four pillars of sustainable tourism
• Why DMOs need to put more focus on communicating with their residents and local communities
• How the pandemic has provided destinations with an opportunity to rethink tourism
• Attracting quality vs. quantity when it comes to visitors

The Park City Chamber of Commerce, Convention, and Visitors Bureau

Destination on the Left is joined by Jennifer Wesselhoff, the President and CEO of the Park City Chamber of Commerce, Convention, and Visitors Bureau. On our podcast, Jennifer shares her passion for sustainable tourism and talks about the steps you can take to implement it in your own community. She teaches us what DMOs can do to better communicate with their communities and grow the destination organically. And she also explains how the pandemic has provided destinations with an opportunity to rethink tourism for years to come.

Becoming a Leader in the Pandemic

Jennifer started her journey in Park City in October of 2020—an interesting time to say the least. Starting a new position, with new people, in a new organization is enough to test any leader, let alone when it is taking place in a remote work environment. Jennifer, however, brings a ton of experience to the table, and she was able to find her stride quickly through the use of creativity and collaboration. Her passion for sustainable tourism has helped her develop those skills day in and day out, and it is a concept we can all benefit from exploring in our own organizations and communities.

The Four Pillars of Community

Jennifer defines sustainable tourism as a way to balance the four pillars of the community, and it lifts up everyone who is apart of it. The pillars are: creating and retaining a vibrant economy, the visitor experience, impact on quality of life, and protecting the environment. While Jennifer always took a data-driven approach to destination marketing, the four pillars of community helped her reshape the lens with which she looked at the data. It gave her a new perspective for addressing unique challenges within the community, and it provided her with an opportunity to partner with other organizations and businesses in the region to solve those challenges. Sustainable tourism is something any destination can adopt to transform the core principles of the community, and there is so much to gain from it.

• Website: https://www.visitparkcity.com/
• LinkedIn:
  • https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-wesselhoff-8960599/
  • https://www.linkedin.com/company/park-city-chamberbureau/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VisitParkCity
• Twitter: @jennwesselhoff

In an area known for its scenic mountains and lakes that can keep you exploring outdoors indefinitely – how do you draw people indoors to explore the history and present of this beautiful region? That’s the challenge for The Adirondack Experience – the museum on Blue Mountain Lake.

Today in this episode, Nicole is joined by Jennifer Bine, Director of Interpretation at the Adirondack Experience. Together they discuss challenges and opportunity in reshaping established institutions. They explore the history and vibrancy of New York’s Adirondack wilderness and the joy of sharing that experience with visitors to the region.

Jennifer holds a master in historical administration and museum studies from the University of Kansas and a Bachelor of Arts in history from Iowa State University. Her experience includes work with the Smithsonian Institute.

A transcript of this episode is available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/jennifer-bine/

In this solocast episode of Destination on the Left, BTI’s Nicole Mahoney shares her thoughts surrounding the impact of the Coronavirus on travel and tourism since the pandemic took hold. She discusses the components of great leadership and mental strength and explains the importance of each in times of crisis.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• BTI’s thoughts surrounding the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic after two weeks of lockdown
• The importance of great leadership in times of crisis
• Why leadership is defined by behavior, not title alone
• Steve Farber’s LEAP framework and how to apply it to become a stronger leader
• How to manage fear in times of crisis
• Scarcity mindset vs. abundance mindset and how each plays a role in this crisis
• The big idea from Charlie Mackesy’s book, “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse”

Emerging Leaders in the Coronavirus Pandemic

These past couple of weeks have tested every aspect of our businesses. The Coronavirus Pandemic is yet to hit rock bottom, and it has forced us to push the threshold of creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in the travel and tourism industry. There are silver linings in this mess if you’re willing to look for them, and one of them comes in the form of team members who are stepping up to the plate. In times of chaos, great leaders will emerge in many different capacities. They are not just leaders by title, they are leaders by behavior, and they are keeping the gears turning as everything around us comes to a halt.

The Leap Framework

If you didn’t get a chance to listen, Episode 166 with author and extreme leadership coach, Steve Farber, we talked about what it means to be a leader. In times like these, great leaders are critical to the survival of every organization. Steve’s LEAP framework breaks down the components of great leadership so we can apply them and become stronger leaders no matter who we are.

Love – Cultivate love; find love in yourself and love in others to lift everyone up.
Energy – Create energy around a vision, a direction, or a response to a crisis.
Audacity – Inspire our teams to follow us into unchartered territory in search of solutions.
Proof – Leaders walk the walk, prove your commitment through action and not just words.

Abundance Mindset

Even with the right framework, coaching, and mentorship, leaders succumb to human fallacies and emotions take hold. If we are operating from a place of fear, we cannot operate effectively as leaders because it hinders our ability to make decisions for our organizations. In these difficult times, we must step out of the scarcity mindset and assume an abundance mindset. We need to be forward-thinking, open to opportunity, and to serve as a beacon for our communities. It will take all of us working together to make it through the pandemic and start recovering—but the will to do so must start with a positive mindset.

Resources:

• Book Recommendation: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
• Email: nicole@breaktheicemedia.com
• Website: www.destinationontheleft.com/summit
• Website: https://breaktheicemedia.com/
• Twitter: @Break_TheIce
• Facebook: @BreakTheIceMedia

Gary Murphy is Co-Owner and Senior Vice President of Sales at Ama Waterways, and his experience in the travel industry spans more than 30 years. After completing his Business Degree at California State University, Northridge, Gary’s early business experience involved positions with IBM, Group Voyagers in Europe, and Brendan Vacations, before becoming Vice President of Marketing and Sales for the rapidly expanding Miami Air International.

From there, Gary returned to one of the country’s leading tour operators, Brendan Vacations, where he served as Vice President of Marketing and Sales and, in 2000, took over the role of President. In 2009, Murphy left Brendan to become Vice President of National Accounts for AmaWaterways; in 2013, he was appointed Vice President of Sales and became Senior Vice President of Sales in 2019.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, Gary Murphy shares his philosophy on standing out as a business by creating immersive experiences for travelers and why he believes that working with Travel Counselors is a solid business strategy. We discuss the benefits of river cruising, and Gary dives into some of the collaborations he has been involved in throughout his career that have helped the company innovate and improve their offering.

What You Will Learn in this Episode:

• Gary’s path into the river cruising industry, including the different parts of the industry he has worked in and the entrepreneurial spirit woven through it
• The history of river cruising in Europe
• Creative approaches that Gary has taken in developing Ama Waterways’ river cruises
• Gary’s philosophy toward the itineraries they create
• How Ama Waterways encourage their guests to immerse themselves in the experience of the port in which they’re located
• Why they prefer not to include the gratuity and how that empowers guests to take ownership of the experience that they’re having
• Strategies Gary uses when faced with challenges, particularly during the last few years
• Why Ama Waterways love collaborating with their Travel Advisor partners, and why they believe it’s the most financially rewarding way to manage their business
• Opportunities for competition that AMA Waterways is working on right now

Creative Approaches in Travel

As travelers, often our most valuable commodity is time — Gary guides us through how Ama Waterways plan and create their river cruise itineraries to allow guests to make the most of their vacation by enabling them to wake up each morning in a beautiful new town. He shares how they have designed their trips to take advantage of the most beautiful parts of a country while cruising during the day, and details some of the ways the company has innovated to provide the best experience possible to their guests.

We also discuss creative ways that Ama Waterways has encouraged travelers to make the most of each new destination on the cruise and their philosophy that you need to spend less time on the ship — no matter how beautiful and luxurious it is —and more time enjoying each new town or city.

Ama Waterways’ Philosophy on Travel

Gary shares how Ama Waterways do things that they feel are the best use of their clients’ time, that give them the best value and deliver a superb travel experience. He describes how the company’s founders are, at heart, adventurers with a fortitude that moves them forward through challenges. Ama understands the best way to travel, and they follow that philosophy to deliver exceptional experiences. Gary and I discuss the difference between a poor quality all-inclusive experience and a premium experience that encourages guests to experience the gastronomy of the country they’re visiting.

We touch on what makes Ama Waterways stand out in a crowded market and why they prefer to march to the beat of their own drum and curate an experience that enhances their guest’s vacation than follow the crowd.

Creative Coopetition in River Cruising

Gary discusses some of the upcoming collaborations with competitors, including The American Society of Travel Agents conference in Budapest next month. River cruise lines have come together and coordinated their ships’ timetables so that travel advisors can see the different ships firsthand.

Collaboration with guests is also a fantastic way to discover opportunities. Gary shares some of the partnerships Ama Waterways has built with other businesses after being guided by what clients are looking for to make the river cruise experience even better.

Resources:

• Website: www.amawaterways.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-murphy-815641155/

In this episode, you will learn about using creativity to solve difficult challenges from Lisa Burns.

Lisa Burns has been in the travel industry for over 35 years with a wide range of experience including group tour planning and product development, event and meeting planning, marketing and public relations, and both a domestic and international tour director. With a proven track record of diligence and reliability, Lisa is goal-oriented, a natural and articulate communicator focused on the nuance and value of detail management and always a willing, eager and motivated champion of the task of the moment. She is able to juggle multiple projects and thrives in a fast-paced environment. With a passion for the tourism industry, destination marketing and being the consummate hostess, Lisa is a passionate advocate for the product she represents and is always willing to put in the time and energy needed to reach a goal.

A transcript of this episode is available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/lisa-burns/

In this episode, you will learn strategies for collaborating with a large region like the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor from Jean Mackay.

Jean Mackay has served as a director of communications and outreach for the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor since 2007. She manages all aspects of web based and print media and works collaboratively with organizations throughout the 500-mile long National Heritage Corridor to preserve Canal Heritage, promote tourism and foster vibrant communities along the waterway. Jean formerly worked as director of education for Autobahn International. She holds a MS in environmental education from Lesley University.

A full transcript of this episode is available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/jean-mackay/

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Catherine Alonzo, CEO at Javelina and host of the How to Change the World Podcast. She shares why story and travel are two sides of the same coin and breaks down how we should approach stories when trying to make a change or social impact. We also discuss the stories we tell ourselves, the importance of internal and external stories, and why core values matter in the travel industry.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• Why internal narratives and personal storytelling impact how we see the world
• How core values guide decision-making and personal fulfillment
• Why understanding specific audiences and targeting communications effectively is crucial in crafting impactful stories and strategies
• What the significance of having a clear “why” is within an organization, and how to operationalize it to build a sustainable culture
• How to use storytelling to create the immersive experiences travelers are looking for

Stories as Catalysts for Change

Catherine emphasizes that stories aren’t just tools for entertainment—they are pivotal in shaping our understanding of the world. Whether it’s the narrative we tell ourselves internally or the stories we communicate externally, these narratives have the power to influence change. Catherine explains how stories form the bedrock of how we perceive and interact with the world, which is why they’re so important in driving personal and societal transformation.

Storytelling is an incredibly powerful tool In the travel and tourism industry. We discuss the connection between the vulnerability and richness of storytelling and the immersive experiences travelers are looking for. By creating compelling narratives, destinations can provide deeper, more meaningful experiences that resonate on a personal level with visitors, ultimately driving visitor numbers and community engagement.

Crafting Messages for Targeted Audiences

A key part of storytelling is knowing your audience. Catherine highlights a common mistake marketers often make— trying to reach “everybody” and why the story ends up resonating with nobody. Instead, she suggests focusing on a maximum of four distinct audience groups. This could include decision-makers, referral partners, and internal audiences such as team members.

Understanding each audience group’s motivations, psychographics, demographics, and needs allows DMOS to tailor communications to connect with potential visitors on a deeper level. This targeted approach ensures that the emotional core of the message remains consistent, fostering a strong connection with the audience.

Finding and Operationalizing Purpose

We discuss the critical importance of a clear “why” within organizations. As someone deeply involved in social change, Catherine believes that organizations cannot sustain a strong, meaningful culture without a well-defined purpose. For those in travel and tourism, this means clarifying why their destination or service exists beyond just economic gain. By integrating this “why” into daily operations, organizations can create authentic and compelling narratives that resonate with their teams and audiences.

Resources:

• Website: https://www.catherinealonzo.com/
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinealonzo/
• Podcast: https://www.catherinealonzo.com/how-to-change-the-world

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more o​f. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

In this episode, you will learn about providing a great customer experience and building partnerships that help you do that from Tom Mulliez.

Tom is a father, husband, entrepreneur, and the visionary behind iTREKKERS. Tom founded the company in 2014 after realizing that bringing together vetted professional captains and guides on one platform would help guarantee everyone a better experience in the outdoors. iTREKKERS is a combination of Tom’s desires to share his love of nature and to simplify the process of booking guided outdoor activities. His mission is threefold: to get people to experience the outdoors through iTREKKERS; to help people get outdoors, period, by providing useful tips and referrals; and to educate people about the outdoors and ways to be mindful.

Tom, who earned a Bachelor in Commerce from Canada’s McGill University and an MBA in marketing at Virginia Commonwealth University, was raised between his hometown of Roubaix, France, and a small town near Atlanta. His love of nature is derived from early memories of camping in the Georgia mountains with his father. For Tom, the only passion greater than a love of the outdoors is his love of family. Tom and his wife often spend time outdoors camping, at the beach, or on their boat with their three young children.

A transcript of this episode is available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/tom-mulliez/

In this episode, you will learn about how Travel Oregon has helped the tourism industry in that state grow exponentially under the leadership of Todd Davidson.

Todd was appointed Executive Director of the Oregon Tourism Commission, also known as Travel Oregon, in June 1996, and was named Chief Executive Officer in September 2004.

Under Todd’s leadership, the tourism industry in Oregon has flourished into an 11.3 billion dollar industry that employs more than 109,000 Oregonians.

In 2003, he helped lead an effort to establish dedicated and stable funding for the commission. This funding has been crucial in Travel Oregon’s ability to grow the state’s tourism industry through strengthening its base on international markets, leadership and sustainable tourism initiatives, and award-winning publications, niche-oriented websites, and advertising campaigns.

Travel Oregon has garnered 20 Mercury Awards during Todd’s tenure, including two top awards for Best Overall State Marketing Program in 2010 and 2013.

He has also served two terms as National Chair of the US Travel Association, from 2015 to 2017, and continues to serve on the US Travel Association Board, on the National Council of State Tourism Directors, and the Western State’s Tourism Policy Council.

A full transcript of this episode is available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/todd-davidson/

We recently attended the 2019 Museum Association of New York annual conference and spoke with attendees from all over New York State representing all types of museums and cultural institutions. I talked with folks from 21 different museums and cultural institutions about how they are creating inclusive environments, attracting new audiences and fitting within the tourism fabric of their community. We used these great insights to create another Museum Series (see last year’s series here) with five episodes filled with knowledge. Through this series, I hope you will find a new perspective on this important segment of the tourism industry.

In this episode, I share my conversations with:

• Cyndi Park-Sheils, Executive Director of the Waterloo Library & Historical Society
• Andrea Seamans, Volunteer at Port Byron Old Erie Canal Heritage Park
• Courtney Kasper, Visitor Experience Manager at the NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center
• Frances Barbieri, Executive Director of the Seneca Falls Historical Society

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• How the Waterloo Library & Historical Society and the National Memorial Day Museum have developed a Capital Campaign to draw in new audiences and improve the inclusivity of their historical offerings and archive
• How the Port Byron Old Erie Canal Heritage Park is unique as the only park in the United States to offer interstate highway travelers a parking pull-off and an opportunity to visit the park in the middle of their travels
• How the NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center is using unique and diverse programming to draw in new visitors and create a local audience, as well as serving as a gateway to other cultural and historic sites in the Auburn area and beyond
• How the Waterford Historical Museum and Cultural Center is promoting inclusivity by partnering with The Arc of Rensselaer County to showcase the work of artists with mental and physical disabilities

Waterloo Library & Historical Society

Cyndi Park-Sheils from the Waterloo Library & Historical Society in Waterloo, New York discusses how they have learned valuable inclusivity strategies at the conference to incorporate into their old, historical buildings to allow people to move more freely. She discusses upcoming events including celebrating the birthplace of Memorial Day in Waterloo. She shares how inclusivity is key for allowing as many visitors as possible to view the museum’s collections. Cyndi also talks about how her organization is connected to the fabric of Waterloo through being the sole custodian of Waterloo’s museums and culture, and she discusses upcoming partnerships with local restaurants to increase awareness and education opportunities for visitors to Waterloo. She shares her excitement over the National Memorial Day Museum’s Capital Campaign and the diverse visitors it will draw to Waterloo. She discusses relocating the organization’s archives to a better and more accessible location.

Port Byron Old Erie Canal Heritage Park

Andrea Seamans with the Port Byron Old Erie Canal Heritage Park in Port Byron, New York discusses her organization as a collaboration between the New York State Thruway and the nonprofit Canal Society of New York State. She shares how her organization is the only park in the United States that has a parking pull-off for interstate highway travelers to visit a historic site. She talks about why the park is admission-free to be as inclusive as possible for visitors, and how the park provides wheelchairs and the site is entirely wheelchair-accessible. She discusses efforts to improve signage on the Thruway and throughout the village to increase visitor awareness of the park. Andrea explores the promotional opportunities for school and bus tours offer the park. She also shares the broad spectrum of diverse visitors who visit the park, many of whom are international visitors traveling to Boston, New York City or Niagara Falls. She talks about the close connection that many of the local families have with the history of the Old Erie Canal, and how her organization helps to promote other canals in the area. She discusses her hopes for the future of the park, including increasing community outreach and historical education opportunities at the park and shares the remarkable and diverse volunteer community that works at the park and has formed powerful friendships across generations with other volunteers.

NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center

Courtney Kasper at the New York State Equal Rights Heritage Center in Auburn, New York discusses how her organization serves to educate visitors on the history of equality in the state and to promote local and statewide equality sites and programs regarding human rights, Abolition, and women’s rights. She shares why inclusivity is a two-fold issue, being inclusive of the community they are serving as well as promoting and improving accessibility. She shares how her facility is free, open to the public, and community-accessible and she discusses the diverse programming the organization offers. She talks about their efforts to promote women- and minority-owned small businesses through their events. She discusses how their position as a new facility has helped to bring audiences, and how school field trips have been key. She explores the facility’s recent celebration of Harriet Tubman Day and the opportunity it served to bring in local visitors. Courtney shares the role her organization plays in the fabric of the community, and the interactive exhibits her facility offers that promote other statewide tourism and cultural attractions. She talks about future collaboration opportunities for her organization to be a cross-promotional marketing site for other cultural sites in the area.

Seneca Falls Historical Society

Frances Barbieri from the Seneca Falls Historical Society in Seneca Falls, New York shares how the society came to be founded in the late 1800s and some of the historically significant items and artifacts in the possession of the society that is connected to the history of women’s rights. She discusses the wide variety of attractions and offerings the society shares with the public, with something for everyone. She talks about the important role the society is playing in preserving the local history of the families of the area, and how the organization is working to help everyone of every background search for their family roots in the area. She shares how the organization offers outreach to people of all ages within the community. She discusses the future of the organization as it enters a transitional period with changing leadership after her retirement, and the challenges and opportunities their new director will find going forward.

Overview

One common thread in each of these conversations has been the critical role outreach plays for these organizations. From field trips and school visits to community engagement and business partnerships, each of these cultural and historical centers has found that reaching out to a broad spectrum of people of all cultures, age groups and interests have helped bolster their audience and better engage their communities. These organizations have also found value in cross-promoting other key historic and cultural sites in their communities and beyond. By connecting the important lessons of the past with the need for inclusivity and accessibility as we understand them today, these organizations are already looking forward to a bright and thriving future.

Resources:

• Waterloo Library & Historical Society website: https://wlhs-ny.com/
• Port Byron Old Erie Canal Heritage Park Facebook page: www.facebook.com/OldErieCanalHeritagePark/
• NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center website: http://historyshometown.com/nys-equal-rights-heritage-center/
• Seneca Falls Historical Society website: http://sfhistoricalsociety.org/

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

In the second of our three-part series from the Travel Unity Roadshow, we ask our seven guests to share their thoughts on how the travel industry can make an impact via the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Rhonda’s conversations with all of these leaders in our industry were truly fascinating, and we’re excited to share them with you.

Highlights of this episode include why we should see tour guides for the storytellers they are and how their unique position allows them to be at the forefront of DEI education by expanding the viewpoints in the stories they tell about the destinations that they visit. Our guests also discuss the importance of emphasizing the principles of DEI to young people and college students and why they should be woven into every aspect of a destination.

• David Naczycz, owner of WeVenture
• Dustin Woerhmann, President and Creative Director of Communify
• Elijah Washington, Youth and Collegiate Programs Director at Travel Unity
• Greg DeShields, Executive Director, Tourism Diversity Matters
• Janette Roush, Executive Vice President of Marketing at NYC & Co
• Jennifer Grimmer, President and CEO of Gilmer Chamber of Commerce
• Karen Kuhl, Executive Director, Cayuga County CVB

The Travel Unity Roadshow Defined

The Travel Unity Summit highlights the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of the travel and tourism industry. The event allows destination marketers and other travel professionals to discuss how they can incorporate the principles of DEI into their everyday practice. Our seven guests also share their word of the summit — and the terms and concepts that appear are insightful.

David Naczycz, Owner of WeVenture

David shares why the travel industry has a significant role in promoting DEI. The scale of our industry is vast, as is the number of people we touch so we can impact our teams, our companies, and our visitors and model the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. David also emphasizes the need to take the concept of decolonization seriously, take some time to reflect, and make changes so that we’re not exploiting people, we’re spreading the wealth, and including everybody.

Dustin Woerhmann, President and Creative Director of Communify

Dustin outline the steps Communify are taking to bring DEI to their organization in terms of helping destinations to tell their authentic stories. Communify works to create advisory groups with a broad range of interests from a broad range of backgrounds to help put together inclusive marketing content for a destination. Dustin tells us why his word of the summit is inclusive and how the event is shining a light on what it means to be genuinely inclusive.

Elijah Washington, Youth and Collegiate Programs Director at Travel Unity

Elijah describes the topics most often discussed by students and young people around DEI and what they are primarily interested in. He shares how they are bringing the discussion to the youth in college and how they make the topic more accessible and applicable to students in the high school age range. Elijah also notes why it is so interesting to hear students’ views on DEI and how it relates to their community or culture.

Greg DeShields, Executive Director, Tourism Diversity Matters

Tourism Diversity Matters was founded on the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. As such, it is their priority to work within the travel industry to address those gaps in DEI. They help business leaders with appropriate resources and valuable strategies for their DEI programs via their four-pillar approach. Greg outlines the four pillars of his organization — the apprenticeship program, workforce development, DEI training, and research and data — and explains how each helps in reducing social and economic inequality and building awareness.

Janette Roush, Executive Vice President of Marketing at NYC & Co

Janette explores why accessibility needs a place in the world of inclusion and how NYC and Co are making an impact as marketers via the stories they tell. She describes why they devoted a lot of time during the pandemic to finding a broad range of stories that touch various audiences and sharing them via content hubs on their site. Janette’s word of the summit is ‘warm’ because of the welcome she has received and the sense of enlightenment shared by so many passionate people at the summit.

Jennifer Grimmer, President and CEO of Gilmer Chamber of Commerce

Jennifer believes that the travel industry can make a significant impact by portraying everyone and being inclusive when it comes to travel. Our sector should convey a welcome to anyone visiting any destination and be attentive to people’s needs in marketing and discussing travel. It’s exciting for Jennifer that the Travel Unity Summit is so popular, and she is thrilled to see that so many people working for DMOs across the country are committed to DEI.

Karen Kuhl, Executive Director, Cayuga County CVB

Diversity, equity, and inclusion is woven into every part of the tourism industry. Karen shares how the Cayuga County CVB works with a variety of partnerships and ensures that each individual organization has the same opportunity to be elevated and celebrated. She discusses what it means to be an advocate and an authentic friend to organizations means understanding and listening to them, and how that creates an alignment with visitors.

I hope you enjoyed the second episode of our special three-part series from the Travel Unity Summitt. All of these inspirational leaders had so much to share on how their organizations continue to impact DEI in the travel and tourism industry. Next week we’ll hear from more remarkable travel and tourism experts, so I hope you’ll join the conversation!

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

We recently attended the 2019 Museum Association of New York annual conference and spoke with attendees from all over New York State representing all types of museums and cultural institutions. I talked with folks from 21 different museums and cultural institutions about how they are creating inclusive environments, attracting new audiences and fitting within the tourism fabric of their community. We used these great insights to create another Museum Series (see last year’s series here) with five episodes filled with knowledge. Through this series, I hope you will find a new perspective on this important segment of the tourism industry.

In this episode, I share my conversations with:

• Julia Fell, Assistant Curator of The Museum at Bethel Woods
• Natalie Shoemaker, Marketing and Events Coordinator of the Roberson Museum and Science Center
• Jessica Moquin, Executive Director of the Chenango County Historical Society and Museum
• Anastasia Garceau, Director of the Waterford Historical Museum and Cultural Center

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• How The Museum at Bethel Woods works to preserve and showcase the history of the 1960s, leading up to 1969
• Woodstock Music and Art Fair that took place at the historic site where the museum is now located
• How an innovative “pay it forward” program is promoting inclusivity by allowing visitors who are financially struggling to still be able to visit the Roberson Museum and Science Center
• How the Chenango County Historical Society and Museum is intentionally developing partnerships with the Bundy Museum and the National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum to help promote inclusivity in a region not known for its ethnic diversity
• How the Waterford Historical Museum and Cultural Center is promoting inclusivity by partnering with The Arc of Rensselaer County to showcase the work of artists with mental and physical disabilities

The Museum at Bethel Woods

Julia Fell shares the important mission of The Museum at Bethel Woods as a part of the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, located in Solomon County, New York. She discusses its role in the preservation of the history of the 1960s, culminating in the Woodstock festival that took place in 1969 on the historic grounds where the museum now stands, and she talks about the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Woodstock festival in August 2019. She discusses the efforts Bethel Woods and the museum are making to promote inclusivity through a variety of programming that targets many diverse audiences, she highlights their efforts to meet ADA accessibility standards, and she shares efforts to attract new young audiences. Julia discusses a series of oral history videos highlighting what life was like in the 1960s for young people of the day, contrasted with what life is like for today’s youth. She shares how the museum serves as a primary driver and important economic engine for the local community. She discusses the upcoming 50th anniversary of Woodstock and the boom in interest it is bringing to the museum.

Roberson Museum and Science Center

Natalie Shoemaker explains how the historic Roberson home serves as both the location for and the centerpiece of the Roberson Museum and Science Center located in Binghamton, New York. She discusses efforts to promote inclusivity at the museum including installing non-binary bathrooms and the use of inclusive pronouns. She shares how she wrote up an exhibition about a series of art pieces created by people with mental illness, and she shares the important lesson she learned when she inadvertently used a non-inclusive word in the write-up. She discusses the importance of continual growth and evolution in the area of inclusivity. She talks about the economic depression that is common in the area, and she discusses a “pay it forward” donation program to increase access to struggling community members. She shares efforts to attract new audiences to the museum. She gives information on social media outreach work she and the museum are doing to promote their exhibits. She shares how the museum fits into the local cultural fabric and discusses future opportunities to work with college students and older community members.

Chenango County Historical Society & Museum

Jessica Moquin describes efforts the Chenango County Historical Society and Museum are making to promote inclusivity, despite being located in a region not known for ethnic diversity, through intentional partnerships with other organizations such as the Bundy Museum and the National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum. She shares how the museum is working to attract new audiences including a structural redesign of their main gallery and hallway lobby, as well as sharing stories about the region and the lasting impact it has made beyond its own borders. She discusses how her museum is one of four in the area, and she shares how the four museums are collaborating to develop an officially designated museum district to promote each other and attract new audiences. She shares future growth opportunities she recognizes for the museum and its more than 40,000 artifacts, eight-structure campus, and almost one hundred active volunteers.

Waterford Historical Museum and Cultural Center

Anastasia Garceau discusses the variety of historical and educational purposes the Waterford Historical Museum and Cultural Center in Waterford, New York serves in an effort to preserve and promote local history and heritage. She highlights the diverse backgrounds and perspectives the museum’s volunteers bring to its efforts, and she shares partnerships with groups like The Arc of Rensselaer County, a community-based organization advocating for and serving people with mental and physical disabilities. Anastasia talks about her efforts to create engaging programs covering a broad spectrum of interests that will attract a diverse audience of visitors. She shares how Waterford is a great tourism location with many different and diverse destinations to appeal to travelers, and she shares how this directly benefits the museum and allows to serve as a central location connecting these sites. She discusses how the museum is always looking for growth opportunities and ways to expand their existing programming.

Overview

Each of these organizations is truly committed to tackling inclusivity issues in their own unique and innovative way. From the Roberson Museum and Science Center’s use of non-gendered pronouns and offering of non-binary restroom facilities, to the Waterford Historical Museum and Cultural Center’s partnership to highlight the artistic contributions of mentally and physically disabled artists, each of these museums has found a remarkable and stand-out way to promote inclusivity, attract diverse new audiences, and further integrate their work with other tourism and cultural efforts of their communities.

Resources:

• The Museum at Bethel Woods website: www.bethelwoodscenter.org/the-museum/
• Roberson Museum & Science Center website: www.roberson.org
• Chenango County Historical Society & Museum website: www.chenangohistorical.org
• Waterford Historical Museum & Cultural Center website: https://waterfordmuseum.com

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Curt Bedei is the Executive Director for the Ottawa Visitors Center in Ottawa, Illinois. He was hired in 2011 as the Graphics Design Manager to handle the botanical brand management. Since then, Curt has worked his way up, earning a certificate in Not For Profit management. In 2015, he had the opportunity to take on his current role. Curt sits on many boards and committees related to tourism, such as the Heritage Corridor CVB, LaSalle County Tourism Coalition, the Looking For Lincoln/ Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area, and the Ottawa History and Scouting Heritage Museum. Curt has always lived in the Ottawa Area, and he loves history and traveling so this seemed like a natural fit.

Destination on the Left is joined by Curt Bedei, the Executive Director for the Ottawa Visitors Center in Ottawa, IL. On our podcast, Curt shares his journey into travel and tourism and talks about the creativity and collaborative efforts OVC has made to help their destination thrive. Learn about Ottawa’s community-driven approach branding, and find out how they are responding to the difficult challenges brought forth by 2020.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• Curt’s journey into travel and tourism in Ottawa, IL
• Curt’s advice to anyone who is graduating or just getting into travel and tourism during these difficult times
• How the OVC has been able to make Ottawa, IL stand out from the crowd
• How Curt and his team have used creativity and collaboration to help tourism thrive in Ottawa
• What Curt and his team did to develop the botanical brand for Ottawa, IL
• How Curt and his team engaged the city and community in their rebranding process
• How the OVC has responded to the new challenges posed by 2020
• What Curt’s team is doing to drive traffic to the outdoor attractions when a lot of other stuff is closed
• New projects in the works at OVC for 2020 and 2021

Ottawa Visitors Center

Curt Bedei is the Executive Director for the Ottawa Visitors Center in Ottawa, Illinois. During his conversation with host Nicole Mahoney, Curt explains how Ottawa lives out its botanical brand. He talks about the discovery process for identifying what truly makes Ottawa stand out from the pack. And as a community, they have focused on developing an experience to live out the brand promise. Curt joins Destination on the Left to talk about how the Ottawa community has responded to the difficult challenges of 2020. He also dives into the regional collaboration that brought a national television program to their destination, which is still paying dividends today.

Stay the Path

Like many of the guests on Destination on the Left, Curt sort of stumbled into tourism. However, he quickly discovered that it was his calling, and since 2015, he hasn’t looked back. Curt has had an inspirational career as the Executive Director. But before he ever started climbing the ranks, Curt had no idea where he would end up. He was a graduate of the Great Recession; a position similar to what many budding travel and tourism professionals are facing today. But because of that, Curt is no stranger to difficult times in this industry. He stresses the importance of staying your path and pushing forward no matter what because you can’t plan for the opportunities that this industry will bring. You just have to be ready to capitalize on them when they arise and let nothing else get in your way.

Rebranding Ottawa

Curt’s relentless determination is one of the main reasons the Ottawa Visitors Center has experienced such great success since he took the helm. When he joined the team at the Ottawa Visitors Center, they were looking to rebrand in order to stand out from the crowd and lift the community up. Curt and his team used creativity and collaboration to make that happen. They came up with the botanical brand in 2012, which focused heavily on developing gardens, art, and culture in the community. They revitalized the downtown area and did everything in their power to create a greater sense of pride in the community. This was all accomplished in collaboration with the city and the community itself—and the high level of support that was generated through this focus on engagement produced astonishing results.

• Website: www.pickusottawail.com
• LinkedIn:
  • https://www.linkedin.com/in/curt-bedei-nfpc-a5973915/
  • https://www.linkedin.com/company/ottawa-visitors-center-inc/about/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OttawaVisitorsCenter/
• LinkedIn: https://twitter.com/pickusottawail

LIVE EVENT: The Ottawa Visitors Center is hosting a virtual experience with Abraham Lincoln on August 12th at 7 pm. The live, online performance will combine period music with conversation and narrative by President Lincoln, using Lincoln’s own words, while illuminating Lincoln’s use of communication as a personal and political tool. This engaging show features Lincoln impersonator George Buss, and Illinois folk musician and folklorist Chris Vallillo. The performance will be followed by a Q & A with Buss and Vallillo. More information can be found on their website.

Melissa Cherry serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Destinations International. She is responsible for the development and execution of the overall marketing and communications, product engagement, information technology, meetings, and education strategies to promote and elevate the Association’s mission and brand to drive awareness of its impact to advance the success of the destination marketing industry worldwide.

Prior to joining Destinations International, Melissa was senior vice-president for marketing and cultural tourism at Choose Chicago. During her four-year tenure at the city’s official destination marketing organization, she led Choose Chicago’s domestic and international marketing strategies, including all efforts for brand strategy, integrated marketing, research, advertising, official publications and collateral, website, social media, and event marketing. Additionally, she launched the first-ever Cultural Tourism Strategy to increase visitation and awareness to Chicago’s cultural entities, events, and neighborhoods.

John Percy is President and CEO of Destination Niagara USA. It is the official Tourism Promotion Agency and a full-service Destination Marketing Organization serving Niagara Falls and Niagara County, New York/USA. Previously, John served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the organization. Other prior experience includes Vice President of Tourism for the Niagara Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau and 15 years in shopping center marketing and management in both Western New York and Detroit, Michigan.

In addition to serving as Vice Chairman for the Board of Governors for the American Bus Association Foundation and on the Board of Directors for ABA’s actual association, John also serves as the current Chair-elect on the Destinations International Foundation Board of Trustees. He also serves on boards for the Niagara USA Chamber of Commerce, Niagara Falls Community Mission, and the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area.

John is also a co-chair of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion task force for Destinations International, a task force that Melissa Cherry oversees in her role.

Destination on the Left is joined by Melissa Cherry, COO at Destinations International, and John Percy, President and CEO of Destination Niagra USA, to discuss America’s racial unrest. The conversation about equity, diversity, and inclusion can be uncomfortable to have, but it is needed in every aspect of our lives right now. On our podcast, Melissa and John share their personal stories about how they have been impacted by bias. The racial conversation is both a challenge and an opportunity, and there is so much we can do right now to make sure this moment in time does not pass us by.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• Melissa and John’s journeys into travel and tourism
• How equity, diversity, and inclusion manifest in the travel and tourism industry today
• Melissa and John’s personal experience with racial bias
• Why the conversation about race is both a challenge and an opportunity
• How we can use creativity and collaboration to tackle prejudice in travel and tourism
• Why Destination International’s DEI Committee was created and how it has evolved
• What we can do NOW to make an impact on racial inequality in the U.S.

Systemic Prejudice in Travel and Tourism

Destination on the Left is joined by Melissa Cherry, COO at Destinations International, and John Percy, President and CEO of Destination Niagra USA, to discuss America’s racial unrest. The conversation about equity, diversity, and inclusion can be uncomfortable to have, but it is needed in every aspect of our lives right now. On our podcast, Melissa and John share their personal stories about how they have been impacted by bias. The racial conversation is both a challenge and an opportunity, and there is so much we can do right now to make sure this moment in time does not pass us by.

Coming Together As One

As the conversation about race is amplified, there is a new sense of urgency and a light at the tunnel. But while there are many opportunities for addressing the issue of race, there are a lot of challenges. Through Melissa and John—a woman of color and a gay, white man—their personal stories show how real systemic prejudice and bias is here in the U.S. It is something that we can’t ignore any longer, and by coming together as one force of creative problem solvers, we can tackle this adversity in our industry once and for all.

The Racial Conversation

Right now, there are a lot more conversations about race and they are easier to have. But only a couple of years ago, we still had to convince people to be a part of the conversation at all. The best thing we can do as a collective is to show empathy and facilitate open discussions about the realities we don’t truly understand. What do our organizations look like? What do our communities look like? Those are the questions we need to be asking ourselves in order to properly direct our problem-solving skills and make a difference.

• 5 Questions About Race Video
• 5 Questions About Race Article
• Leading by Example: Lessons in Race and Racism
• An OPEN LETTER to Our Colleagues and the World from Black Destination Industry Leaders
• LinkedIn:
  • https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-cherry-444806/
  • https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-percy-cdme-20558b3/

Episode Transcript

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

In this episode, you will learn about programs that bring together counties, hotels, amusement parks, and more from Sarah Blackwell.

Sarah Blackwell joined BTI in 2013, bringing a fresh perspective, creativity and attention to detail to every client project she works on. A highly talented writer, she becomes the “voice” of many diverse clients for their stories and blogs — no easy trick. It takes tremendous imagination to write about winter attractions when it’s eighty degrees and summer outside. Or to write as the “voice” of a season. There’s also the constant need to come up with new angles and pitch stories for clients, and Sarah hits the mark each time. She also finds, researches and implements new media. All this to help get our clients great exposure and effectively connect with their target audiences.

There’s nothing like working with travel and tourism giants Southwest Airlines and Disney to put real-world, “icing on the cake” experience on top of an education in journalism and public relations. Sarah had — and continues to have — a passion for PR, writing and storytelling. And because she worked with the best in the business in media relations, she knows just how to cultivate relationships with journalists full of mutual respect and benefit.

Sarah sums it up: “Pitching story ideas is about knowing who you’re talking to — knowing your client’s audience and finding compelling subjects.”

A transcript of this episode is available here: destinationontheleft.com/sarah-blackwell-program-case-studies

Renée Areng leads Brookhaven as the inaugural Executive Director for the Brookhaven Convention and Visitors Bureau, now Explore Brookhaven since 2018.

Previously, Areng served with three destination marketing organizations: most recently, Visit Mississippi Gulf Coast. Throughout her leadership, Areng increased all metrics, including visitation and overall revenue for non-gaming hotels. Additionally, she unified all messaging in marketing and sales, increasing all digital and social metrics.

Most recently, Areng consulted with Destination Organizations on strategic planning, accreditation, streamlining databases, and increasing visitation. Clients include Visit South Walton, Louisiana’s Northshore, Tupelo CVB, Visit Mobile, Jeff Davis Chamber, and CVB, Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou, and Pat Harrison Waterway District. Before joining the Mississippi Gulf Coast, she served as Executive Vice President for Visit Baton Rouge, and she served in statewide and national political arenas.

Areng is a cum laude graduate of the University of Louisiana with a BA in Public Administration and French. She earned her Certified Destination Marketing Executive (CDME) designation from Destinations International in 2007 and served on the CDME review committee in 2018. She has led five organizations through six accreditations through Destinations International’s DMAP program.

On this Destination on the Left episode, I talk with Renee Areng about her experience building a destination marketing organization from the ground up. We discuss the key ingredients needed for the successful formation of her DMO located just outside the Atlanta Metro Area and how they proved instrumental in creating the right environment for the organization to thrive.

What You Will Learn in this Episode:

• Why Renee was eager to join her current team in Brookhaven, Georgia
• What’s so fascinating about working in a newly created destination
• The unique structure of tourism in Georgia and how Renee is helping her organization punch above its weight class to stand out among Georgia’s 200 DMOs
• How the branding strategy helped Brookhaven stand out from closeby Atlanta
• Why it’s so important that Brookhaven is considered a viable voice at the table
• The challenges of launching Explore Brookhaven during a global pandemic
• Why often the most challenging part of a collaboration is getting the egos out of the equation
• Some examples of when Renee has helped create some fantastic partnerships
• How to connect with Renee and discover more about Explore Brookhaven

Taking Their Place at the Table

Renee shares why she believes it is so important that Brookhaven is considered a viable voice at the table. She describes why it was critical for the brand new DMO to scale to where they are being taken as seriously as the more prominent destinations in Georgia, such as Macon, Savannah, and Atlanta. Renee also shares more about her role on the board for Destinations International and how it is helping Explore Brookhaven get the recognition they deserve.

Evolving as a Destination Organization

Did you know that Renee’s breakout session at the Destination International Annual Convention in Toronto was one of the best attended at the event with standing room only?

She shares why she is so passionate about understanding how destination organizations are evolving and why she was eager to get her teeth into the opportunity that taking the reins at Explore Brookhaven offered. Renee explains the topics discussed during that session and why being clear about your value proposition is critical.

An Agile Industry

I loved speaking with Renee about how the evolving workforce is going to change the existing workplace and why it’s so necessary to recognize the need for change. The travel and tourism industry is more flexible now than it’s ever been, and Renee shares why the sector is now much more focused on the influence they have in the community rather than the number of heads in beds.

Resources:

• Website: www.ExploreBrookhaven.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/explore-brookhaven/

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Bill Geist is the Chief Instigator at DMOproZ, a firm specializing in strategic planning, governance, marketing, and legislative issues for convention and visitor bureaus, tourism-focused chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, and communities. Prior to forming DMOproZ, Bill served as the President/CEO of the Greater Madison (WI) Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Bill is the author of Destination Leadership and a contributor to Fundamentals in Destination Marketing. He has provided consulting services to over 200 DMOs since 1995 and is a popular speaker on marketing trends and destination development across North America.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I speak with Bill about the shifting role of the DMO. Marketing is just the tip of the iceberg. DMOs have a larger leadership role to play in the economic fortunes of the communities they serve. It starts with an attitude of service, of giving back.

What You Will Learn on this Episode:

• Why DMOs need to speak up on economic development issues in your communities
• The role of advocacy in DMO work
• What DMOs can do better than the internet
• Why understanding who you don’t appeal to is as important as understanding who you do appeal to
• Why storytelling is only going to become more important in the work of DMOs
• How to connect more with the community you serve as a DMO

Destination Leadership Organizations

Recently, we have begun discussing the expanding role that DMOs are playing and should play in their communities and now we’re thrilled to welcome a guest who has been promoting this conversation for a long time. Talk about great timing.

Bill talks with us about the evolution of destination marketing over the past decades, and the need for destination leadership. He relates some stories of economic development missteps that could have been avoided if DMOs has raised their voice – but they thought it wasn’t their place.

DMOs can be a critical conduit of information and stories that will help communities flourish and visitors fall in love and return again and again. This is a wonderful conversation on the leadership role DMOs can and should play.

It’s Not About Heads in Beds

Bill believes DMOs have often done a poor job of telling the story of their value to a community. At the end of the day, it’s not about heads in beds – what DMOs do is improve quality of life. They make their destination a better place to live.

It comes down to communication. DMO directors would love to hear from you, and the community is waiting for leaders to sit down and talk about what’s happening, what they can promote and what stories they can tell on your behalf. It’s a two-way street, but Bill Geist is encouraging DMOs to take the lead!

Resources:

• Website: dmoproz.com/
• Website: longwoods-intl.com/travel-tourism-research/
• Facebook: facebook.com/DMOproZ
• Twitter: @DMOproZ
• Destination Leadership Book: Destination Leadership Book

Episode Transcript

What if you got along with your sibling enough to travel with them – on a regular basis? That’s the life today’s guests are living.

On this episode, we explore the world with Colleen Kelly and Catie Keogh. We’ll talk about what it takes to follow your dream – and then market and produce something that makes your dream cash-flow positive!

Colleen is the host, creator, and executive producer of the popular national PBS television series Family Travel with Colleen Kelly. The well-known travel series airs to over 96% of the country to 17 million viewers and is currently in production of its fifth season. As an Emmy-nominated executive producer, travel expert, and engaging television personality, Colleen Kelly has been a featured and keynote speaker at high profile travel industry events and appears in numerous radio and television broadcasts.

Catie’s extensive broadcasting background includes a 2015 regional Emmy win for Best Magazine Program as Executive Producer – Host, a 2012 Emmy win for On-air Talent – Host, and 11 additional Emmy nominations across her production company and team. Catie’s insight for creating 24/7 City Secrets was to provide a much-needed insider view of the sights, sounds, and experiences of her dynamic hometown, Chicago.

In addition to Family Travel, Colleen is also the co-creator and co-host of their newest series, Trip Sisters, where she works with her co-host and sister, Catie, collectively as live contributors for the Travel Channel’s six-million-plus followers on Facebook and Instagram.

Full show notes available here: https://breaktheicemedia.com/podcasts/colleen-kelly-catie-keogh/

For this first episode in a special two part series of Destination on the Left episodes, I visited the 2021 eTourism Summit held in Las Vegas, Nevada from September 20-22. At the summit, I was privileged to have the chance to interview fourteen attendees who are experts in the field of digital marketing for travel and tourism. In my conversations with today’s guest experts, I asked them to each answer one question:

“What has been the biggest change in your digital strategy that has resulted in big wins for your organization or destination?”

I’m so delighted to share their insightful and sometimes surprising answers with you in this week’s special podcast episode. In this episode of Destination On The Left, you’ll hear from these fourteen extraordinary digital marketing experts:

• Chris Lukenbill – Co-Founder, Shrpa
• Ed Harris – CEO, Discover Lancaster
• Emilie Harris – Director of Marketing Operations, Bandwango
• Jake Brown – Content Manager, Visit South Bend
• Jason Holic – Vice President of Business Applications & Insights, Experience Kissimmee
• Kyle Johnson – Digital Strategy Manager, Indiana Destination Development Corporation
• Leena Riggs – Director of Marketing & Partnerships, Visit Rancho Cordova
• Marc Garcia – President & CEO, Visit Mesa
• Maria Skrzynski – Marketing Coordinator/Office Manager, Destination Ann Arbor
• Mark Romig – Chief Marketing Officer & Senior Vice President, New Orleans & Co.
• Nicole Stacey – Director of Marketing Communications, Visit Pensacola
• Ralph Thompson – Executive Director Travel & Tourism, Streetsense
• Tim Ash – Marketing Keynote, Trainer & Advisor
• Victoria Simmons – Senior Vice President of Travel, BVK

Innovative Digital Marketing Experts at the 2021 eTourism Summit

The eTourism Summit is a one-of-a-kind conference that exists at the intersection of destination travel and tourism with cutting edge digital marketing. It’s a unique opportunity for industry leaders, marketers, and destinations to come together and exchange ideas, collaborate, and brainstorm new solutions together. This year’s eTourism Summit was held in Las Vegas from September 20-22 and offered insights into digital marketing trends, advertising innovations and new ways to connect travelers with incredible experiences. I asked each of these experts the same question: “What has been the biggest change in your digital strategy that has resulted in big wins for your organization or destination?” Here are the insightful answers they gave me:

Chris Lukenbill from Shrpa

Chris shares how the industry-wide disruption of the global pandemic has created a unique opportunity to share experiences and user-generated content. He discusses the challenge of creating and sharing great itineraries that go beyond a single viewpoint and that are available “where the visitors are”, whether that’s Shrpa’s website or elsewhere. He explains why it’s easy to find directories of information but it is often difficult to get a good understanding of the full experience a destination offers, and he shares how Shrpa is working to bridge that gap for travelers.

Ed Harris from Discover Lancaster

Ed shares how Discover Lancaster has focused on making greater, more meaningful investments in social media over the pandemic, and he shares how experimenting with alternative information vehicles like video has helped significantly increase Discover Lancaster’s social media engagement and following. He discusses why content centered on the local Amish community has been a big driver in this stronger engagement as people learn more about the Amish lifestyle. He discusses how the pandemic has highlighted a new level of desire from travelers to find unique escapes from our modern lives and challenges. He discusses how his team created five video ads highlighting activities that can be done in a pandemic-safe way in the area, and he shares the big results these videos have generated.

Emilie Harris from Bandwango

Emilie discusses how the biggest shift she has experienced working with clients has been greater focus on tracking bottom-of-funnel conversions rather than top-of-funnel inspiration-focused marketing. She explains how this information has helped many clients transition their websites into e-commerce engines, and she talks about how the integration of new website strategies and new tools has created exciting opportunities for clients. She discusses Bandwango’s work connecting communities with local businesses and crafting engaging experiences, through web-based free and paid “passports” that highlight client offerings while allowing Bandwango to collect invaluable data and traveler insights.

Jake Brown from Visit South Bend

Jake describes how Visit South Bend has been experimenting with and collecting data on a variety of ideas, such as advertising through Expedia. He discusses why Visit South Bend’s focus has shifted from inspirational top-of-funnel campaigns to the actual booking process, and he explains why the global pandemic has created new opportunities farther down the sales funnel. He discusses how the content his organization is creating integrates with their paid campaign efforts, and he explains why Visit South Bend is layering content to help guide traveler choices at all levels of the funnel.

Jason Holic from Experience Kissimmee

Jason discusses how he and his team have shifted their focus to in-state marketing targeting Florida residents and drawing them to the many experiences available in the Kissimmee, Florida area. He talks about using data to help the team reprioritize which markets they are advertising in. He explains why the goal has been to drive knowledge of the impact of the global pandemic on travelers, and he shares how leveraging the area’s unique ability to handle high volumes of traveler traffic has been an invaluable asset.

Kyle Johnson from Indiana Destination Development Corporation

Kyle shares how he was introduced to the concept of “bricks and feathers”, including heavy pieces of major content called “bricks” that can be sliced into smaller pieces of “feather” content. He shares how his team put together a scavenger hunt list of “stranger things” travelers can find in Indiana that connect to the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana featured in the Netflix series “Stranger Things”. He describes how that list became 12 separate social posts over 14 days that generated more than 250,000 organic social channel impressions. He shares how the pandemic put all of the team’s initiatives on pause, and he talks about how the team navigated the challenges of the pandemic using their “bricks and feathers” content to empower their social media efforts and drive traffic to exciting, pandemic-safe outdoor destinations in every county in the state.

Leena Riggs from Visit Rancho Cordova

Leena shares how the pandemic has created a unique opportunity for her organization to shift to user-generated content, and she shares how this has allowed Visit Rancho Cordova an opportunity to partner with local residents in a unique way. She shares how residents are creating unique hashtags and amplifying the organization’s message.

Marc Garcia from Visit Mesa

Marc shares how the pandemic pushed Visit Mesa to turn inward and form a steering committee made up of Mesa residents that has advanced his organization’s digital strategies and social media outreach. He explains why the pandemic has given Visit Mesa an opportunity to inform locals of what their organization does to support the area. He shares how the steering committee came about and immediately assisted Visit Mesa in formulating a strategy to deal with the challenges of the pandemic by marrying songs with photos of the region.

Maria Skrzynski from Destination Ann Arbor

Maria discusses how one of the big changes Destination Ann Arbor has made has been collaborating with residents and supporting local business through stronger connections. She explains how user-generated content has become a backbone of her organization’s marketing efforts and social media outreach. She shares how Destination Ann Arbor has been exploring new ways and channels to connect with local residents, and she explains why these collaborations are a win-win-win for everyone involved. She shares how her organization reaches out to highlight how they can be of assistance to local businesses and destinations.

Mark Romig from New Orleans & Company

Mark discusses how his organization worked to shift the perception of New Orleans as an “adult playground” and highlight how it’s an extremely family-friendly destination, by partnering with a group of “mommy bloggers” to share their travel experiences. He shares how leveraging influencers and social media can be an extraordinary way to connect with niche markets and get the message out. He also shares how Instagram has been a key platform to share the exciting sights in New Orleans, and he discusses how merging two competing websites into a single “one stop shop” internet address has helped travelers find information more easily.

Nicole Stacey from Visit Pensacola

Nicole talks about how “pivot” has been the key word through the pandemic for so many organizations in travel and tourism, and she shares how Visit Pensacola has used a multi-channel strategy throughout the full funnel to dig deeper into the “why” of the destination. She shares how sharing an authentic experience that goes beyond Pensacola’s famous beaches has been transformative for the organization. She describes how connecting with audiences and the things that inspire them has gotten easier through the use of real-time data. She discusses how the agility of digital marketing has been crucial for navigating the challenges of the pandemic.

Ralph Thompson from Streetsense

Ralph talks about how Streetsense leverages its experience in digital marketing to reach audiences and deliver measurable results. He discusses how the evolution of data collection has been an extraordinary asset for his organization. He talks about the importance of building relationships and engaging consumers both logically and emotionally, and he talks about how video is becoming a crucial component of digital travel and tourism marketing.

Tim Ash, Marketing Keynote Speaker, Trainer, and Advisor

Tim explains why too many destinations are “in love with themselves” and are focusing too much on polished visuals and not enough on the process of planning for travel. He talks about why it’s crucial to focus on how you can be helpful to your audience, and he shares how our brains interpret text, graphics and motion to determine what we’re paying attention to. He shares why it’s important to be conscious about the elements of your digital marketing to ensure that a viewer’s attention is being drawn to the right elements.

Victoria Simmons from BVK

Victoria talks about how the pandemic has given BVK a new opportunity to help clients make better sense of data without feeling overloaded through creating a data dashboard and investing in analysts to help interpret the data and translate it into strategy. She shares how the greater access to data and the ability to target consumers individually has transformed interactions and empowered destination organizations to better reach their audiences. She talks about why personalized content isn’t necessarily about having something new to say all the time but is about delivering content that speaks to the listener.

Collaboration and a Renewed Focus on Local Residents

As these extraordinary leaders shared, a key recurring theme is that so many of their organizations found new life and new purpose through the pandemic by collaborating with local residents and “turning inward” to highlight why sometimes the most exciting and unique experiences happen in our own communities. Another common theme has been looking beyond the top of the funnel and exploring multi-channel initiatives that target people throughout the sales funnel across a diverse range of communications mediums.

I hope you enjoy this first episode of this two-part 2021 eTourism Summit series. Next week, we’ll hear from even more remarkable digital travel and tourism marketing experts from the eTourism Summit to share their insights and experiences.

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes! https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Rowena Sahulee is a marketing executive with over 20 years in the dual realms of tourism and economic development.

She has worked in marketing functions at organizations such as Circle Line Statue of Liberty Ferry and Harbor Cruises, the first concessionaire to the Statue of Liberty. The Greater Houston Partnership, the main business organization in the Houston, Texas, 10-country region. Choose NJ, the economic development marketing organization for the State of New Jersey.

After Choosing NJ, she started with Empire State Development in the Division of Tourism, I LOVE NY, as the Director of Tourism Marketing, Licensing, and Public Relations for New York State. She worked with their PR agency for journalists to write about the States’ 11 vacation regions. Additionally, she oversaw the multi-million dollar retail licensing program for the I LOVE NY logo and tourism segment marketing programs.

Her next role was with the Long Island City Partnership, the local neighborhood economic development entity in Long Island City, Queens, as their Director of Marketing & Communications.

Today, she has started her own tour operation, Meaningful Experiences, utilizing her expertise to offer NYC experiences, day trips outside of NYC, and overnight getaways to the local market. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the State University of New York at Buffalo and her Master of Business Administration from Texas A&M University.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Rowena about the importance of serving the locals in your destination, how important relationships are to success, and why protecting the integrity of your brand is so important. Rowena also shares details about her unique business model and how she found a niche not already covered in New York City.

What You Will Learn in this Episode:

• How Rowena found a gap in the market for hassle-free trips and meaningful experiences
• Her vision of creating collaborative initiatives that enhance the community’s connection to New York’s attractions
• Why Rowena is collaborating with a local talent agency to create a monthly Broadway program
• Rowena’s vision for future collaborations that enrich the local community
• The importance of being open to unexpected opportunities, staying adaptable, and remaining open-minded

Embracing Unexpected Opportunities

Rowena and I discuss the importance of being open to opportunities, even unexpected ones. She shares how her career trajectory, spanning the public sector, private sector, and nonprofits, has equipped her with a deep understanding of destination marketing and community engagement. I love that Rowena’s passion for capturing meaningful moments and her dedication to offering unique experiences really shine through in our conversation.

Meaningful Experiences in a Changing Market

Rowena shares more about how she identified a gap in the market for meaningful experiences, especially for families and corporate groups. Drawing from her extensive experience in the travel and tourism sector her company, Meaningful Experiences, brings tours directly to New York communities, aiming to make experiencing the city easier and more enriching. Rowena’s focus on collaboration and shared goals exemplifies her approach to creating impactful local initiatives.

Innovations in Tourism Marketing

On the show, Rowena expresses her excitement about bringing tourism experiences to the local market and discusses her recent collaboration with a friend who owns a talent agency to create a monthly Broadway program. This collaboration illustrates her innovative approach to promoting Broadway and fostering a love for the arts within local communities. Rowena’s vision for future collaborations with other local groups demonstrates her commitment to pioneering amazing and unique experiences that really do enrich the local market.

Resources:

• Website: www.meaningfulexp.com
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rowenasahulee/

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

In this episode, you will learn about family travel and the options families have beyond Disney World, from Rainer Jenss.

Rainer Jenss brings a wealth of experience and expertise as President and Founder of the Family Travel Association. Before putting his professional expertise and personal passion to the ultimate test by traveling around the world for a year with his wife and two young children in 2009, Rainer was a Vice President and thirteen-year veteran of the National Geographic Society. As Publisher of National Geographic Kids from 2002-2008, Rainer helped transform the publication into the most widely read consumer magazine for children throughout the world. Prior to National Geographic, Rainer worked for CNN International and Business Traveler International.

A transcript of this episode is available here: destinationontheleft.com/rainer-jenss

In this episode, you will learn about why you will be able to better promote your destination when you join organizations that can help you out from Becky Wehle & Sara Piccini.

Becky Wehle is President & CEO of Genesee Country Village & Museum, the largest living history museum in New York State, located 25 miles southwest of Rochester. The Museum features 68 historic structures from the 19th century, moved from locations throughout Western New York, a gallery of sporting art, and a nature center and attracts more than 90,000 visitors each year. She manages 45 year-round staff and over 150 seasonal staff and a budget of over $3.5 million. Prior to joining GCV&M in July 2016, Becky worked in the University of Rochester’s advancement office for over 15 years, most recently as the Executive Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship. She also serves on the Board of Trustees of Allendale Columbia School and the Museum Association of New York and was a Board member at GCV&M for 18 years before joining the staff.

Sara Piccini spent about 4 years working with Genesee Country Village & Museum prior to her current role, recently returning this past January as Tourism Sales Manager and Volunteer Coordinator. Since coming back onboard, Sara has driven numerous tourism initiatives for the museum. She has helped lead tourism and marketing efforts, attends Sales Missions regularly throughout the year, and is continuously working through a number of partnerships to create more awareness of our region, both domestically and internationally. Through these efforts the museum has already seen significant growth in Motorcoach Group business. In addition, Sara serves on several different committees including I Love New York’s China Marketing Committee, Livingston County Chamber of Commerce’s Tourism Workgroup as well as both Visit Rochester’s Travel Trade and Meeting Committees. She believes that GCV&M plays a unique and vital role in the industry, and is thrilled to be a part of the momentum.

A transcript of this episode is available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/becky-wehle-sara-picini/

As a native of Utah, Jason grew up visiting the National Parks, Monuments, and other regions throughout the Western United States. That is where he first fell in love with the history and geology of the area.

As he grew up, he continued to enrich his education and knowledge at nature camps and class trips throughout the Southwest. One of his favorite trips was down to Havasupai Falls and the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. Even when he attended college in California, he continued to enjoy the diverse geological and ecological environments nearby.

He has enjoyed camping, hiking, backpacking, and touring throughout the west for the last 20 years. One of his greatest loves is sharing his passion for the history, geology, and beauty of the Southwestern United States with the tours he hosts.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Jason about his experience building an adventure tour operation from scratch over the past six years. With tours running all over the southwestern United States (and now in Oregon!) it’s all about relationship-building. From customers to guides, to all those involved with making these unique experiences happen, building relationship and building trust have been the key to success.

What You Will Learn in this Episode:

• Tips for hiring the best client-facing employees
• How to create an environment of constant improvement
• Staying connected to customers as you grow
• The little things you can do to create “Wow!” experiences
• Building great relationships with DMOs and vendors
• Why trust is such a crucial ingredient to success in this business

From Point A to Point B

For large tours on the open road, there is a ready solution: buses made specifically for the travel industry. For smaller group tours, Jason was not finding the right mode of transportation. Bench seats in an Econoline might work for very short distances, but not for a 5 to 12-day trip. Through dedication, research, and customization, Jason finally found the right van and now the comfort of travel is remarked on by customers almost as much as the destinations.

That kind of attention to customer experience can set your company apart from the competition. When you’re in a business where the journey is literally as important as the destination, everything that happens between point A and points B becomes important.

Navigating the Travel Ecosystem

As a tour operator, Jason relies on DMOs for information and broader marketing initiatives. He relies on service providers like river rafting companies and glamping outfitters – who could easily undercut him and steal customers away.

It all comes down to trust. That’s why developing relationships is important, from customers to all the players in the travel ecosystem. When you know and trust each other, the opportunity to cooperate gives everyone a fair shake. Wrestling for the same clientele can be nerve-wracking, but you have to put yourself out there and find the people and organizations that are a good fit.

Resources:

• Website: southwestadventuretours.com

Episode Transcript

We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

In this episode, you will learn about generating return visits from customers who stop at a stopover destination from Rose Hapanowich.

Rose Hapanowich is director of travel and tourism for Destiny USA.

Rose has an extensive background in retail as a result of working in department store, specialty shop and outlet shopping venues prior to joining the management team of Carousel Center, initially as Assistant Marketing Director and later as Director of Marketing, where she successfully assisted in the transformation of the property into Destiny USA. She initiated tourism outreach efforts to expand Destiny USA’s presence internationally, resulting in her promotion to Director of Travel and Tourism for Destiny USA. Rose continually attends travel trade and consumer-focused shows all over the world resulting in high visibility for Destiny USA as a tourist destination. The property has received a great response from both the group and FIT markets as a result of her efforts.

She holds a degree in Economics from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. Her professional affiliations include: member of the I Love New York International Marketing Committee, member of the Shop America Alliance Advisory Board, a member of SKAL, and a member of WITTI (Women in Tourism and Travel International). Well-versed in both tourism and retail, she has spoken at a number of shopping tourism conferences, shows, and functions.

A transcript of this episode is available here: destinationontheleft.com/rose-hapanowich