Visit Rapid City Archives - The Travel Vertical

New Leader at Visit Philly Plus People, Jobs, a Podcast, a Rollercoaster, and a Rare Maine Lobster

May 17, 2022 by Laurie Jo Miller Farr Leave a Comment

P E O P L E

Visit Philadelphia has named tourism industry veteran Angela Val as its new president & CEO following a national search. Val has spent 17 years in various roles at the DMO, departing in 2016 as Chief External Affairs Officer, and has also served as COO at Philadelphia-based Tempest marketing agency. She is the first Black woman to helm the organization, succeeding Jeff Guaracino who died in December.

Philadelphia is unusual among big cities for having two DMOs to oversee different segments of the tourism market. Visit Philadelphia promotes leisure tourism while the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau looks after corporate, meeting, conventions. Both groups draw funding from the city’s hotel room tax.

Stacie Granum is the new Chief Strategy Officer at Visit Rapid City. She had previously served as Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing at the DMO, which she joined 12 years ago.

Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports, formed in 2010 when Tuscaloosa Convention and Visitors Bureau merged with the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, has announced Kelsey Rush as its next president & CEO from July 2023. She is currently Vice President of Marketing & Communications at the DMO in Alabama.

Michele Cota has been appointed as the new executive director of Discover New England. Her background includes 13 years as trade and industry relations manager for New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development. She succeeds Chris Jennings, who left the organization in December.

Visit Tampa Bay welcomes Vanessa Evans as the new Director of Public Relations. She joins from Tampa-based PRESS PR + Marketing where she worked since 2013 and was most recently a Director.

Krystal Kusmieruk has been promoted to Senior Marketing Manager at Visit Greater Palm Springs. She has had a number of roles since joining the DMO in 2015.

Erica Riddle has been promoted to the role of Tourism Project Manager at Destination DC. She joined the DMO four years ago.

Hope Smith has departed the role of Membership Manager at Destination DC to join the international team at Colorado Tourism, her home state.

Daniela Cintron has been appointed Manager of Content at Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau. She takes up this full-time position following a freelance writing role with Discover Atlanta.

Christopher Heywood, Executive Vice President of Global Communications, NYC & Company, has announced his June 30 departure. He joined the DMO in 2007 following eight years as Manager, Corporate Communications at Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board.

Howard Pickett has retired as Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer at San Francisco Travel Association, which he joined in 2013 following executive marketing roles at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, Kerzner International Resorts and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

Richard Oliver, the outgoing Director of Partner & Community Relations for Visit San Antonio, will lead communications and marketing for San Antonio’s Conventions and Sports Facilities Department.

Andy Belock has started a new position as IT Support Manager at Travel Portland. He had previously been with Travel Portland for 2.5 years through early 2020.

Andria Godfrey joins Epsilon to lead the Vertical Solutions team, joining from Longwoods International where she was Senior Vice President. She has previously been with Adara, Georgia Department of Economic Development and Office of the Governor, State of Texas.

Erin Griss has started a new role as Senior Marketing Manager at Bandwango where she had been Marketing Manager since joining in 2021.

Tommy Martinez has joined the Tripadvisor partnerships/ media sales team handling Destination Marketing Sales. He joins from Epsilon.

FareHarbor will welcome Shane Whaley as Head of Community in June.

Founder of Tourpreneur.com, his news and podcast industry platform will be run by new owners Mitch Bach (right), Co-Founder of TripSchool and Campfire; Peter Syme (left), adventure specialist, strategic advisor, and digital transformation leader; and Chris Torres (middle), Founder and Director of Tourism Marketing Agency and the Digital Tourism Show.

In July, Michael Novakovich takes on a new role as CEO at Columbia Industries, an organization committed to supporting and empowering individuals with disabilities and other challenges. He departs as President & CEO of Visit Tri-Cities (Richland/Kennewick/Pasco, Washington Area).

“Haddie” is a rare, cotton candy colored lobster that’s 1-in-100 million. Caught near Portland, Maine in November by a commercial fisherman, she has found her forever home at Seacoast Science Center in New Hampshire. Now Haddie has a community, “Haddie’s Bay Club, selling NFTs to benefit marine conservancy. See how they did it here.

Speaking of people, look who’s coming to eTourism Summit in Orlando on June 6-8. These are just a few of the smiling faces you’ll see (yay!) in person. New speakers and new sessions have been added since the last time you took a look at the agenda. * Register today * without delay and we’ll see you there!

P O D C A S T

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Happy birthday! The beloved wooden Giant Dipper on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk turned 98 on May 17, 2022. Our latest guests on The Travel Vertical Podcast are from Visit Santa Cruz County: CEO Michael Martelon and Christina Glynn, Communications Director/Film Commissioner. Subscribe for free via your favorite podcast channel or click for Episode 29, which goes live at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, May 18.

J O B S

President & CEO — Visit Tri-Cities, Washington (new)

Chief Executive Officer — Discover Santa Clara, CA (new)

Executive Director — West Feliciana Tourist Commission, LA

Executive Director — Texas Hill Country River Region

Executive Director — Columbus Area Visitors Center, IN

Executive Director — Visit Visalia, CA

President & CEO — Visit Casper, WY

President & CEO — Experience Maple Grove, MN (new DMO)

President & CEO — Visit Greenville, SC

Executive Director — Muncie Visitors Bureau, IN

Executive Director — Manistee County Visitors Bureau, MI

Executive Director / Marketing Director — Taos Ski Valley Chamber of Commerce, NM

President & CEO — Alexandria/Pineville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and Randolph Riverfront Center, LA

Executive Director / Marketing Director — Taos Ski Valley Chamber of Commerce, NM

Executive Director-Diversity — Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, PA

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

Director Black Hospitality Initiatives — Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau

Director — South Padre Island Convention & Visitors Bureau, TX

Vice President of Destination Development & Community Engagement — Visit Albuquerque (new)

Vice President of Sales & Experiences — Bermuda Tourism Authority, NYC (new)

Vice President of Marketing AND Communications & Partner Relations Coordinator — Destination Niagara USA, NY (new)

Vice President of Marketing — Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, IL

Director, Citywide Accounts DC/VA/MD — San Francisco Travel Association

Director of Convention Marketing AND National Account Manager — Travel Portland, OR (new)

Director Partnership & Destination Services — Visit Seattle (new)

Director of Marketing — Tourism Calgary, Alberta, Canada (new)

Brand Manager — Hawaii Tourism Authority (new, closing 6/10)

Marketing Manager – Tourism Sales — New Orleans & Company (new)

Marketing Manager — Visit Omaha (new)

Senior Vice President of Marketing & Communications AND Champion of People & Culture — Destinations International, East coast

Senior Vice President of Sales — Choose Chicago

Senior Vice President — Tulsa Regional Tourism

Executive Vice President — Visit Tucson

Vice President of Sales — San Diego Tourism Authority

Vice President Sales — Visit Albuquerque

Vice President Sales — Visit Wichita

Chief Marketing Officer — Destination Cleveland, OH

Chief Tourism Development Officer — Visit Spartanburg, Inc., SC

Vice President Marketing & PR — City of Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau

Vice President of Marketing AND Creative Services Manager — Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, IL

Vice President Marketing & Communications — Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau, LA

Chief Financial Officer — Visit Cincy, OH

Director of Finance AND Senior Manager Destination Services — Discover The Palm Beaches, FL

Director of Tourism Development — Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County, MD

Director of Business Development — Tourism Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada

Director of Marketing & Development — Elizabeth Destination Marketing Organization, NJ

Director of Digital Marketing & Media Relations — Dayton Convention & Visitors Bureau, OH

Senior Director Partner & Community Engagement AND Senior Director Sports — Travel Lane County, OR

Economic Development Director — Arlington County, VA

Economic Development Specialist — County of Rockland, NY

Tourism Director — City of Carthage, MO

Tourism Director — Walton County Tourism Department, FL

Manager Tourism, Conventions & Events — City of Dallas

Senior Director Marketing Analytics — Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority

Director of Communications — Santa Monica Travel & Tourism, CA

Communications Manager — Visit KC, MO (new)

Communications Manager — Visit San Antonio

Tourism Marketing & Communications Manager — Experience Florida’s Space Coast (new)

Tourism Marketing Manager — Prince William County Dept. of Parks, Recreation & Tourism, VA (new)

Research Project Analyst — Arkansas Tourism (position #18939, deadline 5/20)

Social Media Manager — Visit Eau Claire, WI (new)

Partnership Associate — Meet Minneapolis (new)

Executive Assistant — State of Washington Tourism

Marketing Coordinator — Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, FL

Office Coordinator — Destination Greater Victoria, B.C., Canada

Membership Coordinator — Destinations International, Wash., DC or remote (new)

Manager of Technology & Office Operations — Visit Baltimore

Senior Manager Research AND Social Media Manager AND International Sales Manager AND Executive Meetings Manager AND Graphic Designer AND International Sales Coordinator — Destination DC

Senior B2B Marketing Manager — Rhode Island Commerce

Senior Research Manager AND Marketing Coordinator — Arizona Office of Tourism

Destination Development Manager AND Rural Grants Specialist — State of Nevada Division of Human Resource Management

Visitor Services Program Manager-Custer State Park — State of South Dakota

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

Public Relations Manager — Sonoma County Tourism, CA

Public Relations Manager — Memphis Tourism

Public Relations & Communications Manager — Destination Madison, WI

Marketing Manager-Tourism Sales AND Social Media Content Creator AND Market Research Manager-Convention Sales AND Programming Event Coordinator AND Operations Coordinator AND Marcomm Administrative Assistant AND Convention Sales/Tourism Assistant AND Staff Accountant — New Orleans & Company

Marketing Manager — Visit Pittsburgh

Marketing Manager — City of College Station, TX

Brand Marketing Manager AND Communications Manager AND Content Manager — Visit Napa Valley, CA

Brand Marketing Manager AND Content Manager AND Manager of International Marketing — Visit California

Brand Marketing Manager AND Senior Manager Convention Sales/Southwest + West — Destination Cleveland

Digital Content Manager — Visit Norfolk, VA

Digital Marketing Manager AND Senior Partnership Manager AND Brand Marketing Coordinator AND Convention Sales Coordinator — Visit Greater Palm Springs, CA

Manager Social Media AND Manager European Communications AND Director Talent Acquisition — Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board

Senior Manager Social Media — Visit Florida

Marketing Manager — Fort Myers-Islands, Beaches & Neighborhoods, Lee County, FL

Leisure and Group Tourism Marketing Manager — Albany Convention and Visitors Bureau, GA

Web & Digital Marketing Manager — Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau, MA

Web Marketing Manager AND Citywide Destination Services Manager — Visit Denver

Website Marketing Manager — Colorado Tourism Office

Senior Coordinator Sales & Marketing Operations — Visit Seattle

Social Media & Communications Manager — Visit Sandy Springs, GA

Communications Manager — Visit San Antonio

Communications Manager — Visit Buffalo Niagara, NY

Communications Manager — Visit Carlsbad, CA

Marketing Communications Manager — Explore Gwinnett, GA

Communications Manager — The San Francisco Peninsula (formerly San Mateo/Silicon Valley), CA

Content Manager AND Sales Manager — Travel Oregon

Data Analyst AND Business Analyst — Visit Grand Junction, CO

Marketing Coordinator AND National Account Manager, DC-based AND Convention Services Coordinator — Visit KC, MO

Regional Director of Sales/West Coast — Visit Baltimore

National Accounts Manager/ Midwest-West — Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau

National Account Executive/Chicago-based — Meet Minneapolis

Director Citywide Accounts/DC-based AND Director Citywide Accounts/East Region + International — San Francisco Travel Association

Convention Sales Director — Visit Knoxville, TN

Director of Convention Sales — Visit Jacksonville, FL

Sales Manager AND Digital Marketing Specialist — Visit Detroit

Convention Services Manager AND Convention Services Coordinator AND Guest Services Specialist — Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp

Sales Manager — Discover Lehigh Valley, PA

Sales Manager — Visit Canton, OH

Sales Manager — Council Bluffs Convention & Visitors Bureau, IA

Sales Manager — Discover Lehigh Valley, PA

Sports Sales Coordinator — Midland Chamber of Commerce, TX

Convention Services & Housing Manager AND Sales Assistant/CRM — Visit Cincy, OH

Guest Services Agent — Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority, NV

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

Vice President of Destination Planning — MMGY NextFactor, remote (new)

Senior Vice President — Longwoods International, Midwest or remote

Account Supervisor PR-Travel & Tourism AND PR Account Director — BVK, remote (new)

Account Supervisor — ELMNTL, Dallas (new)

Research Operations Manager — Destination Analysts, remote

Senior Director Public Relations AND Media Buyer — Paradise Advertising & Marketing

Assistant Sales Executive — Development Counsellors International, NYC (new)

Interactive Producer AND Web Developer AND Accessibility Program Director AND Senior Art Director AND Content Manager AND Content Coordinator AND Accessibility Specialist AND Website Quality Assurance Specialist AND Business Analyst AND Advertising Account Manager AND Account Supervisor-Anchorage, Alaska AND Senior Programmatic Media Buyer AND Facebook Ads Manager AND Digital Account Supervisor AND Marketing Automation Specialist AND Ad Operations Manager AND Media Coordinator — Miles Partnership

Graphic Designer — Skift, remote

Marketing Project Manager — Destination Think, Vancouver, B.C., remote West Coast (deadline 5/19)

Deputy Director — Orange County Convention Center, Orlando

General Manager — Lynnwood Convention Center, WA

General Manager — Moscone Center, San Francisco

Senior Manager, Social Media Content — Delta Air Lines, GA (new)

Social Media Manager — Breeze Airways, UT (new)

Social Media Specialist — Willamette Valley Vineyards (new)

Marketing Manager AND Social Media Coordinator — Bovitz, Inc., remote

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

Steal This Idea – Part V and How Visit Philly Achieved +3,000% Via Facebook Live

May 5, 2020 by Laurie Jo Miller Farr Leave a Comment

We’re pleased to re-post a roundup by Matt Stiker, longtime destination marketing expert, published by Skift. “Destinations Meet Darwin: How These 23 US Cities Are Adapting to Survive” covers innovation from Anaheim to Washington DC. To find out how our peers are pivoting and planning for the future, read the DMO roundup here.

Test Your Knowledge: Stay-at-Home tourism marketing ideas are coming in from all over. Visit Belfast is sharing eye-catching images in an effort to harness a renewed civic pride. A Friday Instagram quiz, The Big Belfast, challenges audiences to test their local knowledge; a stream of Twitter posts shares positive news stories; and an engaging Facebook Did You Know? series has been launched to provide a unique opportunity for users and new followers to get directly involved in finding out more about Belfast.

Click for the Visit Rapid City video

Visit Rapid City, land of Mount Rushmore, asks, “What Should the Presidents Do Next?” See George, Thomas, Abe and Teddy wander off the mountain face, trying to stay out of trouble while they’re sheltering-in-place.

Stacie Granum, VP of marketing for the DMO points out that there is an entire series of videos, plus cool coloring pages and a T-shirt contest where locals come up with designs for “Why They ♥ Rapid City.”

Hard to believe that Google Earth, a computer program that renders a 3D images based primarily on satellite imagery, has been around for 19 years. Yet, Puerto Rico is the first destination to use it for live guided tours. Jorge Montalvo from Patria Tours will be hosting a series of three 30-minute live guided tours during National Travel and Tourism Week.

“With nearly 73% of Americans saying they miss travel¹, we want to continue offering travelers ways to vacation virtually,” said Brad Dean, CEO of Discover Puerto Rico. “Through these and other activations we’ve been offering, we’ve not only been able to keep Puerto Rico top of mind, reminding travelers of everything that will be waiting for them when the time is right to travel again, but it’s also given us the opportunity to highlight valued members of the local tourism industry,” he added. [¹ Source: Destination Analysts; Update on Coronavirus’ Impact on American Travel—Week of April 20]

Next best to being there, participants see the island’s natural wonders, head off the beaten path, take in local experiences and cultural offerings and have the ability to interact with the tour guide and ask questions along the way. Tune in at Discover Puerto Rico’s Facebook Page.

The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau has launched #MiamiShines, a campaign to prepare for recovery efforts targeted mainly at local residents. The Miami Shines campaign kicked off with this video and a toolkit in English, Spanish and Creole.

In an interview with CBS Miami, Rolando Aedo, COO, estimates hotels will not be open until June. “As soon as we get the green light, we’ll work backwards to launch the campaign. Advertising, marketing, social media about two weeks prior to re-opening.” As hotels and restaurants open slowly with limited capacity, he said the DMO will first target locals and those within driving distance. “Focus on local, regional, drive market, then key national markets,” explained Aedo. “Easiest customer is our closest.”

Talk about long-range recovery planning…The International Convention of Alcoholics Anonymous is held only once every five years and July 2020 was to be Detroit’s turn. Now cancelled, the convention—which took 10 years to secure—typically attracts more than 50,000 attendees. Metro Detroit CVB cannot make another bid until 2035, says President & CEO Larry Alexander.

Meantime, Travel Michigan VP Dave Lorenz and his team are doing what they can during this time which wold have meant hosting 300,000 visitors for the annual Holland Tulip Festival. Funding for Pure Michigan at $37 million was vetoed by Gov. Whitmer last fall, then reinstated at $16 million in mid-March, only to be withdrawn two weeks later as the COVID-19 crisis usurped the funding.

Pure Michigan just launched “Two Peninsulas, One Pure Michigan” a new community engagement effort that includes billboards donated by media companies. Michiganders can show their state pride with the new slogan on T-shirts available from The Mitten State.com for $28, with $5 from every purchase going to the Michigan Hospitality Industry Employee Relief Fund.

Through the month of May people can participate in the “Be a Tourist in Your Backyard” contest. Samantha Geisler, Sports Marketing & Events Specialist, says just post 10 selfies on any social media channel tagging #VisitNorthPlatte and be entered into a $100 gift card weekly drawing. There are three dozen outdoor locations on the list where signs appear.

North Platte Visitors Bureau in Nebraska launched a contest for locals designed to stimulate spending in shops and restaurants. They got local TV news coverage, too. Simple, right?

A CASE STUDY FROM PHILLY

Arturo Varela, Senior Manager of Public Relations at Visit Philadelphia, shares a success story from the early days of the pandemic.

As destination marketing ground to a halt, Visit Philadelphia borrowed the idea behind a local weekday TV segment and transformed it onto a varied-genre, weekends-only Facebook Live show that has achieved:

24 live shows over five weeks with 685K views
Drawing attention to the city’s COVID-19 Relief Fund
Given a huge platform to Philadelphia chefs, attractions, performers (and animals!) while their businesses are closed or severely curtailed
Kept Visit Philadelphia engaged with audiences
Has become a consistent source of good-news stories

Philly Live Weekends (PLW) debuted Friday, March 27, at the end of week two of Pennsylvania’s stay-at-home order.

PLW hosts have been chefs, musicians, ballet dancers, venue operators, a drag queen, an octopus and a family of giraffes….among others. During every episode, viewers are encouraged to support the PHL COVID-19 Fund, a regional grants program serving at-risk populations.

The show is live-streamed on Facebook, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. It’s a pivot from Philly Live, a 15-minute, weekday lifestyle broadcast that debuted in September as a partnership between Visit Philadelphia and NBC10.

Results in the first month:

3,000% increase (6K new followers) on Facebook, which brought follower numbers to 806,263
24,500 average views/show; approximately two-thirds on facebook.com/visitphilly and one-third on facebook.com/nbcphiladelphia
Incredibly efficient paid content distribution, in addition to organic reach

This week’s programming: A behind-the-scenes tour of the Museum of the American Revolution; Rosy’s Taco Bar demos how to mix the perfect margarita; a presenter from The Franklin Institute makes clouds and a fire tornado, and Chef Mark Twersky of Barclay Prime and Starr Restaurant Group cooks at home. Details here.

Visit Rapid City Case Study: ‘The Amazing Rush’ and the Meeting Planner

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

“How DMOs Use Digital Marketing To Woo Meeting Planners” was delivered to a passionate audience at October’s eTourism Summit, recognizing the need for DMOs to create innovative digital content and targeted campaigns for meeting planners. We featured several of the best: Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Denver, Fort Worth, Park City.

If you missed Day One/Track Three due to the lure of compelling presentations elsewhere, or didn’t attend #eTS16, we’re re-capping Rapid City’s “The Amazing Rush” Case Study. The presentation by Stacie Granum, Director of Marketing at Visit Rapid City and Mya Surrency, Co-founder of Digital Edge, is summarized with results.

Find out how it worked here.

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A CASE STUDY FROM PHILLY

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