Karin Aaron Archives - The Travel Vertical

Q&A with the Founders of KKD Tourism Advisors

February 23, 2021 by Laurie Jo Miller Farr Leave a Comment

~ A Black History Month Feature ~

Left to right: David Jackson, Kris Smith (and family), Karin Aaron

What sparked the idea for KKD Tourism Advisors and brought the three of you together as managing partners?

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic took a professional yet very personal toll on us. In a matter of days, we watched our industry deteriorate, affecting thousands of our colleagues, industry partners, local small businesses, and friends to a virus that we could not control. This was personal and we were affected, too. Our desire to be a part of the solution contributed to creating KKD tourism advisors that would serve as the outlet to our partners and ourselves while we navigate this recovery together.

As advisors to DMOs and attractions in particular, what is your key point of differentiation?

Our diverse, professional background. The tourism industry is a mixing bowl of destinations, hotels, attractions, sports, events and more. The three of us spent decades in various destinations, market segments and in leadership roles. This combined expertise allows us to work with any partner of any size.

How does your depth and breadth and years of experience, including DMO leadership, benefit your clients?

Our combined 100 years of experience is a long time! The travel industry has survived this setback before and fortunately, we have the solutions to apply. Our connection to advocacy groups, travel data and trends offers solutions for quick fix problems. We know the questions to ask and have been successful in using our experience and personal brand to benefit our clients.

Tell us more about SMERF — social, medical (military), educational, religious, fraternal — plus sports and why this is an important prospecting area for tourism recovery.

The SMERF market, traditionally used for weekends and social groups, is a great option for visitors who are more comfortable traveling with family and friends. Targeting this market is ideal as leisure group and staycations fill the void until groups, meetings and convention related travel return. Sports, in particular outdoor sports is perfect because it allows for social distancing with limited interruption for competitive play. This is important as people start to gather again and will be the dominate market segment thru the spring /summer season.

Is KKD Tourism Advisors all about small-to-medium sized DMOs?

No. KKD is a multi-lateral tourism firm that will work with any organization regardless of type and size. We recognize that everyone needs help. Our experience and thought leadership is available for any organization seeking a partner to help them recover quickly. This is why we were formed. This is why we are here.

What can you do for larger destinations that are short on resources but still need to ramp up for recovery?

KKD can immediately jump in with sales and marketing support. This includes managing your social media channels and convention sales prospecting. Other support include, tradeshow representation (in-person and virtually) as well as sports RFP/Bid response, tourism (community) readiness training and development of sustainable tourism projects for the road ahead. Simply put, there is no ramp up time in working with us. You do not have to train us and we can jump right in.

What’s your favorite inspirational quote for 2021?

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” —African Proverb

People On the Move, PPP is Open, 88 Job Openings

January 12, 2021 by Laurie Jo Miller Farr Leave a Comment

Destination Madison announced that Ellie Westman Chin has been selected as the organization’s new president & CEO following a national search. Westman Chin currently serves as president & CEO for Visit Franklin, Tennessee. In 2018, she was awarded the 2018 Greater Nashville Hospitality Association Woman in Hospitality & Tourism Leader of the Year.

Zac Craig has been named president of the Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau operated by the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber. Educated in Oklahoma, Craig comes to his new role following executive positions in sales and marketing for Omni Hotels and Interstate Hotels & Resorts.

Following the retirement of Bob Major who led the organization for eight years, North Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau has promoted Karen Trevino from SVP & COO to president & CEO. Trevino currently serves on the board of directors for Arkansas Travel Council, Skal International Arkansas and Southeast Tourism Society.

In upstate New York, Todd Garofano will serve as the new executive director of Discover Schenectady, the county’s DMO. Garofano has nearly 25 years of hospitality and tourism experience, including serving for eight years as president of the Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau.

Lisa Mize, the interim executive director of Saugatuck Douglas Area Convention and Visitor Bureau, has been appointed as its new executive director, concluding a lengthy nationwide search. Following the resignation of Josh Albrecht in mid-2019, Mize had been serving as interim executive director in the “Art Coast of Michigan.”

Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board promotions and appointments: Jake Markezin to VP Operations.

Also, Rachel Riley to senior director of communications; Justine Garbarino Belyus to senior director of marketing & business development; Jared Spackman to creative manager.

New Mexico Tourism Department has announced Lancing Adams as tourism development director. He served the department from 2012-2015 as finance director. Most recently, Adams worked as assistant commissioner for the Arizona Department of Real Estate.

Cody A. Gray has been named as president & CEO at Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism. He had been serving on in the role on an interim basis, now stepping into the position previously held by Timothy Bush who joined OneSpartanburg, Inc. in South Carolina last fall.

Karin Aaron, CTA, CSEE, has joined KKD Tourism Advisors as Managing Partner. The tourism consulting firm specializes in destination development, sports tourism, and convention sales and marketing was founded in 2020. Formerly president & CEO of Greater Newark Convention & Visitors Bureau, her past DMO executive roles were with Visit Montgomery, Md. and Visit Loudoun.

Register here for a webinar on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021 at 10 a.m. PT/ 1 p.m. ET. Destinations International and Civitas will review key points: What is PPP Funding? Who is eligible? How does the application for PPP funding work? And, how to work with a local community bank for funding?

Register here for a webinar on Thursday, Jan. 14 at 8 a.m. PT / 11 a.m. ET. Adam Johnson, Sales Director-Midwest at ADARA, hosts a discussion on 2021 travel outlook and advance pace for several market types with industry experts:

Zeek Coleman, Director of Data Intelligence – Visit Savannah
Bonnie Carlson, President & CEO – Bloomington CVB (Minnesota)
Amir Eylon, President & CEO – Longwoods International

PPP

To stay up-to-date on Covid-19 relief admin and processes and the Paycheck Protection Program, visit the dedicated site from U.S. Travel Association, found here.

JOBS

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

Chief Executive Officer — Experience Olympia & Beyond, Olympia, WA

President & CEO, Visit Greenville SC

President — Darien-McIntosh County Chamber of Commerce, GA

Executive Director — Henderson County Tourism Development Authority, Hendersonville, NC

President & CEO — Explore Newnan-Coweta, GA (deadline 1/15/2021)

Executive Director — Lopez Island Chamber of Commerce, WA

Executive Director — Tucumcari/Quay County Chamber of Commerce, NM

CEO — Visit Estes Park, CO

CEO — Moscow Chamber of Commerce, ID

EVP and Chief Sales Officer — San Francisco Travel Association

SVP-Multicultural & Community Development — Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau/Broward County, FL

Vice President — Experience Columbus SC

Vice President of Marketing — Visit Florida

Vice President of Marketing & Communications — Visit Kissimmee

Chief Marketing Officer — Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce

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

Director of Marketing — Washington Tourism Alliance (open to state residents through Jan. 27)

Director of Marketing — Steamboat Resort, Steamboat Springs, CO

Vice President of Sales AND Director of Public Affairs & Advocacy — Visit Corpus Christi

Chief Sales & Marketing Officer — Bermuda Tourism Authority, NYC

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

Director of Research & Market Intelligence — Virginia Tourism Corp.

Marketing Manager — Experience Columbus, OH

Manager of Marketing & Communications — Albany Convention & Visitors Bureau, GA

Sales & Marketing Manager — Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism, Lafourche Parish

Integrated Digital Manager AND Visitor Experience and Programs Manager — Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau, Alton, IL

Director Tourism — Muskogee Tourism Authority, OK

Director, Sports Sales — Visit Mesa

Director of Sales — Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau

Sales & Services Manager — Destinations International, Remote

Director of Finance — West Virginia Tourism Office, Charleston

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

Group Sales Manager — Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

Social Media & CVB Relations Manager — Pinehurst Southern Pines Aberdeen Area, NC

Digital Marketing Manager — Visit Central Oregon, Sunriver, OR

Public Relations/Content Manager — Visit Clarksville, TN

Marketing Coordinator — Lake George Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau, NY

Communications Coordinator — San Diego Tourism Authority

Digital Marketing Assistant (part-time) — Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau, CA

Division Director — Georgia Department of Economic Development, Atlanta

Economic Development Director — City of Victoria, TX

Marketing Communications Consultant — City of Austin, TX

Communications & Marketing Specialist — City of Highland Village, TX

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Learning & Development Lead AND Senior Officer, Strategy Planning & Management, Division Office of the President — Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle (applications close Jan. 19)

Senior Specialist-Social Media — American Airlines, Dallas

Marketing Director — Atlas Ocean Voyages, Fort Lauderdale

Executive Director — Georgia Center for the Arts, Atlanta

Director – Revolutionary War Visitor Center, City of Camden, SC

SEO Analyst — Simpleview, Tucson

Vice President — See Source, Ogden, UT

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

Senior Content Marketing Manager — Epsilon, Chicago

Project Manager AND Strategic Copywriter AND Business Development Coordinator AND Account Coordinator AND more creative/web roles — Relic Agency + EKR, Provo, UT

SVP-Travel AND Programmatic Media Planner — BVK, Milwaukee

Social Media Content Manager — United Landmark Associates, Tampa

Social Media Manager AND CRM & Email Marketing Manager — Summit One Vanderbilt, NYC

Sr. Project Manager/Business Analyst — Herschend Family Entertainment, Peachtree Corners, GA

Vice President Marketing — TaskRabbit, San Francisco

VP-Global Field Marketing — Hard Rock International, Davie, FL

Vice President Content — Snap, Inc., NYC or LA

Creative Content Strategy Manager — Shutterstock, NYC

Director-Consumer Communications & Social Media — Ancestry, San Francisco

Director, Regional Integrated Marketing — American Cancer Society, Dallas/Denver/Minneapolis-St. Paul

Director, Travel & Tourism Vertical / Velocity Group — Choozle, Denver

Senior Marketing Manager — The Presidio Trust, San Francisco

Content Strategist — Google Ads, Chicago

Director-Social Media — Whole Foods, Austin

Senior SEO Manager — RVshares, Austin

Director- Corporate Communications — Omni Hotels & Resorts, Dallas

Brand Manager, Marketing — Ruth’s Hospitality Group, Winter Park, FL

Public Relations Account Executive — Aqua Marketing & Communications, St. Petersburg, FL

Travel Editor — SFGate.com, San Francisco

Email & Social Marketing Manager — Stanford University, Stanford, CA

Chief Marketing Officer — The University of Texas at Austin

Chief Brand Officer and Director of Marketing Communications — University of California-Office of the President, Oakland, CA

Get Your People & Insider News Here (Plus a Pure Gold Toilet Heist)

September 17, 2019 by Laurie Jo Miller Farr Leave a Comment

Following an extensive international search, Tourism Toronto announced the appointment of Scott Beck as president and CEO from Oct. 15. For the past 14 years, Beck has served as president and CEO of Visit Salt Lake. A proven leader in the destination sales and marketing industry, Beck served on the executive committee of Destinations International for six years and served as the organization’s International Board Chair from 2014-2015.

Q: Which quote from his school days inspires Ed Harris, CMO of Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board? “The cream rises to the top” or “Be real and take a chance.” A: Both. Did you know? Ed played basketball with Kobe Bryant but only one of them got drafted into the NBA. Read more about this tourism thought leader, member of the eTourism Summit Advisory Board, in this profile piece from MONTCO.TODAY.

ADARA has announced the latest update of Destination Marketing Cloud with predictive capabilities to power insights into market drivers and customer actions. The enhanced Impact Plus allows destination marketers to gain a comprehensive view of marketing efforts on flight bookings into a destination in addition to functionality for hotel bookings.

Wisconsin Department of Tourism has named three new agencies of record. They are Hiebing for marketing and advertising, Turner for public relations, and Simpleview for web development announced following a nationwide RFP round for integrated marketing that saw 27 bids from 17 agencies in nine states. Contracts with Hiebing, Turner, and Simpleview will span three years, with the option to add two, one-year extensions.

Atlas Obscura, the online travel magazine known for shining a light on little-known things, has attracted Airbnb Inc. as an investor. Positioned as a new partnership, Airbnb is leading a $20 million Series B funding round into the Brooklyn-based media and experiences company. Airbnb will offer the ability to book Atlas Obscura trips and local events through Airbnb’s site and app while taking a cut of the business. Atlas Obscura said it plans to use the money to vastly expand its trips and local experience offerings, which the company says make up more than half its business.

Vail Local Marketing District, funded by a lodging tax, is splitting from Vail Resorts for its online efforts starting in 2020. Vail Resorts’ customer data is focused primarily on winter guests and the marketing district is focused on the rest of the year. Vail Town Council has approved adding $310,000 to the district’s 2019 budget for developing a website, licensing and a third party contractor for data expected to be operational by March 2020.

Four months after Pinellas County decided against going forward with its initial Visit St. Pete/Clearwater CEO choices, a new trio of finalists is announced. Christopher Barrett, 57, the current president and CEO of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau; Jeffrey Seifried, 36, president and CEO of the Branson Lakes/Area Chamber of Commerce and county visitor bureau; and Steve Hayes, 56, the president and CEO of Visit Pensacola. On the evening of Sept. 30, the community can meet all three candidates.

Sojern is looking for a chief revenue officer based in San Francisco. Responsibilities include accountability for the performance of all global revenue operations functions within the organization: sales, marketing, and customer success.

London & Partners, the Mayor of London’s official promotional agency, seeks a Chief Representative to lead international trade and investment for North America based in NYC. The nonprofit public-private partnership is funded by the mayor’s office and a network of commercial partners. The role holder is responsible for winning new investment for London, forging strong relationships with key US clients with a London base, and creating a strong network to support London high-growth businesses. Target audiences are leisure and business tourists, the travel trade, event organizers, overseas businesses and investors, and prospective higher education students.

President & CEO of San Diego Tourism Authority, Joe Terzi, has been awarded with the top honor at the 37th Annual CalTravel Summit, the F. Norman Clark Tourism Champion of the Year. Terzi retires in January 2020 and a nationwide search is underway for a new chief executive.

Love San Diego? The American professional soccer team USL San Diego has announced several key additions to its leadership and executive team while continuing the search for a VP of marketing and a content manager. Launched on June 19, USL San Diego is the newest member of USL Championship, a USSF-sanctioned Division II league. The Club will play at Torero Stadium, under a three-year agreement with the University of San Diego.

Glenn Eden has been selected by Mayor Lori Lightfoot to lead the board of Choose Chicago. He has spent 20 years at PR firm Weber Shandwick, managing corporate, tech, financial services, manufacturing and government clients. Eden takes over leadership of the board of directors, replacing Desiree Rogers, appointed by the previous mayor and chair since 2013. Eden will work alongside CEO David Whitaker, in the job since 2016.

CrowdRiff needs a bigger trophy shelf. They’ve been named to Startup 50: Canada’s Top New Growth Companies 2019. The latest award will look good next to Canada’s Top 100 Small & Medium Employers 2019, 2018 Top Startups in Canada, and Best Workplaces in Technology awards. Meet CrowdRiff in person at #eTS19.

In Brevard County, Florida, the Space Coast Office of Tourism announced the selection of Charity Stewart as the new tourism marketing director beginning Sept. 16. Stewart is currently with Move Digital in Huntsville, Alabama, a digital marketing agency. Prior to that, she served six years as social media and advertising director for the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.

Joe Taylor has resigned as executive director of the Evansville Convention & Visitors Bureau effective Sept. 27 after just over a year on the job. Taylor was previously president of the Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau since 1998. A search is currently being conducted for a new tourism leader.

Tom Muldoon has been appointed interim president and CEO of Discover Lancaster (PA). Muldoon had served as president of the Philadelphia CVB for 26 years (1985-2011) and will help guide the DMO as it continues its search to find a permanent successor to Kathleen Frankford, who left the position last February to join MMGY/NextFactor as vice president of marketing. Frankford had held the job for nearly seven years.

Jim Werner has been appointed chief tourism officer at Visit Philadelphia. A 14-year veteran of the organization, Jim Werner manages the DMO’s tourism and hospitality industry relationships, working with city and regional hotels on marketing strategies. He also oversees development of the Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package and other overnight leisure initiatives and guides policy and advocacy efforts.

In Hawaii, it’s called the Kuleana Campaign, which means responsibility. Aimed at sharing the do’s and don’ts with visitors, it’s been launched through a partnership between Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) and Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau (HVCB). Three videos of 15-, 30- and 60-seconds (also translated into Japanese, Korean, Chinese) feature 15 Hawaiians who focus on conservation, environment, ocean safety, coral reef protection and other preservation issues. Alaska Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Hawaiian Airlines and Southwest Airlines are showing these videos to passengers before arrival and some hotels show the “Kuleana” videos in guest rooms. When in-destination, visitors logging into Facebook and Instagram see the videos pop up, thanks to geo-targeting technology. See the video here.

American Airlines is not pursuing naming rights expiring this year for the Miami Heat’s home arena which has carried the $42M branding in a 200-year deal since its 1999 opening. NBA teams have secured large naming rights contracts recently: Golden State Warriors signed a 20-year, US$300 million naming rights partnership with JP Morgan Chase for the new venue in San Francisco in 2016. Last year, the Atlanta Hawks negotiated a US$175 million 20-year deal with State Farm despite having one of the lowest average attendances in the NBA. American Airlines Center, home to the Dallas Mavericks, is a deal that runs through 2031.

After 60 years, downtown Detroit’s convention venue, Cobo Hall and Cobo Center, has a new name. Larry Alexander, president and CEO, Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, said TCF Bank is the perfect partner for the 22-year partnership. Recently merged with Chemical Bank, the bank will soon build a landmark tower as its headquarters in downtown Detroit and helped spearhead the $35 million Strategic Neighborhood Fund to bolster Detroit neighborhoods.

Everybody’s talking about: Janelle Eliana. How did a brand new YouTube channel get over 18 million view and nearly two million subscribers in one month with just two starter videos? Living out of a converted van and traveling solo around California with her pet albino snake, this 21-year-old became an overnight YouTube sensation. Experts say she nailed it on the keywords.

Steal This Idea: Greater Newark Convention & Visitors Bureau is partnering with United Airlines on a contest giveaway trip for two for “Three Perfect Days: Newark.” It’s a spin-off following reader response to a popular article published by Hemispheres in-flight magazine, said Karin Aaron, president & CEO, GNCVB. The DMO is working with Advance Media to promote the contest in three markets: Dallas, San Francisco/Oakland, and Chicago. Contestants may enter via the splashy landing page at NewarkHappening.com/3PD through Sept. 30.

Steal This Idea: Manchester United and Visit Malta have created an unlikely multi-year partnership. The UK football club in Manchester, England will provide the DMO with exposure at Old Trafford football grounds and on the club’s digital marketing channels, social and printed media. The Maltese Tourism Authority will provide exclusive travel offers for fans of the club.

Steal This Toilet: At Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, birthplace of Winston Churchill—a major tourist attraction and UNESCO World Heritage Site—Thames Valley Police have arrested a 66-year-old man in connection with the theft of a solid 18-karat gold toilet. Visitors were able to queue up to use the loo since its installation last week as part of an art exhibition by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. Stolen in the pre-dawn hours, the toilet titled ‘America’ was widely reported to be worth $1.25 million, but Blenheim’s CEO has since said it is valued at $6 million.

Assorted DMO Campaigns: From Bollywood to a Pig Scavenger Hunt

March 19, 2019 by Laurie Jo Miller Farr Leave a Comment

Bollywood! Discover Los Angeles is partnering with Sonam Kapoor, Bollywood star, and her husband, Anand Ahuja, in a four-episode digital campaign aimed at the India market to highlight the destination’s vibrant arts and culture scene.

On average, Indian travelers spend 8.6 nights in Los Angeles with research indicating sightseeing (95 percent); shopping (77 percent); art galleries and museums (37 percent) ranked as top preferences.

Don Skeoch, CMO said, “Utilising social platforms not only speaks to our target where they are, but also provides us with the ability to tightly target (the campaign) based on demographic tendencies of a long-haul vacationer.”

With “Family Style,” Visit Seattle has brought together the city’s adventurous, welcoming, and competitive food scene, says AdAge. It’s the focus of a new series to relate the “stories of five immigrants who are helping shape the city’s burgeoning restaurant scene.

Created by agency PB& Seattle and co-produced by Vice Media, the short documentaries offer a glimpse into how the city influenced their lives.”

“Celebrating how these immigrant chefs are bringing their traditions and family stories into Seattle and the effect that is having on the culinary scene here is very exciting and important,” said Ali Daniels, Visit Seattle CMO.

“Family Style” will live on Visit Seattle’s site and on YouTube, and will be promoted across Vice’s channels, including social. Watch the videos here.

“If you were at Philadelphia’s Reading Terminal Market during the first week of February, you might have seen Chinese and Chinese-American people enthusiastically snapping pics of a pig. Not even a real pig — the subject of the paparazzi-like photo rush was the market mascot and Food Trust piggy bank known as Philbert,” reports Billy Penn, a local news organization.

After making it past many restrictions and through a long verification process, the Philadelphia Convention & Visitor’s Bureau has tapped into the mega Chinese mega social media platform, WeChat.

Per Kyle Huff, social media specialist for the PHLCVB, Philbert was popular during the Chinese Lunar New Year, Year of the Pig, because of an in-app scavenger hunt game he and his team created, capturing the fancy of travelers relying on WeChat for advice on where to go and what to see. Read more about the Pig Scavenger Hunt here.

A “Go Beach/Go Beachless” campaign for Virginia Beach is being met with mixed reviews, reports The Virginian-Pilot.

“What the heck does that mean?” asked Charlene Goerl, 70, of Wisconsin. “It’s ridiculous. There’s no common sense there,” the local newspaper reported.

“The city spent $3.2 million on the new campaign, which will be rolled out in markets along the East Coast and in Hampton Roads through late June. The advertisements will be in the Washington metro, wrapped around eight double-decker tour buses in Manhattan, on TV ads in nine different markets, on the radio in five markets, on Facebook, Instagram and travel websites. Norfolk’s light rail trains will be wrapped with the new slogan soon.”

Brad Van Dommelen, director of Virginia Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau said, “The “Go Beachless / Go Beach” campaign is designed to transcend category conventions, distinguish ourselves from competition and increase familiarity with the destination.” Read more here.

Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains host more than 26 million visitors every year. The DMO launched an anti-littering campaign last year to address the problem and create change. How successful are their efforts? Christopher Barrett, President and CEO, recently appeared on WITF-TVSmart Talk to discuss keeping the Poconos “clean and green.”

Who remembers this iconic 1971 “Crying Indian” PSA anti-litter commercial for Keep America Beautiful?

Greater Newark Convention and Visitors Bureau unveiled a showcase of the city’s history and culture at the international terminal at Newark Liberty International Airport to capture the attention of tourists “…a first step to making and positioning Newark as a desirable destination,” said Karin Aaron, President and CEO of GNCVB.

The showcase aimed at 15 million international annual arrivals highlights Newark as home to the Budweiser brewery; the birthplace of Whitney Houston and Shaquille O’Neal; Thomas Edison’s first workshop; the old Tiffany & Co. factory; the Prudential and Red Bull sports arenas. This exhibit is accompanied by six billboards in every terminal to marketing the city as a travel destination.

Ham, peanuts & history. Virginia is for Lovers... and what else? “The Salty Southern Route,” was launched as a thematic regional driving tour of historic sites and culinary tastes of Western Tidewater, VA.

The concept celebrates the many farmers, peanut processors, country stores, restaurants and attractions that give this region its unique rural flavor. Smithfield/Isle of Wight tourism reps and local officials wore pig snouts as peanut mascots posed for pictures with visitors and everyone celebrated the theme, “Ride the Route from nuts to snout.”

Rita McClenny, Virginia Tourism Corp. CEO, said the route offers “a very creative and saleable marketing idea” that could be included in the statewide “Virginia is for Lovers” campaign.

If the question is: How does a destination go from bankruptcy to must-see, conventions and meetings are the answer. “We’re certainly seeing an uptick in interest in meetings of all sizes,” said Dave Beachnau, senior vice president,Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau. “It’s a byproduct of [how] the conversation about Detroit has certainly changed.” “Why Detroit?” asks the DMO’s meetings landing page. “Because mainstream is borning…” begins the response. P.S. Don’t underestimate blesiure! Read more in Deadline Detroit and Crain’s Detroit Business.

Jonathan Daniels, Executive Director and CEO of the Port of Gulfport

The team at Visit Mississippi Gulf Coast spent nine months working on a rebranding and renaming campaign. After testing out a couple different marketing platforms, they came up with ‘The Secret Coast.’ According to the Coastal Mississippi team, tourism on the coast makes up one-third of all tourism in the state in three counties alone. TV ads begin now.

Q&A with the Founders of KKD Tourism Advisors

People On the Move, PPP is Open, 88 Job Openings

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Get Your People & Insider News Here (Plus a Pure Gold Toilet Heist)

Assorted DMO Campaigns: From Bollywood to a Pig Scavenger Hunt

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