Destination Marketing Podcast

In this week’s episode, Adam and Stuart discuss the importance of creating content that resonates with the audience and inspires them to take action. They emphasize the need to prioritize the audience's needs and desires over the DMO's short-term gains and to create an active community by providing value to the audience. Adam and Stuart also discuss the challenges of measuring the impact of owned...

In this week's episode of the Destination Marketing Podcast, we continue our owned media mini-series. Adam Stoker and Stuart Butler discuss the importance of understanding the entire travel journey and the challenges of implementing an owned media strategy. They emphasize the need to focus on the quality of audience experience and content, creating a community around owned media content and balanc...

Welcome to part 3 of the Destination Marketing Podcast mini-series, hosted by Adam Stoker and Stuart Butler. In this episode, the hosts dive deeper into the significance of owned media in destination marketing. They highlight the difference between an audience and a community and stress the importance of cultivating an engaged community to support destination marketing efforts. Drawing from exampl...

This week on the Destination Marketing Podcast, we continue our owned media series with host Adam and special guest, Stuart Butler. In this episode, Adam and Stuart continue to discuss the importance of owned media and storytelling in the tourism industry. They discuss the four major types of media: paid, earned, shared and owned, and why a balanced approach is pivotal for success. They also touch...

On today’s special episode of the Destination Marketing Podcast, join Adam and Stuart Butler, Chief Marketing Officer of Visit Myrtle Beach, as they take a deep dive into the world of owned media. In a new series inspired by their soon-to-be-published book, the duo explores the current marketing philosophy and why so many destinations aren't fully utilizing the power of owned media. The conversati...

Join host Adam Stoker in this episode of the Destination Marketing Podcast as he talks with Jared Price (JP) from Relic about the impact of AI on destination marketing. JP's passion for AI is evident as they discuss the potential impact on humanity, and how Chat GPT, an AI language model, is being used in their agency. Discover the accuracy of Chat GPT responses, the need for specificity in prompt...

Join Adam Stoker on the Destination Marketing Podcast for a unique and fascinating episode featuring ChatGPT, the state-of-the-art AI language model created by OpenAI. Through guest JP's voice, ChatGPT shares valuable insights on various topics related to the tourism industry, including unique destinations, challenges faced by the industry, and the importance of resilience and adaptability. From d...

Today Adam Stoker sits down with Jason Linder, the CEO of Ripe, a company formerly known as RootRez. As a travel and technology company based in Salt Lake City, Utah, RootRez has been helping destination, event, and travel-related websites best connect travelers to lodging partners since 2015. Jason explains how their services can benefit DMOs and offers valuable insights into the importance of ha...

CEO Mo Parikh has pioneered a technology company that is revolutionizing the tourism industry — Bandwango. In this episode, Mo shares his insights on what Bandwango is and how it can help destinations drive visitation. Bandwango's unique technology is making waves by allowing communities to organize things to do into free and paid experiences that integrate directly into websites. This integration...

Listen to an insightful conversation with two dynamic leaders in the tourism industry - Steve Arrison, CEO at Visit Hot Springs, and JR Shaw, Executive Director of Destination Rogers and Executive Vice President of the Rogers-Lowell Chamber. These guests share their expertise and insights on topics like collaborating with nearby destinations to drive visitation, emphasizing the importance of build...

Adam takes the podcast on the road once again at the Arkansas Tourism Conference, speaking with two esteemed guests: Travis Napper, the Director of Tourism at Arkansas Tourism, and Karen Trevino, the President & CEO at North Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau. Travis Napper focused on the importance of the Natural State brand in driving tourism to Arkansas, sharing his insights on how the st...

Lauren Cleland, the Director of Marketing and Data Intelligence at Visit Savannah, discusses a recent successful pop-up event they hosted in New York City. She shares valuable insights into why pop-up events are an effective way to advertise your destination, regardless of its size or budget. She also provides insider tips on how to plan and execute such an event and emphasizes the significance of...

Candace Carr Strauss, VP of Marketing and Communications at the Montana Chamber of Commerce, shares valuable insights about Montana's innovative approach to tourism data collection, which has helped them better understand visitor behaviors and preferences. In this engaging conversation, Candace also discusses the importance of tourism resiliency and how destinations can be better prepared for unex...

Managing Director Patrick Manning to talk about the exciting Black Desert Resort in southern Utah. Joining us today, Manning shares his vision of creating a gathering place that offers endless fun, delicious food, and a vibrant music scene for people of all ages to enjoy. As we delve into the topic, he highlights his goal of offering a unique culinary experience that perfectly complements the reso...

In response to a recent question posed by a listener, social media specialist McKenna Parkinson joins Adam to talk about the Instagram collaboration feature and its impact on social media marketing. McKenna sheds light on how Instagram collaborations can help travel destinations build brand awareness and increase engagement while providing valuable tips for businesses looking to make the most out...

How much do you think popular media such as movies and TV Shows impact tourism? That's one of the questions researched by Melissa Weddell and her team at the University of Montana. Melissa joins Adam on today's episode to talk about how "Yellowstone", Paramount's hit TV show that's filmed in Montana, impacts tourism in the state. Listen to learn more about the show's means for visitation, economic...

What goes into a modern DMO website? Todd O'Leary and Achilles Stravoravdis of Sonoma County Tourism join Adam on this episode to discuss this. For longtime fans of The Travel Vertical Podcast, Todd provides an update on the "Sonoma Sound" project that he talked about with Adam and Laurie Jo Miller Farr in August of 2021. In this episode, you’ll also learn about building websites around user data...

Meegan Winters, Co-Founder and CEO of AbleVu, joins us on the show today to talk all things accessibility. Learn more about the platform and how destinations are utilizing it with their stakeholders to promote accessibility and inclusion within their communities. Meegan and Adam discuss the history of the platform as well as what users can expect in the upcoming years. "One of the characteristics...

What is wellness travel? It's more than yoga retreats and meditative programs. Sahara Rose De Vore — founder of the Travel Coach Network and owner of the WTTM Consulting Group — advocates for the mental, emotional and spiritual health benefits of tourism, drawing from her own extensive travel experience and experiences of the countless vacationers she's spoken with. Having visited 84 countries in...

Diane Charno's background in advertising gives her a unique perspective as vice president of brand and communications at Visit Myrtle Beach. Merging her experiences working with a diverse collection of organizations in the agency world, she now applies it to her destination. Owned media and branded entertainment is proving to be a vital part of their marketing plan, making Myrtle Beach more than a...

Host of iHeart Radio's Speaking of Travel Marilyn Ball talks about tourism marketing today. Once a marketing executive herself, Marilyn shares insights she's gained on the power of positioning and partnering with the perfect agency. Creativity is key, she says, and remembering what potential visitors are looking for is at the center of it all. "I feel the best way is to be your honest, authentic s...

As we look ahead to 2023, it's good to remember what we learned in 2022. This episode is a compilation of our favorite moments last year including destination branding tips, calculating the exact color of a Puerto Rican sunset, and getting bitten by a peacock.  Follow the Destination Marketing Podcast on social media: Instagram Twitter YouTube TikTok If you’re enjoying the show, please leave us a...

This week on the Destination Marketing Podcast, we are gearing up to attend Desticon, a conference for the "destruptors" in the tourism industry. Founder of the event and Co-founder of Destination Innovate, Jennifer Barbee joins us to talk about Desticon and how everyone can get involved. Listen to learn everything you need to know about this year's event, as well as some of Adam and Jenn's hot ta...

As the economy begins to head towards a recession, many companies are cutting down on costs. In times like these, demonstrating your value both as a destination and as an individual becomes invaluable. In the New Year's episode, Adam discusses building a brand, harnessing owned media, and what we can all learn from Kim Kardashian.  "And I think it's more important than ever to take the steps now t...

How can destinations use podcasting to build and maximize their owned media? This is a topic that Adam delves into in a presentation at the eTourism Summit with Stuart Butler and Melea Hames, proud clients of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. "Audio is such a powerful format because it provides the concept of passive consumption, and allows you to tell a much deeper story. [People can lis...