Destination On The Left

John Lyotier is CEO and Co-Founder of TravelAI, an UpNext company. TravelAI is an applied AI company operating in the field of travel. Through a network of interconnected brands, the company connects high-intent travelers to the largest travel websites in the world and over 10 million properties. TravelAI's proprietary big data marketing engine has facilitated more than $1.5B in gross booking valu...

Dr. Rebecca Swift is the Global Head of Creative Insights at iStock and Getty Images, where she leads the team responsible for analyzing trends and developing research in visual communications. Rebecca joined the company over 20 years ago as one of the founding members of the team that introduced visual research methodology to the industry. Rebecca leads global research projects investigating the...

What if you could test travel compatibility… BEFORE you take a trip? FLIGHT RISK™ is a new party game and the ultimate test of travel compatibility for friends or strangers! Bree Nidds has nearly ten years of experience working in destination organizations and is embarking on a new journey! Bree is the Owner and Creator of FLIGHT RISK GAME LLC, a game publishing company established in Lehigh Valle...

Nicole Mahoney is an entrepreneur, speaker, and podcast host with a passion for business. She's the Founder of Break the Ice Media, a PR and digital marketing agency specializing in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry, and also serves as the CEO of Travel Alliance Partners. In her weekly podcast, Destination on the Left, launched in 2016, she interviews tourism professionals from all ove...

Andy Buyting is a leader in thought leadership and content marketing. His integrated content strategy has served both himself and his clients exceedingly well. Andy's thought leadership journey started when he published his first business book in 2007 and started publishing his first magazines in 2009. Since then, he has leveraged his integrated approach to print, digital, and interactive marketin...

Since joining the New York State Tourism Industry Association (NYSTIA) as President & CEO in September of 2018, Bob has focused on NYSTIA's programming, marketing & data analytics, advocacy efforts, and destination stewardship strategies. He has enhanced member communications and collaborative initiatives, facilitated rebranding, and the restatement of vision and purpose for the organization. He w...

Jackie Dunfee is a seasoned marketing and brand executive with over a decade of experience crafting groundbreaking marketing strategies for brands. Jackie believes in the transformative power of exploring new cultures and is passionate about elevating unique experiences near and far. As a Client Partner, Travel at VDX.tv, Jackie spearheads strategic partnerships with destinations, attractions, and...

Born and raised in Michigan, Kevney Dugan grew up playing any sport he could make time for. In the long run, trail running, mountain biking, and fly fishing were the sports that stuck. Fly fishing was the one that offered a working opportunity out of college and took him to Livingston, Montana; San Jose, California; Jackson, Wyoming; and eventually to Bend. Having the opportunity to be the Preside...

Episode 351: Mike Skladony serves as the general manager of the consumer services team at Semcasting. He oversees all travel, entertainment, tourism, higher education, and nonprofit clients. Mike's team of audience developers, account managers, and campaign managers work with clients hand in hand to develop audience solutions and win digital campaign strategies. Mike started his career with Semcas...

Episode 350: Jennifer Barnwell is President of Curator Hotel & Resort Collection. Launched in November 2020, Curator provides lifestyle hotels the power to compete together while allowing its members the freedom to retain what makes their hotels unique. Before moving over to Curator, Barnwell was Senior Vice President of Asset Management of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, a leading real estate investment...

Episode 349: Ariel Azoff is the Executive Director of Tourism and Brand Partnerships at Atlas Obscura, a media and experiences company dedicated to sharing the world's hidden wonders. Ariel's work has spanned media, tourism, social enterprise, sustainable fashion, government, and international development. She joined Atlas Obscura in 2017 to head up the company's DMO campaigns, bringing her profes...

Episode 348: Susan Namulindwa is the founding Director of Girls Run Period, an organization focused on Advocacy for ending Period poverty and women's rights. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Maama Watali and Africa Trade Desk and the Vice President Canada with the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business. Susan has long standing expertise in policy, partnerships, strategy, outreach, and commu...

Episode 347: This week is the second in our two-part series coming to you from the Destinations International annual convention in Dallas, Texas. I have seven inspirational guests with me to share more about what has helped them be successful in the destination marketing industry and what advice they have for future tourism industry leaders. I also asked each of them to describe the convention in...

Episode 346: This week on the show, we're enjoying another travel conference edition. Join us at Destinations International (DI) as we talk to a panel of distinguished guests from the tourism industry. With decades of combined experience, they delve into the world of careers and professional development in tourism. From the resilience of hospitality professionals to the importance of collaboration...

Episode 345: Rachel Brown is the Executive Director of Visit Durango. In her role, she leads the team of tourism marketing and sustainability experts at the award-winning Destination Management & Marketing Organization (DMMO) for southwest Colorado's most visited region. Rachel has over ten years of experience in tourism marketing and has held director positions at Visit Fisherman's Wharf, San Fra...

Episode 344: Liza Ochsendorf is the Director of Workforce Development for Warren County, NY. She oversees the county operations of WIOA Title programs in the Warren County Career Center and works closely with local and regional partners to address barriers to employment, such as child care, housing, transportation, skill deficits, etc. Her work addressing local industry needs has led to stronger p...

Episode 343: Tammy Blount-Canavan's career has spanned 30+ years and two countries, including executive leadership at Tourism Vancouver, CEO of the Tacoma Regional CVB, architect and inaugural Chair of the Washington Tourism Alliance, President and CEO of the Monterey County CVB, and now President and CEO of Visit Seattle. Tammy is a Past Chair of Destinations International. Tammy has been recogni...

Episode 342: Kurt Krause currently serves as the President and CEO of Visit Norfolk, joining in 2019. He is responsible for directing the effort to improve the quality of life for all residents through the economic and community benefits of tourism. His history in the hotel industry spans over 37 years, including 21 years with Marriott International, eight years with Aramark, and four years with G...

Episode 341: This week the show is at Tap Dance, organized by the Travel Alliance Partners, where the focus is on the power of collaboration, connections, and partnerships in the travel and tourism industry. Through conversations surrounding the Tap Dance 2023 travel conference and real-life experiences, my guests share a deep appreciation for the importance of working together, building strong re...

Episode 340: This week I'm at Tap Dance, the annual travel conference hosted and produced by Travel Alliance Partners. Tap Dance is an intimate show that gives a select group of tour operator partners a chance to build genuine relationships with Preferred Professional Travel Providers. I'm privileged to be able to talk to five experienced leaders in the travel and tourism sector and ask them about...

Episode 339: Santiago C. Corrada is an accomplished, recognized leader with over twenty-five years of public service experience, with proven success in effectively and efficiently transforming the professional culture of many diverse institutions. His outstanding relationship-building skills result in the resolution of highly complex issues through consensus. Corrada has the demonstrated ability t...

Episode 338: Since 2001, Debra Ross has been publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com, America's online resource for families who want to know about all of the opportunities for kids in their local area, and (since 2016) of BeyondTheNest.com, for grownups who want to know about arts, culture, and recreation where they live. This web network has regional sites in 45 cities in the US and Canada, with (as of...

Episode 337: President and CEO Danny Liedka is in his sixth year at the helm of Visit Syracuse, Onondaga County's official tourism promotion agency. Visit Syracuse plays a critical role in the county's economic development strategy through its focus to grow the area's business of leisure tourism, meetings & conventions, sporting & special events, and film/television production. Through his work, D...

Lolita Jackmon is a highly accomplished professional who began her career in the hospitality industry, working for renowned hotels and airlines. With a deep-rooted passion for travel and a commitment to creating unforgettable experiences, she quickly established herself as an asset in the industry. Driven by a desire to make a difference, Lolita transitioned into grant writing, focusing her effort...

Dana Le is a healthcare innovation expert and Founder at Wander Health. She was previously on the Founding Team and Head of Operations at KidsX, one of the worlds leading digital health ecosystems focused on accelerating pediatric innovation. She built, designed, and managed the programming for the nation's most prominent healthcare entrepreneurial programs. Prior to this role, she strategized inn...