Destination Marketing Podcast

On today’s episode of The Destination Marketing Podcast, Adam talks to Ryan Starks, the executive director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity and Kevin Smith, the president and CEO of Tuacahn Amphitheater. Ryan discusses his journey from Heber Valley to the Governor’s Office and how he was able to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic while still being new on the job. The conversation then...

Earl B. Hunter, Jr., the founder and president of Black Folks Camp Too, sits down with Adam for today’s episode recorded at the Utah Tourism Conference. Earl discusses the importance of diversity and inclusion in the outdoor industry and details the educational opportunities his company offers. Later in the episode, Earl also gives some tips on public speaking and how he’s been able to captivate h...

Live from the Utah Tourism Conference in St. George, UT, the Greater Zion Convention and Tourism Office Director Brittany McMichael joins Adam to discuss her journey to her current role and being the host destination for this year’s conference. The two also dive into the rapid growth of Southern Utah and how things have changed throughout Brittany's time with the organization. Brittany also talks...

On this week’s episode of The Destination Marketing Podcast, Adam is joined by returning guest Will Seccombe. Having gone through a recent career change, Will gives us an update on his new role at Intentful and how he’s been focusing on AI and content creation over the past several months. He talks about a project he’s been working on called “Undiscovered America,” a television show highlighting d...

Wes Rhea, the CEO of Visit Stockton, joins Adam on today's episode to talk about his destination and partnering with Relic to create This is Stockton. Wes elaborates on the benefits of catering your destination podcast to locals and the overall merit of audio content. Wes also discusses the value of being an early adopter when it comes to emerging technology and how that has helped Visit Stockton....

In this week’s episode of The Destination Marketing Podcast, Adam sits down with Troy Hughes from Lime Media to talk about how tourism destinations can take advantage of experiential marketing tactics. They discuss Lime Media's services, including customizing vehicles for brand activations, tracking data, measuring ROI and the importance of creativity in creating memorable experiences. “We're a pl...

On this special episode of the Destination Marketing Podcast, Adam sits down with the founder and CEO of Crowdriff, Dan Holowack. They discuss how Crowdriff has transformed the destination marketing industry through user-generated content. They also explore why destinations have seen tremendous organic growth on social media by letting local creators tell the story through short-form video. Adam a...

On today’s episode of the Destination Marketing Podcast, Adam sits down with Darren Rudloff, principal at Rudloff Solutions. Darren's extensive background in the destination marketing industry makes him the perfect guest to talk about why it’s so important to base your advertising campaigns on research. He and Adam discuss why so many destinations miss the mark and how potential mistakes can be re...

On today's episode, Craig and Kathleen Davis join Adam to talk about the Destination Leadership course that they teach as a part of Destinations International's CDME certification. They emphasize the importance of learning to become an effective leader and how it can improve both work and life for all involved. The conversation later goes into how their experiences have led them to grow as leaders...

Heather Larson, the president and CEO of Meet Chicago Northwest, joins Adam on today's episode to talk about her background and how she got into tourism after leaving the workforce to be a stay-at-home mom. Adam and Heather also talk about the Chicago Bears and their potential new stadium in Arlington Heights, a northwestern suburb of Chicago. Listen in for a discussion on the pros and cons of thi...

On today's episode of The Destination Marketing Podcast, Adam sits down with Nizar Moosa of Destination Markham. Nizar talks about the process of creating a destination strategic plan for Markham and some of the things he has learned along the way. He discusses the need for solid data, updating their CRM system, and fostering collaboration among stakeholders. “The best part is that this document i...

In this week's episode of The Destination Marketing Podcast, Adam interviews Stacie Granum, the Chief Strategy Officer at Visit Rapid City. They discuss destination stewardship and the steps that Visit Rapid City has taken to improve its community and tourism economy. Stacie emphasizes the importance of involving the community in the destination planning process and shares how they changed the ter...

The chief marketing officer of Visit Panama City Beach, Jayna Leach, joins Adam to discuss inclusivity in destinations. She shares the positive changes she has seen in her destination because of its “Fun for All” campaign, an inclusive initiative that prioritizes accessibility and fun for all. She also touches on the power of influencers and how to incorporate them into your marketing strategy. "I...

Executive Director Nichole Farley of Explore Butte County joins Adam to delve into the concept of working with your community — and the power of having a seat at your destination’s table. They discuss why destinations struggle to get locals to see value in the DMO, and what destination marketers can do to fix that perception. "I would say, as a young professional in the industry, don't be afraid t...

Melyssa Reeves, CEO of Visit Vacaville and soon-to-be President of DMA West, joins Adam to explore her journey through the tourism industry. They touch on her highlights at Visit Vacaville, her upcoming role at DMA West and the importance of nurturing industry relationships. DMA West “...It was kind of a scary proposition, but has turned out to be one of the greatest things that I’ve been able to...

Amir Eylon, the president and CEO of Longwoods International, joins Adam for today's episode. Amir talks about what he's seeing in the travel industry according to Longwoods International's data and he also touches on generative AI and its potential use as a travel-planning tool. Longwoods International "[In the US] we’re still seeing record-level pent-up demand. Nine out of ten American travelers...

Don Welsh, the president and CEO of Destinations International, sat down with Adam at Annual Convention for a catch-up on all things DI. Find out which issues and topics the organizations will focus on this year, as well as what Don’s most excited about when it comes to Annual Convention. Destinations International “...Nothing replaces the importance of our people in this industry being together,...

In this episode of The Destination Marketing Podcast, Adam sits down with Renée Areng, President and CEO of Explore Brookhaven, Georgia. Renée details the process of putting together a brand from scratch and how they launch it amid the coronavirus pandemic. She talks about some of the challenges they faced and why working with an expert in the field helped them to build a better brand. Explore Bro...

On this week’s episode of The Destination Marketing Podcast, Adam takes the show on the road to the Destinations International Annual Convention. He is joined by Chad Kearns, Vice President and Lead Practitioner at Fired Up Culture, to talk about the importance of culture in organizations. They discuss how culture starts with relationships and communication - not just values displayed on a wall. T...

Barbara Karasek, CEO and Co-Owner of Paradise Advertising joins Adam on this episode of the Destination Marketing Podcast to talk about her experience stepping into a leadership role at an advertising agency. Adam and Barbara also discuss how they anticipate change with the rise of generation alpha into the workforce and why it’s critical to keep this demographic in mind.  “For those destination m...

Ryan Jones, the director of digital marketing at Relic, joins Adam to discuss the many ways destinations can leverage digital marketing. They explore the importance of creating compelling content that resonates with the target audience and discuss how to optimize SEO to boost organic reach. Ryan and Adam dive into how digital marketing can play a vital role in supporting owned media efforts and bu...

Jaimie Hart, cohost of the Between the Sessions podcast from Discover The Palm Beaches, returns to the show. She recaps her four weeks working remotely in Portugal and what’s new at The Palm Beaches, including her meetings-focused podcast. Go behind the scenes and learn about its creation, as well as her favorite moments and experiences with the show so far. “I’m not going to say the podcast doesn...

Joining the show today are the hosts of Alex & Annie: The Real Women of Vacation Rentals, Alex Husner and Annie Holcombe! Find out how a chance meeting in a hotel bathroom led to the launch of their podcast and learn some of the duo's favorite moments so far. Alex and Annie also give their insights on some of the current issues facing the short-term rental industry. "It's going to be interesting t...

On this week’s episode of the Destination Marketing Podcast, Adam is joined by returning guest Bill Geist. Geist, Chief Instigator at DMOProz, brings a new perspective to the table with his years of experience working with destinations to better their communities from an advocacy and political standpoint. They discuss the importance of demonstrating a destination's value to stakeholders and why th...

In this final episode of our owned media mini-series, Stuart and Adam discuss how destinations can take what they’ve learned and apply it to their marketing strategies. After a brief recap of the series, they explain why it’s important to start this strategy now — as the world and consumer preferences continue to evolve, creating interactive content that resonates with the audience is essential. Q...