Annette Rummel joined the Great Lakes Bay Regional Convention & Visitors Bureaus as president and CEO in 2009. In her role as chief executive officer, Annette leads the individual Destination Marketing & Management Organizations (DMMOs) of Bay, Midland, and Saginaw Counties and the Great Lakes Bay Regional CVB. This has allowed Annette and her team to invite the world to visit a place they are proud to call home.

Annette has led through times of calm and crisis, always focused on positioning this Pure Michigan destination as a great place to live, work, worship, and play. During calm times, Annette serves her team ensuring they have the tools needed to flourish, and during times of crisis, Annette leads the team relying on their support. Annette understands that the travel sector plays a key role in economic development, as a community shared value and that data-driven, creative cathedral thinking must be deployed throughout the organizations.

In addition to her primary role, Annette leads the Great Lakes Bay Quality of Life Council where she pioneers and manages the new Go Great Foundation and its progressive vision for tourism, economic and experience development. Annette has served the Michigan travel and tourism industry for more than 40 years. Prior to her roles with the Great Lakes Bay Region, Annette served as the CEO of the Saginaw County Convention & Visitors Bureau and CEO of the Frankenmuth Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau – Michigan’s #1 community destination.

Annette was the originator, organizer, and operator of the World Expo of Beer, Frankenmuth Oktoberfest, and Frankenmuth Big Block Party attracting more than 250,000 participants. She participated as a founder of Zehnder’s Snowfest and helped organize the Frankenmuth Bavarian Festival attracting more than 200,000 participants.

Annette is an advocate for tourism at the local, state, and federal levels. She participates annually in Destination Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., served on the Destinations International (DI) Board of Directors, the DI Foundation Board. She was Chairman of the Advocacy Committee for DI Foundation for several years, and consistently produces and shares advocacy materials and concepts, inspiring other DMMOs to enact powerful, measurable change for the tourism industry.

Annette is a graduate of Delta College, Northwood University, Rochester Institute of Technology (Master of Science), and Michigan State University (Ph.D. in Park, Recreation, and Tourism Resource Studies). Annette’s Dissertation Titled: Travel by People With Disabilities: A Diffusion Study Focused on Opinion Leadership provided her with great insight on the disabled traveler and the opportunities associated with services geared toward these individuals.

Recently, Annette was an international adjunct professor for Rochester Institute of Technology and completed the 3rd DestinationsNext Assessment for the destination. Residing in Frankenmuth Michigan, Annette is married to William Rummel and they are the proud parents of two daughters, Elizabeth (Brandon) and Sarah, and grandparents to one granddaughter. Annette and William are members of St. Lorenz Lutheran Church in Frankenmuth.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Annette Rummel, master collaborator, travel trailblazer, and CEO of Great Lakes Bay Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau. Annette gives her insights on finding the win-win in collaborative relationships and why she believes in actively seeking out collaborators rather than sitting by and passively waiting for them to find you. We also discuss the additional crisis that her destination faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and her team’s creative solutions to serve their community.

What You Will Learn:

• What Annette has done to really help Great Lakes Bay Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau stand out from the crowd
• The challenges that Annette faced in 2020 and some of the creative solutions that her team used to move through them
• How Annette and her colleagues created the Great Lakes Bay Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau from three county CVBs
• Annette’s advice for listeners who might want to start thinking about potential collaborations for their destination
• What cathedral thinking means to Annette and how it has helped her during her career

An Innovative Approach

Creativity is enhanced when people feel able to suggest new things, and Annette describes why she values innovation in her team. She shares how the Great Lakes Bay Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau try to open their eyes to everything in their destination and pass on their enthusiasm to their visitors. We also discuss Annette’s enthusiasm for collaboration and how she engineered the creation of a regional CVB in the Great Lakes region of Michigan that took three county CVBs under one successful umbrella organization.

Crisis Management

Annette shares the story of the crisis within a crisis in the Great Lakes region and how her team at the CVB was able to swing into action to help accommodate those left homeless by flooding. She describes why they were so grateful for the support of their partner organizations and why the disaster underlined the importance of having established collaborative relationships in place.

• GLBRCVB Tourism Economic Development Overview thru 2020
• Go Great Collaboration Chart
• Website: https://www.gogreat.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annette-rummel-16909633/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gogreatlakesbay/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/gogreatlakesbay/

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 the final episode in a special three part series of Destination on the Left episodes, I visited the Destinations International 2021 Annual Convention and spoke with several attendees who are experts in the travel and tourism industry. These guests shared remarkable insights in their mini-interviews, and our conversations were focused on learning to adapt to the challenges we’ve all faced through the global pandemic and even embracing the disruption by innovating and getting creative. The brilliance each of these leaders shared is certain to be invaluable as we continue to navigate the pandemic.

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

• Adam Johnson – Sales Manager at Zartico
• Annette Rummel – CEO of Great Lakes Bay CVB
• Michael Hensley – Travel Marketing Manager at Great Lakes CVB
• Greg DeShields – Executive Director of Tourism Diversity Matters
• Jim Walter – Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Visit Cheyenne
• Andi Jaspersen – Experience and Marketing Manager at Visit Cheyenne
• Melaine Rottkamp – President & CEO of Dutchess Tourism Inc.
• Steve Powell – CEO of Destination Services
• Tiffany Gallagher – Eastern US Branch Manager for Civitas
• Wes Rhea – CEO of Visit Stockton

Visionary Travel and Tourism Leaders at the Destinations International 2021 Annual Convention

The Destinations International Annual Convention is an incredible yearly event that brings together experts from both within and outside of the travel and tourism industry, to exchange ideas and collaborative solutions for the many challenges our industry faces today. This year’s convention was uniquely focused on the challenges and opportunities we have experienced over the past two years, and it was my honor to speak to some of the extraordinary guests to get their insights into where we started as the pandemic began, where we’ve been, and where we’re going in the future of our industry in a post-pandemic world.

Adam Johnson from Zartico

Adam explains why the pandemic has taught many of us to be more nimble and flexible and taught us to see beyond year-over-year KPIs. He shares why he believes staying nimble will be crucial going forward, and he explains why working collaboratively with residents and local organizations will be crucial going forward. Adam shares why now is the ideal time to rethink how we’ve traditionally done things and break out of our habits and rituals.

Annette Rummel & Michael Hensley from Great Lakes Bay CVB

Annette and Michael explain why “Semper Gumby” (forever flexible) has been the theme they’ve attempted to embrace throughout the pandemic. They share how being creative and tackling immediate challenges while remembering long-term goals has been key. They share how data has been central to their recovery strategy, and they discuss the importance of not viewing disruption as a “negative” but rather as an opportunity to realign, correct for vulnerabilities, and innovate.

Greg DeShields from Tourism Diversity Matters

Greg talks about how the biggest positive disruption he has experienced has been seeing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) moving to the forefront of the industry in the last 18 months. He shares why every level of the industry needs to consider their DEI position. He explains why this greater focus on DEI is beneficial for the entire industry and creates opportunities to broaden messages and reach more people. He shares how today’s customers have higher DEI expectations from the travel and tourism sector than ever before.

Jim Walter & Andi Jaspersen from Visit Cheyenne

Jim and Andi discuss how disruption lies at the core of the work they do. They explain how their duties have expanded to encompass the Downtown Development Authority as well. They talk about why standing still isn’t an option and always pushing and growing has been key to their success. They also share how partnerships in their community have been powerful, impactful and important.

Melaine Rottkamp from Dutchess Tourism

Melaine explains why your ability to embrace change is key to your success and survival, regardless of the industry you’re operating in. She highlights how organizations who have embraced new opportunities have survived and thrived through the pandemic crisis. She explains how outdoor experiences have become key attractions throughout the area during the pandemic, with outdoor trails and gardens being instrumental “hidden gems” and revenue generators even as the indoor spaces have remained closed.

Steve Powell from Destination Services

Steve shares his perspective that “disruption” is nothing more than the introduction of new generational cultures. He explains why technology is reshaping the industry and will be central to the “new norm”. He talks about how the pandemic has accelerated changes that were already coming, and how the things we’ve had to sacrifice through the pandemic have given us a new appreciation for life and work experiences.

Tiffany Gallagher from Civitas

Tiffany talks about how the disruption has created opportunities for a brighter future by shining a light on things we’ve ignored and neglected for too long. She shares how the loss of tourism income and other pandemic financial impacts have shown us how essential tourism is to the overall health of our economy. She believes leveraging this new level of attention and understanding will make the industry stronger in the long term.

Wes Rhea from Visit Stockton

Wes discusses why he believes examining data will be crucial moving forward, and he talks about how using geolocation data can answer a number of questions and give us new insights. He shares how collaboration with vendors has been key over the course of the pandemic. He also discusses the importance of rolling DEI efforts into our organizations. He celebrates Stockton being named the most diverse city in the nation, and he looks toward the future and even bigger DEI initiatives and efforts.

Embracing Change and Welcoming Disruption

Many of these leaders spoke of the importance of not becoming entrenched in our old ways of doing things and instead focusing on innovation, new solutions and flexibility. Greater diversity, equity and inclusion in our marketing efforts and outreach will be crucial moving forward. And, for all the chaos and turmoil the pandemic has caused, it has also given us a rare opportunity to reexamine how we do things and challenge our own assumptions.

I want to thank all of the extraordinary travel and tourism experts who shared their wisdom with me over this three-part special series. These visionaries and trailblazers are finding solutions to the unprecedented challenges our industry faces today, and they are paving the way for a bright future for travel, tourism and hospitality in a post-pandemic world.

I hope you’ve enjoyed hearing the unique insights and perspectives all 26 of these leaders generously shared with me at the Destinations International 2021 Annual Convention. Thank you so much for joining the conversation! Together, we can apply the lessons we’ve learned during the pandemic to strengthen our industry as a whole.

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 second episode in a special three part series of Destination on the Left episodes, I visited the Destinations International 2021 Annual Convention and spoke with several attendees who are experts in the travel and tourism industry. These guests shared remarkable insights in their mini-interviews, and our conversations were focused on the bright spots and silver linings they were able to discover during this unprecedented and challenging period of global pandemic. The brilliance each of these leaders shared is certain to be invaluable as we continue to navigate the pandemic.

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

• Tammy Blount-Canavan – Executive Vice President, President and Principal at Fired-Up! Culture
• Gordon Taylor – Vice President of Convention Sales & Services at Destination Cleveland
• Greg LaDuca – Vice President of Industry Relations & Visitor Experience at Visit Rochester
• Jack Johnson – Chief Advocacy Officer at Destinations International
• Jill Delaney – President & CEO of Discover Albany
• Julie Gilbert – Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Destination Niagara USA
• Liz Fitzsimmons – Managing Director of the Maryland Department of Commerce Office of Tourism and Film
• Shannon Lowery – Content & Social Media Manager for Visit Savannah

Visionary Travel and Tourism Leaders at the Destinations International 2021 Annual Convention

The Destinations International Annual Convention is an incredible yearly event that brings together experts from both within and outside of the travel and tourism industry, to exchange ideas and collaborative solutions for the many challenges our industry faces today. This year’s convention was uniquely focused on the challenges and opportunities we have experienced over the past two years, and it was my honor to speak to some of the extraordinary guests to get their insights into where we started as the pandemic began, where we’ve been, and where we’re going in the future of our industry in a post-pandemic world.

Tammy Blount-Canavan from Fired-Up! Culture

Tammy shares why patience is such a crucial virtue when dealing with the unexpected and the uncertain. She explains how increased collaboration in her organization has helped them navigate this complexity. She also highlights how organizations are emerging leaner and more nimble than ever before, reexamining their goals and adapting to today’s challenges and opportunities. She explains how smaller teams filled with “cross-functional ninjas” are advancing travel and tourism organizations in this new era.

Gordon Taylor from Destination Cleveland

Gordon explains why focusing on and celebrating personal and professional wins has helped his team navigate the emotional challenges of the pandemic. He explains why it is crucial to create a culture where people know they’re loved and cared about. He talks about how this same degree of empathy is important to extend to clients, and he shares how this past year has helped Destination Cleveland better understand the needs and challenges of their clients.

Greg LaDuca from Visit Rochester

Greg talks about how Visit Rochester recognized a need for increased diversity within their membership, and he discusses how Destination International helped him navigate the complexities of the pandemic. He talks about how Visit Rochester has worked to reach out in partnership with local businesses owned by BIPOC business leaders to foster greater diversity within the organization and a stronger reflection of the community at large. He shares how flexibility and empathy have been crucial for helping members navigate the pandemic.

Jack Johnson from Destinations International

Jack shares how travel and tourism organizations have found new purpose by shifting their focus from attracting outside visitors to working to serve their local communities, and he explains why collaboration within local communities is the key to bringing value to those communities. He explains why it’s important for destination organizations to maintain that local focus even as we begin to emerge from the pandemic.

Jill Delaney from Discover Albany

Jill explains how Discover Albany has used the pandemic as an opportunity to break out of their old way of doing things and innovate new, more flexible solutions. Jill shares how the pandemic sped up the time table for these changes and created an opportunity even for people who typically aren’t comfortable with change to reflect and shake things up.

Julie Gilbert from Destination Niagara USA

Julie talks about the growing importance of personalization in messaging to audiences. She shares how Destination Niagara USA is focused on testing to help adapt to swiftly changing consumer expectations. She celebrates the travel trade returning in such a strong, healthy way, and she shares how her organization is preparing for the coming months with a “bucket list” campaign (and sub-campaigns) that her organization has utilized throughout the year.

Liz Fitzsimmons from Maryland Department of Commerce Office of Tourism and Film

Liz shares how trusting other organizations within the industry and being open to collaboration has been key, and she shares how working with a planning partner helped provide a roadmap to navigate the pandemic. She discusses how the blueprint her office was able to create with their planning partner’s help has served as a guiding star and a focus point throughout the pandemic.

Shannon Lowery from Visit Savannah

Shannon shares how increased accountability on social media platforms has given her a greater sense of empowerment in her role. She shares how this increased accountability and ability to push back against harmful narratives has created a positive impression that has resonated with many of Visit Savannah’s followers.

Flexibility, Empathy, and Collaboration

The pandemic has brought unprecedented levels of upheaval to virtually every aspect of our modern lives, but the destination travel and tourism industry has seen some of the biggest shifts. Adapting to these challenges has required innovative thinking, new approaches, and strengthened relationships. As you heard from many of the guests I interviewed in this episode, there have been some powerful silver linings and positive experiences that have come out of the pandemic, things that we can take forward into the future.

Leaning into our local communities, listening and being empathetic, being flexible and ready to adapt, strengthening existing partnerships and creating new ones will continue to serve the destination travel and tourism industry long into the future, even after we emerge from the pandemic. If we embrace the lessons this chaotic period has taught us, our entire industry will be stronger for it.

I’m so grateful for these remarkable experts and professionals who took the time to speak with me and share their insights. I hope you enjoyed their unique perspectives in this second episode in our three part series.

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 three part series of Destination on the Left episodes, I visited the Destinations International 2021 Annual Convention and spoke with several attendees who are experts in the travel and tourism industry. These guests shared remarkable insights in their mini-interviews, and our conversations were focused on the bright spots and silver linings they were able to discover during this unprecedented and challenging period of global pandemic. The brilliance each of these leaders shared is certain to be invaluable as we continue to navigate the pandemic.

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

• Andria Godfrey – Vice President, Longwoods International
• Bree Nidds – Vice President of Sales, Discover Lehigh Valley
• Brian Bossuyt – Executive Vice President and COO, Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau
• David Holder – CEO, Clarity of Place
• Jamie Furbush – President and CEO, Frankenmuth Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Josiah Brown – President, New York’s Best Experience (a division of Famous Destination Marketing)
• Kurt Krause – President and CEO, VisitNorfolk
• Valerie Knoblauch – President and CEO, Visit Finger Lakes

Visionary Travel and Tourism Leaders at the Destinations International 2021 Annual Convention

The Destinations International Annual Convention is an incredible yearly event that brings together experts from both within and outside of the travel and tourism industry, to exchange ideas and collaborative solutions for the many challenges our industry faces today. This year’s convention was uniquely focused on the challenges and opportunities we have experienced over the past two years, and it was my honor to speak to some of the extraordinary guests to get their insights into where we started as the pandemic began, where we’ve been, and where we’re going in the future of our industry in a post-pandemic world.

Andria Godfrey from Longwoods International

Andria shares some of the key statistics and insights Longwoods International has been able to gain from their American Travel Sentiment survey throughout the pandemic crisis. Respondents have reported a high pent-up demand to travel, even during the most difficult periods of the pandemic outbreak. Andria sees this as an opportunity as we navigate the pandemic and beyond. The younger traveler demographic is a growing segment that presents many new opportunities as we move forward, and our messaging should keep these younger travelers in mind.

Bree Nidds from Discover Lehigh Valley

Bree discusses the rapid changes affecting our industry, and she shares how the Discover Lehigh Valley team developed new skills and strategies to adapt to the speed of these changes. This team growth has allowed people to truly shine in new ways. Discover Lehigh Valley has made a conscious shift toward content creation, and as team members have honed their on-screen presentation and writing skills, this has created extraordinary new ways to highlight the destination.

Brian Bossuyt from Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau

Brian shares how close partnerships and collaborations with stakeholders and business leaders have been instrumental in his organization’s success and their strengthened messaging. By bringing together so many interested organizations, the Visitors Bureau has been able to amplify their message. And these collaborations have had a positive effect on the community as a whole, creating a powerful ripple effect. Brian also discusses how their TV station has proven to be a valuable asset and an extraordinary communication and education channel, both before and during the pandemic crisis.

David Holder from Clarity of Place

David shares how the key to this challenging period has been the opportunity it has presented to re-examine everything we do and innovate new solutions. David shares how the greatest destination leaders have used initiative, new content development strategies, and a different approach that goes beyond destination marketing to drive their organizations forward through the pandemic. He also shares how it has become important for organizations in our industry to become more than just cheerleaders for their communities but to serve as a bridge between the community and the destinations within it. David says it’s critical for us to develop a comprehensive and integrated approach to marketing as we move forward.

Jamie Furbush from Frankenmuth Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau

Jamie discusses how even simple, little things have become necessities through the pandemic and its restrictions, and she shares how seeing our spaces in a new light and finding new uses for these spaces can become a powerful opportunity even after the pandemic. Jamie highlights the role that collaboration has played for Frankenmuth, and she discusses the stronger connections that facing the many challenges has allowed her community to forge.

Josiah Brown from New York’s Best Experience (a division of Famous Destination Marketing)

Josiah shares why the biggest lesson he has learned through the pandemic is how much we all truly need each other. He discusses how the pandemic has brought both times of clarity and times of confusion, and he explains why collaborations have been crucial for helping each other navigate the moments of fog and take advantage of the moments of brilliance. Josiah discusses how generosity and idea-sharing have been hallmarks of the pandemic that have served to universally strengthen the industry. He also discusses how video conferencing tools like Zoom may continue to be valuable even after the pandemic. He talks about how the tourism industry is shifting to a “play, live, work” economic development model for the first time.

Kurt Krause from VisitNorfolk

Kurt shares how the initial challenge for his organization was timing their programs without knowing how long restrictions would last or how long the pandemic would impact travel. He shares how focusing on Norfolk’s strengths and highlights has been key. He discusses the pent-up travel demands, and he shares how his community partnered with nearby Virginia Beach to create an outreach campaign to increase awareness of the area’s features and destinations. These two communities worked together and became stronger together than they would have been independently. He shares how $1 million in investment turned into $6 million in hotel room sales, and he highlights some of the other benefits this program provided to Norfolk and Virginia Beach.

Valerie Knoblauch from Visit Finger Lakes

Valerie shares how the pandemic created a unique opportunity to truly lean into the diverse skills of her staff, but also to “lend out” those skills where they were most needed. She shares how the county government needed help with their early pandemic safety messaging to travelers and residents, and she explains how helping the county with this messaging has created powerful new relationships and new opportunities for Visit Finger Lakes.

Collaboration is Key

As these extraordinary leaders shared, collaboration has been one of the key recurring themes that has helped each of these organizations chart a new path forward through uncertain waters. From working with other nearby destinations to coordinating their efforts with their larger community, collaboration has become a powerful resource for everyone involved.

I hope you enjoy this first part of the three part Destinations International 2021 Annual Convention series. Next week, we’ll hear from even more remarkable leaders and we’ll take a look at more of the bright sides, silver linings and moments of brilliance that have helped our industry move forward through this challenging period.

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

Kurian Mathew Tharakan is the founder of the sales and marketing strategy firm StrategyPeak Sales & Marketing Advisors and a 27-year sales and marketing industry veteran. He has consulted for companies in numerous sectors. Mr. Tharakan is also the author of the Amazon Bestseller, “The 7 Essential Stories Charismatic Leaders Tell,” which details how anyone can move people and mountains with the power of story.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Kurian Tharakan about the importance of storytelling as a tool for sales and marketing. He shares the seven stories that every leader should tell and how stories make activities and destinations come alive for the listener. Kurian also shares case studies of how destinations can leverage collaboration and community relationships to tell their authentic stories and attract more visitors.

What You Will Learn:

• The importance of creating curiosity with a relatable story
• What an ‘idea stack’ is and how it can help build your authentic story
• How to develop your marketing to make value propositions
• Why collaboration is so beneficial when you’re telling your destination story
• How destinations can embrace the diversity and equity and inclusion movement in the stories they tell

Tell Your Authentic Story

If you have an authentic story, you’re more likely to engage people’s imagination. Take control of the narrative by using stories to lead your teams internally and to lead markets externally. You’re not focusing on a single idea, but rather an ‘idea stack’ that appeals to different audiences and sets you apart from your competitors. Kurain shares his seven essential stories and describes why every marketer needs to create a Venn diagram for their central story.

Engage Attention

Stories begin with intrigue and curiosity, and whatever you want the customer to hear should be functionally relevant and emotionally significant. Collaboration is important when telling your story; you can engage the whole tourism ecosystem — from boutique hotels to niche activities — to create curiosity in potential visitors. By thinking broadly about your destination, you can create a story that engages a range of audiences.

• Book: The 7 Essential Stories Charismatic Leaders Tell
• Infographic: https://www.dropbox.com/s/uavv5hi1u8izn1d/The%207%20Essential_Stories%20Infographic.pdf?dl=0
• Website: https://strategypeak.com/
• LinkedIn:
  • https://www.linkedin.com/in/kuriantharakan/
  • https://www.linkedin.com/company/strategypeak-sales-&-marketing-advisors/about/
• Twitter: @KurianTharakan
• Email: kurian@strategypeak.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/

Mike Testa is the President and CEO of Visit Sacramento & the Sacramento Sports Commission, leading a team dedicated to promoting Sacramento as an attractive travel destination while enhancing Sacramentos image as a dynamic place to live and work. Through the impact of travel, Mike and his team strengthen Sacramento’s economic position, grow the region’s economy, attract development investment, and improve the quality of life for the people who call Sacramento home.

In just three years as the CEO of Visit Sacramento, Mike has generated new streams of visitors to the region by investing in and promoting Sacramento’s arts community and creating and expanding music and food festivals. He has also focused on growing and securing new and diverse sporting events and advocating for, and ultimately securing, the expansion of the Sacramento Convention Center.

Visit California Travel & Tourism data shows that Mike’s vision of diversifying Sacramento’s visitor platform is working. In 2019, Sacramento generated record revenues from tourism, as visitors spent more than $3 billion into the regional economy. In 2021, Visit Sacramento will help further elevate the Aftershock Music Festival (the largest hard rock festival on the West Coast) into a four-day, 120,000-person music event. Later that same month, Sacramento will host its first Ironman competition.

Through Mike’s vision, commitment to community collaboration, and consistent innovation, Sacramentos identity has evolved from a sleepy State Capital to a relevant food destination, recognized nationally as America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital. Through creating the Tower Bridge Dinner and events like the Farm-to-Fork Festival, Mike’s ability to see Sacramento’s heritage and reimagine its identity as a food and agriculture leader has brought millions of dollars in revenue to local businesses national earned media to Sacramento.

Additionally, Mike Testa is responsible for initiating and creating the relationship with the Paris-based Michelin Guide to generate a California dining guide that spotlighted 14 of Sacramento’s restaurants and earned the city its first Michelin-starred restaurant in its inaugural year of publication.

Mike is a graduate of St. Mary’s College and has spent his career promoting, connecting, and developing relationships to elevate organizational goals. As an expert communicator and seasoned destination marketing executive, he is highly sought after to speak at CEO forums, participate in panel discussions, serve as an event emcee, and facilitate conversations around marketing, tourism development, and community economic creation and development.

Mike is also widely known as a thought leader in economic development through festivals and events. In 2017 he was hand-picked to participate in a panel discussion at Austins SXSW about building successful special events and the intricate components of forming relationships between host cities and festival producers.

In 2008, Mike was named as a ‘40 under 40 leader’ and in 2014 was awarded the Vibe Award from the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, which recognized ‘Visionary Innovators in Building Excellence.’ He is active on the boards of the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce, Sacramento Zoo, Midtown Association, and Downtown Sacramento Partnership. Mike is an educator and enjoys sharing his knowledge as a former media relations instructor for the Western Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus and the UC Davis Extension.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Mike Testa, who shares his passion for the city of Sacramento and details how Visit Sacramento built a brand as the Farm-to-Fork capital of America. We discuss Sacramento’s challenges as a city in California, where there are many bucket list cities, and creative ways his team has carved out positioning that Sacramento can own. Mike also highlights how his organization has creatively collaborated to successfully produce events for the city that are now attracting a vast number of visitors every year.

What You Will Learn:

• All the exciting events that Visit Sacramento has created with its partners to attract visitors to the city, including the Farm-to-Fork Festival
• Why Mike focuses on building a brand to seek out national and international opportunities, including their collaboration with the Michelin Guides
• Visit Sacramento’s creative plans for the future and how the COVID-19 pandemic has made them reflect on how they attract visitors to the city
• Why it’s so critical to build partnerships during challenging times
• How Mike approaches destination marketing within the local community

Leadership in Adversity

In times of adversity, we often see that team members find the strength and confidence to step up to lead and are keen to take on challenges that benefit the whole community. Mike’s leadership skills are shaped by his previous experience in a wide range of roles in marketing and community relationship development, and he fosters that ethos in his team. Mike also shares his insights on connecting with organizations in your area and why building deeper bonds ultimately helps you move forward to achieve your goals.

Partnership Events

With the Farm-to-Fork initiative, Mike and Visit Sacramento designed a 360-degree celebration of what the region had to offer and worked hard to get community and local media buy-in to the event, which has subsequently gone from strength to strength. Mike shares the most significant lessons he learned from building the festival gradually and candidly describes some of the valuable partnerships and collaborations they rely on to attract visitors to their destination.

• Website: https://www.visitsacramento.com/
• LinkedIn:
  • https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-testa-1082673/
  • https://www.linkedin.com/company/sacramento-convention-&-visitors-bureau
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VisitSacramento/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/visitsacramento

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/

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

As Account Manager – Leisure Trade & Product Structure with Destination Sherbrooke for the past five years, William Hogg has developed and deepened key relationships with tourism partners and travel buyers from the region, across Canada, and around the world. The instigator of the Sherbrooke – Heart of the Townships brand, he continues to strategically develop products and position the city, partners, and the region in Canadian, American, and international (Asian and European) leisure and tour & travel markets.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with William Hogg about how he has kept his Canadian destination Sherbrooke, near the U.S. border in Quebec, at the forefront of travelers’ minds over the past year. He shares his most creative ideas – from hosting frequent virtual familiarization (FAM) tours for operators in the travel trade to creating an award-winning Local Flavors Road Trip. William also shares why he sees collaboration as the key to successfully navigating the changes in a post-pandemic travel industry.

What You Will Learn:

• What the closure of travel and tourism due to the pandemic has meant for Canadian destinations
• Creative elements incorporated in Sherbrooke’s strategy to move through the challenges of 2020/21 and beyond
• How William collaborated with neighboring municipal organizations to find ways of attracting hyper-local tourism
• What Destination Sherbrooke is doing to support their local community
• Why William is currently seeing more interest from U.S. tour operators than Canadian operators for Summer 2021

Collaborate for Success

In the current climate, sharing wealth and resources is the key to success, and collaborations between destinations don’t need to be completely equal for them to be successful. Smaller communities can collaborate with larger ones to work together to both draw visitors to their attractions and offer them a range of places to eat and sleep, leading to a win-win outcome for everyone.

COVID-19 Friendly Attractions

Being COVID-friendly is vital in the post-pandemic recovery period and promoting outdoor attractions that visitors feel comfortable with as they ease back into tourism is very important in the rejuvenation of the industry. William discusses why the attractions that Destination Sherbrooke is focusing on are centered around agri-tourism. He also describes how Sherbrooke won international recognition for the pivots they have made during the pandemic and the continued creativity they have shown in drawing people to the area.

• Website: https://www.destinationsherbrooke.com/en/visitors
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-hogg-94b24326/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/destinationsherbrooke
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DSherbrooke

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/

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/

A seasoned tourism executive with over 35 years of experience in the industry, Don Welsh serves as the President and CEO of Destinations International. Since joining the association in March 2016, Welsh has implemented a strategic realignment for the association through a renewed commitment to focus on member needs to deliver the resources members have determined to be essential to the success of their organizations.

Prior to joining Destinations International, Welsh served as the President and CEO of Choose Chicago. Welsh also held the CEO position at the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association and the Seattle Convention & Visitors Bureau. Prior to joining the destination marketing industry, Welsh served as senior vice president for Westin Hotels at its corporate headquarters and has also held senior leadership positions in sales and marketing for Westin Hotels and Resorts, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, and the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas.

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I welcome President and CEO of Destinations International, Don Welsh back and we dive into what the travel industry has learned from the COVID-19 pandemic over the last 12 months. We discuss the various opportunities for the industry to drive home the importance of adopting tourism as a community shared value and how we can promote this mindset. Don also gives us his insights into sustainable tourism, the changing meetings industry and the adoption of equity, diversity and inclusion principles.

What You Will Learn:

• The silver linings hidden in the COVID-19 pandemic
• The importance of our networks and why we need to work together to move forward
• How the links between Convention and Visitor Bureau (CVB) and local communities have been cemented during the last 12 months
• What Destinations International has planned for their next program and how they are developing for the future
• What the travel industry should do to position themselves for successfully moving forward over the next five to 10 years

Collaboration in Recovery

The travel industry has been in crisis mode but now we are moving slowly towards recovery. There are certain destinations that are almost in full recovery mode, such as beach, mountains, or lake resorts and there are also many areas that are still at the beginning of their recovery process, such as urban destinations. The key factor for successfully returning to normality is that we maintain this hyper communication that has taken place this past year, so more people are aware of what destination organizations do and the contributions they make.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Besides the increase in community shared-value work we need to change our vocabulary around how the travel industry can benefit communities, through the recovery and into the good times ahead. There have also been silver linings to the pandemic, and one such positive change was the increased adoption of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) principles and their heightened visibility during challenging times.

• Website: destinationsinternational.org
• LinkedIn:
  • https://www.linkedin.com/company/destintl/
  • https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-welsh-76520b1a8/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/destintl/
• Twitter: @destintl

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/

Carol Lempert supercharges executive presence and careers with the performance secrets actors use to light up the screen. She is a sought-after leadership expert quoted in Forbes, Financial Post, National Post, The Reader’s Digest, and Thrive Global. Typically companies bring her in to help them fill their leadership pipelines. She teaches executives to tell better business stories, increase their executive presence, improve their personal brand and build more resilience. Carol’s clients include Google, Marriott, American Express, Travelers, and the Harvard Executive Education program (yes, THAT Harvard. Her Mom is too proud).

On this episode of Destination on the Left, Carol Lempert discusses how to better communicate and engage with others as part of a collaborative team. Carol shares her expertise as an actress with listeners and gives actionable tips and techniques on how to sound and look confident when pitching an idea and how to use high gain questions to make stronger connections and create better collaborations. We also do a live exercise that demonstrates how effective listening leads to a deeper understanding of what’s really important to others in your sphere.

What You Will Learn:

• The performance secrets that Carol uses to supercharge executive presence
• The four dimensions of executive presence
• Carol’s insights as an actress, on communication, and how that supports effective teamwork and collaboration
• How to effectively pitch ideas
• The importance of asking open-ended questions to deepen understanding of a topic
• How to break through roadblocks to positive collaboration

Essential Dimensions of Executive Presence

Many of us in the world of travel, tourism, and hospitality have experience with booking or promoting theatre and live performance. Still, we don’t often get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what we can learn from actors about collaboration. Carol Lempert guides us through the four dimensions of executive presence and how she works with business people to help them communicate and pitch their ideas, so audiences listen.

Collaborating Successfully

Carol shares her insights on effective communication skills and how they can impact both in-house teams and teams of collaborators across various organizations. Collaboration and communication are closely tethered and both are vital for creating and bringing a successful project to fruition. Carol explains why leading cross-industry projects need to be open and transparent with the expectations from the off and aware of how to break down any roadblocks by listening and communicating productively.

• Website: https://carollempert.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carollempert/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarolLempertSpeaking
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarolLempert

Michael is a native of the Finger Lakes region. He was born in Rochester, NY but enjoyed an early childhood upbringing in Newport, RI (“America’s First Tourism Town”) to which he attributes his passion for hospitality.

Over his thirty-five-year career, he has had the pleasure and honor to serve as a Convention Sales Manager, Director of both Convention Services and Visitor Services for Visit Rochester (twice), sell and market to domestic and international groups for the Corning Museum of Glass, Top of The Rock at Rockefeller Center and as a VP for Group Sales Box Office/Broadway.com (both in NY, NY). His earliest accomplishments as a Patient Unit Secretary at Strong Hospital, Front Office Supervisor for Stouffer Hotels, and Event Manager for Casa Larga Vineyards are where he believes his desire to serve, delight, and exceed expectations for guests, people, peers, and friends-alike was crafted.

Recently, Michael continued his two-decade-long consulting business offerings to museums, attractions, municipalities, artists, and other family-owned and corporate clients as a resident in Chicago, IL. Just last year, in 2019, he went back to complete his Bachelor’s Degree from Rochester Institute of Technology finishing on the Dean’s List with 10 A’s for 5 in-class subjects and 5 online, a feat he is extremely proud of and happy to have finished (as were his mom and RIT friends, favorite faculty members, and fellow alum).

Destination on the Left is joined by Michael Hardy, the Executive Director of Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce. On our podcast, Michael shares the key takeaways from his experience in the tourism and hospitality industry. He talks about how the “no-event events” helped his community draw attention and visitors during the holidays. Michael also dives into the concept of “return on involvement” and explains why that is the best measurement for success in any organization. No matter what we have experienced thus far, there are many silver linings, and our conversation highlights some of them.

What You Will Learn:

• The insights Michael has gleaned from his experience working in the tourism and hospitality industry
• Watkins Glen’s “no-event event” concept and how it drove visitor traffic during the holidays
• Why “return on involvement” is the best measure of success in any organization
• The silver linings that have come out of the pandemic thus far
• How Watkins Glen has used creativity and collaboration to stand out from the crowd
• What tourism businesses can do to put together a more impactful guest experience

Watkins Glen, NY

Michael Hardy is the Executive Director of Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce. On our podcast, Michael shares the key takeaways from his experience in the tourism and hospitality industry. He talks about how the “no-event events” helped his community draw attention and visitors during the holidays. Michael also dives into the concept of “return on involvement” and explains why that is the best measurement for success in any organization. No matter what we have experienced thus far, there are many silver linings, and our conversation highlights some of the victories and struggles in Watkins Glen, NY.

The Many Faces of ROI

Michael has built an exemplary career in the travel and hospitality industry. He used each experience as a springboard to another, picking up a vast array of different skills along the way. From marketing and event planning to operations and customer experience design, Michael gained exposure to all facets of the industry, leading him to develop the idea of return on involvement. This concept is about identifying what visitors are getting for their time and money, then figuring out what you can do to add even more value to that experience through your involvement. In doing so, you will have yet another tool to separate your destination from the pack.

No-Event Events

The pandemic is waning, consumer confidence is increasing, and the tourism industry is rebounding. This leaves us with a unique problem that we haven’t had in quite some time—too many destinations to choose from. For destinations to compete in such a high-stakes arena, they have to reach deep within their ranks to find a sense of creativity and collaboration. One of the ways Michael and his team achieved this was through their Holiday Happenings campaign. This was the birth of their “no-event event” concept where destinations can build an event framework and fill it in with an agenda that meets the CDC and local government restrictions at the time the event takes place. Through this type of modular event planning, DMOs can stay light on their feet and adapt in real-time as health guidelines change.

• Phone: 607-535-4300
• Cell: 585-721-6032
• Email: michael@watkinsglenchamber.com
• Website: www.watkinsglenchamber.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/

Jeff Gayduk is the president and publisher of Premier Travel Media (formerly known as Premier Tourism Marketing), a multi-faceted print and online publishing firm that specializes in the group travel industry. Our titles include Leisure Group Travel, Group Travel Directory, Sports Planning Guide, Reunions Workbook, Student Travel Planning Guide, Religious Travel Planning Guide, Snowbound and Ski & Ride.

Destination on the Left is joined by Jeff Gayduk, president and publisher of Leisure Group Travel. On our podcast, Jeff discusses the framework and purpose of his new book, “Traveling Tribes: Your Next Gig as a Travel and Tourism Influencer.” He also shares his team’s insights on fueling recovery, which was recently published as a white paper to the benefit of everyone in the travel and tourism industry. Jeff brings so much value to the table in our discussion, providing tons of tips to help tourism organizations build momentum as the world reopens.

What You Will Learn:

• Jeff’s journey into the travel and tourism industry
• The framework of Jeff’s new book, “Traveling Tribes: Your Next Gig as a Travel and Tourism Influencer”
• How Jeff’s book can shed light on this sector and drive demand for a new pipeline of customers
• Key insights Jeff and his team have gathered about the recovery of travel and tourism
• How the group travel industry is evolving, and what tour operators are doing to adapt

Premier Travel Media

Jeff Gayduk is the president and publisher of Leisure Group Travel, a multi-faceted print and online publishing firm that specializes in the group travel industry. On our podcast, Jeff discusses the framework and purpose of his new book, “Traveling Tribes: Your Next Gig as a Travel and Tourism Influencer.” He also shares his team’s insights on fueling recovery, which was recently published as a white paper to the benefit of everyone in the travel and tourism industry. Jeff brings so much value to the table in our discussion, providing tons of tips to help tourism organizations build momentum as the world reopens.

Traveling Tribes

‘Traveling Tribes” is a prescription book on how to lead group travel. Tour operators and their direct markets are full of people from all walks of life. Many of them have unique backgrounds and amazing life stories that are completely independent of their role in travel and tourism. That notion makes it difficult to create a one-size-fits-all solution for developing strong leadership in group travel scenarios. Jeff started compiling all of these different backstories to find the through line and identify common ingredients in each experience. With this recipe, tour operators can adapt more easily as the group travel industry evolves.

Keeping a Finger on the Pulse

By establishing a baseline for leadership performance in “Travelling Tribes,” Jeff and his team have been able to offer more valuable resources and tips to tourism professionals throughout the pandemic. They have kept a finger on the pulse of major trends in the travel industry in order to come up with viable solutions for the recovery period. As a result, they have made it easier for tourism professionals to determine the next steps. Whether that means leveraging pent-up demand for travel, milestone birthdays, bolstered savings, or personal development, the data supports a dire need for the return of tourism.

• Website: LeisureGroupTravel.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeisureGroupTravel/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffgayduk/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/leisuregroup
• White Paper: https://leisuregrouptravel.com/tour-operators-react-to-covid-19-how-will-the-group-travel-recovery-look/
• Book: https://leisuregrouptravel.com/travelingtribes/

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/

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 retirement, Loren is privileged to be applying her experiences and skills to the most important and long-lasting project in which she ever has been involved: the development and construction of a nature trail designed specifically for visitors with autism spectrum disorder and related conditions — located in Letchworth State Park, recently voted the #1 state park in the country AND #1 attraction in New York State!

Destination on the Left is joined by Loren Penman, a retired educator working full time to bring the Autism Nature Trail to fruition. Our agency, Break the Ice Media, is the marketing partner assisting with the public fundraising phase of the capital campaign, which will make the Autism Nature Trail a reality. On our podcast, Loren explains how the trail was first conceived, and how a volunteer group took it from concept to project. She also talks about how the campaign was able to reach its goals in spite of the challenges posed by the pandemic. The story of the Autism Nature Trail is a perfect example of what can be accomplished with the use of collaboration and creativity.

SPECIAL NOTE: Since the recording of this episode, Loren has shared some exciting news with us! The official, COVID-style groundbreaking for The Autism Nature Trail (The ANT) at Letchworth State Park took place on February 19, 2021, and the Trail is on schedule to open later this year.

Also, the ANT has launched a two-month GoFundMe Charity Campaign to fund the Celebration Station — the last stop on the Trail — in honor of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (March) and Autism Awareness Month (April). Please consider contributing to this worthy cause! The link to make fully tax-deductible donations is: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/celebrate-inclusion-and-nature-for-all

What You Will Learn:

• Loren’s background and involvement with the Autism Nature Trail
• What the Autism Nature Trail is, and how it got started
• How our team has been able to get involved with the public fundraising phase of the ANT
• How Loren and her team took the project from concept to reality
• How creativity and collaboration were used to help the campaign reach its goal in spite of challenges posed by the pandemic
• What Loren did to overcome the challenges of a public-private sector collaboration
• Where the project is now, and where it is heading

The Autism Nature Trail

Destination on the Left is joined by Loren Penman, a retired educator working full time to bring the Autism Nature Trail to fruition. Our agency, Break the Ice Media, is the marketing partner assisting with the public fundraising phase of the capital campaign, which will make the Autism Nature Trail a reality. On our podcast, Loren explains how the trail was first conceived, and how a volunteer group took it from concept to project. She also talks about how the campaign was able to reach its goals in spite of the challenges posed by the pandemic. The story of the Autism Nature Trail is a perfect example of what can be accomplished with the use of collaboration and creativity.

Broadening the Appeal

Loren and her community are finally ready to construct a one-mile looped trail with eight sensory stations in Letchworth State Park—this is the Autism Nature Trail or ANT for short. The ANT is a first-of-its-kind experience that started with a singular slant toward individuals on the spectrum, but it has since expanded to become a totally ADA compliant nature trail for all to enjoy. The special characteristics that make this trail perfect for the original target have a broad appeal to everyone. Our team was lucky enough to help share that message with the surrounding community so Loren and her team could realize their dream.

From Concept to Reality

From a simple, inspirational conversation in Letchworth to a fully-funded private-public project, Loren had her work cut out for her from the start. In order to take this project from concept to reality, she had to address a number of different challenges that required support from the community and local government. Once she had the ear of the right people, Loren managed to raise every dollar they needed through private donations so the park could be operated safely and effectively. This was a $3.7M feat, and they structured the park with the future in mind. From design and build to maintenance and management, this project is blessed with the expertise of many different professionals. This is creativity and collaboration at its finest, and even a pandemic hasn’t been able to stop the momentum they’ve created.

• Website: https://autismnaturetrail.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loren-penman-39632264/
• Twitter: @autismnature

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