Kaitlin Eskelson Archives - The Travel Vertical

The Travel Vertical Podcast Gets Its Groove On. Join Us!

October 26, 2021 by Laurie Jo Miller Farr Leave a Comment

Not so new!

But, that’s OK. We now have 14 episodes in the can and we’re having a blast. Hope you’ll join as a regular listener/subscriber on your favorite platform, let us know what you’d like to hear more about, and perhaps get in touch about being a speaker, too.

The Travel Vertical Podcast — in partnership with Destination Marketing Podcast — presents bi-weekly episodes curated for digital tourism marketers and their agencies. Each episode is less than 30 minutes and features jobs, award-worthy campaign ideas, research round-ups, fun facts — and frequently, a great guest like these!

Ed Harris, President & CEO, Discover Lancaster
Amir Eylon, President & CEO, Longwoods International
Todd O’Leary, VP Marketing, Sonoma County Tourism
Karen Kuhl, Executive Director, Tour Cayuga County
Kaitlin Eskelson, President & CEO, Visit Salt Lake
Kara Franker, CEO, Visit Estes Park
Melvin Tennant, CEO, Meet Minneapolis
Becca Smith, Senior Director of Marketing & Events, Connect Travel

Check out all the recent episodes of The Travel Vertical Podcast listed on Apple Podcasts or Podcast on Spotify, or go to The Destination Marketing Podcast Network.

About Us: eTourism Summit 365 & See Tomorrow Conversation Series

October 18, 2021 by Laurie Jo Miller Farr Leave a Comment

We have launched a new platform – eTS 365 – to help everyone in the eTourism Community (if you’re reading this, that’s you!) consume relevant content and keep in touch. Take advantage of eTS 365 now to access all three days of live event #eTS21 content on-demand. You can also look forward to new “See Tomorrow” webinar conversation series, monthly meetups, and lots of fun, interactive components during the months between summits.

Login here or download the free eTourism Summit 365 app from the App Store or Google Play on your phone. Use your email address as your username and your eTourism Summit registration ID as your password. Can’t remember your password or never set it? Just click “forgot password” to reset.

Save the Dates — eTourism Summit 2022

eTourism Summit is co-locating with IPW again next year at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL.

For 22 years, the feedback from thousands of attendees has been crystal clear: eTourism Summit connects the ecosystem of destination marketing pros exchanging ideas in an intimate setting like no other conference.

We want to continue building the community that is the eTourism Summit, and are offering both in-person and virtual registration options. As always, our focus of eTourism Summit is “See Tomorrow” — and there’s never been a more important time to put our heads together and re-imagine the future of tourism.

Mark your calendars for June 6-8, 2022 in Orlando, FL. We are already working on securing some fantastic speakers and entertainment. If you are interested in speaking, presenting, or sponsoring at eTourism Summit next year, contact Becca Smith.

If you are a destination or attraction who that attended this year, we are offering you a discount code valid through Halloween. Register now for the in-person event and use code Boo!300 to save $300.

Save the Date

The latest DestinationNext Futures Study identifies values based marketing as a key transformational area for destination organizations. Building destination brands that reflect the values of the communities they represent is the new competitive advantage. Whether they do it consciously or not, travelers align themselves with destinations that reflect their own values.

In a recent Accenture study, 63% of consumers say they prefer to purchase products and services from companies that stand for a purpose that reflects their own values and beliefs. But what does this really mean in practice?

In this conversation we’ll discuss the data science behind how values drive decision making. And we’ll hear from destination leaders about how their values based marketing strategies are making an impact on tourists, residents and community leaders.

Our goal is to provide attendees with a clear understanding of what values based marketing means and how to apply it within their own organizations.

Freshening Up: Los Angeles, Vancouver, NYC, Washington DC and Small Cities, Too

June 28, 2021 by Laurie Jo Miller Farr Leave a Comment

Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board logo unveiled a fresh new logo with a sun motif, iconography, and color palette. The new logo is designed to “embrace the optimistic spirit of Angelenos, while inviting visitors to discover a destination that celebrates personal freedom.”

Chief marketing officer Don Skeoch said, “The timing couldn’t be more perfect to unveil a fresh look for L.A. as we once again roll out the red carpet for visitors. Los Angeles continues to evolve right before our eyes. As we emerge from this horrible pandemic, we continue to create those memorable experiences that visitors from around the globe cherish.” The new look was created through a collaboration between design studio superstars Studio Number One (SNO) and House Industries.

Royce Chwin, CEO at Metro Vancouver Convention and Visitors Bureau writes, “Open for business since 1902. Doing business as ‘Tourism Vancouver‘ for the last several decades. It was time to reflect on our values, purpose, and relevance. Today we begin our transformation into Destination Vancouver.”

The DMO worked with MMGY NextFactor to define a new mandate for the organization. The role of Destination Vancouver will also be to help partners contribute to a common goal of building a more competitive destination, while also managing growth, and being socially responsible.

Chwin, who joined the DMO mid-pandemic said, “The pandemic handed us an opportunity to reflect on our purpose, work and values. We’ve got an updated Mandate for Destination Development and Promotion, recognizing that we have a greater responsibility than just tourism marketing. Anchored in a triple bottom line of People, Planet, and Profit. We will work intentionally with our industry and community to find the right balance for our destination.”

He added, “And the timing couldn’t be better to advance our mandate to support the rebuild and restart of Vancouver’s visitor economy. Here we go…..”

NYC & Company has revealed their new global advertising and marketing multimedia $30 million campaign. “It’s time for New York City“will be the city’s biggest ad spend ever, as described by The New York Times: “New York City to Reluctant Tourists: Please Come Back” and the DMO suggests, “It’s (finally) time to invite your friends and family back.”

As part of its campaign, NYC & Company is teaming up with AAA to promote road trips to eight million members in the Northeast and will run a sweepstakes for trip giveaways, plus training programs for travel agents.

Goals are aggressive. NYC & Company hopes to lure 10 million overnight or day trip visitors between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

President & CEO Fred Dixon indicated that research showed a sense of urgency is required in the messaging because people keen to visit “were looking for the sign that it is the right time.”

As the new TV and video spots will ask, “Where were you in the summer of ’21?” See press release here.

Nancy Mammana, CMO, announced that UM, the global media agency network of IPG Mediabrands, is the media Agency of Record as global media advisor and partner to lead media strategy, planning, buying, data and analytics for its “It’s Time for New York City” campaign.

Related: Visit Salt Lake president & CEO Kaitlin Eskelon is our latest guest on The Travel Vertical Podcast where she discusses the branding process and the new look for Visit Lake Lake. Click here for the conversation, which goes live at 7 a.m. ET on 6/30/2021.

“You Know Washington, Now Experience DC.” Last week, Washington, DC unveiled a new multi-channel advertising tourism recovery campaign to attract more domestic leisure visitors to the nation’s capital.

“From March 2020 through April 2021 we lost $6.6 billion in visitor spending. Now after going without advertising our destination for sixteen months, the recovery campaign will help us welcome visitors back to DC and support our industry’s rebound,” said Elliott L. Ferguson II, president and CEO, Destination DC. “We’re grateful to Events DC for funding this year’s campaign and to Mayor Bowser for including a $5 million marketing allocation in her FY2022 budget.”

A DC-based independent creative agency, January Third, produced a 30-sec. video working with individuals in the community, from ballerina to voiceover artist to photographer. Even the font designer is a local talent. See press release here.

Campaign Rollout

Placements by DDC’s media buying agency of record, MMGY Global, include digital, print, advanced television (streaming and targeted video networks), streaming audio, programmatic (targeted ad networks) and out-of-home, complemented by paid social media, search and more.
Target markets will include the region (DC and surrounding suburbs); drive market (those within a 4-hour drive including New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Richmond); and national (markets chosen based on data showing travel potential and intent).
A portion of the buy is specifically aimed at marginalized audiences including Black, Latinx and LGBTQ+ travelers. Both the creative and commercial will be translated to Spanish.
The campaign is funded by Events DC. The media buy is $2.5 million, which is separate from January Third’s contract of $400,000.

A Change in Chicago

If you’re from Chicago, LSD doesn’t mean “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.” It means Lake Shore Drive.

Last week, the Chicago City Council (mainstream media and the Twitterverse seem bewildered that they had nothing more important to do?) approved the renaming of the famous thoroughfare after a Black man considered by many to be the founder of Chicago. In honor of that first non-indigienous settler, Lake Shore Drive will now get the full treatment as Jean Baptiste Point DuSable Lake Shore Drive. So…that’ll be Lake Shore Drive or LSD for short. Same as always, right?

Locals are tweeting that the 2009 renaming of the Sears Tower to Willis Tower never stuck, either.

More Rebrand News

Small City Rebrands

Lubbock, Texas is rebranding. Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences just opened.
Sunny Isles, Florida held a rebranding workshop via Zoom last week.
Durango, Colorado is deeply involved in a sustainability-focused assessment.
New Fort Richey, Florida is also in the rebranding business in 2021.
Ocean City, Maryland commissioners have enthusiastically approved a strategic rebranding project.
Rhinelander, Wisconsin announced a rebranding effort among three local stakeholder associations.
Burlington, Wisconsin is thinking of dropping ‘Chocolate City USA.’

Is your destination thinking about freshening up? Send us your rebrand news.

Salt Lake City – Rebrand | Alabama = Worth the Wait | New Mexico + Airbnb and Destination Inspiration

June 8, 2021 by Laurie Jo Miller Farr Leave a Comment

Reminder: The 4th Annual eTSY Awards is the place to showcase excellence in digital destination marketing.

Visit Salt Lake City is launching a destination re-brand, “West of Conventional.” The Travel Vertical Podcast is excited to share more about it when President & CEO Kaitlin Eskelson joins us as a guest. Watch for the episode to go live soon.

Quoted in the Salt Lake Tribune, Eskelson says, “A main goal of the rebranding was to create an elevator pitch to describe the area in 15 seconds or less. Research revealed that articulating the Salt Lake City area and its story was usually a long-winded explanation. We’re a city full of juxtapositions. We have the urban and the mountains, so we have all these things that really shouldn’t go together, but miraculously do. So when we started looking at all the different juxtapositions that we have in the market… Salt Lake really can offer something that is not conventional.”

A new social media and email campaign is based on a partnership between New Mexico Department of Tourism and Airbnb to promote accommodations and experiences. “New Mexico is able to again open its doors for visitors at a time when travel is beginning to pick back up. Creative partnerships in the travel planning and booking space will allow us to reignite demand and inspire prospective travelers to choose New Mexico for their next vacation,” said Tourism Secretary Jen Paul Schroer. “This partnership with Airbnb is a great opportunity to rebuild awareness of New Mexico as a premier destination for leisure travel in a manner that is inclusive of every region of our state.”

*Courtesy of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism*

Alabama Tourism Department officials say busy businesses are grappling with a shortage of workers while visitors are experiencing longer waits at restaurants, more traffic to the beaches, even longer lines at grocery stores. Kay Maghan, spokesperson for Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, told AL.com ,”With staffing shortages happening nationwide, especially in the tourism industry, we want to help guests understand what to expect or anticipate in our destination.” Alabama Tourism Department has launched a summer marketing campaign based on the slogan, “Worth the Wait.”

Visit Cumberland Valley Is Cool

Ale trails, taco trails…and ice cream trails. Marketing Manager Ashley Kurtz says, “Here’s the Scoop.” We love the Bandwango collaboration with Pennsylvania’s Visit Cumberland County where summer for ice cream lovers means discovering a tempting string of 16+ locations that go way beyond chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. “To top it off, every five check-ins will enter you in a monthly $10 gift card drawing!”

Off the Beaten Track

In Nevada, Carson Valley Visitors Authority has placed 21 wayfinding signs throughout the destination. The project initially started with support from Travel Nevada’s infrastructure grant program and included multiple steps to identify needs and additional funding sources. “One of the primary messages we use when speaking to potential visitors is to encourage them to ‘drive to it, not through it,’ and having this vital component complete helps in further paying off that statement,” said Jan Vandermade, executive director, Visit Carson Valley, as quoted in the Record Courier.

Sonoma County Tourism Goes Pro

To help enhance the training of the county-wide hospitality workforce and elevate the visitor experience, Sonoma County Tourism has a new Accredited Hospitality Professional (AHP) program. The program is available to local hospitality and tourism professionals as well as residents.

Curriculum is known as the “Foundational Five,” customized to what makes Sonoma County, California unique.

The power of tourism
Customer service and visitor safety
Wineries and American Viticultural Areas (AVAs)
Natural environment and sustainability
Art, history and culture

Classes begin July 8 and registration for monthly classes will be ongoing. The cost of initial accreditation is $45 per person. The annual renewal fee will be $20.

#VisitChicagoland. Nine DMOs within an hour’s drive of downtown Chicago have joined forces to launch a digital summer campaign for northeastern Illinois. “The Only Thing Missing is You” runs through August to target locals plus visitors within a one-hour drive of downtown Chicago. Partnering tourism organizations are: Chicago Southland, Chicago’s North Shore, Choose Chicago, Discover DuPage, Explore Elgin Area, Heritage Corridor, Meet Chicago Northwest, Visit Lake County and Visit McHenry County.

And in Florida, Frontier Airlines held an Orlando promotional contest to highlight some of the local animal species and conservation efforts on their behalf. They searched for a winner to embellish the tail of an aircraft and found one in Ted, the Sea Turtle. He beat out three contenders: Ella, the Florida black bear; Larry, the American alligator; Flurry, the albino hatchling alligator. “Oh woozers, I can’t believe I’m gonna be on an airplane,” said Ted from Sea Life Aquarium upon hearing the news that he’d won and would receive extra squid at dinner.

People and Jobs Plus a “See Tomorrow” Invitation

February 2, 2021 by Laurie Jo Miller Farr Leave a Comment

P E O P L E

Cleo Battle, COO, has been named as the incoming CEO at Louisville Tourism when Karen Williams retires in June 2021 following 30 years’ service. A career veteran, Battle had previously spent 12 years as vice president of sales and services at Richmond Convention & Visitors Bureau in Virginia before joining Louisville in 2013. Formerly known as the Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau, the DMO marked its 50th anniversary in 2018 with a name change.

Destination DC Senior VP of Marketing & Communications, Robin McClain, has been appointed as second vice chair for the Destinations Council’s Board of Advisors at U.S. Travel Association. The council is chaired by Susie Santo, president & CEO at Visit Wichita; vice chair is Paul Bencivengo, president/COO at Visit Bucks County.

Carroll Rheem, VP Research & Analytics, Brand USA since 2013 has announced her departure to explore a “longtime goal” as founder and CEO of her own client-based practice.

Amarillo Convention & Visitor Council announced Kashion Smith is appointed as the first executive director for the newly formed organization. She has been serving in an interim role last March during the transition from a division of the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce to an independent organization.

Douglas O. Trueblood has been named as Chief Sales & Marketing Officer at Bermuda Tourism Authority. He was most recently senior VP marketing at the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board.

Congrats to Taisa Veras, who now takes her talents to BuDhaGirl as the Director of Digital Marketing. Her previous role was as director of social media and influencer marketing at NYC & Company where she also served on the eTourism Summit Advisory Board.

Visit Tampa Bay has announced the addition of a new Public Relations Coordinator, Marissa Weaver, who joins the Marketing and Communications team. Weaver graduated magna cum laude from Florida A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism.

Derek Sharpe has been promoted to Director of Brand at CrowdRiff. He joined two years ago as senior designer and led the work to steward two new brands in the portfolio, SEE Conference and Localhood.

An image of Harriet Tubman (1822 – 1913), abolitionist and political activist who played a large role in rescuing slaves via the Underground Railroad, may soon grace the front of the $20 bill. According to the US Treasury Department, the project had been put on hold; Andrew Jackson is headed to the back of the $20 bill.

Coming soon: “See Tomorrow Conversation Series” presented by eTourism Summit 2021 — announces the second session on Wednesday, Feb. 10. Register to join the DMO discussion hosted by Relic, moderated by Adam Stoker at 1 p.m. ET.

J O B S

CEO [new, deadline 2/5/21] — Bermuda Tourism Authority, Hamilton

CEO [new] – PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Organization), Bangkok

President & CEO — Washington County Visitors Association, Beaverton, OR

CEO — Experience Olympia & Beyond, Olympia, WA

President & CEO — VisitGreenvilleSC

Vice President of Marketing — Visit Florida, Tallahassee

Director of Marketing & Communications — Discover Long Island

Chief Marketing Officer — Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce

Chief Marketing Officer AND PR & Communications Manager — Visit SLO CAL, San Luis Obispo, CA

Director of Marketing & Communications — Visit Stockton, CA

Vice President — Experience Columbia SC

Vice President, Research & Market Analytics — Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp.

Executive Director — Park County Travel Council, Cody, WY

Deputy Director of Marketing — Destin-Fort Walton, FL

Public Relations & Communications Manager [new] — Visit Winston-Salem, NC

Director of Research and Market Intelligence — Virginia Tourism Corp.

Business Analyst — Visit Grand Junction, CO

Sales & Services Manager — Destinations International, Remote

Conference Sales Director — Valdosta-Lowndes Co. Conference Center & Tourism Authority, GA

General Manager — TCF Center – ASM Global, Detroit

Digital Content Specialist — Destination Toronto

Sales Specialist — Emerald Coast Convention Center, Okaloosa County, FL

Senior Software Engineer AND Probability Statistician— Entrada Insights, Salt Lake City

Social Community Manager AND Account Executive, Sales & Marketing AND Account Coordinator, PR — MMGY Global, NYC

Social Community Manager AND Account Executive AND Account Coordinator AND Programmatic Media Manager AND Senior Social Media Art Director — MMGY Global, Overland Park, KS

Social Content Strategist and Content Creator — MMGY Global, Myrtle Beach, SC

Senior Designer — CrowdRiff, Toronto

Customer Success Representative — Simpleview, Tucson

Account Director — Nativo, Greater Los Angeles

Director of Marketing – Clubs — St. Joe Hospitality, Panama City Beach, FL

Director, Sales & Marketing — Meow Wolf, Inc., Denver

Franchise Sales Developer — RLH Corporation, OR

Public Relations Account Manager — DVA Advertising, Bend, OR

Destination Marketing Manager — Wagstaff Media & Marketing, Los Angeles

Note: To see all job listings from January 2021 or earlier, just pop “jobs” into the search bar on The Travel Vertical front page. Send us your people news!