Business Class: The Global Tourism Leadership Conversation

The first job you think of when someone mentions the National Parks may be that of a ranger, spiffy uniform and badge, sharing their knowledge of the land, history and special features that make each site unique. Today's guest, John Harlan Warren, knew at the age of 11 that he wanted to be a ranger. Now, he's Communications Specialist, representing more than 80 sites in the National Park...

The Stonehammer UNESCO Global Geopark is located on New Brunswick's Bay of Fundy, at the confluence of the Saint John and Kennebecasis rivers . On this episode of The Tourism Academy 's Business Class podcast, host Stephen Ekstrom is joined by Catrina Russell, Geoscientist and Educator at Stonehammer GeoPark .  Business Class is brought to you by Learn Tourism , the nonprofit academy - h...

Bennish D. Brown President/CEO Destination Augusta talks with The Tourism Academy 's Stephen Ekstrom Bennish Brown has served as President/CEO of Destination Augusta since July of 2018. Bennish also serves on the Board of Directors for Destinations International . Among his most fulfilling accomplishments in his time at Destination Augusta are:  Completion and roll out of a destination rebran...

Hampton is a small town with big adventures in an incredible natural environment. Explore the Kennebecasis River from a rented kayak or on a pontoon boat; taste local flavours at year-round markets, cafés, and homestyle restaurants; visit studios and cultural events, or enjoy time riverside at the Lighthouse River Centre with picnic area, wharf and boat launch. A great network of year-round trails...

Al Hutchinson joined Visit Baltimore as president and CEO in November 2016. As the chief executive of the city’s official destination sales and marketing organization, he is responsible for overseeing the promotion of Baltimore to leisure travelers and convention business, while demonstrating the impact of tourism on the city and state. Hutchinson boasts more than 27 years of experience in the des...

Lennox Island is a 540-hectacre island on the Malpeque Bay off the coast of Prince Edward Island, Canada. It's a place where visitors and locals go to learn about the art, artisans, history and culture of the Mi'kmaq people who call this tiny island home. Recently, The Tourism Academy 's Stephen Ekstrom sat down with Jamie Thomas, Cultural Director.  Business Class is brought to you...

Julia Purcell has been living and breathing drawing and painting ever since her university days. She shares her passion for art and her beloved Prince Edward Island by opening the doors to her gallery to tourists and those who are eager to learn during one of her classes. Here's what happened when The Tourism Academy 's Chief Strategist, Stephen Ekstrom, joined her for a lesson.   Busine...

She decided one day that owning a campground and treehouse resort would be the best way to help other families reconnect with each other while disconnecting from the countless distractions we face in everyday life. Here's Jennifer Winder from Miramichi Treehouses ' story.  Business Class is brought to you by Learn Tourism , the nonprofit academy - harnessing the power of science, busines...

Promoting tourism is unlike any other product - smart marketers, like today's guest, Noémie Cousineau from Canada's leading sightseeing cruise company, Croisières AML , explains on this episode of The Tourism Academy 's Business Class Podcast. Croisières AML  offers a wide variety of experiences on the water including dining, zodiak excursions, whale watching, city tours of Quebec a...

Chris Thompson, President & CEO of Brand USA , joins The Tourism Academy 's Chief Strategist, Stephen Ekstrom, to share what it means to promote travel to the US as an international export. Chris describes what he sees as the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the the tourism industry. During the chat, Chris describes his own professional journey, mentors he's found and how...

She took her love for nature, the area she grew up in and for educating others and turned it into a career. Celebrating 25 years on the water, leading whale watching excursions on Croisieres AML from Tadoussac, Quebec, is today's guest, Agathe. She joins The Tourism Academy 's Chief Strategist and full time digital nomad, Stephen Ekstrom for this exciting episode.  Business Class is brou...

Throughout the west, there are signs of life from long before Europeans arrived. There were grand cities like Mesa Verde & Chaco Canyon, artists creating petroglyphs, builders & engineers who turned the faces of cliffs into homes and communities. Today, there are countless people living life on the reservation, doing their best to ensure that their culture, heritage, traditions, language a...

As American as cherry pie... Yes, you read that right. Everyone you talk with while visiting Traverse City loves it. This mid-sized city in Northern Michigan has a vibrancy, community pride and welcoming spirit that is without rival. The Tourism Academy 's Stephen Ekstrom stopped by to visit and partake in the National Cherry Festival celebration. While there, he met with Trevor Tkach, a home...

What is a Director of Beverage and how can you become one? To answer this question, The Tourism Academy 's Stephen Ekstrom met with Rus Yessenov, Director of Beverage at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto.  Rus shares his career path and the secret to the perfect cocktail. Special thanks to Destination Toronto for helping make this happen. Business Class is brought to you by Learn Tourism , t...

Have you ever stopped to think about the role everyday objects have in telling us about people, culture and history? Well, that's exactly what Elizabeth Semmelhack, Director of the Bata Shoe Museum does and she sat down with The Tourism Academy 's Stephen Ekstrom to share her passion for footwear. They even talked about Stephen's choice of shoe for the interview.  Business Class is...

Toronto, Ontario, Canada - one of the world's most diverse, inclusive and fastest growing cities and host of the 2022 Destinations International Conference happening right now. The Tourism Academy 's Stephen Ekstrom sat down with Scott Beck, President & CEO of Destination Toronto to get a jump start on the busy week ahead and to talk tacos. Check it out. RELATED: Engage & Upskill...

On this episode, The Tourism Academy 's Stephen Ekstrom is joined by Jody Shumway , fifth generation dairy farmer and ice cream maker extraordinaire in Afton, Wyoming, just outside of the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Jody shares how tourism has benefited his family farm and his personal approach to stewardship. Jody also explains the Harvest Host program.  Business Class is bro...

While visiting Flagstaff, Arizona , The Tourism Academy' s Stephen Ekstrom met up with glass artist, George Averbeck. George, a truly unique character and longstanding Flagstaff resident shares his insight on what makes Flagstaff special.  Business Class is brought to you by Learn Tourism , the nonprofit academy - harnessing the power of science, business psychology and adult education to adv...

The crown is heavy and, along with the responsibility to represent her family, community, language and culture, rests on the shoulders of Miss Navajo Nation, Niagara Rockbridge. Unlike any pageant you could imagine, Niagara explains her favorite part of the competition - sheep butchering. She also explains what life is really like on the reservation, balancing family, service and education both wi...

When Tish Dahmen first stepped foot inside the Idaho Potato Museum , she knew it had a great story to tell, one that visitors can relate to. In this episode, Tish shares her story and what it takes to turn the simple potato into visitor experiences that engage, inspire and entertain. RELATED: Find a Fascinating Storyteller for Your Next Event  Business Class is brought to you by Learn Tourism , th...

First built to find evidence of life on Mars, the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona has made its mark as the place from which Pluto was discovered, where evidence of the expanding universe was first realized and where visitors from around the world go to observe the wonders of the night sky. In this episode, The Tourism Academy 's Stephen Ekstrom is joined by Kevin Schindler, observato...

Business Class is brought to you by Learn Tourism , the nonprofit academy - harnessing the power of science, business psychology and adult education to advance the tourism industry and build sustainable economies. Learn how to engage your community, win over stakeholders and get more visitors at learntourism.org .  Support the show

Nestled at the mouth of the Padre Canyon, the Tuacahn Center for the Arts , with towering multicolor canyon walls cradling the main stage, is a venue unlike any other. Responsible for bringing life to that stage and eliciting a wide range of emotion from the audience is Scott Anderson, Creative Director. The Tourism Academy 's Stephen Ekstrom had a chance to talk with Scott during his recent...

During a recent visit to St. George, Utah and Zion National Park , The Tourism Academy 's Stephen Ekstrom had a chance to experience the dark night sky with astronomer, Matthias Schmidt of Stargazing Zion . Matthias shares his passion for the stars, galaxies, star clusters and the Milky Way in this episode of Business Class . RELATED: Find a Passionate Speaker for Your Next Meeting Business C...

It was a leap of faith. Lifting himself from a trough of unwellness and lack of imagination, Jordan Menzel quit his job and took a risk to become the owner and chief steward of the Maple Grove Hot Springs . Three years later, The Tourism Academy 's Stephen Ekstrom visited the springs and sat down for this chat with Jordan. This is that conversation. Become Inspired: Keynote Speakers from The...