Destination On The Left

Todd Wynne-Parry brings a wealth of global senior leadership knowledge and insight developed over more than 20 years of reporting directly to CEOs and Boards in industries that range from luxury, lifestyle, and outdoor hospitality to investing, consulting, and financial analysis. As a CGO, EVP, SVP, and Executive Committee member, he has helmed major expansion, post-merger integration, and growth initiatives for the world’s premier hospitality brands, including, AutoCamp, Two Roads Hospitality (formerly Commune Hotels & Resorts), Global Acquisitions and Development, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), and Starwood Hotels and Resorts. Specializing in brand expansions and M&A in Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas, Todd has closed deals and developed contracts that generated upwards of $30 million in enterprise value annually and built relationships with key decision-makers across a wide range of global and regional, and city markets globally. On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Todd Wynne-Parry, and we do a deep dive into the developing outdoor hospitality sector. In our conversation, Todd walks us through the attributes and appeal of nature-based locations and offers solutions to some of the industry’s roadblocks and challenges. What You Will Learn in this Episode: How Todd found his niche in the outdoor hospitality sector How the outdoor hospitality sector has evolved Features of a great outdoor hospitality location and how to curate a fantastic guest experience Todd gives us a framework for brands interested in adding outdoor hospitality experiences How marketers should be thinking about outdoor experiences within the broader travel and tourism offering Some fantastic examples of successful outdoor ventures that are leading the way for the future of outdoor hospitality Growth of the Outdoor Hospitality Sector Outdoor hospitality is a wide-ranging sector that can be divided into two main categories: the lower end of the price point, such as RV parks, and the higher end ultra-luxe options. Although where guests are staying is only part of the experience. The most important thing is to be immersed in nature in a way that allows them to take a bridging step out of their comfort zone. Incorporating Outdoor Experiences The outdoor hospitality sector can also benefit land in unexpected ways, such as being an additional source of income for wineries and farms. Wineries can use outdoor experiences to add a new business line and boost profits, while farms can use events on their land to support regenerative farming. Todd shares an example of a farm in Kentucky called Martin Acres, owned by an ex-slave’s descendants and is part of the Kentucky bourbon trail. The farm is now in its fourth generation and is exploring ways to incorporate outdoor hospitality to host family reunions and generate income. Enhancing Well-being Being outside in nature is an important aspect of enhancing our well-being. Todd discusses why the sector’s evolution allows people to escape the city and connect with nature, their partners, or their families. Instagram-worthy shots are also a great way to increase the destination’s visibility on social media. However, there are some speed bumps to consider, such as labor and workforce issues and environmental concerns on the road to developing as an outdoor destination. Todd shares some ways brands can overcome these challenges on the podcast. Resources: Website: https://horwathhtl.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddwp/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/horwath-htl/ Facebook Business: https://www.facebook.com/horwathhtl/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/HorwathHTLcorp We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Samantha Cole is the Director of Public Relations at Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board. The Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board is a nonprofit, membership-based sales and marketing organization that aggressively promotes the Valley Forge area and Montgomery County as a convention site and leisure visitor destination by encouraging patronage of its 500-plus member hotels, restaurants, attractions, and services. On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Samantha Coles about some of the creative campaigns her destination is running right now, including using instafamous dogs, and we explore how marketing to niches helps the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board stand out. What You Will Learn in this Episode: How Samantha got her start in the travel and tourism industry and how it linked to her interest in digital marketing Advice for aspiring or entry-level marketers Why you should never be afraid to reach out to people on LinkedIn Why making data-driven decisions is essential to the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board Fun influencer marketing ideas that Samantha has leveraged The award-winning Make it Main Street campaign and how this true backyard tourism campaign spotlights locally owned small businesses across the county The Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board’s partnership with Philadelphia and Chester County to brand themselves as the countryside of Philadelphia Samantha talks about the upcoming February campaign focused on Valentine’s Day and romantic getaways. The evolution of how DMOs work to serve the community in addition to attracting visitors Building a Network Lays the Groundwork for Future Collaboration How social media can support DMOs is an ever-changing landscape. Samantha explains how networking as an organization and as an individual helps you expand your reach and serve your clients. So many people are hesitant about reaching out to people and connecting with people on LinkedIn or other social media platforms but making those links is a great way to lay the foundation for future partnerships. Communicating with Neighboring Organisations Samantha shares her advice for our listeners thinking about entering into a collaboration or seeking a partner to collaborate with in 2023. Communication is critical in setting collaborations up for success — that includes going back to basics and reaching out to people locally who might even do the same job as you for a neighboring DMO. You could also prioritize building relationships by scheduling regular catch-ups with other local organizations and keeping them updated about your plans going forward. Data-Driven Decisions For Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board making data-driven decisions is top of mind right now. Samantha shares how her destination is leveraging geolocation data tracking to figure out how they can better serve their visitors’ needs by honing their target markets. She also shares why her proudest influencer hire to date is a Bernese mountain dog from Philadelphia and how that pupper is helping them showcase what Montgomery County has to offer. Resources: Website: https://www.valleyforge.org/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthacummons/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/valley-forge-convention-and-visitors-bureau/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VisitValleyForge We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Greg Star is the Co-Founder of Carvertise, an advertising company that enables companies to advertise on private commuter vehicles. This is so companies can advertise in a novel, targeted, and grassroots way while everyday people can earn additional passive income for advertising for a brand they like and support. On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Greg Star about how Carvertize helps destinations stand out and increase ROI through creative advertising. We also discuss several creative examples of destinations that have leveraged his methods. What You Will Learn in this Episode: How Carvertise evolved from a college project into a sophisticated business The technology and analytics behind finding the right cars to advertise on The efficiencies of bringing the printing in-house When Greg realized that his company could help the travel and tourism industry How Carvertise helps destinations stand out from the crowd Some case studies of how Carvertise’s clients, including a Pride Parade and a College Football organization, have used them to stay top of mind with their target market The metrics Greg measures to evaluate the success of Carvertise’s campaigns What ‘mindshare’ means to Greg, and how the term epitomizes collaboration for him Data-Driven Insights In advertising, you have to be creative, but you also have to pay attention to the data. Greg Star shares how his company Carvertise digs into the analytics of each client’s campaign to understand how to make an intelligent match between drivers and advertisers and how they present that information to their clients. Greg also discusses how the company has evolved over the last ten years and what kind of infrastructure they have built on the backend to get to a point where technology and data intelligence insights are driving them forward. Identifying Opportunities Carvertise started as a small project founded by college students, and since then, it has evolved into a successful company that allows organizations to advertise their products and services creatively. The company’s co-founder, Greg, explains how they got their organization off the ground by paying close attention to the Delaware governor’s public schedule, attending events, building a business network, and ultimately connecting with the Delaware director of tourism. DMOs DMOs are looking to stand out in a crowded market, and an essential part of doing so is identifying their ideal market. Carvertise helps destinations reach their audience creatively via market activation – the process of directing local event-goers to complimentary activities or attractions. Greg shares details of how Carvertise is agile enough to hit the streets exactly where those ideal visitors are and promote other attractions they’ll love. Resources: Website: https://carvertise.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-star-5911b562/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/carvertise/ We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Patrick Harrison is Chief Marketing Officer for Visit Tampa Bay. Through an innovative and aggressive approach, he has spearheaded the DMOs marketing transformation. His campaigns have been honored with over 30 US and International marketing and PR awards, including multiple Adrian Awards, and he was named a Top 25 Extraordinary Mind by HSMAI in 2019. Before joining Visit Tampa Bay, he spent 25+ years at agencies in the U.S. and U.K. He holds a Masters’s Degree in Communications, with an emphasis in Propaganda, from the University of Leeds. Patrick currently serves on several boards, including Destination Internationals Global Leadership and Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Committees, as well as PR & Communications Task Force and Equity, US Travel Marketing committee, among others. On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Patrick Harrison about how Tampa Bay is evolving into a premier destination. We also discuss the importance of getting everyone to row in the same direction, why the right mindset is critical, and how and why Visit Tampa Bay is becoming its own publishing company. What You Will Learn in this Episode: How Patrick’s travels brought him to Tampa and led him to the travel and tourism industry How having successful sports teams have helped put Tampa front and center in people’s minds The experience of working with the NFL to make the Superbowl happen successfully in Tampa Why you can’t stop marketing during a recession How Visit Tampa Bay continued to promote their small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic Why it’s so crucial to Patrick to serve the African American, Hispanic, LGBTQ, and accessible populations Why Visit Tampa Bay turned to publishing their own local guidebooks Patrick’s new podcast and how he advocates for his local community on his show Sports and Tourism Patrick describes how being home to successful sports teams impacts Tampa’s popularity with visitors. He shares how they collaborate with partners on and off the sports field and why they are such a popular destination for visiting teams from the USA and beyond. Patrick also shares his experience working with the NFL during the COVID-19 pandemic and how the team made it safe for local residents to attend the Superbowl events and start to feel more positive about getting on with life. A Mindset Shift We discuss how a big community event can bring local people together and shift people into a more positive mindset. Patrick emphasizes the importance of pulling together to keep your destination top of mind, even when potential visitors aren’t able to make it to you right away. Whether or not we’re headed into a recession, you can’t stop marketing your destination because if you stop, you need an awful lot of runway to get started again — in Patrick’s words, “you have to keep humming along.” Stay True to Yourself It is vital to know who you are and understand your authentic story as a destination before you can figure out how to position your story for various different markets. There are so many markets you can promote yourself in as a destination depending on your history and how you have developed over time. Visit Tampa Bay are in the middle of an exciting time where they are enjoying the expansion process, and Patrick shares how they are expanding their reach to create an additional 200 million dollars in hotel revenue. Resources: Website: https://www.visittampabay.com/ LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-harrison-470559a/ LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/visittampabay/ We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Renée Areng leads Brookhaven as the inaugural Executive Director for the Brookhaven Convention and Visitors Bureau, now Explore Brookhaven since 2018. Previously, Areng served with three destination marketing organizations: most recently, Visit Mississippi Gulf Coast. Throughout her leadership, Areng increased all metrics, including visitation and overall revenue for non-gaming hotels. Additionally, she unified all messaging in marketing and sales, increasing all digital and social metrics. Most recently, Areng consulted with Destination Organizations on strategic planning, accreditation, streamlining databases, and increasing visitation. Clients include Visit South Walton, Louisiana’s Northshore, Tupelo CVB, Visit Mobile, Jeff Davis Chamber, and CVB, Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou, and Pat Harrison Waterway District. Before joining the Mississippi Gulf Coast, she served as Executive Vice President for Visit Baton Rouge, and she served in statewide and national political arenas. Areng is a cum laude graduate of the University of Louisiana with a BA in Public Administration and French. She earned her Certified Destination Marketing Executive (CDME) designation from Destinations International in 2007 and served on the CDME review committee in 2018. She has led five organizations through six accreditations through Destinations International’s DMAP program. On this Destination on the Left episode, I talk with Renee Areng about her experience building a destination marketing organization from the ground up. We discuss the key ingredients needed for the successful formation of her DMO located just outside the Atlanta Metro Area and how they proved instrumental in creating the right environment for the organization to thrive. What You Will Learn in this Episode: Why Renee was eager to join her current team in Brookhaven, Georgia What’s so fascinating about working in a newly created destination The unique structure of tourism in Georgia and how Renee is helping her organization punch above its weight class to stand out among Georgia’s 200 DMOs How the branding strategy helped Brookhaven stand out from closeby Atlanta Why it’s so important that Brookhaven is considered a viable voice at the table The challenges of launching Explore Brookhaven during a global pandemic Why often the most challenging part of a collaboration is getting the egos out of the equation Some examples of when Renee has helped create some fantastic partnerships How to connect with Renee and discover more about Explore Brookhaven Taking Their Place at the Table Renee shares why she believes it is so important that Brookhaven is considered a viable voice at the table. She describes why it was critical for the brand new DMO to scale to where they are being taken as seriously as the more prominent destinations in Georgia, such as Macon, Savannah, and Atlanta. Renee also shares more about her role on the board for Destinations International and how it is helping Explore Brookhaven get the recognition they deserve. Evolving as a Destination Organization Did you know that Renee’s breakout session at the Destination International Annual Convention in Toronto was one of the best attended at the event with standing room only? She shares why she is so passionate about understanding how destination organizations are evolving and why she was eager to get her teeth into the opportunity that taking the reins at Explore Brookhaven offered. Renee explains the topics discussed during that session and why being clear about your value proposition is critical. An Agile Industry I loved speaking with Renee about how the evolving workforce is going to change the existing workplace and why it’s so necessary to recognize the need for change. The travel and tourism industry is more flexible now than it’s ever been, and Renee shares why the sector is now much more focused on the influence they have in the community rather than the number of heads in beds. Resources: Website: www.ExploreBrookhaven.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/explore-brookhaven/ We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

I’m sharing more insights from the group travel industry in the second episode of a special three-part series of Destination on the Left episodes from the National Tour Associations Travel Exchange in Reno. I’m excited to share their thoughts on key trends and challenges as we move into 2023. In this episode, you’ll hear from: Jim Warren, US Group Specialist at Anderson Vacations Lorna Davis, Global Sales Manager at Travel Oregon Mark Brodeur, International Tourism & Group Sales Director at Visit Rhode Island Nick Calderazzo, President at Twin Travel Concepts Peter Pantuso, President & CEO at ABA Ryan Robutka, Senior Manager for Market Development at Via Rail Canada Todd Read, Trade & Consumer Sales Manager at SoIN Tourism Group Travel Wisdom The National Tour Associations Travel Exchange I have loved talking with all the amazing, experienced group tour specialists at the NTA about how they envision the future of their sector. During our short interviews, I also asked them about current trends they are seeing in the industry, where their challenges lie, and the one word they would use to describe their experience of the National Tour Associations Travel Exchange. You’ll be fascinated by their answers! Jim Warren, US Group Specialist at Anderson Vacations Jim reflects on trends that Anderson Vacations has been seeing in the group travel industry, including the customer desire for smaller groups. He describes how they have leveraged that trend and started to develop smaller group experiences of between 12 and 20 people and why they are keen to move that trend forward. Lorna Davis, Global Sales Manager at Travel Oregon In her mini-interview, Lorna talked to me about the number one issue that Travel Oregon is facing right now and how they are moving through that challenge. She describes some of the ways they endeavor to meet the demands of group travel customers despite often struggling with adequate staffing. Lorna also shares the need to be genuinely hospitable and greet guests with a smile no matter what’s going on behind the scenes. Mark Brodeur, International Tourism & Group Sales Director at Visit Rhode Island Mark’s word to describe the NTA Travel Exchange is ‘opportunity’. He shares why he loves participating in the knowledge exchange that the event allows and how it helps Visit Rhode Island stay abreast of current trends in the group travel industry. He also digs into some of the trends his destination is seeing right now, including creating personalized experiences within the group travel niche. Nick Calderazzo, President at Twin Travel Concepts In our conversation, Nick reveals that his organization is seeing later bookings and reflects on why people are waiting longer to make decisions. He also shares the changes he has seen in the senior group travel market, particularly their growing comfort with looking for and booking their travel online and the need to build unique, off-the-beaten-track experiences. Peter Pantuso, President & CEO at ABA According to Peter Pantuso, expectations in the group travel niche are changing. He discusses how they are creating individualized experiences for guests within a group tour and likens the experience to a cruise where people are traveling together but also have the opportunity to split into smaller groups to satisfy different interests. Peter firmly believes that understanding the need to provide something for everyone will be a key theme in 2023. Ryan Robutka, Senior Manager for Market Development at Via Rail Canada One of the challenges Ryan Robutka of Via Rail Canada has faced over the past couple of years is doing more with less. He describes how despite their staff being extremely stretched, they have been able to come through and offer the experience that travelers are looking for. They have committed to protecting the core experience their travelers are looking for in addition to catering to some of the more recent trends in the group travel industry. Todd Read, Trade & Consumer Sales Manager at SoIN Tourism Todd and I discuss the future of group travel, including the greater need for flexibility. He shares what SoIN Tourism can do as a DMO to help group travel organizations set up fantastic experiences for guests and how their intimate knowledge of their destination can help. As he says, ‘you can’t just sit back and do what you’ve always done.’ 2023 and Beyond in the Group Travel Sector My guests make it clear that the future outlook for the group tour industry is bright, and its evolution is opening up new opportunities for all stakeholders. They highlight the small group trend that started before the pandemic and continues today, and how that trend opens up new destinations in group travel. We also discuss the importance of remaining flexible and continuing to change with the industry, and move through challenges with grace. We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

For this first episode in a special three-part series of Destination on the Left episodes, I visited the National Tour Associations Travel Exchange in Reno and spoke with several experts in the travel and tourism industry. My guests shared some of their wisdom in mini-interviews, focused on the trends, challenges, and future outlook for the group travel industry. The brilliance each of these leaders shared is certain to be invaluable as we seek new opportunities in group travel. In this episode, you’ll hear from these extraordinary leaders: Amy Larsen – Industry Relations Manager at Wyoming Office of Tourism Debbie Jones – Senior Vice President & Client Relations at Trip Mate, Inc. Eddie Lutz – Director of Sales at Ark Encounter/Creation Museum Jay Smith – President at Sports Travel and Tours Lee Callicut – Destination Sales Manager at Visit Montgomery Marcel Perkins – General Manager at Latin Trails Michael Collins – Group Tour Coordinator at Nebraska Tourism Commission Travel and Tourism Insight from The National Tour Associations Travel Exchange The National Tour Associations Travel Exchange is an incredible event that allows experts in group travel to exchange ideas about the trends in the potential opportunities for group tour operators in 2023 and beyond. It was my honor to speak to some of the extraordinary guests at the travel exchange to get their insights into where the group travel industry has been, where it’s going and share key information and strategies for the future. Amy Larsen – Industry Relations Manager at Wyoming Office of Tourism Amy shares her perspective on travel trends she has seen over the last few months, including visitors’ desire to see their smaller towns and unique destinations. People are connecting the pioneer spirit and the western heritage which is central to Wyoming. She describes why the COVID-19 pandemic led to a desire for simpler times and why it’s such an exciting trend for Wyoming. Debbie Jones – Senior Vice President & Client Relations at Trip Mate, Inc. Debbie and I talk about the number one issue facing the industry today and how her organization is helping to address it. She shares the challenges travelers often face in finding an appropriate insurance plan for a more mature audience. Debbie discusses how her company provides peace of mind and ease of access for people traveling in groups. Eddie Lutz – Director of Sales at Ark Encounter/Creation Museum Eddie discusses the number one issue facing his organization right now and how they are moving through it. We dive into the industry-wide issue of a lack of staffing and why it’s so concerning for group travel companies. Eddie describes why his organization has committed to taking on a leadership role in their region, working with hotels and attractions to ensure they are ready to offer guests exemplary hospitality. Jay Smith – President at Sports Travel and Tours I talked with Jay about what he believes the group tour operator of the future will look like and how they’ll get there. He shares why he thinks group tour operators will have to be a little more creative to continue bringing unique experiences to the plate that people just can’t do independently. We also discuss how we can educate the younger community of travelers on the benefits of group travel. Lee Callicut – Destination Sales Manager at Visit Montgomery Lee shares how Visit Montgomery flipped from a destination marketing organization trying to bring travelers into the area to what they call a destination management organization focusing on serving people who live in the area. He shares the lessons they learned and how they have translated into providing small-group outdoor-based experiences for visitors and locals alike. Marcel Perkins – General Manager at Latin Trails Marcel discusses the issue of sky-high flight costs facing the touring travel market and how his organization is responding to it. He shares why many travelers are waiting for flight prices to Europe to drop before they plan their trips and gives his recommendations for what destinations should be doing to be ready for guests when the time comes. Michael Collins – Group Tour Coordinator at Nebraska Tourism Commission Post-COVID-19 travelers are rediscovering the wide open spaces and rural areas of the USA. People are looking for destinations that are quirky, out of the ordinary, and a fun place to visit, and Michael describes why that describes Nebraska to a T. He also shares what his team is doing to capitalize on that trend. Key Trends for 2023 According to my guests, trends for 2023 include active itineraries, small-town visits, and a definite focus on seeking the simpler pleasures in life. Our discussions also touched on the importance of having professionals in the industry mentoring new team members at hotels, restaurants, and attractions where tour operators plan to visit and how that might impact the generalized staffing shortage.

In the second episode in a special three-part series of Destination on the Left episodes from the National Tour Associations Travel Exchange in Reno, I’m sharing more insights from the group travel industry. I’m excited to share their thoughts on key trends and challenges as we move into 2023. In this episode, you’ll hear from these extraordinary leaders: Peter Johnson, Manager & Market Development at Tourism Nova Scotia Richard Arnold, President at Atlantic Tours Limited Tillie Youngs, Sales Manager at Visit 1000 Islands Anjuli King, Director, Domestic Group Tour & Entertainment Sales at Visit Savannah Debra Asberry, President & Founder at Women Traveling Together, Inc. Heather Egan, Director of Leisure & International Sales at Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau Travel and Tourism Insight from The National Tour Associations Travel Exchange In my interviews at the NTA, I talked with tour and travel professionals about how dynamic and resilient the group tour industry is. I asked each guest to share trends, challenges, and the future outlook for the tour industry from their viewpoint — you will find a lot of similar themes running through their answers. Peter Johnson — Manager & Market Development at Tourism Nova Scotia Peter discussed the number one issue they are facing in the industry right now and how Tourism Nova Scotia are moving through it. He shares what they’re doing to combat labor shortages with innovative ways to bring people back to the industry, including working closely with partner organizations. Richard Arnold, President at Atlantic Tours Limited The impact of COVID-19 on the group travel industry included reducing numbers on tour departures for health and safety reasons. Richard describes how this pivot has led to Atlantic Tours developing an offering of small group departures and why he believes that offering individual, unique experiences are among the key trends of 2023. Tillie Youngs — Sales Manager at Visit 1000 Islands Tille describes the impact straddling two countries has on her destination marketing organization. She discusses their notable collaborations on both sides of the St. Lawrence River and why they have always seen themselves as a two-nation destination. We also talked about the opportunities to collaborate and work as closely with international partners. Anjuli King — Director, Domestic Group Tour & Entertainment Sales at Visit Savannah There are so many great destinations that have a huge amount to offer groups, and Savannah is undoubtedly one of those places. Anjuli shares some of the trends she is seeing right now in the group tour industry, including the popularity of their black history tours. She also discusses why she believes that Georgia as a whole has opened up to new opportunities in the last couple of years. Debra Asberry — President & Founder at Women Traveling Together, Inc. Debra tells me about why she founded Women Traveling Together and describes the ethos of their exclusively small group women tours and why they embed a tour leader to manage group dynamics and just show guests a wonderful time. Debra also gives me her word to describe the NTA Travel Exchange, which is ‘ready’ and dives into how it relates to relationship building within the group travel and tourism industry. Heather Egan — Director of Leisure & International Sales at Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau Heather and I discuss some of the problems that have become evident in the group travel niche over recent years. She shares how her organization balances the needs of the group tourism industry with the requirements of individual travelers and why they remain committed to finding the best way to accommodate groups and maintaining key relationships in the sector. Moving Through Challenges These brilliant travel professionals join me in exploring key trends and challenges for 2023 and how the COVID-19 pandemic has informed what’s going on in the group travel niche right now. My guests also describe the NTA Travel Exchange in just one word, and some of the key themes you’ll hear in this episode center on partnership, invigorating the industry, and strong connections. Get ready to be inspired! We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Sarah Howe has a 25-year career leading marketing and sales for organizations of varying industries, each with its own thread in the love of the outdoors. Her joy is ignited by energizing teams around common goals and passion projects, building support through stakeholder involvement, creating clear and effective messaging, as well as giving back to the community. She currently holds board member positions with the Vermont Lodging Association, New England Inns and Resorts Association, Accelerate Woman Leadership in Hospitality, and StepsVT (Steps Against Domestic Violence). Sarah is an avid downhill skier, sailor, hiker, mountain biker, or anything else outdoors. On this episode of Destination on the Left, Sarah and I discuss the importance of forging strong connections with both guests and staff at the Lake Morey Resort and how it has helped them strengthen their positioning within the community. Sarah also describes some of the unique community partnerships her company is building and how they help them deliver a better experience for guests and staff alike. What You Will Learn in this Episode: Sarah’s background in the hospitality industry Innovations that have helped the Lake Morey resort stand out from the crowd When Sarah realized it was critical to consult the resort’s staff on what they felt was the heart of the resort How Sarah communicates a sense of connection to attract new guests to the resort Why Sarah is keen to encourage people to communicate with her where their comfort level, be that email, phone, or text message Creative solutions Sarah has come up with to help her destination move through recent challenges Why reaching out to your peers in the industry can help you determine how to make long-term changes Exciting things in the pipeline for Sarah and Lake Morey Resort How Sarah and her team are leaning into their community partners Connectivity Sarah shares why she appealed to the resort staff to understand what makes Lake Morey resort different. She shares how the team came up with their slogan, ‘you come as friends, and you leave as family,’ and why it’s important to her that guests leave connecting more deeply with each other. Sarah discusses how she leaned into that philosophy in her marketing and updated their website and printed materials to highlight how important connectivity is at Lake Morey. Creativity in the Face of Challenge Sarah and I discuss how COVID-19 inspired her team to take a step back and look at how they were doing things and really try to be creative. Change can be hard, but once you start making change, the next change is easier and opens those doors and lets the creativity flow. Sarah describes how the input from other hospitality leaders in Vermont and New England helped her team to really understand what was happening and what was working and what wasn’t. Creativity often involves stepping out of your comfort zone, starting new projects, and embracing creativity. Community Partnerships Looking into the future, the team at Lake Morey is most excited about their community partnerships. Although they offer their guests a fun and engaging time at the resort, they are planning to offer other community engagement opportunities too. They also plan to grow their free outdoor concert series and extend their winter markets and trivia nights. The Lake Morey resort is being creative and offering different experiences to different types of people so that the whole community can come and enjoy themselves. Resources: Website: https://www.lakemoreyresort.com/ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarah-howe-20032005 https://www.linkedin.com/company/lake-morey-resort/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lakemoreyresort We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/

Bree Nidds is a tourism, travel, and hospitality professional. She is often found speaking, facilitating, and presenting as one of tourism’s biggest advocates. She is Vice President of Sales & Operations at Discover Lehigh Valley, where she resides in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Bree was honored with the Smart Meetings Catalyst Award: Rising Star in 2021 and has been named “20 in Their Twenties” by the Professional Convention Management Association and “30 under 30” by Destinations International. In her free time, Bree enjoys competing in triathlons and swim competitions. On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Bree Nidds about the importance of the travel industry working collaboratively to elevate travel in the minds of consumers. She shares her insights about how in-market advertising helps drive visitation and why working collaboratively in the meetings builds enhanced future visitor numbers. What You Will Learn in this Episode: Bree’s journey in destination marketing and how her previous experiences lead her to Lehigh Valley What’s coming up for destination marketing organizations in the spring, and how we can prepare our teams for the future Creativity in the tourism and hospitality industry space and what Lehigh Valley is doing to help their destination stand out from the crowd How community building became a part of Lehigh Valley’s marketing strategy Some of the things in the pipeline for Bree and Lehigh Valley How Bree and the team use data to drive their marketing strategy The collaboration that saw Lehigh Valley hosting an inaugural cycling event involving 1500 riders Bree’s advice for setting the groundwork for a successful collaboration or partnership How Bree sees the future of destination marketing evolving in 2023 and beyond Travel as a Consumer Priority People have so many choices about where they spend their money, and destination marketers need to understand where travel ranks on that list of people’s priorities. On the podcast, Bree shares why it’s a personal goal of hers to look beyond how Lehigh Valley is competing with other destinations and understand how we compete with other industries. Marketers help travel and tourism to remain a high-ranking option on visitors’ to-do lists. In the industry, we need to think about the bigger overarching story we need to dig into as a community to stand out. Collaboration is the key to bettering ourselves in destination marketing, and Bree explains why, in Lehigh Valley, they are keen to leverage as many opportunities as possible. Data-Driven Insights We dive into the data and discuss the valuable insights it generates about a destination. Bree shares why their partners are interested in that information and why the COVID-19 pandemic gave them the impetus to look at the figures and understand the forecasting. She goes on to describe how that information allowed Lehigh Valley to think about what their destination needs to do to gather the right data and use it in a resourceful way to make decisions about their tourism economy. Moving Forward into 2023 Bree and I also talk about why she is so excited about moving forward into 2023 and the development in terms of their hotel room supply coming into the market. She discusses Lehigh’s impressive growth over such a short period, what that means for their tourism economy, and how it drives their marketing strategy. Resources: Website: https://www.discoverlehighvalley.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bree-nidds/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/discover-lehigh-valley/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lehighvalleypa Twitter: https://twitter.com/lehighvalleypa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lehighvalleypa/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DSCVRLehighValley We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!: https://breaktheicemedia.com/rating-review/