Placemaking
Top Tourism Campaigns of 2023
Once again, we’ve taken a look back at the tourism marketing campaigns of the past year. We found upbeat and exciting ideas that simultaneously express simplicity and relaxation. The top tourism campaigns of 2023 return focus to the basics of a destination – their people, places, and beauty. Here are five of our favorite campaigns…
Read MoreFostering 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…
Read MoreDestination 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…
Read MoreMaking 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…
Read MoreWhat 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…
Read MoreTourism Marketing for a Milestone Event: Getting Ready for the 2024 Eclipse
Milestones are major events that mark significant change or a new development. Milestones are also markers along the way to know that you are progressing on your path or towards your goal. A milestone event such as a big anniversary historical event, or astrological event like the total solar eclipse offers a community the opportunity…
Read MoreHow 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…
Read MoreDestination Positioning: How to Stake Your Claim and Find Your Niche
“You can’t be everything to everyone.” You’ve heard it before, but when talking about your destination it can be hard not to showcase “everything” — the great food, craft beverage scene, unique or boutique accommodations, hands-on museums, family attractions — it’s all exciting! So how do you hone in on your selling point and really…
Read MoreAre 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.…
Read MoreBuilding 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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