The Travel Vertical

Weekly stories curated exclusively for digital tourism marketers

People On the Move | A New Podcast About DMO Careers | RFPs | 180 Jobs

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P E O P L E

Paul Garcia is returning to San Diego, taking on the role of Director of Communications at the San Diego Tourism Authority. He had previously been in senior executive communications roles at West Hollywood Travel & Tourism, Hong Kong Tourism Board, and Crystal Cruises.

Louisiana Travel Association / Louisiana Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus has appointed Kim Dodd Boasso as President/CEO from January 1, 2023 succeeding Jill Kidder, recently appointed President & CEO at Visit Baton Rouge. She has been advising the Speaker and Speaker Pro Tempore for the Louisiana House of Representatives. She also served as Director of Legislative Affairs in the Office of the Commissioner for the Division of Administration and was a Senior Policy Advisor to Governor Bobby Jindal.

In Texas, Brady Closson has been appointed CEO of Fredericksburg Convention & Visitors Bureau. He joins from a role as Deputy Executive Director of the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau, which he joined in 2014.

In Alberta, Canada, Banff & Lake Louise Tourism announced Janet Eger as the Vice President, Strategic Initiatives & Brand Engagement. She brings more than 20 years’ experience in marketing and communication management with companies including Fairmont Hotels & Resorts.

Visit Tampa Bay welcomes Maggie Webber as its new Director of Partner Development. She joins from Tampa Theatre where she had been VP, Director of Development since 2017. 

Eric Olson has joined Visit Overland Park as Vice President of Sports Tourism and Events. He served most recently as principal for Huddle Up Group, a sports tourism consultancy, as well as Director of Championships for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

In Georgia, Steven Schumacher has been named President of Cartersville-Bartow County Convention & Visitors Bureau. He was previously Director of Sales with Discover Dunwoody, serving also as interim president of that DMO. Schumacher replaces Ellen Archer who recently retired.

Laine Mitchell is the new Partnerships Manager at Visit Oxford, Mississippi. She has been promoted from an administrative role at the DMO.

In West Virginia, Anna Adkins has been promoted from Sales Manager to Director of Sales and Marketing at the Huntington Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. She has been with the DMO since 2013. Visitors Bureau since 2013.

P O D C A S T

Hey, does anyone know a drone pilot? Industry expert Bill Geist, Chief Instigator at DMO Proz, joins us on The Travel Vertical, Episode #37, to talk about the evolution of DMOs and career roles, as well as outsourcing, movement to the private sector, and other trends. For a conversation you won’t want to miss, click here.

R F P s

Southeast Tourism Society is seeking proposals from partner destinations to host two annual educational and networking events. The new deadline for submissions is September 30, 2022. 

Hawaii’s Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) is issuing this Request for Proposals (“RFP”) for Syndicated Tourism Survey Services for Fiscal Years 2023- 2025. The contractor shall provide access to a business intelligence system which includes aggregated data, collected, and compiled by the contractor. Deadline 9/30/2022. More details are found here.

Park City Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau is seeking a full-service agency to provide strategic guidance and creative and media services to develop the Park City Chamber of Commerce and Visit Park City brand and promote tourism, driving overnight visitation while reinforcing Park City’s sustainable tourism initiatives. The agency is required to be  a full-service agency with strong research and strategic planning, creative development, CRM, website design and  development, media and measurement, analytics and content production, with tourism experience. The initial scope of work will be from award date, anticipated as January 2023, through June 2025, with the option of three one-year extensions to be explored later. Proposals are due by 5 p.m. MDT on Sept. 29. Contact: gingerwicks@icloud.com

Joplin, Missouri, a city of more than 50,000 population, wants to hire a firm to complete a “tourism venue needs assessment” plan to serve as a blueprint to attract more visitors.

Bellevue, Washington, home of Amazon and T-Mobile, is looking for a public relations agency that can build awareness of the city and its position as a premier visitor destination.

Chaffee County, Colorado is requesting proposals from tourism marketing agencies that can redesign the county visitors bureau’s website.

Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society is seeking an agency that can provide marketing services for a statewide campaign meant to raise awareness and increase engagement of the state’s parks.

Franklin County, Florida, in the Sunshine State’s panhandle along the Gulf of Mexico, has issued a series of Request for Qualifications for firms that can perform marketing duties for the Franklin County Tourist Development Council.

New York State’s Rockland County plans to hire a firm to promote tourism to the “Gateway to the Hudson Valley” region.

Pine County, Minnesota, home to the Grand Casino Hinckley, is seeking proposals from firms that can devise a new brand, slogan and logo that attracts visitors to the county as well as future businesses and residents.

J O B S

Deputy Executive Director — Commonwealth of Kentucky Cabinet Office of Marketing & Public Affairs — Tourism, Arts and Heritage (closes 9/25/22) 

Global Travel Industry Sales Manager & Regional District Liaison — Connecticut Office of Tourism (new, closes 9/30/22)

Senior Manager Integrated Media — Visit Florida (new)

Manager of International Marketing AND Digital Corporate Communications Manager AND Content Manager AND Public Relations Manager AND Marketing Executive Assistant — Visit California

Social Media Manager — Iowa Tourism Office (new)

International Tourism Manager AND Destination Development Specialist — Virginia Tourism Corporation

Chief Development Officer — Texas Travel Alliance

Digital Marketing Specialist — Travel Wisconsin (new) 

Tourism Marketing Coordinator — South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism (new)

Rural Tourism Program Manager AND Tourism Initiatives Coordinator — Tennessee Department of Tourist Development (new)

Chief Executive Officer — Discover Santa Clara, CA

President — Discover Stillwater, MN 

President & CEO — Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau, MO

President & CEO — Visit Greenville, SC

President & CEO — Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism Bureau, WA

Executive Director — Pacific County Convention & Visitors Bureau, WA

Executive Director — Visit Walla Walla, WA

Executive Director — Visit Bath, VA

Executive Director — Explore Sisters, OR

Executive Director — Visit Bend, OR

Executive Director — Greenwood Convention & Visitors Bureau, MS 

Executive Director — Visit Fergus Falls, MN

Executive Director —  Visit Chico, CA

Executive Director — Visit Gilroy, CA

Executive Director — Downtown Vacaville, CA

Executive Director — Explore Butte County, CA

Executive Director — Wayne County Convention & Visitors Bureau, OH

Executive Director — Great Lakes Sports Commission, MI

Executive Director/CEO — Alexandria/Pineville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, LA

Chief Marketing Officer — Visit Williamsburg 

Director of the Film & Creative Industries Office — Visit Dallas

Senior Vice President of Community Engagement & Public Affairs AND Director Destination & Convention Services AND Public Relations Manager-Meetings AND Events Manager AND Office Coordinator — Visit Seattle

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

Vice President of Brand & Integrated Marketing — Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority

Vice President of Marketing & Communications AND Director of Downtown Initiatives — Experience Fayetteville, AR

Vice President of Business Development AND Director of Marketing AND Events & Engagement Manger AND Public Relations Manager AND Operations Manager AND Content Creator AND Group Service Coordinator AND Office Assistant AND Sales & Marketing Assistant — Explore Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau

Vice President of Finance & Administration — Visit Franklin, TN

Vice President of Sales — Visit Wichita

Senior Director of Human Resources & Culture — Destinations International

Director of Marketing Partnerships (new) AND Director of Media AND Regional Director/Sales Manager AND Senior Video Editor AND Administrative Assistant — NYC & Company

Director of Marketing AND Director of Advocacy & Stewardship — Discover Long Island, NY

Director of Market Research AND Manager of Visitor Services — Meet Minneapolis

Director of Tourism, Sports & Entertainment — City of Boston

Director of Community Relations — Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau, CA

Director of Destination Management — Visit Mankato, MN

Director of Tourism Partnerships — One Spartanburg, Inc., SC (new)

Deputy Director of Marketing — Destin-Fort Walton Beach, FL

Deputy Director of Tourism — Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau, FL 

Director of Community Engagement & Destination Stewardship — Glacier Country Regional Tourism Commission, MT

Director of Destination Services AND Administrative Manager Sales & Services AND Event Manager AND Event Coordinator — Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau

Communications Director AND Visitor Specialist/Executive Assistant — New Smyrna Beach Visitors Bureau, FL (new)

Digital Marketing & Content Manager — Crystal Coast Tourism Development Authority, NC

Interactive Media Coordinator — City of Orlando-Downtown Development Board/Community Redevelopment Agency (new)

Senior Manager Global Trade Development-Americas AND Coordinator Integrated Marketing AND Senior Coordinator Branding & Design AND Senior Coordinator Campaign Management AND Senior Coordinator Global Trade Development AND Coordinator Global Trade Development AND Executive Assistant to the President & CEO — Brand USA

Advertising & Graphic Marketing Manager — Visit Winston-Salem, NC

Digital Content Developer — Visit Bloomington, IN (new)

Partnership Engagement Manager — Destination Madison, WI

Event Manager — Visit Detroit (new)

Event Manager — Explore St. Louis (new)

Senior Manager-PR & Communications AND Public Relations Manager AND Digital Marketing Manager— Visit Lauderdale

Marketing Manager AND Media Relations Manager — Choose Chicago

Marketing Manager AND Digital Web Manager AND Digital Content Manager — Visit Philadelphia (new)

Strategic Marketing Manager — Visit Mesa, AZ

Director of Communications AND Sports Development Manager AND Executive Assistant — Visit Corpus Christi, TX

Public Relations Manager — Visit Panama City Beach, FL

Public Relations Manager — Visit Santa Barbara, CA

Communications Manager — Sonoma County Tourism, CA

Communications Manager — Santa Monica Travel & Tourism, CA

Communications Specialist — Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (new)

Contract Content Creator — Visit York County, SC (deadline 10/1/22)

Communications Manager AND Marketing Communications Specialist AND Sports Marketing & Sales Event Coordinator AND National Sales Manager AND IT Support Specialist — Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau

Public Relations Specialist — Experience Columbus, OH

Destination Marketing Manager — Destination Bryan, TX

Sports Sales Manager — Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau

Sales & Services Manager — Visit Oakland

Partnerships Manager AND Membership Manager AND Communications Coordinator AND Tourism & Visitor Services Specialist AND Senior Manager In-House Group Sales AND Convention Services Manager (new) — Destination DC

Business Analyst AND Data Scientist AND Data Analyst — Visit Grand Junction, CO

Coordinator Sales & International Tourism — Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau

Tourism Marketing & Engagement Specialist — Meadowlands Chamber, NJ

Membership Engagement Specialist — Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, MA

Marketing Coordinator — Discover Central Massachusetts

Visitor Services Manager — Visit Billings, MT

Retail Sales Manager — Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, NC

Senior National Accounts Director AND Digital Design Specialist — Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau

Senior National Sales Manager-Medical — Experience Rochester, MN

National Sales Manager — Explore Scottsdale

Regional Director of Sales-West Coast — Visit Baltimore

Corporate Citywide Sales Manager AND Mid-Market Sales Manager AND Marketing Coordinator — Visit Denver

International Account Manager AND National Account Director AND Executive Assistant Project Manager — Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau

Director of Sales — Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau, GA

Director of National Accounts — Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau, TX

Director of Group Sales — Visit Vancouver, WA

Sales Manager — Greater Lansing Convention & Visitors Bureau, MI

Executive Office Manager — Visit Napa Valley, CA (new)

Vice President Marketing — Tourism Ireland, NYC (new)

Vice President of Sales — Bermuda Tourism Authority, NYC

Director PR, North America AND Director of Business Events — Tourism Australia, Los Angeles (new)

Senior Manager Marketing — Hong Kong Tourism Board, Los Angeles

Manager Meetings & Events, Americas — Singapore Tourism Board, San Francisco

 Vice President of Marketing and Industry Relations — Arrivalist (new)

Director of Strategic Partnerships AND Engagement Manager (new) — Simpleview

Client Success Specialist — Bandwango (new)

Vice President, Group Manager-Travel, Hospitality & Leisure AND Senior Account Executive-Travel — Ketchum, NYC

Senior Account Executive-Travel & Tourism — Turner Public Relations, NYC

Senior Business Development Manager-Media Sales — Expedia Group Media Solutions, Boston or Wash., DC (new)

Platforms Project Manager AND Accessibility Program Manager AND Marketing Analyst AND Account Manager AND Partner Programs Operations Manager AND Studio Administrator — Miles Partnership (new)

Account Executive (fluent Mandarin) — MMGY Global, San Francisco (new)

Account Executive — Advance Travel & Tourism

Website Developer — Paradise Advertising and Marketing (new)

Product Marketing Manager — Sojern

From Jeopardy to the NFL: DMOs In the News

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D M O s

Liam Mayclem, KCBS; Amy Schneider; Kumasi Aaron, ABC7; and Peter Gamez, Visit Oakland

Oakland, California salutes Jeopardy! champion Amy Schneider. She won the hearts of television fans with her 40-game winning streak last year and now she’s won the heart of her city. September 7 was officially declared “Amy Schneider Day.” Peter Gamez, President & CEO of Visit Oakland, and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf applauded Amy to commemorate the occasion, with the mayor tweeting that the publicly transgender local resident has “made our city proud” as the “winningest woman and second-longest winning streak ever” on Jeopardy!

State of Washington Tourism will be holding its first state tourism conference in over a decade. Scheduled for Oct. 11-12, 2022 at the Seattle Airport Hilton, travel expert (and state resident since middle school), Rick Steves is the keynote speaker.

A chef prepares a salad at Rooster and the Till, a restaurant listed in the new guide. (Photo: Courtesy of Visit Tampa Bay)

Florida is on the menu. The first-ever 2022 Florida Michelin Guide is now published online. It features 118 restaurants, including 29 tagged as Bib Gourmand, or “worth a detour,” and 15 that earn a Michelin star. One restaurant, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Miami’s Design District, earned two stars. With support from Visit Florida, three desinations —Miami, Tampa, and Orlando—join the shortlist of U.S. cities covered by the prestigious guide. “Our cuisine is a huge part of who we are,” said Dana Young, CEO of Visit Florida. “The launch of the Michelin Guide in Florida is fantastic news for our state.”

John Poole, executive director of Experience Kissimmee Sports Commission; DT Minich, Experience Kissimmee president & CEO; and Henry Hodgson, NFL UK managing director. (Photo via Experience Kissimmee)

Experience Kissimmee has been named as the Official Travel Destination of the NFL London Series in the first partnership of its kind.

Kissimmee will have exclusive branding for the games on October 2 (Minnesota vs. New Orleans); October 9 (New York Giants vs. Green Bay Packers); and October 30 (Denver Broncos vs. Jacksonville Jaguars.) The first two games will be at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium while the third game is at Wembley Stadium.

As a six-year partnership with the Premier League’s West Ham United ended this spring, Experience Kissimmee and the Kissimmee Sports Commission started exploring the chance to have a new international presence.

On October 13, Visit Lauderdale will be unveiling their new brand campaign and 2023 marketing plan.

New Agency of Record Alerts:

Henderson County Tourism Development Authority, in North Carolina, (Visit Hendersonville) has appointed Paradise Advertising & Marketing.

Periscope, a full-service advertising agency, announced a three-year engagement as the official creative agency of record for Meet Minneapolis, securing its first venture into the tourism space.

Space Coast Office of Tourism announced sales and marketing representation in Europe and the UK in collaboration with Tricia Henson Consulting, based in Orlando. The representation will concentrate on travel trade marketing, sales and public relations activities in the key European markets of the United Kingdom and Ireland; German-speaking Europe (Germany, Switzerland, Austria), and The Netherlands.

Visit Tampa Bay announced its an agreement with AVIAREPS to represent the destination in the key markets of Colombia and Mexico. This new relationship creates new opportunities for co-op marketing with key trade partners and airlines and consumer-direct advertising through online travel agencies, airlines and media. 

Cabarrus County, North Carolina, 20 minutes north of Charlotte, has unveiled new branding. The Cabarrus County Convention & Visitors Bureau held a ribbon-cutting on August 24 at the visitor center in Concord to officially introduce “Explore Cabarrus” (with the emphasis on “us”). The branding also includes the tagline “There’s More to Us.”

The Vikings have landed. It was the maiden voyage for the five-deck ship, the first in many years built specifically for cruising on the Mississippi River. “We can’t wait to welcome Viking Cruise Lines to their new port city of Alton,” said Cory Jobe, President/CEO of the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau. The 450-foot-long ship has five decks, 193 rooms that can accommodate 386 guests and 148 crew members. Viking Cruises operates nearly 100 river and ocean going vessels; this was the first of four visits to Alton, Illinois this year. Additional and extended port calls are planned for 2023 – 2024. Jobe said the other two cruise lines, American Queen Voyages and American Cruise Line, have had an economic impact in the region of almost $7 million.

Leah Chandler, Xiomara Rodriguez Santana Hadassha Santiago Rosado from Discover Puerto Rico and Bettina Garibaldi, Ketchum

At the annual SATW (Society of American Travel Writers) convention in Bogotá, Colombia last week, Discover Puerto Rico announced they will serve as the host for 2023.

Roundup: Unexpected News, a Jumbo Typo, and More Tourism News

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Unexpected News

Hack attack: In the wee hours in the morning of July 7, Disneyland‘s Twitter and Instagram accounts posted a mixture of racial slurs, calls for violence, and foul language. The posts went up prior to 5 a.m. and were quickly removed, but not before they went out to Disneyland’s 1.5 million followers on Twitter and 8.4 million followers on Instagram. Source: USAE News

“Take a look at the new design for Boom Supersonic’s Overture, which will be manufactured and assembled right here in North Carolina.” The world’s fastest airliner is optimized for speed, safety, and sustainability. The design was revealed this week in the U.K. at Farnborough International, the world’s largest airshow, where the Concorde debuted 51 years ago. Sources: Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina and Boom

SAG-AFTRA, the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, has announced a new influencer agreement that allows anyone paid to advertise products via their individual social media platforms to be covered by the union. The new agreement categorizes “influencer-generated branded content” as a form of advertising; SAG-AFTRA members doing that type of video and/or audio work will qualify for health and pension benefits. Producers of still images are not covered. Previously, the union had covered advertising done by YouTubers. This new influencer agreement takes it further to cover advertising work across all social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Source: Backstage.com

Starting Nov. 1, 2022, employers advertising jobs in New York City must include a “good faith salary range,” showing minimum and maximum salary for every job, promotion, and transfer opportunity advertised. The new law applies to employers having four or more employees (including owners) in any location, in NYC or elsewhere. Fact sheet here.

TikTok has started laying off employees as part of a global restructuring. Several U.S.-based employees had their roles eliminated, including the brand’s Monetization Product Leader. Sharing the news, David Ortiz indicated that 2.5 years ago, he had been TikTok’s first hire outside of China. Source: Ad Age

Yikes, BA.5! The County of Los Angeles is expected to reinstate an indoor mask mandate to take effect July 29, unless there’s a sudden turnaround in Covid tracking metrics. It would apply to indoor shops, offices, events, schools and more. The order would be rescinded once case levels begin to drop again.

Also, indoor mask mandates are already reinstated at several important national parks: Denali, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Yosemite. 

The Federal Reserve Board has recommended exploring government-managed digital currency. Called CBDC, for central bank digital currencies, these are legally recognized currencies that allow customers access to digital tokens without a commercial bank account. This would be “faster and cheaper,” says the Federal Reserve for consumers to move funds without a middleman. Dozens of other countries are examining or already developing CBDC setups.

Costa Rica has been recognized as one of the happiest countries on Earth by the Gallup World Index and the Happy Planet Index. Now, they take digital nomad to the next level. President Rodrigo Chaves Robles has finalized the regulations for the Digital Nomads Law (Law No.10,008). This was the final step required to implement the new law, which allows foreign remote workers and their families to reside in Costa Rica for a term of one year, extendable to two years in total. Benefits include no income tax or import tax on job-related equipment. Applicants must have a minimum income of $3,000 USD per month or $4,000 if traveling with a family.

In France, several heavily visited natural sites are sounding the alarm; some villages and sites in rural France are putting caps on the number of tourists. France 24 reports, “The signs of overtourism are everywhere: overflowing rubbish bins, hollowed-out hiking trails from so much foot traffic, more-frequent landslides, up to 400 kg of pebbles a day carried away from the beaches.”  

The lost luggage mountain grew so big that Delta Air Lines sent an empty plane to London Heathrow Airport to fetch 1,000 misplaced bags. Delta said it took the ‘creative solution’ and pledges, “We will then forward the bags on to our customers.”

Red alert. London was hotter than the Caribbean and the Sahara Desert this week. Temperatures climbed to 40º Celsius — that’s 104º Fahrenheit — and people were urged to stay off the Underground. Central London = deserted. Note: Air conditioning is simply *not a thing* in most homes and offices throughout the U.K. and (editorial comment) The Queen’s Guard should not have to stand at attention wearing 19-inch tall bearskin hats, heavy-as-weights marching boots, and buttoned up woolen costumes!

Speaking of England, there’s now a ticket landing page for the new permanent Princess Diana – Tribute Exhibition due to open in August 2022, which will actually be located in Las Vegas. (!?!) The 10,000-square-foot royal exhibit will assume long-term residency inside The Shops at Crystals on the Las Vegas Strip.  

Start your engines…Chicago is making sports history with NASCAR! 🏎️🙌

The thrilling sport is coming to downtown Chicago on July 1-2, 2023 when a NASCAR Cup Series street race debuts against the backdrop of Lake Michigan and Grant Park. OK!

Jumbo Typo

It’s from 2018, but it’s making the rounds again

More Tourism News

President & CEO of Visit Milwaukee Peggy Williams-Smith

Milwaukee has been selected by the site committee to host the 2024 Republican National Convention. The decision still needs to be voted on by the party at its August summer meeting; Nashville was the other finalist. There are three potential blocks of dates for the event in July or August of 2024, with that decision expected by the end of this year. It’s projected the RNC will bring roughly 45,000 attendees from around the USA and up to $200 million in economic impact.

Got plans for July 14 – July 30, 2028? The Los Angeles organizing committee has announced the dates for the Olympics Summer Games. The LA28 Paralympic Games will kick off August 15 and close August 27. This is the third time for the city as Olympics host, including 1932 and 1984, and the first time for the Paralympics.

According to the latest Longwoods International tracking study of American travelers, 44% say they are reducing the number of trips and shifting to destinations closer to home because of record-high prices at the pump. This figure is up from 36% in May. Only 12% surveyed said that rising gas prices are not impacting their travel plans. “Fuel costs continue to be a drag on the travel industry recovery,” said Amir Eylon, President and CEO of Longwoods International.

Last week, nearly 500 tourism-related organizations and associations signed a letter to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and National Park Service Director Chuck Sams III to urge action on an improved reservations system for the NPS. The letter described short booking windows as a major deterrent, threatening to stall the recovery of international inbound tourism. International visitors represented 35% of all U.S. national park visitation in 2019.

(Photo — At Presidio Tunnel Tops in San Francisco where 14 acres has been added to an urban national park, a former military base, by sinking a portion of highway near the Golden Gate Bridge. The project lead was James Corner Field Operations of the High Line in NYC. Twenty years in the making, $98 million was raised in private funds.)

Tourism Ireland staff beside a Green Button ad in NYC.
(Credit: Tourism Ireland, James Higgins)

“Swap skylines for coastlines,” says Tourism Ireland. Aiming for 54 million impressions, the ‘Press the Green Button’ campaign has been rolled out in the USA on major television networks in key gateway cities: New York, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington DC, San Francisco and Los Angeles plus streaming services: Hulu, WarnerMedia, YouTube TV, Sling TV and Discovery+. Outdoor in New York, Boston and Chicago includes wrapped trains and subways.

Photo: Visit Tampa Bay

“Bay Crafted” is a relaunch of Visit Tampa Bay‘s successful campaign and trail focused on craft breweries and craft cocktails. Turns out there’s 130 years of beer culture in Tampa. Check it out on the landing page.

Graze Soul Bowl (Credit: John Yuccas, courtesy of Meet Minneapolis)

Meet Minneapolis joins the city in celebrating the second annual Black Business Week July 25 – 31 prior to National Black Business Month in August. Several entrepreneurs opened businesses recently in Minneapolis, adding to a thriving community of Black-owned restaurants, shops, and arts organizations that will easily fill a visitor’s itinerary. These new businesses are all striving to bring equity and empowerment to the community they serve through social enterprise efforts and sustainability.

The “Road to PTO” quiz and a recent poll from Samsonite, conducted online by The Harris Poll among 800 US adults, found that while 65% of full-time employees agree that they urgently need a vacation, 72% have used less than half of their vacation days for the year. Also, 20% of full-time employees say they do not have any paid vacation days scheduled for the next three months. 

Rhode Island has enacted new Tourism Improvement District legislation. “Seeking to provide a stable solution for the industry, Kristen Adamo and the team at Go Providence teamed up with Representative Lauren Carson of Newport to pass the Tourism Improvement District enabling legislation for all municipalities in Rhode Island,” reports Civitas. “As the first state to enact statewide enabling TID legislation in 2022, Rhode Island follows the 2021 TID Laws passed in Massachusetts, Virginia, and Louisiana.” 

L to R: Chef Matthew Kammerer, The Harbour House Inn; Royce Chwin, President & CEO, Destination Vancouver; Kennedy Stewart, Mayor of Vancouver; Gwendal Poullennec, International Director, MICHELIN Guides; The Michelin Man (CNW Group/Destination Vancouver)

Destination Vancouver and Michelin announced the MICHELIN® Guide Vancouver, the latest expansion of the MICHELIN Guide. Vancouver joins Toronto as the only MICHELIN Guide destinations in Canada. In the USA are New York City, San Francisco, Washington DC, Chicago, California, and Tampa/Miami/Orlando.

“The MICHELIN Guide is constantly observing the evolution of culinary destinations around the world. Michelin works with Destination Marketing Organizations, or tourism boards, to promote the travel industry in the respective locations; however, the MICHELIN Guide selections process remains completely independent. While selections remain fully independently determined by Michelin inspectors, Michelin is working with Destination Vancouver on marketing and promotion activities only.”

Hawaii Tourism Authority: Trouble in Paradise. Plus DMO News From Vegas, Memphis, NOLA, Tampa, and Connecticut.

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Trouble in Paradise

As reported in The Travel Vertical [June 7, 2022] Hawaii Visitor and Convention Bureau lost its multi-year, multi-million contract with Hawaii Tourism Authority for the first time in its 100-year history. Now, the bureau has filed a formal protest regarding the $100 million award going to newcomer Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement.

The contract is for the bulk of Hawaii’s tourism marketing, including its mainland USA brand management as well as global support services.

A popular local website, Beat of Hawaii, reports: “Here’s the unprecedented chain of events. HVCB first received the official nod for another multi-year contract. Thereafter, the current winner, CNHA, which again appears to have no marketing or hospitality experience based on their website, contested the award. Subsequently, the State of Hawaii rescinded the award. A second RFP was created, and this time, the loser became the winner.”

There’s a lot more to it and according to this coverage, “heads are going to roll over this” and that “This will be going on for months, if not longer. Even after that, the administrative review can then be appealed in state court. It looks like time for the parties to lawyer-up.” To read more: “Hawaii to Air $100M Dirty Travel Marketing Laundry.”

Elvis: We’re All Shook Up

Presley himself got married to Priscilla in Las Vegas in 1967, cementing his association with Vegas weddings. The Las Vegas wedding industry generates $2.5 billion a year and employs thousands. Lynn Marie Goya, Clark County Clerk, who led a marketing campaign promoting Las Vegas as a wedding destination, said the order for chapels to stop using Elvis couldn’t have come at a worse time for the sector, per Travel Weekly. “We are the No. 1 wedding destination in the world. We celebrated our 5 millionth wedding earlier this year. Obviously, Elvis is part of a big portion of that draw.” One venue, Graceland Wedding Chapel, performs 6,400 Elvis-themed weddings per year.

In May, Authentic Brands Group, a company that had purchased the intellectual property associated with the rock ‘n’ roll icon in 2013, issued cease and desist letters demanding that chapels stop using Elvis’ image and likeness. The company said it will halt unauthorized use of “Presley’s name, likeness, voice image, and other elements of Elvis Presley’s persona in advertisements, merchandise and otherwise.” The letter also said “Elvis,” “Elvis Presley,” “and “The King of Rock and Roll” are protected trademarks. By June, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, ABG clarified things by indicating they’d be open to partnerships rather than legal action.

Elvis: Memphis & the Movie

Summer is a time for blockbuster films. While “ELVIS” was filmed entirely in Australia, Memphis is looking for a boost. Indicating that the DMO never stopped promoting the destination to international markets during the pandemic, Memphis Tourism CEO Kevin Kane said, “We are so excited about this ‘Elvis’ movie, we think it will be a billboard for people to want to come to Memphis and to experience Graceland for themselves.”

Now, with COVID-19 restrictions loosened both locally and internationally for visitors,  Kane believes the city is in a prime position to reap the rewards of its work during the pandemic.

“I couldn’t be more excited to see that Baz Luhrmann’s latest film, “ELVIS,” with stars Austin Butler and Tom Hanks, is officially out! At the Memphis movie premiere, I had a chance to catch a sneak peek of the film, and I can say that you will not be disappointed. Luhrmann does a great job recreating all the historic places throughout Memphis that attracts visitors from around the world, including Elvis’ home Graceland, The Beauty Shop Restaurant, Beale Street, Sun Studio, The Arcade, and so many around. See the film today and then come to Tennessee to live the legacy!” — Mark Ezell, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development

Tourism University in NOLA

New Orleans & Company has reinstated its Tourism University educational series after having to skip it for three years. Members are invited to hear from the team: Kim Priez, SVP of Tourism Sales; Mark Romig, CMO; Jeremy Cooker, VP of Marketing; and Fran McManus, Travel Media Manager with Miles Partnership. They share information on opportunities that include the DMO’s COOLinary New Orleans restaurant program, Holidays New Orleans Style, and advertising on NewOrleans.com, in publications and consumer newsletters.

“Our restaurants, hotels, music clubs and venues, and attractions help make New Orleans the Culture Capital of the South,” said Mark Romig. “Tourism University is a great opportunity for our organization to meet face-to-face with members and share with them the ways in which New Orleans & Company showcases the value our members bring to the hospitality industry.” 

Travel Agent Academy by Visit Tampa Bay

Visit Tampa Bay has expanded its popular Travel Agent Academy with the addition of Spanish and German language options. The updated program also includes multicultural tourism, LGBTQ+ and accessibility travel modules.

With each training module, specialists explore and learn about the destination’s unique experiences, world-class attractions, arts & culture, highly rated restaurants, luxury hotel developments, and more. Since launching in 2020, the program has enrolled over 3,800 travel agents and tour operators with an average conversion rate of enrollment to completion over 50% each month. Graduates of the Travel Agent Academy receive certification and are eligible to continue to earn additional education credits.

“Since the start of the year, we’ve welcomed our international travelers back in great numbers,” says President & CEO of Visit Tampa Bay, Santiago C. Corrada. “The expansion of the Travel Agent Academy allows us to continue to teach more agents how to promote Tampa Bay as Florida’s leading destination to reach larger groups of visitors.”

Connecticut: Find Your Vibe

Connecticut Office of Tourism is the first state to partner with the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA). “Every person has the right to be themselves, free of discrimination, fear, and prejudice, and we’re committed to sharing those values with all who live, work, and play in Connecticut,” said Gov. Ned Lamont. Connecticut Office of Tourism Director Noelle P. Stevenson said, “The LGBTQ+ community has always been an integral part of Connecticut’s fiber and the state’s tourism industry, and we’re putting that message front and center all year round in everything we do.”

The state recently launched a multi-million-dollar campaign titled “Find Your Vibe” to highlight Connecticut’s vibrant culture, featuring inclusive imagery and content on the website, plus a permanent LGBTQ+ section.

Take Five: Discover Flagstaff, Visit Tampa Bay, Visit Big Sky, Visit Panama City Beach, Travel Superior

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As a source of destination inspiration, we look at five diverse DMOs doing different things as they explore and explain the impact of tourism.

Discover Flagstaff

screen shot, Discover Flagstaff

Astrotourism: To further amplify Flagstaff and its position as the world’s first Dark Sky City in 2001, Discover Flagstaff has teamed with non-profit Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition, to offer a non-fungible token (NFT) photo collection named “A Night in Flagstaff.”

There are “70 images for $700 each from 7,000 feet,” each minted as a one-of-a-kind, moment-in-time capturing the star-filled skies over Flagstaff’s Buffalo Park, a location less than two miles from City Hall.

Each image is a 20-second exposure, the first taken beginning at 19:53 February 5, 2022 MST and the last beginning at 21:02 MST. The view is toward the north-northwest, including the iconic skyline of the San Francisco Peaks, the highest point in Arizona at 12,637 feet.

Proceeds from the NFT sales will support the Northern Arizona EONS (Eyes on Night Skies) research program, an effort to measure and monitor sky brightness.

Visit Tampa Bay

“Meet the Fenways from Boston,” suggests the explainer video in the first of three tourist examples.

“Every day, thousands visit Tampa Bay, and with so many ways to play, they each hunt for treasure in their own special way. Yet, they all have one thing in common: everywhere they go, they break out their loot and are happy to pay. So how do we calculate the total impact of tourism to our region? The answer goes much deeper than you think. Come along as we Measure the Treasure for three different visits to Tampa Bay.”

“How Tampa Bay Measures the Treasure” is a fun animation presented by Visit Tampa Bay in 3:16 mins.

Visit Big Sky

Reporting from Montana on another DMO looking to shift from marketing to management. “As Big Sky has grown, we’re hitting a capacity issue,” said Brad Niva, CEO of the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce and Visit Big Sky.  “All of our hotels are full, our restaurants are full [and] lift lines are longer. …our shift…doesn’t mean we stop marketing, but we do need to continue to communicate with our visitors and so to educate them about how to be a good visitor.”

images: Visit Big Sky

Some of that communication will come in the form of new wayfinding signage which Niva said is currently being updated as well as the new “Love Big Sky Like a Local” education campaign which gives tourists tips on how to be respectful. — Source: Explore Big Sky

Visit Panama City Beach

Panama Beach City features elevated boardwalks and wheelchair rentals for travelers with mobility issues.
(photo via Cory Lee, Visit Panama City Beach)

Visit Panama City Beach has unveiled the “Fun.For.All.” campaign to put the spotlight on the destination’s accessible travel options. Accessible travel is a top priority for our destination and community,” said Visit Panama City Beach President and CEO Dan Rowe.

Launched in tandem with National Mobility Awareness Month, the initiative aligns with the Visit Florida “Limitless Florida” campaign promoting accessible statewide resources and activities.

Panama City Beach provides travelers with elevated boardwalks, beach wheelchair rentals, accessible fishing piers, accessible attractions and accommodations, and a considerable number of restaurants with wheelchair ramps and spacious dining area. For visitors with speech, hearing or vision impairments, the Bay Town Trolly provides sign language interpreters and documents in Braille upon request. It is also wheelchair accessible and service animal friendly.

Great Lakes, Wisconsin

Travel Superior in Wisconsin says it all. The DMO on the Great Lakes gets back to basics with a campaign simply labeled, “Remember Fun?”

The six-week campaign that runs through June and includes radio, billboard, magazine, newspaper, digital, web and social media advertising aimed at Twin Cities and Eau Claire 25-49 year olds with young families.

“We’re looking forward to a summer of strong activity among additional travelers who may not have felt comfortable going on vacation the past couple of years,” said Taylor Pedersen, president and CEO of Travel Superior.

Travel Superior

Staff

Laurie Jo Miller Farr, Editor
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