On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with novelist Marilyn Higgins and explore how fiction can make history more accessible and relevant, shedding light on how 19th-century issues echo in today’s world. We also discuss the growing trend of novel tourism, where travelers experience destinations through the lens of stories and literature. This trend sparks new ways to experience and celebrate unique places through the magic of narrative and place-based journeys.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• How Marilyn’s personal connection to Upstate New York and the Erie Canal inspired her to write a historical fiction novel centered on the region
• What historical events, cultural diversity, and social issues are woven into the plot of Dreams Of Freedom: An Irish Woman’s Story Of Love, Justice, And A Young Nation Coming Apart, and how they resonate with current issues in the United States
• How novel tourism uses stories and book-based experiences to attract visitors and deepen their connection to destinations
• Why Marilyn views historical fiction as a powerful way to make local history accessible and engaging for a wide audience, including those outside the region
• What Marilyn is doing to encourage book clubs and travelers to explore Upstate New York through her comprehensive guide that pairs the novel with local site visits

Community, Collaboration, and Storytelling

Our discussion centers around Marilyn’s historical novel, Dreams of Freedom: An Irish Woman’s Story of Love, Justice, and a Young Nation Coming Apart, and the power of novel tourism to revitalize destinations by connecting literary narratives to real-world locales.

Marilyn, who has deep roots in Upstate New York, has dedicated her career to economic and community development, immersing herself in the Erie Canal’s vibrant history. Her novel traces the journey of Aileen O’Malley, a young Irish immigrant, as she traverses Upstate New York in search of her family, who were swept up in the tumultuous social currents of the 19th century.

What makes Dreams of Freedom so compelling isn’t just its emotionally resonant narrative but its grounding in real history. The book explores connections to the Underground Railroad, the emergence of religious movements like the Shakers and Mormons, and the abolition and women’s rights movements.

Walking Through History

Novel tourism invites readers to journey through the landscapes that inspired their favorite books. Higgins envisions her books prompting book clubs and travelers to explore the Erie Canal region, walking in the footsteps of her characters. This is why she’s created a comprehensive, free guide for book clubs, available on her website, which maps out immersive experiences in towns like Canastota, Seneca Falls, and Oswego. Visitors can attend historical reenactments, visit storied landmarks, and engage with the same vibrant communities that shaped her novel’s plot. This approach deepens readers’ engagement and drives meaningful economic and cultural impact for local destinations.

Novel Tourism in Practice

Novel tourism is already being put into practice. For example, Visit Buffalo Niagara, the region’s destination marketing organization, has selected Dreams of Freedom for its annual book club, tying in with the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal and the upcoming World Canals Conference. This initiative brings together local travel providers, tour operators, and literary enthusiasts, fostering connection and collaboration while promoting Upstate New York’s unique heritage.

There is such a powerful synergy between literature and place. By weaving together history, fiction, and tourism, Marilyn has created a blueprint for how destinations, especially those underrepresented in the national story, can use their authentic narratives to draw new audiences to their destination.

Resources:

• Website: Marilynhigginsauthor.com
• Erie Canal Bicentennial: https://eriecanalway.org/bicentennial

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On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Genevieve White, travel copywriting expert and Founder of Campion Comms & Coaching, about why there’s so much important work that needs to happen before you ever put pen to paper when you’re writing copy for your travel organization. Genevieve walks us through the customer journey, from the dreaming phase to planning and booking, explaining how your copy should meet travelers where they are, every step of the way. She also shares her favorite recipe for establishing a relatable and confident tone of voice and reveals how simplicity and clarity can make your words work harder for your brand.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• How Genevieve transitioned from a career in education to founding her own travel and tourism copywriting business, inspired by the Ikigai method and life changes
• How to craft effective copy, including the importance of deeply understanding your customer persona before writing
• How identifying and narrowing your target audience can transform general copy into messaging that resonates and attracts your ideal clients
• Why aligning your copy with different stages of the customer journey—dreaming, planning, booking, and aftercare—is crucial for moving potential travelers toward action
• The value of clarity, simplicity, and using “you/your” to create relatability
• Practical ways to instill that confidence in your writing before you get going
• How clear calls to action and strategically repeating key messages increase engagement on your website

Think About Your Dream Customer

Genevieve emphasizes that before you ever set pen to paper—or fingers to keyboard—you need to get crystal clear about who you want to attract. Lots of businesses make the mistake of casting too wide a net, hoping to appeal to “everyone,” but in reality, being everything to everyone often means resonating with no one.

Genevieve suggests creating a detailed customer persona that goes beyond simple demographics like age and gender. Consider the customer’s travel style, values, preferred communication platforms, and even lifestyle details, such as shopping habits or their idea of a perfect day. As she says, “It’s by speaking directly to that person that you can really elevate your copy and stand out.”

Match Your Copy to the Customer Journey

Not all copy serves the same purpose. At various stages of their journey, from dreaming to planning, booking, and post-visit, travelers need different kinds of information and inspiration.

• Dreaming Stage: Here, your audience is searching for inspiration. Use evocative, sensory language to paint a picture and create a little FOMO (the fear of missing out). Focus on what makes your experience unique and let your destination’s personality shine.
• Planning Stage: Now, your customer wants practical information. Provide details in a clear, organized manner. Use bullet points and white space to make information easy to digest, especially for mobile users. Be selective and avoid overwhelming readers with too much detail.
• Booking Stage:  At this point, clarity and simplicity are key. Remove ambiguity and minimize unnecessary words. Make sure calls to action (CTAs) are prominent. Guide users smoothly and confidently through the booking process without distractions or confusion.

The Recipe for a Great Brand Voice

The most effective copy should feel like a conversation with a friend—relatable, personable, and confident. Brands often drift into a corporate or overly formal style that feels cold and unattractive. Use clear, simple language and write as you speak. Be mindful of corporate cliches in language, especially phrases like “we are passionate about.” Let people know about your expertise and offerings directly, by using simple phrases like “We do this,” or “Our experience includes…” A confident tone makes your brand more credible and helps your customer feel secure in choosing you.

Genevieve recommends that if you’re not feeling confident, don’t write! Instead, get into a positive, empowered mindset before drafting your copy. Your energy will transfer to your words.

Resources:

• Website: https://campioncopy.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/copywritingfortourism/
• Boldly Go: Confident Copywriting for Travel, Tourism and Hospitality: https://campioncopy.com/product/boldly-go/

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On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Karley Cunningham, founder of Big Bold Brand and the Surefire Method, about how branding can help a destination, attraction, or business in the tourism industry stand out from the crowd. Karley breaks it down into three key themes: understanding our fundamental beliefs, knowing the markets we serve, and positioning ourselves around benefits and differentiators. Karley clears up all the noise around branding and marketing and shares actionable steps to help you evolve your brand.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• How understanding fundamental beliefs and truths strengthens a brand’s identity
• Why you need to distinguish branding from marketing and how this distinction leads to more effective marketing strategies
• Actionable steps for creating a strong brand promise and how it can impact employee recruitment and retention
• How the concept of tightening the creative box leads to more innovative solutions and helps a brand differentiate itself in a competitive market
• Why aligning a brand’s internal culture with its external promises impacts a company’s overall reputation and employee satisfaction
• What role target audience understanding plays in brand differentiation

Differentiating Branding from Marketing

Branding and marketing play distinctly different roles in business success, and Karley shares her philosophy that branding is the backbone that informs and enhances marketing strategies. While marketing focuses on promoting products and services to specific audiences, branding is about creating a compelling narrative that defines what your destination or business stands for.

As Karley puts it, “Brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” It’s about building a reputation through consistent, authentic interactions at every customer touchpoint.

Building a strong brand is about taking a good look at who you are as an organization. Start with an inside-out approach—look at your fundamental beliefs and truths. As a destination, you really need to dig into your core purpose, guiding principles, character, and vision. These elements form the DNA of the brand and serve as a blueprint for how a company operates both internally and externally.

Understand Your Audience

After establishing a strong internal identity, your next step should be taking the time to understand the external market. Travel and tourism businesses must identify their target audiences by exploring what problems they solve for these groups. Knowing what draws visitors to your destination is key, whether it’s providing adventure, culinary experiences, or relaxation.

Karley uses the example of aligning the customer experience with expectations: “Are people going to come away from our region raving about what we do because we’ve set them up for success?” Understanding audience expectations allows companies to craft specific value propositions, ensuring that every touchpoint is meaningful and engaging.

Positioning, Messaging, and Telling Your Story

Effective branding requires clear positioning and messaging strategies. This involves identifying the benefits and differentiators your business offers compared to competitors. What makes you unique and why travelers should choose you over others?

Storytelling is a powerful tool because sharing narratives about local culture, history, or the people that make your destination unique can resonate deeply with potential visitors and create a relatable brand image.

Integrating the Brand Promise

The brand promise needs to include employees as well as customers, and as Karley points out, the internal experience has to mirror the external promise. Ensuring employees feel valued and integral to delivering on your destination’s promise boosts morale and improves service quality, which in turn elevates your visitors’ experience.

By integrating the brand promise throughout the organization, businesses improve customer experience and enhance employee recruitment and retention, which is an essential consideration in the tourism industry right now.

Resources:

• Website: https://www.bigboldbrand.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karleycunningham/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrandMaven
• Surefire Audit: https://www.bigboldbrand.com/surefireaudit/

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This episode of Destination on the Left is the last in the series of three episodes where we dig into tourism in the Northwoods of Wisconsin and the unique strengths and challenges of each of the three DMOs. This week, Krystal Westfahl, President and CEO of Let’s Minocqua Visitors Bureau, shares the decade-long journey of her Chamber of Commerce as it became a visitor’s bureau and then rebranded to align better with the area she represents. We’re discussing the importance of having a clear vision of who you are and who you serve and how to evolve your brand to set your destination up for growth.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• How Krystal’s background in natural resources and nonprofit management aligns with her current role in tourism marketing
• The importance of having a clear vision and defined roles to eliminate confusion and increase effectiveness
• How Krystal’s region works collaboratively with other DMOs to promote tourism across the region
• What strategies Krystal and her team used to refresh their brand and the importance of leveraging the recognized name ‘Minocqua’ for marketing
• Why effective communication and community input are vital in successfully launching and managing a DMO

Rebranding a Shared Vision

Krystal and I discuss her decade-long journey transforming a chamber of commerce into a vibrant visitor bureau. A key part of this transformation was rebranding. The move to a visitor bureau needed a carefully planned branding strategy that matched the destination’s mission to invite more visitors to the area. The bureau leaned heavily on the distinctive term Minocqua, not just for its uniqueness but for its longstanding recognition among newcomers and long-time visitors as evoking the Northwoods experience.

Rebranding isn’t just about altering logos or names but understanding and sharing your core values and visions. The Minocqua rebrand involved carefully planting a flag on shared community values.

Collaborative Growth in the Northwoods of Wisconsin

Operating in Oneida County, the Let’s Minocqua Visitors Bureau is a huge collaborative success that has brought together multiple municipalities under a shared purpose. This cooperative model supports their mission, the economic uplift of Minocqua, Arborvita, Hazelhurst, and Woodruff, through joint marketing and seamless visitor engagement.

The rebranding effort went beyond aesthetics, incorporating strategic input and widespread survey data to ensure the new identity resonated with everyone, from local businesses to tourists. Krystal describes this collaboration as a rising tide lifting all boats.

Lessons in Branding Strategy

From her experience, Krystal offers invaluable insights into the rebranding process for other DMOs considering a similar path:

• Take Your Time: Effective rebranding is not rushed. Krystal advises allowing one to two years for research, surveys, and stakeholder engagement to guide the rebranding journey.
• Understand Your Audience: Build a deeper understanding of community perceptions and visitor expectations. A brand should authentically reflect the values of the place it represents.
• Beyond the Logo: A brand encompasses more than visual identity. It is an organization’s mission, vision, and strategic action, all working cohesively.
• Communication is Key: Open communication with local communities, businesses, and visitors ensures clarity and strengthens the shared vision.

Resources:

• Website: https://www.minocqua.org/
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krystalwestfahl/
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/minocqua-visitors-bureau/

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On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Lauren Sackett, CEO at the Rhinelander Area Chamber of Commerce in Northern Wisconsin and Vice Chair of the Oneida County Tourism Council. We discuss her destination’s commitment to becoming more inclusive and accessible and why this is a positive business decision. Lauren also digs into how hosting events like the US Deaf Golf Championship and Ski for Light provided practical insights that shaped their current accessible initiatives.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• How Lauren and her organization are focusing on making Rhinelander more inclusive and accessible for diverse travelers
• What innovative strategies Lauren and her team are implementing to enhance accessibility, including detailed trail mapping and improved website information
• Lauren shares the experience and impact of hosting events such as the US Deaf Golf Championship and Ski for Light, and how these have helped shift perspectives on inclusivity
• How the creative approach to the region’s mythological mascot, the Hodag, has become a great tourism driver for Rhinelander
• Why the formation of the Northwoods Chamber Collaborative has been a successful model for idea sharing and regional support

The New Face of Cooperative Tourism

At the core of Rhinelander’s tourism growth is coopetition, and Lauren emphasizes that when neighboring destinations work together, they create greater potential for shared success. Through the Northwoods Chamber Collaborative, DMOs and chambers gather quarterly to share insights, tackle common challenges, and support collective growth. This collaboration builds an ecosystem of shared learning and resource optimization.

Promoting Accessible Travel

A strong commitment to inclusivity and diversity underpins Rhinelander’s tourism approach. They place a huge emphasis on equipping their website with features that support minority-owned businesses and ensure accessibility details are readily available.

The introduction of detailed GIS mapping for trails has also seriously boosted accessibility awareness, providing visitors with important information about trail conditions and amenities. This is especially important in 2025, when travelers value destinations where they feel welcome and accommodated. It translates into longer stays and stronger economic impacts on destinations.

Hosting events like the US Deaf Golf Championship and Ski for Light provided practical insights that shaped current initiatives, such as developing printed and digital trail guides enriched with GPS features to enhance visitor experience. The local community has also been keen to display support through window stickers, and their grassroots enthusiasm underscores the region’s commitment to transformation, not just for tourists but for local residents too.

Redefining Success Stories in Tourism

Rhinelander’s approach to tourism isn’t just about increasing visitor numbers; it’s about crafting memorable experiences that resonate with diverse audiences. The town, famously associated with the mythical Hodag, harnesses this culturally significant symbol, featuring it in festivals and marketing materials.

Resources:

• Website: https://oneidacountywi.com/#
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-sackett-b2a5a59a/
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rhinelander-chamber/

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!