Fostering Connection to Build a Strong Team 

When I talk with tourism and hospitality leaders across the country, I hear a lot of feedback about the new way that we work. Some work 100% in the office every day every week, others work in a hybrid model with a set number of days in the office and a set number remote and…

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Destination Marketing and Community Partnerships

Destination marketing has evolved to become more than heads in beds with a stronger focus on engaging the community at large. Modern destination marketers are charged with marketing their community to visitors and residents, they are the keeper of the community brand, are integral to economic development. They go beyond tactical marketing and rely on…

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Making a Career in Travel and Tourism

I attended the Destinations International Annual Convention recently and talked to several members of the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry. I wanted to know what they would tell future tourism professionals about working in the industry. What they shared is what many of us already know: the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry is vibrant and…

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What is Accessibility in Tourism?

What is Accessibility in Tourism?

Travel is an incredibly life-enriching and rewarding experience, yet it is still inaccessible to many people. Twenty-five percent of the world’s population live with different forms of disabilities. Without widespread accessibility in the tourism industry, this segment remains untapped. This not only limits individuals who are unable to access destinations or services on their own…

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How to Leverage Local in Your Tourism Marketing

Visiting friends and family is an often overlooked travel motivation for incoming visitors when it comes to tourism marketing. It was one of the top choices (62%) for travel motivations in the 2021 US Family Travel Survey. In a survey on why people travel published by Pacaso in January 2023, 38% of respondents named visiting…

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Are DMOs Evolving into Placemakers?

Are DMOs Evolving into Placemakers?

I have been exploring the changing role of destination marketing organizations (DMOs) through conversations with guests on my podcast Destination on the Left. My interest revolves around DMOs taking a more holistic approach to managing a destination’s brand and story by engaging with locals and serving the community in addition to focusing on attracting visitors.…

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Building Relationships for Partnership Marketing

building relationships for partnership marketing

Museums have a unique perspective in the tourism industry, and they form their collaborations and change around community. What can other tourism attractions and destinations learn from these foundational relationships with the community? How can we approach partnership marketing in new ways that fuel change and build more than visitation? Museums are cultural institutions, aiming…

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10 Must-listen Podcasts for Travel, Tourism & Hospitality Professionals

This week I celebrate 6 years since I launched my podcast, Destination on the Left, an award-winning show focused on creativity and collaboration in the travel and tourism industry. This week also marks the airing of my 300th episode and more than 75,000 downloads, more milestone markers crossed! Since launching one of the first podcasts…

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The DMO of the Future

The DMO of the Future blog title with a gray background and a glass ball with the reflection of a city inside it

Everything we’ve gone through in the past few years has fast-forwarded the role of the DMO. It started to change shape, both to get through the pandemic and as a result of changes in our world. Many of these changes were already underway. We have been talking about place-making and destination management and cathedral thinking for…

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