Visit Fort Collins Archives - The Travel Vertical

People, RFPs, Job Openings, and a New Podcast With a Nod to Destination Pronunciation

March 15, 2022 by Laurie Jo Miller Farr Leave a Comment

P E O P L E

Brook Kaufman is the new President & CEO of Visit Rapid City in South Dakota. She has been CEO of Visit Casper since 2015. Rapid City Journal reports, “Kaufman, a Nebraska native, was selected from a field of 130 candidates identified by the national search firm Winner Partners, a certified, woman-owned executive company.” In Wyoming, the Natroma County Commission will nominate three candidates and conduct interviews in the upcoming weeks. (Hear more about Brook on the podcast).

Julie Stow has been promoted to Associate Executive Director of the Cedar Rapids Tourism Office. She was formerly the Director of Meetings and Conventions. (Hear more about Julie on the podcast).

Tiffany Russell has been appointed Director of Communications for the City of Virginia Beach. Following a nationwide search, she was tapped after serving in the role on an interim basis. She has previously served the city as Event Coordinator for Virginia Beach Convention Center, Director of Public Relations and as VP Marketing for Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Erik Barstow is now Vice President of Sales at Visit Fort Collins in Colorado. He joined the team in 2013.

Dan Kyle is now IT Manager at Louisville Tourism. He spent three years at Experience Grand Rapids where he worked as Systems Administrator through summer 2021.

Jennifer Stein is the new Economic Development Services Director for the City of Peoria, Arizona.

Hope Breen is now Partner Relations and Sales Manager at Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance in upstate New York. Founded in 1919, she indicates this is the oldest regional destination marketing organization in the nation.

Jerod Fuchs has joined CrowdRiff as Senior Account Executive following nearly eight years with Miles Partnership where he was most recently Travel Media Sales & Marketing Executive.

Henry Anyanwu joined Destination Analysts in February as Field Research Manager, based in Los Angeles.

Vivian Teddi Mur has joined Aki Technologies as Director of Travel & Tourism to launch a new division. She departs Adara where she was Director of Sales, Leisure Markets since 2013.

Natalie Jamieson has been promoted to Insights Group Team Lead at Zartico, which she joined last January from Visit Baltimore.

Emily Brown is the newest member of the team at Civitas, joining the crew as Project Coordinator. She comes equipped with the organizational and analytical skills gained working as a scientist.

Dan Luna has joined Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI) as Senior Director of Content. He moves from MPI where he served as Director of Publishing/Editor-in-Chief of The Meeting Professional.

P O D C A S T

You heard it here and we’re never too serious. The latest episode of The Travel Vertical Podcast is out at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, March 16 and we’re talking jobs…people and jobs…places and jobs. And, (with apologies) just how does a Brit tackle the proper pronunciation of Mobile, Alabama?

R F P s

State of Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism: A research project related to vacation rental performance tracking for July 2022 through December 2024. The objective of this RFP is to provide a comprehensive view of the vacation rental accommodations segment performance. DBEDT is seeking a solution that will include at least an 80 percent sample of vacation rental properties by island as reported in the Visitor Plant Inventory (VPI). Reports will be published monthly. Closes on April 1, 2022 at 4 p.m. HST. Link here.

Discover Puerto Rico seeks a partner that can develop a platform that includes data management, automation, connection, reporting, and access. Discover Puerto Rico has internally managed data and a business intelligence platform, primarily focused on industry performance metrics such as hotel and rental data, air access and passenger activity as well as tax and employment data. Paid and owned media performance as well geo-location data are incorporated on an ad-hoc basis. However, all processes are currently very high-touch, requiring data transformation from providers to the platform. In addition, there are a number of data sources, including CRM and future bookings that have not been incorporated. Closes March 21, 2022 at 5 p.m. AST. Link here.

Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau in California is seeking a content and social media agency to assist in the strategy and ongoing development of effective content and social media marketing efforts to support the Monterey County brand and promote tourism to the County.

Interested agencies should check out the full RFP, downloadable here: Content & Social Media Marketing Agency Services. Submissions are due Friday, March 25, 2022 at 5 p.m. PT.

Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau is seeking proposals from qualified businesses for the content, design, and ad sales of the 2022-2023 edition of the official Athens Georgia Visitors Guide. Bidding agencies should pay particular attention to the Athens brand and website and provide a forward-thinking approach in keeping with the creative energy of the destination. Details here. Deadline: Friday, March 25, 2022.

The City of Pismo Beach invites tourism marketing proposals, seeking a full-service, experienced tourism marketing / public relations consultant to provide professional guidance and oversight and implementation and analysis regarding marketing and communications programs designed to attract tourists.

The current Marketing/Media services for the Pismo Beach Conference & Visitors Bureau ends June 30, 2022. A contract will be provided by the City and substantially attached to the RFP.

Requests for information should be directed to gjackson@pismobeach.org. Interested parties are requested to submit three copies of the proposal, references, and one copy of current tourism work, by 5 p.m. on March 25, 2022 — Attn: Gordon Jackson, City of Pismo Beach/Tourism and Events Department, 760 Mattie Road, Pismo Beach, CA 93449

Tourism Australia seeks Public Relations Services for North America (also planning to bring on PR agencies in Australia and New Zealand, China, India, Germany, and Japan, reports PRWeek). The proposed contract term is for up to five years, comprising an initial period of three years and two one-year extension periods. Closes on 25-Mar-2022 4 p.m. (ACT local time). Further information here and at Tourism Australia’s corporate website. Contact: Brett Nolan, tel: +61 2 9361 1210 or tenders@tourism.australia.com.

Tourism Fiji seeks expressions of interest from creative/digital/media agencies for a three-year contract with option to renew. A strategic marketing focus “Open for Happiness,” is already in place. Applications close 21 March. Note: There is a unique opportunity to also work with Fiji Airways through this process; review the tender for details. Contact: Emma Campbell, CMO, ecampbell@tourismfiji.com.fj. Details in the PDF found here.

J O B S

President & CEO — U.S. Travel Association

President & CEO — Visit Seattle, WA

President & CEO — Visit Gilroy, CA (new)

Executive Director of the Tourist Development Council Department — Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners / Discover Palm Beach County, FL (new)

Executive Director — Manistee County Visitors Bureau, MI

Director — South Padre Island Convention & Visitors Bureau, TX

Chief Tourism Development Officer — One Spartanburg, SC (new)

Chief Financial Officer — Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau, OH

Vice President of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion AND Director of Partnership — Meet Minneapolis, MN (new)

Executive Vice President — Visit Tucson, AZ

Vice President Sales & Experiences — Tulsa Regional Chamber, OK

Vice President Finance — Hamilton County Tourism, IN

Vice President Americas — Tourism Australia, Los Angeles, CA

Executive Director Diversity Division AND Global Tourism Coordinator AND Content Manager AND PHL Sports Coordinator AND Marketing & Communications Coordinator AND National Accounts Manager-Midwest/West — Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, PA

Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion — Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, SC

Senior Director Government Relations AND Director Member Engagement AND Manager Grassroots and PAC AND Senior Designer — U.S. Travel Association

Director of National Accounts AND Visitor Services Specialist — Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, TN

Sales Account Executive (Minneapolis Convention Center) — Meet Minneapolis, MN

Sports & Convention Sales Manager — Visit Baton Rouge, LA

Senior Sales Manager AND Sports/Group Sales Manager AND Sales & Services Manager — Visit Williamsburg, VA

Destination Meetings Manager (Individual Contractor or Agency) — Destination Greater Victoria

Sales National Accounts / SMERF — Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau, TX

Director of Marketing & Communications — Visit El Paso, TX

Director of Marketing — Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau, AK

Director of Marketing AND Director of Sales AND Director of Human Resources AND Partner Engagement Manager AND Sales Manager — Visit SLO CAL, San Luis Obispo, CA

Director of Event Management AND National Sales Director-DC Area AND Site Experience Manager AND Brand Marketing Coordinator AND Network & Systems Engineer — San Diego Tourism Authority, CA

Director of Strategic Research and Analysis AND Technical Product Manager AND Convention Services Manager AND Convention Services Coordinator AND Administrative Support Coordinator — Travel Portland, OR (new)

Senior Copy Director AND Manager International Marketing AND Travel Research Analyst AND Creative Operations Project Manager AND Technical Project Manager AND Senior UX Designer AND Coordinator Member Programs & Services AND HR Generalist — NYC & Company

Director of Marketing AND Manager Visitor Center at Boston Common — Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau, MA

Communications Director — Decatur Morgan County Tourism, AL

Partnership Manager — Visit Mobile, AL

Manager International Marketing AND Brand Marketing Manager Global Media AND Brand Marketing Manager Partnerships AND Marketing Assistant — Visit California

Strategic Marketing Manager — Visit Greenville, SC (new)

Social Media Manager AND Industry Services Manager — Travel Wisconsin

Public Relations Manager — State of Washington Tourism

PR Manager — Santa Monica Travel & Tourism, CA

Senior Manager Social Media AND Public Relations Account Executive AND Global Marketing & Trade Account Executive AND Information Specialist — Visit Florida

Social Media Manager — Tempe Tourism Office, AZ

Community Engagement + Workforce Development Director — Visit Central Oregon & Visit Bend, OR

Web Marketing Manager — Visit Denver, CO

Web & Digital Marketing Manager — Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board, PA

Research Analyst — Explore Georgia (new)

CRM & Research Analyst — Visit Loudoun, VA

Business Analyst — Visit Grand Junction, CO

Destination Development Manager AND Rural Grants Specialist — Travel Nevada

Partnership Manager — Visit Mobile, AL

Marketing Project Manager — Visit Dallas, TX (new)

Digital Content Manager — Destination DC, Washington, DC

Content Producer — Visit Detroit, MI

Content Manager — Rancho Cordova Travel & Tourism, CA

Digital Content Specialist — Destination BC, Canada

Regional Content Marketing Manager — Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau, OH

Content Manager — Rancho Cordova Travel & Tourism, CA

Brand Marketing Manager AND Content & Social Media Manager AND Communications Manager-Associate AND Guest Experience Specialist — Visit Napa Valley, CA

Copywriter — Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, NC (hybrid)

Public Relations & Communications Manager — Naples, Marco Island & Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau at Florida’s Paradise Coast

Tourism Manager — Snowmass Village, CO

Tourism Manager — City of College Station, TX

Tourism Marketing Coordinator — Randolph County Tourist Development Authority, Asheboro, NC

Marketing Executive — Feather River Tourism Association, Plumas County, CA

Trade Partnerships Manager – No. America — Tourism Fiji, Los Angeles, CA

Sales Account Manager AND Marketing Coordinator AND Office Coordinator — Destination Madison, WI

Public Relations and Media Coordinator — Discover Monroe-West Monroe, LA

Tourism Marketing Coordinator — Randolph County Tourism Development Authority, NC

Content Marketing Coordinator — Travel Manitoba, Canada (new)

Marketing Coordinator — Arizona Office of Tourism

Marketing Coordinator AND Client Services Coordinator — Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau, CA

International & Domestic Sales Coordinator — Experience Kissimmee, FL

Marketing Representative — Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, FL (new)

Talent Alliance Director — Destination Cleveland, OH (new)

Sales Manager — Experience Columbus, OH (new)

Event Manager — Clermont County Ohio Convention & Visitors Bureau (new)

Tourism Marketing & Administrative Coordinator — Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce, WI (new)

Administrative Assistant — Tahiti Tourism North America, Los Angeles, CA (new)

Digital Experience Coordinator — MMGY Global, Overland Park, KS (new)

Director Destination Strategy (West) — Madden Media, remote

Interactive Producer AND Advertising & Data Manager AND Business Analyst Finance & Accounting (Lakewood, CO) AND Project Manager, Studio Operations (Sarasota, FL) AND Web Developer AND Content Manager AND Project Coordinator AND AND Program Specialist-Destination Optimization AND Account Coordinator AND Project Manager (new) Project Coordinator (new) AND Programmatic Media Buyer (new) and more — Miles Partnership

Director of Marketing Operations AND Strategic Analyst AND Customer Success Rep AND Back-end Client Success Manager and more — Simpleview, Tucson or remote

Digital Marketing Manager AND Account Manager AND Social Media Coordinator AND PR/Content Specialist and more — Relic + EKR Agency, Provo, UT

Content Marketing Manager AND Public Relations Associate AND Senior Client Success Manger — Sojern

Director of Marketing — Satisfi Labs

Senior Manager Public Relations — Paradise Advertising & Marketing, remote

Public Relations Manager — The Brandon Agency, NYC

SEO Manager AND Account Coordinator — Tempest, Philadelphia, PA

Vice President of Global Sales — ConferenceDIrect

Commercial Director of APAC — Sojern, Singapore

Digital Communications Specialist — The Historic New Orleans Collection (museum/research center/publisher)

Chief Financial Administrative Officer — Conservation Society of California (dba Oakland Zoo), CA

Director of Hospitality Market Analytics, Texas & Tennessee — CoStar Group (remote in Nashville, Austin, Dallas, Houston, or San Antonio)

Head of Communications — Peek, remote

Brand Marketing Manager-Web Experiences — Meta, Menlo Park, CA

General Manager Destination Marketing — Delta Air Lines, Atlanta, GA

Manager Social Media — Universal Orlando, hybrid (new)

Destination Manager — Walt Disney, Kissimmee, FL

People, Jobs & RFPs | Register for “Straight to the Point” eSessions on 2/22/22

February 8, 2022 by Laurie Jo Miller Farr 2 Comments

P E O P L E

Jake Buganski has been appointed as the first CEO of the newly formed Skagit Tourism Bureau in Washington State. He joins from Tempest where he was VP of Strategy, prior to which his DMO roles included Director, New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism. (Jake’s profile indicates he is also the future first Tourism Director on Mars.)

Kelli Steele returns to the Putnam County Convention & Visitors Bureau in West Virginia as Executive Director. She had previously served in this role for nearly four years through September 2020.

Alissa Steele has been appointed Marketing Manager at Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau. She joins from her previous role as Advertising Specialist at the Philadelphia Phillies.

Dione Williams has been appointed Director of Convention Sales at Travel Portland in Oregon. He joins from Las Vegas Expo Inc., and has an extensive background in hotel and resort sales.

Susan Valen has been named as the new Director of Sales at Visit Huntington Beach. Her DMO experience includes 13 years as National Sales Director for Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau until 2020.

Two new appointments at Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau in Illinois, which encompasses 39 cities and towns. Jason Troop is the first-ever Sports Tourism Marketing Manager. He joins from Wheeling, WV where he was Director of Business Development of the Highlands Sports Complex and brings considerable professional experience in sports management and marketing.

Joey Naples is the bureau’s Tourism Engagement & Outdoor Recreation Coordinator. He is a resident of Carlinville where he owns The Uptown Tavern, has extensive agricultural experience and has been involved in the community for 15 years.

Anna Tanski, former CEO of Visit Duluth, is the new Head of Festivals & Events at The Catalyst Story Institute. Catalyst is a Duluth-based nonprofit that discovers storytelling artists, develops their creative skills, showcases their story ideas to the world, and advances their careers within the television industry.

Jenn Schaal departs Meet Minneapolis following five years as Director of Partnership. She indicates that she has accepted a new role outside of the tourism industry.

Zane Harrington departs Visit Dallas following five years as Communications Manager. He joins Perot Museum of Nature & Science, also in Dallas, as Marketing & Communications Manager.

Kindra Fry departs her role as Senior Director-Sports Tourism & Events at Visit College Station to become Assistant Athletic Director-Special Events at Texas A&M University, also in College Station.

San Diego Tourism Authority has a new Director of Information Technology. Aldino P. joins the team, bringing more than 20 years’ experience in IT leadership.

Also in California, Conrad Braganza has joined Sonoma County Tourism as Senior Manager of Research. Previous to working in roles with the City of Fresno, he had been Senior Marketing Research and Development Analyst at the Fresno/Clovis Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Xavier Roque takes up a new position as Media Relations Coordinator at Visit California. He joins from Visit Napa Valley where he had been Partnership Marketing Manager.

Laura Messer has joined Virginia Tourism Corporation as Destination Development Specialist. She moves over from James City County where she had been Tourism & Marketing Coordinator.

Bri Seifert has taken up a new position as Sales Manager at Visit Fort Collins in Colorado. Previously, as an independent consultant and company owner, she had worked with Colorado Office of Tourism for a number of years.

Stephan Hengst has been appointed Executive Director of the Provincetown Business Guild in Cape Cod, MA. He had been Director of Marketing, Communications & PR at The Culinary Institute of America in Hudson Valley, NY.

Based in Denver, Maria Pradissitto has joined Herrmann Global as Account Manager. Her DMO background includes Colorado Tourism Office and Durango Area Tourism Office.

Mark Preston, formerly of Tripadvisor, has joined Adara as Senior Sales Director.

R F P s

“Visit Indian River has just rebranded and is looking for a new website to match our new image. Our current website, VisitIndianRiverCounty.com is out of date and is time for a facelift.” — Lisa Konupka, Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator, Visit Indian River County, FL (details are found on Lisa’s LinkedIn page).

McCurtain County Tourism Authority in Oklahoma is searching for a full service advertising agency. The DMO is currently accepting proposals; the deadline to submit is March 7, 2022. Contact Executive Director Charity O’Donnell (bchamber@pine-net.com) to request a bid packet.

Visit SLO CAL, the destination marketing & management organization for San Luis Obispo, California, has issued a request for proposals for a qualified full-service public relations agency with tourism experience. The scope of work will be for a three year period beginning on or about July 1, 2022. Questions are due by 12 p.m. PT on Feb. 9, 2022. Proposals are due by March 4, 2022.Visit-SLO-CAL-Request-for-Proposal-PR-final-1.22Download

Wyoming Office of Tourism (closing March 1, 2022) — Seeking proposals for advertising agency of record for the Wyoming state marketing program. RFP is available on Public Purchase where the WY Advertising account is RFP #0148-G – Advertising (Public Purchase requires a free log-in/registration to access the RFP.)

Public Purchase link: Public Purchase: Bid Notification, Government bids, Reverse Auctions and Procurement Tools for Government Agencies

Alaska Travel Industry Association (closing 2/11/22 and 2/25/22)— Seeking proposals for three elements (Advertising, PR & Media Relations, Visitor Research) supporting the Alaska Tourism Marketing Program.

Hawaii Tourism Authority — Hawaii Tourism Brand Marketing & Management Services in the US Major Market Area (hawaiitourismauthority.org/rfps)

State of Hawaii Economic Development, & Tourism (closing 2/25/22) — A Research Project Related to Visitor and Resident Geolocation Tracking for July 2022 – June 2024

J O B S

President & CEO — Visit Seattle, WA

Executive Director — Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau, CA (new)

Executive Director — Corpus Christi Sports Commission, TX

Executive Director — Visit Chelan County, WA (new position, new DMO)

President — Visit Overland Park, KS (new)

President & CEO — South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority, Hammond, IN

Director AND Manager Sports Tourism AND Manager Tourism Marketing — Lake County Board of Commissioners, FL

Director — South Padre Island Convention and Visitors Bureau, TX

Executive Director — Discover New England, Portsmouth, NH

Executive Director — Visit Dana Point, CA

Chief Financial Officer AND National Sales Manager — Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau, OH

Vice President of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion AND Sales Administrative Assistant — Meet Minneapolis, MN

Vice President Meeting Sales & Services — Visit Fort Worth, TX

Vice President — Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau, TX

Vice President Global Marketing — Destination Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Vice President of Tourism — Visit Denver, CO

Vice President of Sales — Visit Greater Palm Springs, CA

Convention Center Manager — Broward County/Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, FL

Director, Tourism Market Development-Canada & US (new) AND Integrated Marketing Project Manager AND Coordinator Member Programs & Services AND Senior Copy Director AND UX Design Lead — NYC & Company

Senior Manager Research AND Digital Marketing Manager AND International Media Relations — Destination DC, Wash., DC

Director of Marketing AND Social Media Marketing Specialist — Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau, MA

Director of Marketing AND Sales Manager — Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau, AR

Director of Marketing AND Director of Sales — Visit SLO CAL, San Luis Obispo, CA

Director of Marketing & Communications — Visit El Paso, TX

Marketing Communications Manager-Meetings & Conventions — Visit Orlando (new)

Director of Public Relations — Visit Tampa Bay (new)

Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion — Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, SC (new)

Director of Tourism Strategy & Information AND Marketing Coordinator — Cobb Travel & Tourism, Inc., GA

Senior Director Convention Services — Destination Cleveland, OH

Director of National Accounts — Visit Spokane, WA

Director of Sales Citywide Conventions — Visit Houston, TX

National Sales Manager-Washington DC — Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, Wash., DC Metro

Director of National Accounts (mid-Atlantic office) — Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, Wash DC

Senior Sales Specialist — Visit The Woodlands, TX

Digital Marketing Manager — Colorado Office of Tourism

Senior Manager Social Media AND Global Marketing Trade Account Executive — Visit Florida

CRM & Research Analyst AND Marketing Manager AND Marketing Project Manager AND Communications Manager AND Sales Coordinator — Visit Dallas, TX

PR Manager — Sonoma County Tourism, CA

PR Manager — Santa Monica Travel & Tourism, CA

Marketing Manager — Experience Columbus, OH (new)

Business Development Manager — Visit Carlsbad, CA

Business Analyst — Visit Grand Junction, CO

Business Insights Specialist — Destination Vancouver, Canada

Manager Travel Trade — Ottawa Tourism, Canada

Market Intelligence Analyst — Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau, FL

Tourism Data Specialist — Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, Raleigh

Social Media & Content Manager — Explore Asheville, NC (new)

Destination Content Coordinator — Rowan County Tourism Development Authority, NC

Tourism Manager — Snowmass Tourism, CO

Tourism Manager — City of College Station, TX

Sports Marketing Coordinator — Savannah Sports Council/Visit Savannah, GA

Communications Coordinator — Experience Scottsdale, AZ (new)

Communications & Travel Trade Manager — Yakima Valley Tourism, WA (new)

Marketing & Social Media Specialist — Visit Buffalo Niagara, NY (new)

Marketing Manager-Leisure — Experience Columbus, OH (new)

Marketing & Communications Manager — Wilmington Alliance, DE

Marketing & Tourism Manager — City of Tomball, TX

Content Marketing Strategist AND Sports Sales Manager AND Event Services Specialist — Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & CVB, MO

Events & Marketing Manager — Erie Sports Commission, PA

Sports Sales & Marketing Manager — Gwinnett Sports Commission, Duluth, GA

Digital Marketing Coordinator — Mammoth Lakes Tourism, CA

Site Experience Manager — San Diego Tourism Authority, CA

Sales & CRM Support Coordinator — Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, RI

Sales Coordinator — Visit Richmond, VA

Sales Administrative Assistant — Meet Minneapolis, MN

Office Administrator — Visit Aurora, CO

Administrative Assistant — Saugatuck Douglas Convention & Visitors Bureau, MI

Travel Counselor — Visit San Antonio, TX (new)

Manager of Meetings & Events — Destinations International

Director of Research — Longwoods International, Columbus, OH (new)

Strategic Advisor — Zartico, remote East Coast

Creative Copywriter AND Senior UI Web Designer AND Account Coordinator AND PR/Content Coordinator AND Social Media Coordinator AND more — Relic Advertising + EKR, Provo UT

Interactive Producer AND Facebook Ads Manager AND Account Coordinator x2 AND Advertising & Data Manager AND Sr. Developer-Drupal, Classic & Decoupled AND Account Manager AND Business Analyst in Lakewood, CO (new) — Miles Partnership, many roles remote

Digital Marketing Manager (Denver) AND Tourism PR Account Director (x2 Miami & NYC) AND Tourism Account Manager (NYC) AND Tourism Account Executive (NYC) AND PR Account Coordinator (NYC) AND Senior Writer — Development Counsellors International

PR & Content Strategist AND Associate Media Specialist — Madden Media, Tucson, AZ

Client Success Associate — Sojern, Omaha, NE

Senior Account Executive AND Account Coordinator — Ketchum

Vice President of Global Sales — ConferenceDirect, remote

President & CEO — HospitalityTN, Nashville

Marketing Technology Specialist eCommerce — Herschend Family Entertainment, Peachtree Corners, GA

VP Technology — New York Cruise Lines, NYC

VP-Technology & Digital — Disney Parks, FL

Senior Manager Destination Marketing — Delta Airlines, Atlanta

Director of Marketing — Minnesota Twins, MN

Partnership Marketing Manager — Orlando City Soccer Club, FL

Research Analyst-Marketing Audience Insights — The New York Times, NYC

VP of Revenue — Empire State Building Observatory, NYC

Tourism Account Executive — Mall of America, MN

Social Media Coordinator — International Tennis Hall of Fame, Newport, RI

Staff Writer — Destination Innovate, remote

Visit Duluth Gets Axed Plus More People & Places News

August 17, 2021 by Laurie Jo Miller Farr Leave a Comment

People

Brad Dean, Chief Executive Officer of Discover Puerto Rico, has been named State Travel Director of the Year by U.S. Travel Association at last week’s ESTO meeting. Since taking the lead of the destination marketing organization in 2018, Dean has guided the Island’s tourism industry through a remarkable period of recovery and growth following various setbacks from hurricanes to the pandemic.

Michael Heckman has been named by Mayor Sylvester Turner as the Chief Executive Officer of Houston First Corporation. He has held the interim position since August 2020.

Lisa Oliveira, CDME, has recently been named President & CEO of the Fresno/Clovis Convention & Visitors Bureau in California. She joined the organization in 2016.

Sarah Hupp Foster has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer at Madden Media. She joined the company in 2012 and was most recently serving as VP of Account Strategy.

Kirsten Lynch has been appointed CEO at Vail Resorts, Inc., the world’s leading mountain resort company at iconic locations. She has served in the role of EVP and CMO for the past 10 years.

Julie Holmen is the new Project / Program Lead for Membership Engagement at Destinations International. She joins from MPI and as a former team member at Destination Toronto.

In Tennessee, Matthew Bolas, former director of Discover Bristol, has been tapped as director of the new Bristol Regional Tourism Marketing Corp. For the past four years, Bolas led the tourism development division of The High Road Agency.

Stefanie Zinke moves from Senior International Tourism Sales Manager at The Beaches of Fort Meyers and Sanibel CVB to Director of Global Trade Sales at Visit Tampa Bay.

Todd Mitsuhata has been promoted to Director of Global Business Development at Santa Monica Travel & Tourism. He joined the DMO in 2016.

Sarah Waggoner is the new Tourism Manager at Visit Springfield in Illinois. She joins from the City of Litchfield where she was tourism coordinator for seven years.

Ariel Washington is the new Social Media Coordinator at Visit Tybee in Georgia. She comes to digital tourism marketing with a background in social media and communications.

Places

Duluth, Minn. — Mayor Emily Larson announced plans to pass up longtime Visit Duluth for the city’s next tourism marketing contract worth $1.8 million and instead choose Minneapolis-based Bellmont Partners and its partner, Sioux Falls-based Lawrence & Schiller. The decision comes after a months-long application process that included two local finalists – Visit Duluth and the DECC.

Visit Duluth has held the contract since 1935. In recent years, the DMO has received $2.2 million to provide promotion, marketing and convention sales.

The RFP sent out in May brought in 28 applications – 5 from Duluth, 15 from throughout the state and eight from outside Minnesota. Some local advertising executives have questioned how none of the Duluth firms are selected.

Bellmont presented to the Duluth city council on Aug. 17, 2021 and the agency was approved. Larson has offered Visit Duluth a much smaller $400,000 contract for next year to handle convention coordination and the visitor’s center, but that discussion has been tabled. Read the latest local reporting here.

In Travel Smart News, industry observer Brian London writes, “the situation in Duluth is a good reminder that destination organizations are contracted agencies. Their contract is not promised forever. No need to wait for elected officials in your destination to pull the fire alarm. Take some time to be sure your activities are aligned with the goals and priorities of those who determine your future funding.”

*User:Dough4872, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons*

Ocean City, Md. — Tom Perlozzo, Tourism and Business Development Director, City of Ocean City told the local tourism commission that his office is continuing its efforts to identify and rebrand Ocean City’s image.

They have engaged Zartico as a partner to collect data on the visitor base, also working with AirDNA, which provides a snapshot of short-term rental platforms, as well as with Opinionworks, an Annapolis-based independent research organization to conduct the surveys.

Monterey, Calif. — On California’s Central Coast, the Monterey Visitors Center has closed, due to steadily decreasing visitor traffic. Rob O’Keefe, president & CEO of Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau, which ran the center, indicated to a local reporter that the DMO was spending about $400,000 a year on staffing and maintaining the facility. The services provided will be replaced by an app.

Sedona, Ariz. — Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau has agreed to suspend their destination marketing effort for at least one year. The council voted unanimously to approve a $2.1 million budget minus $250,000 that could have used for destination marketing. The effort to discourage tourists from coming to Sedona stems from council and community members objecting to increased traffic, the trampling of hiking trails, disrespect of Sedona’s sacred sites, overcrowding, the proliferation of Airbnb. Source: Sedona Biz

*credit: Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau*

Boston, Mass. — The local tourism industry in Boston is pushing for a tourism destination marketing district. The district would be able to charge overnight hotel guests an additional 1.5% of the guest’s bill, projected to raise $10 million in its first year, dedicated to a new fund to promote the city.

The fund would be managed by a 15-member committee composed mostly of lodging industry representatives.

Fort Collins, Colo. — The city council agreed to form a tourism improvement district, doubling the lodging tax to 6% and expected to raise $800,000 a year. Three-fourths of annual income from the new fee is budgeted for sales, marketing, communication and destination development. Visit Fort Collins, separate from the Tourist Improvement District, gets 70% of the current 3% fee; the rest goes to the city’s Fort Fund arts and culture grants. Source: Loveland Reporter-Herald

Sonoma County, Calif. — Sonoma County Tourism announced the debut of the “Sonoma Sound,” the destination’s first-ever official soundtrack. Created by local GRAMMY-recognized songwriter Cliff Goldmacher (Keb’ Mo’, Lisa Loeb, Ke$ha), the ‘Sound’ was developed through a collaboration between Goldmacher, Creative Sonoma, and Sonoma County Tourism, with partial funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. Featuring local artists and recorded at a local studio, the soundtrack is part of an ongoing effort to promote Sonoma County’s brand attributes (“Life Opens Up”) and creative talent.

To highlight how music and well-being intermingles in the region, Sonoma County Tourism and its partners are giving away a truly refreshing and rejuvenating escape to Sonoma County for two with the “Reawaken Your Senses” Experience. Learn more about the project here.

New York City — Despite ticket sales open for a few months, blockbuster shows such as Hamilton, The Lion King and Wicked, all of which have been dark for more than 18 months, have yet to sell out their opening week of shows in mid-September.

Producers attribute the sluggish ticket sales to industry volatility caused by the delta variant and industry experts say the muted response is not good news for New York City’s ongoing tourism challenges.

San Francisco became the first major U.S. city to mandate the presentation of proof of full Covid-19 vaccination to access certain venues and activities: indoor restaurants, bars, clubs, fitness facilities, theaters, cinemas, entertainment venues, and large events having 1,000 or more attendees. The updated health order is set to take effect on Aug. 20.

New York City has put a similar restriction in place, however proof of only a first vaccine is required and will be enforced from Sept. 13. There are two official apps, the Excelsior Pass and NYC Covid Safe, but paper is fine too.

In New Orleans effective since Aug. 16, proof of vaccines or a negative Covid-19 test taken within less than 72 hours will be required to enter indoor venues citywide, including bars, restaurants, gyms and music halls.

Los Angeles City Council has voted in favor of drafting a new law to require at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine to enter facilities including indoor restaurants, gyms, stores, movies and theaters. Palm Springs City Council is taking similar steps regarding indoor dining.

Starting this week, Puerto Rico hotels and other lodging require proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test from within 72 hours for guests and staff alike. This adds another layer of peace of mind, according to Discover Puerto Rico, since the island already has such requirements in place for arriving visitors.

New Orleans & Company has paused its national “Concierge” advertising campaign featuring local actor Wendell Pierce, tagline: “When you’re ready to come back, we’re ready to host.” Metro area and regional dining-centric ads will continue.

Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation has made a similar decision, indicating they’ll review on a month-to-month basis. Source: The Lens NOLA [H/T Travel Smart News]

Sydney, Australia — The new ad campaign from Tourism Australia isn’t about going on vacation…it’s about getting vaccinated against the coronavirus. “It’s Our Best Shot for Travel” campaign launched in Australia on August 16 in newspapers, on TV, online and across social media.

Another vaccine-related campaign featuring celebrity Aussie chefs is in the works for later this year. “Put a Jab on the Menu.”

Beyond Likes: Why Some Posts are Irresistibly Shareable

October 31, 2016 by Laurie Jo Miller Farr Leave a Comment

To get some insights into what makes a post irresistibly shareable, eTourism Summit invited attendees to submit their best examples from 2016 for our competition, “Post With the Most (Organic) Shares.” Two dozen responses from cities, states, regions and attractions across the USA included both images and videos seen on Facebook and Instagram.

What works best? What triggers people to share? We’ll discuss what we learned from these examples in upcoming November issues of The Travel Vertical. And we’ll be featuring a deeper dive into Video Storytelling and Digital Advertising on the agenda at eTourism Labs on March 24-15, 2017 in Philadelphia.

The eTourism Summit winner video has a lot to do with local pride — the passionate resident ambassadors in your own destination, in this case, Fort Collins, Colorado. Mother Nature’s been kind to this good-looking, fresh air, blue skies, college town nestled at the base of the awesome Rockies where locals are no doubt proud of an award winning healthcare system, top rated public schools, green sustainability leadership, entrepreneurship, bicycle paths, craft beer, a vibrant downtown. (Did you know? Fort Collins’s main street in Old Town was the inspiration for Disneyland’s Main Street USA.)

Visit Fort Collins gets it and nourishes it. Their website has a link called “I Live Here.” A 2-minute destination video was shared by 15% of the Facebook audience of 9,000, ultimately reaching nearly 103,000 for $0.00. Congratulations!

See the winning video submitted by Andrew Woerpel, Digital Marketing Coordinator at Visit Fort Collins, here.

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