Destination On The Left

With a talent for creating special events that blossomed while working for my dad’s car stereo shop, I got my start in marketing at Frontier Field in Rochester and began serving as the executive director of the internationally known Lilac Festival. Later on, I headed the Canandaigua, New York Business Improvement District while also performing projects for the tourism promotion agency Visit Rochester. In 2009, I founded Break the Ice Media, with more than 20 years of experience in tourism marketing. I now host “Destination on the Left,” a highly successful tourism marketing podcast. As a business owner, I know what it takes to be successful. I founded BTI to help businesses tell their brand story through public relations, digital and traditional channels. I have the ability to uncover unique marketing opportunities and develop marketing and public relations initiatives that help clients build long-term success. On this episode of Destination on the Left, I reflect on whether 2021 has been an easier year than 2020 and why the travel industry hasn’t been able to make up the lost ground that we had hoped. I share the key elements that make up our culture at Break the Ice Media and explore our seven essential core values and how we promote and live those values. One of the changes to our work environment that COVID-19 brought was the move from sharing an office to working 100% remotely — so I also want to take some time to discuss how we collaborate and stay connected as a team. What You Will Learn in This Episode: The seven core values at the heart of Break the Ice Media Why the travel industry is still having to make adjustments to welcome guests safely How employers in the industry have the power to change the culture of our organizations and create places of work that value and respect their employees Why we are so intentional about the culture at Break the Ice Media Communication tools we use to stay connected now that we are all working from home Ways that your employees can give you feedback and insight into what they enjoy and would change about the company Our Values and Mission In my opinion, one of the key reasons that Break the Ice Media has not only survived but thrived during the COVID-19 pandemic is that we have leaned on our values. Transparency was an essential feature of navigating the challenges of recent unprecedented events as a business owner. It was so important to me to be very transparent with our team members about where we were in the moment, what the choices were, and why those choices and decisions could change on a dime. As we head towards the end of 2021, we continue to weave our seven core values into our day-to-day practices to keep what it means to work at Break the Ice Media at the forefront of our minds. Collaboration and Respect Our core values give us a clear understanding of who we are as a company, and understanding what we value makes it easier to make decisions and navigate the challenges of the road ahead. As a team, we devoted a lot of time to thinking about our core values and ensuring that what we chose really embodied the company’s ethos. Collaboration is one of the values that resonates deeply with me (as you won’t be surprised to learn). We are collaborative — it is the bedrock of Break the Ice Media. In our team, everyone’s ideas, input, and talents are valued, and as a result, we all feel heard, valued, and respected. To learn more about Break the Ice Media, please head over to the contact links below: Email: nicole@breaktheicemedia.com Website: www.destinationontheleft.com/summit Website: https://breaktheicemedia.com/ Twitter: @Break_TheIce Facebook: @BreakTheIceMedia

President and CEO of Synthesis Management Group (SMG) Roberta “Bobbie” Goheen is a resourceful and committed leadership expert and Fortune 100 executive coach who promotes positive growth and development environments for individuals, executives, and organizational teams. With more than 25 years of world-class experience, Bobbie is a motivational force who inspires her clients to steer their personal and professional lives in the direction of excellence. She has worked with companies worldwide and organizations ranging in size from five employees to 80,000. Clients include international, national, and local C-suite executives, managers, entrepreneurs, and professionals looking for curated, practical tools to match their desire to lead others with greater ease and agility. Bobbie offers a multi-dimensional approach for successful business leaders and their workforce to achieve results through experimental learning and development. She utilizes researched and proven methodology combined with a style that is fresh, dynamic, and inspirational. On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Bobbie Goheen about why following your dreams and passions leads to enjoying a more fulfilling life. She shares her insights and strategies on how leaders can enhance their skills using a build, measure, learn framework and how using this model can also help you stay motivated during challenging times. Bobbie also gives us the benefit of her leadership experience on how to prepare your team members to be future leaders and the importance of trusting your instincts and prioritizing your wellbeing so you can move forward with a positive mindset. What You Will Learn: Bobbie’s advice for leaders keen to maintain focus and keep motivation levels high moving through this challenging and disruptive period of time When you’re committed to finding a way forward, it doesn’t mean that you can’t change course once you start down your path — you can measure it and then learn, then adjust if necessary Why leaders need to stay focused on the possibilities, the opportunities and cultivate a willingness to go into the unknown, be uncomfortable, and learn something new How we can prepare our team to be future leaders, and why we need to reframe the process from delegation to development Bobbie’s wisdom on what we should be doing to maintain a better work-life balance Key takeaways that professionals should be taking forward with them from the disruption of the last 18 months Why the most straightforward way companies can grow leaders is to have very clear goals and be specific on the ‘what’ of the goal, but be less specific on how they’re going to get there The Call for Leadership Bobbie Goheen is a resourceful and committed leadership expert and Fortune 100 executive coach whose company Synthesis Management Group promotes positive growth and inspires her clients to steer their personal and professional lives in the direction of excellence. In this episode of Destination On The Left, Bobbie shares why she believes that leaders right now need courage, passion, and the drive to step up to the consistent atmosphere of change and challenge that we live in today. Bobbie notes that before the COVID-19 pandemic, if you were willing to put in the hard work and effort, then you had a good chance of achieving your dreams. But now, we know that we aren’t always in control of the changes in life, which is why we need to step up as leaders and trust that even when we’re not in control of external factors, we are in control of our choices. Leaders should follow a path of build, measure, and learn, testing the terrain as they go to ensure they are on the right track, and making adjustments to continue to move forward. Trust Yourself and Your Team As Bobbie says, having the confidence to trust yourself, block out the external chatter, and measure what is happening in your environment is crucial when navigating uncertainty. It’s also essential to build a trusted group around you, gain their insight and input, and use the ideas that resonate with you. Leadership is all about recognizing the possibilities and opportunities and being willing to go into the unknown, be uncomfortable, and learn something new. To learn more about Bobbie and her company, Synthesis Management Group, please check out the contact links below: Website: www.getsynthesis.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbiegoheen/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getSynthesis Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/synthesismanagementgroup/

For this second episode in a special two part series of Destination on the Left episodes, I visited the 2021 eTourism Summit held in Las Vegas, Nevada from September 20-22. At the summit, I was privileged to speak with fourteen attendees who are experts in the field of digital marketing for travel and tourism. In my conversations with today’s guest experts, I asked them to each answer one question: “Looking into the future, what innovations are happening now that you think will impact digital marketing for your organization or destination?” I’m so delighted to share their insightful and sometimes surprising answers with you in this week’s special podcast episode. In this episode of Destination On The Left, you’ll hear from these fourteen extraordinary digital marketing experts:   Chris Lukenbill – Co-Founder, Shrpa Ed Harris – CEO, Discover Lancaster Emilie Harris – Director of Marketing Operations, Bandwango Jake Brown – Content Manager, Visit South Bend Jason Holic – Vice President of Business Applications & Insights, Experience Kissimmee Kyle Johnson – Digital Strategy Manager, Indiana Destination Development Corporation Leena Riggs – Director of Marketing & Partnerships, Visit Rancho Cordova Marc Garcia – President & CEO, Visit Mesa Maria Skrzynski – Marketing Coordinator/Office Manager, Destination Ann Arbor Mark Romig – Chief Marketing Officer & Senior Vice President, New Orleans & Co. Nicole Stacey – Director of Marketing Communications, Visit Pensacola Ralph Thompson – Executive Director Travel & Tourism, Streetsense Tim Ash – Marketing Keynote, Trainer & Advisor Victoria Simmons – Senior Vice President of Travel, BVK Innovative Digital Marketing Experts at the 2021 eTourism Summit The eTourism Summit is a one-of-a-kind conference that exists at the intersection of destination travel and tourism with cutting edge digital marketing. It’s a unique opportunity for industry leaders, marketers, and destinations to come together and exchange ideas, collaborate, and brainstorm new solutions together. This year’s eTourism Summit was held in Las Vegas from September 20-22 and offered insights into digital marketing trends, advertising innovations and new ways to connect travelers with incredible experiences. I asked each of these experts the same question: “Looking into the future, what innovations are happening now that you think will impact digital marketing for your organization or destination?” Here are the insightful answers they gave me: Chris Lukenbill from Shrpa Chris discusses how the many disruptions our industry is facing create new opportunities for Shrpa’s clients to tell their stories within their own communities. He discusses why an increased focus on local communities has moved from “nice to have” to necessary to navigate the pandemic. He talks about why stronger communication is going to be an increasingly critical component of travel and tourism marketing going forward. Ed Harris from Discover Lancaster Ed talks about the juxtaposition of digitally marketing the simple life of the local Amish communities through modern technology and social media, and he discusses why innovations in technology like AI and machine learning are transformative tools that will reshape digital marketing in the future. He talks about the power of data in informing what content destinations and marketers share, and he discusses the importance of adapting to and embracing these emerging technologies to help meet travelers where they are. Emilie Harris from Bandwango Emilie talks about how the industry’s broad focus on innovation is creating new opportunities to integrate various products, experiences and locations into full experience packages. She discusses how important it is for marketers to understand how the process of booking travel is changing as consumer expectations are shifting. She shares how the “niche” audiences of the past are dissolving and how authentic, unique experiences are becoming the cornerstone of travel and tourism marketing. Jake Brown from Visit South Bend Jake talks about the role of data in travel and tourism digital marketing, and he shares why being able to track the success of campaigns by how much revenue they have generated for the area is going to be a sea change for digital marketers going forward. Jason Holic from Experience Kissimmee Jason explains a calculator tool his organization developed to help track key data metrics that they have made available to other DMOs, and he shares how it helps track media impact of your messaging through transparency and the dynamic narratives it can create. He explains how the tool uses 30 different data points to fine tune visibility over your metrics and help you communicate with four key stakeholder groups using language they themselves use to help you demonstrate the value you’re driving to them. Kyle Johnson from Indiana Destination Development Corporation Kyle shares how his organization’s transition from the Indiana Office of Tourism Development to the Indiana Destination Development Corporation has allowed the organization to expand their goals and cast a wider net. He shares why their goal isn’t just to attract visitors but to also attract talent to the state. He discusses the important role location tracking serves for the organization, allowing for targeted messaging. He talks about how Indiana has seen big success bringing corporations to the state, and he shares how the next goal is to bring more workers to the state as well. Leena Riggs from Visit Rancho Cordova Leena shares how her organization is focused on more and stronger data collection, and she shares how Visit Rancho Cordova is exploring options for engaging with and messaging in-market. She shares how the data is powerfully informing how Rancho Cordova plans their future growth. Marc Garcia from Visit Mesa Marc shares how his organization is focused on accessibility in travel as part of Visit Mesa’s larger Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts. He shares how Mesa, Arizona has worked hard to become the nation’s first Autism-certified City and is now seeking to become a city known for its accessibility programs and initiatives. He shares how Visit Mesa has recently established the Mesa Regional Foundation for Accessibility, Diversity and Inclusion, which will be used to purchase accessibility technologies. He also talks about how his city is building what will be the largest youth and amateur sports complex in the country. Maria Skrzynski from Destination Ann Arbor Maria shares how her organization is working to strengthen its local partnerships and collaboration with other organizations and sectors to elevate the energy of the community. She also discusses the importance of unity within Ann Arbor. Mark Romig from New Orleans & Company Mark discusses how people are using handheld devices far more than tablets, desktops and other large devices, and he shares how his organization is focused on developing their integration with phones and other handhelds. He talks about the importance of focusing on the consumer’s needs and obstacles and staying ahead of the curve by meeting them where they are. Nicole Stacey from Visit Pensacola Nicole talks about how Visit Pensacola is reallocating their budget to use connected TVs to better reach people. She talks about the importance of transparency and honesty in messaging, and she shares how Visit Pensacola is utilizing targeted marketing strategies and messages to reach niche traveler groups. Ralph Thompson from Streetsense Ralph talks about how Streetsense is creatively using podcasts to build relationships with travelers in a more casual way than traditional messaging. He explains how even smaller, resource-challenged DMOs can take advantage of established podcasts to amplify their message. Tim Ash, Marketing Keynote Speaker, Trainer and Advisor Tim discusses how travel planning can take advantage of Alexa, Siri and other voice assistants and the casual, conversational way they work. He shares why it is important to understand the psychology behind how people make decisions, and he explains how evolutionary psychology can be the key to anticipating and guiding people’s decision-making processes. Victoria Simmons from BVK Victoria talks about how DMOs and destinations are becoming better at having in-market conversations with travelers and connecting them directly to travel partners. She shares how geolocation data is becoming a powerful resource for enhancing this connection with travelers. Technological Innovations and the Role of Data As you can see, many of the leaders I spoke with hit upon recurring themes around emerging technologies and new ways of collecting, collating and analyzing data. The outbreak of the global pandemic has created major strains and challenges on travel and tourism, but it has also given us a unique opportunity to reevaluate how we market destinations to travelers and how we can share our messages in more targeted ways and with larger, more diverse audiences. I hope you’ve enjoyed hearing insights from the 2021 eTourism Summit and from these extraordinary travel and tourism marketing experts and leaders. As our world slowly begins to turn the tide against the pandemic, one thing is certain: by embracing new innovations and outside-the-box ideas, the future of travel and tourism looks bright! 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 two part series of Destination on the Left episodes, I visited the 2021 eTourism Summit held in Las Vegas, Nevada from September 20-22. At the summit, I was privileged to have the chance to interview fourteen attendees who are experts in the field of digital marketing for travel and tourism. In my conversations with today’s guest experts, I asked them to each answer one question: “What has been the biggest change in your digital strategy that has resulted in big wins for your organization or destination?” I’m so delighted to share their insightful and sometimes surprising answers with you in this week’s special podcast episode. In this episode of Destination On The Left, you’ll hear from these fourteen extraordinary digital marketing experts: Chris Lukenbill – Co-Founder, Shrpa Ed Harris – CEO, Discover Lancaster Emilie Harris – Director of Marketing Operations, Bandwango Jake Brown – Content Manager, Visit South Bend Jason Holic – Vice President of Business Applications & Insights, Experience Kissimmee Kyle Johnson – Digital Strategy Manager, Indiana Destination Development Corporation Leena Riggs – Director of Marketing & Partnerships, Visit Rancho Cordova Marc Garcia – President & CEO, Visit Mesa Maria Skrzynski – Marketing Coordinator/Office Manager, Destination Ann Arbor Mark Romig – Chief Marketing Officer & Senior Vice President, New Orleans & Co. Nicole Stacey – Director of Marketing Communications, Visit Pensacola Ralph Thompson – Executive Director Travel & Tourism, Streetsense Tim Ash – Marketing Keynote, Trainer & Advisor Victoria Simmons – Senior Vice President of Travel, BVK Innovative Digital Marketing Experts at the 2021 eTourism Summit The eTourism Summit is a one-of-a-kind conference that exists at the intersection of destination travel and tourism with cutting edge digital marketing. It’s a unique opportunity for industry leaders, marketers, and destinations to come together and exchange ideas, collaborate, and brainstorm new solutions together. This year’s eTourism Summit was held in Las Vegas from September 20-22 and offered insights into digital marketing trends, advertising innovations and new ways to connect travelers with incredible experiences. I asked each of these experts the same question: “What has been the biggest change in your digital strategy that has resulted in big wins for your organization or destination?” Here are the insightful answers they gave me: Chris Lukenbill from Shrpa Chris shares how the industry-wide disruption of the global pandemic has created a unique opportunity to share experiences and user-generated content. He discusses the challenge of creating and sharing great itineraries that go beyond a single viewpoint and that are available “where the visitors are”, whether that’s Shrpa’s website or elsewhere. He explains why it’s easy to find directories of information but it is often difficult to get a good understanding of the full experience a destination offers, and he shares how Shrpa is working to bridge that gap for travelers. Ed Harris from Discover Lancaster Ed shares how Discover Lancaster has focused on making greater, more meaningful investments in social media over the pandemic, and he shares how experimenting with alternative information vehicles like video has helped significantly increase Discover Lancaster’s social media engagement and following. He discusses why content centered on the local Amish community has been a big driver in this stronger engagement as people learn more about the Amish lifestyle. He discusses how the pandemic has highlighted a new level of desire from travelers to find unique escapes from our modern lives and challenges. He discusses how his team created five video ads highlighting activities that can be done in a pandemic-safe way in the area, and he shares the big results these videos have generated. Emilie Harris from Bandwango Emilie discusses how the biggest shift she has experienced working with clients has been greater focus on tracking bottom-of-funnel conversions rather than top-of-funnel inspiration-focused marketing. She explains how this information has helped many clients transition their websites into e-commerce engines, and she talks about how the integration of new website strategies and new tools has created exciting opportunities for clients. She discusses Bandwango’s work connecting communities with local businesses and crafting engaging experiences, through web-based free and paid “passports” that highlight client offerings while allowing Bandwango to collect invaluable data and traveler insights. Jake Brown from Visit South Bend Jake describes how Visit South Bend has been experimenting with and collecting data on a variety of ideas, such as advertising through Expedia. He discusses why Visit South Bend’s focus has shifted from inspirational top-of-funnel campaigns to the actual booking process, and he explains why the global pandemic has created new opportunities farther down the sales funnel. He discusses how the content his organization is creating integrates with their paid campaign efforts, and he explains why Visit South Bend is layering content to help guide traveler choices at all levels of the funnel. Jason Holic from Experience Kissimmee Jason discusses how he and his team have shifted their focus to in-state marketing targeting Florida residents and drawing them to the many experiences available in the Kissimmee, Florida area. He talks about using data to help the team reprioritize which markets they are advertising in. He explains why the goal has been to drive knowledge of the impact of the global pandemic on travelers, and he shares how leveraging the area’s unique ability to handle high volumes of traveler traffic has been an invaluable asset. Kyle Johnson from Indiana Destination Development Corporation Kyle shares how he was introduced to the concept of “bricks and feathers”, including heavy pieces of major content called “bricks” that can be sliced into smaller pieces of “feather” content. He shares how his team put together a scavenger hunt list of “stranger things” travelers can find in Indiana that connect to the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana featured in the Netflix series “Stranger Things”. He describes how that list became 12 separate social posts over 14 days that generated more than 250,000 organic social channel impressions. He shares how the pandemic put all of the team’s initiatives on pause, and he talks about how the team navigated the challenges of the pandemic using their “bricks and feathers” content to empower their social media efforts and drive traffic to exciting, pandemic-safe outdoor destinations in every county in the state. Leena Riggs from Visit Rancho Cordova Leena shares how the pandemic has created a unique opportunity for her organization to shift to user-generated content, and she shares how this has allowed Visit Rancho Cordova an opportunity to partner with local residents in a unique way. She shares how residents are creating unique hashtags and amplifying the organization’s message. Marc Garcia from Visit Mesa Marc shares how the pandemic pushed Visit Mesa to turn inward and form a steering committee made up of Mesa residents that has advanced his organization’s digital strategies and social media outreach. He explains why the pandemic has given Visit Mesa an opportunity to inform locals of what their organization does to support the area. He shares how the steering committee came about and immediately assisted Visit Mesa in formulating a strategy to deal with the challenges of the pandemic by marrying songs with photos of the region. Maria Skrzynski from Destination Ann Arbor Maria discusses how one of the big changes Destination Ann Arbor has made has been collaborating with residents and supporting local business through stronger connections. She explains how user-generated content has become a backbone of her organization’s marketing efforts and social media outreach. She shares how Destination Ann Arbor has been exploring new ways and channels to connect with local residents, and she explains why these collaborations are a win-win-win for everyone involved. She shares how her organization reaches out to highlight how they can be of assistance to local businesses and destinations. Mark Romig from New Orleans & Company Mark discusses how his organization worked to shift the perception of New Orleans as an “adult playground” and highlight how it’s an extremely family-friendly destination, by partnering with a group of “mommy bloggers” to share their travel experiences. He shares how leveraging influencers and social media can be an extraordinary way to connect with niche markets and get the message out. He also shares how Instagram has been a key platform to share the exciting sights in New Orleans, and he discusses how merging two competing websites into a single “one stop shop” internet address has helped travelers find information more easily. Nicole Stacey from Visit Pensacola Nicole talks about how “pivot” has been the key word through the pandemic for so many organizations in travel and tourism, and she shares how Visit Pensacola has used a multi-channel strategy throughout the full funnel to dig deeper into the “why” of the destination. She shares how sharing an authentic experience that goes beyond Pensacola’s famous beaches has been transformative for the organization. She describes how connecting with audiences and the things that inspire them has gotten easier through the use of real-time data. She discusses how the agility of digital marketing has been crucial for navigating the challenges of the pandemic. Ralph Thompson from Streetsense Ralph talks about how Streetsense leverages its experience in digital marketing to reach audiences and deliver measurable results. He discusses how the evolution of data collection has been an extraordinary asset for his organization. He talks about the importance of building relationships and engaging consumers both logically and emotionally, and he talks about how video is becoming a crucial component of digital travel and tourism marketing. Tim Ash, Marketing Keynote Speaker, Trainer, and Advisor Tim explains why too many destinations are “in love with themselves” and are focusing too much on polished visuals and not enough on the process of planning for travel. He talks about why it’s crucial to focus on how you can be helpful to your audience, and he shares how our brains interpret text, graphics and motion to determine what we’re paying attention to. He shares why it’s important to be conscious about the elements of your digital marketing to ensure that a viewer’s attention is being drawn to the right elements. Victoria Simmons from BVK Victoria talks about how the pandemic has given BVK a new opportunity to help clients make better sense of data without feeling overloaded through creating a data dashboard and investing in analysts to help interpret the data and translate it into strategy. She shares how the greater access to data and the ability to target consumers individually has transformed interactions and empowered destination organizations to better reach their audiences. She talks about why personalized content isn’t necessarily about having something new to say all the time but is about delivering content that speaks to the listener. Collaboration and a Renewed Focus on Local Residents As these extraordinary leaders shared, a key recurring theme is that so many of their organizations found new life and new purpose through the pandemic by collaborating with local residents and “turning inward” to highlight why sometimes the most exciting and unique experiences happen in our own communities. Another common theme has been looking beyond the top of the funnel and exploring multi-channel initiatives that target people throughout the sales funnel across a diverse range of communications mediums. I hope you enjoy this first episode of this two-part 2021 eTourism Summit series. Next week, we’ll hear from even more remarkable digital travel and tourism marketing experts from the eTourism Summit to share their insights and experiences. 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/

Karolina Guilcapi has managed private luxury tours since 2006, endlessly promoting a hands-on travel approach. With a background from Johnson & Wales University, a school dedicated to food and travel, she has been deeply involved in the growth of the tourism industry. Specializing in Latin America, Karolina represented her product at countless trade shows, organizations, and events around the world, inspiring travelers to become lifelong clients. She has tasted her way across 40 countries continuously inspecting services, meeting local foodies, and searching out the next morsel to offer in her itineraries. She treats food like she does travel – an experience that should utterly satisfy you. In this episode of Destination On The Left, Karolina shares why collaboration with chefs and organizations across the South American continent has allowed her to build a thriving travel business even during the global pandemic. Karolina also discusses why anticipating and addressing travelers’ concerns and needs has become a cornerstone of her work. What You Will Learn: How immigrating to New York from Poland at age ten sparked Karolina’s passion for travel and exploring new places, and why she focuses her work on Latin American travel Why Karolina chose to start her company, Sated Ventures, and how it has taken off even during the global pandemic How Sated Ventures has carved out a unique niche by focusing on local chefs as guides to the unique flavors, ingredients and culinary history of the region What new skills and talents Karolina has discovered since launching her business, and what challenges she has overcome during the pandemic Why collaboration and being active within the local community as a helpful partner can be a powerful organic way to grow your business What changes, new challenges and opportunities Karolina expects as we begin to return to global travel Why understanding and problem-solving for travelers is a key component of Karolina’s work, and why seeing things from the perspective of the traveler is vital Creating a Unique Travel Niche Through Collaboration Karolina Guilcapi is an innovative travel expert who has carved out a unique niche for her company, Sated Ventures, by focusing on the unique culinary adventures and flavors to be found in South America. In this episode of Destination On The Left, Karolina shares why collaboration with chefs and organizations across the South American continent has allowed her to build a thriving travel business even during the global pandemic. Karolina also discusses why anticipating and addressing travelers’ concerns and needs has become a cornerstone of her work. Transparency, Being Helpful, and Identifying Partnership Opportunities As Karolina said during our conversation, world travelers often save the South American experience for last, preferring to tour Europe and Asia. However, by leveraging creative partnerships, Karolina is working to change that. Karolina’s organization, Sated Ventures, focuses on the unique dining experiences available in South America and works closely with local chefs, restaurants and other food industry organizations to create unique, once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences for her clients. By maintaining a tight focus on this unique niche and by working tirelessly to be helpful to her clients and partners, Karolina has been able to organically grow her business even during the unique travel challenges of the global pandemic. This extends to anticipating and understanding traveler concerns about the coronavirus pandemic and working to address them in an empathetic way. Karolina is truly a facilitator whose specialized knowledge of South American cuisine has allowed her business to thrive even during these challenging times. To learn more about Karolina and her company, Sated Ventures, please check out the contact links below: Website: www.satedventures.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/karolina-guilcapi-15670066/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/satedventures Instagram: www.instagram.com/karo.travels.and.eats/ 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/

Melanie Esterhuyse was initially employed as the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of De Doorns Cellar in 2000 when the winery joined hands with local DMO, Hex Valley Tourism Association. As the tourist association could not employ someone permanently at the time, Melanie volunteered to step up and assist them and developed a passion for this rapidly growing industry. Over the past 25 years, Hex Valley Tourism’s purpose has changed from only serving as an information desk to taking on the role of a true philanthropist and representing the community in a more diverse way. By managing sustainable programs that will successfully and responsibly contribute towards the growth of the local industry and economy, Melanie and the Hex Valley Tourism Association hope to leave a legacy of endurance and steadfastness. On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Melanie Esterhuyse about how this podcast has sustained her creativity throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. She shares how the Hex Valley Tourism Association stepped up to the unexpected challenge and used it as an opportunity to move the organization forward into the future. We also discussed the evolution of the Hex Valley Tourism Association and how it has helped her region grow tourism to a meaningful economic contributor over the last 25 years through creative co-opetition. What You Will Learn: How the Hex Valley Tourism Association has developed from the three original tourism organizations to the 20 now involved The four central goals the Hex Valley Tourism Association is working towards and how they are faring The creative solutions that Melanie’s destination has used to help them stand out from the crowd How Hex Valley are identifying ways that they can position themselves as unique and different from other similar destinations How the Destination on the Left podcast has helped Melanie, and her team put together a marketing strategy plan for 2022 Creative Marketing The Hex Valley Tourism Association in South Africa is identifying ways that they can position themselves as unique and different from other similar destinations. PRO of the association, Melanie discusses how they worked on a creative marketing strategy that saw them partner with travel influencers to help their brand reach niche audiences and markets. Melanie also shares how her team created the amazing video content for their social media channels. Managing Expectations in Partnerships Managing expectations is critical in a partnership, but how do you set the groundwork for a successful partnership? Melanie explains why clear communication and giving back to the community supporting them is critical to achieving long-term buy-in. We discuss how the tourism association tapped into the community’s collective knowledge to promote their destination and how Melanie is leveraging the popularity of similar wine country destinations to build on recognition and broaden the experience for visitors and offer them even more. Website: https://www.hexrivervalley.co.za/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hex-valley-tourism-4b628338/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HexValleyTourism/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/hexvalley 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/

Sherrif Karamat, CAE, is the President and Chief Executive Officer of PCMA. He also serves as President of the PCMA Foundation and Publisher of Convene magazine. As CEO, Sherrif leads the vision, mission, and promise for PCMA’s global family of brands. He serves the greater business events industry as a prominent business architect, enabling our community to become a catalyst for economic and social progress, organizational success, and personal and professional development. In his previous role as Chief Operating Officer, Sherrif led the development and implementation of PCMA’s new vision: driving global economic and social transformation through business events. In addition to his responsibilities at the executive level, Sherrif also directed streamlining of PCMA’s content creation and delivery channels into one organization. He oversaw partnership, business services, membership, business development, and technology teams. As part of PCMA’s growth strategy, Sherrif has led a major data intelligence program and played a key role in the 2017 acquisition of Incentive Conference & Event Society Asia Pacific (ICESAP). A leader in the business events industry, Sherrif previously served as Vice President of Business Sales and Services for Toronto Convention & Visitors (Tourism Toronto). He has served on various boards and is currently a director on the Destination International Board of Trustees. Sherrif is a life-long learner, and in addition to completing his bachelor’s degree and Masters of Business Administration from York University in Toronto, Canada; he has completed postgraduate certificate programs at Wharton School of Business at The University of Pennsylvania, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and the University of Chicago. At Harvard Business and Law School, he completed a program on strategic negotiations for senior executives and a program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), one on data intelligence and big data. On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Sherrif Karamat, who I met at the Destinations International annual convention in Baltimore, Maryland, and whose insights I hope will inspire you going forward. Sherrif shares his thoughts on the importance of face-to-face meetings and gives an overarching perspective of the business meetings industry’s impacts on a vast range of topics and industries. We discuss why when we meet in person, we solve complex issues faster, how those connections will help form and sustain the meetings industry of the future, and why disruption uncovers new value and brings us into focusing on outcomes rather than outputs. What You Will Learn: Why the events industry has been sadly missed over the last 18 months The critical flashes of brilliance that Sherrif has found during the COVID-19 pandemic Lessons learned on recovery and change and how Sherrif is taking some of them forward How do we create engaging experiences and broaden our reach with technology Sherrif’s thoughts on how disruption will shape the future of the travel industry Why it’s vital to be centered around the people we serve, so they will want to engage with us Lessons for the Future When humans are faced with roadblocks, we start to innovate — and COVID-19 certainly threw up a few obstacles! Sharrif and I discuss the lessons learned by the travel industry, including how we can leverage technology to broaden our reach and engage with more people. Sharrif also shares why he firmly believes that in-person events will see a resurgence in the future as people seek out opportunities to forge meaningful connections. Purpose Driven Outcomes Disruption can help us uncover added value by challenging the status quo. In the travel industry, we want to center our events and organizations around the customers we serve and how we are solving their issues or creating value for them that makes them want to engage with us. When we rethink that status quo and shift our mindset, we can bring people together and focus on positive outcomes, not merely outputs. Convening Leaders Registration Page: https://conveningleaders.org/ Website: https://www.pcma.org/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherrif-karamat-822b821/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/pcma_2/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PCMAHQ/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/pcmahq 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/

Brian Applegarth is a strategic voice and leader in the advancement of cannabis-related travel and tourism. He is the founder of the Cannabis Travel Association – an international non-profit organization that is the united voice of cannabis tourism and travel, Cultivar Strategies – a cannabis-solutions provider for travel destinations, and The Cannabis Trail – a non-profit dedicated to preserving and celebrating cannabis history and culture in northern California. Brian serves as a subject matter expert for industry organizations like the California Travel Association, Destinations International, San Francisco Travel, Sonoma County Tourism, Visit Greater Palm Springs, Visit West Hollywood, and the Las Vegas Chamber of Cannabis. Holistic strategy, innovation, and thought leadership at the intersection of cannabis tourism are the signature of his work. Brian was the sole expert advisor for the first-ever national research on the Cannabis Travel Audience profile in the United States. He is known for creating the Cannabis Effect Pairing method, a proprietary consumption method for psychedelics in travel, serving the visitor profile in a safe and meaningful way while spreading visitor spend strategically throughout a destination by positioning cannabis as a tool for targeted sensory enhancement. A world traveler with an appreciation for culture, passion, and human rights – Brian brings a global, expansive perspective to his work. On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Brian Applegarth about the cannabis travel trend, and he walks us through what cannabis experiences look like when embraced by a destination. He does a deep dive into the various facets of the cannabis market, including leisure, business, and medical, and describes how cannabis pairs perfectly with travel and tourism opportunities. Brian also discusses how destinations can respond to the growing appetite for cannabis-related experiences in a safe and informed way. What You Will Learn: Ways cannabis experiences are currently being delivered across the USA and the scope for innovating in the niche in your destination The foundational values of the Cannabis Travel Association International, including advocacy, education, and networking Why the type of visitors who are seeking out cannabis experiences aren’t necessarily who you would expect The options for educating visitors on the uses of hemp and cannabis and developing a product that travelers can experience when they’re visiting your destination Creative collaboration and partnership opportunities in the cannabis tourism industry Developing Cannabis Experiences Cannabis comes in many different forms or product categories, and Brian describes the sheer variety of experiences available within the cannabis niche. From CBD relaxation tea to a spa day complete with a topical cannabis oil massage, destinations can leverage many creative options as part of their cannabis experience offering. Wherever your destination, there are opportunities to breathe new life into a region’s signature crop to create a new product that attracts a new tranche of visitors. Values of the Cannabis Movement Brian describes why he feels an immense sense of responsibility to ensure that cannabis visitor experiences are done correctly. His ambition is to elevate all of the opportunities that show the positivity and the power of the plant and encourage destinations to explore all cannabis’ uses, from sustainable hemp products to its medicinal uses. Destinations have an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the niche and do it right — to ensure that visitors have a safe and meaningful experience. Cannabis Dosing Scale: https://breaktheicemedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Dosing-Scale_Final_Effect-Pairing.jpg Website: https://cultivarstrategies.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-applegarth/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cannabis-travel-association/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/bapples2 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/

Clark Twiddy is the President of Twiddy & Company, an asset management and hospitality firm founded in 1978 along the North Carolina Outer Banks. He was raised in Duck, North Carolina, and is a combat veteran of the US Navy and an alumnus of several universities. Clark has served in numerous public, private, government, and non-profit capacities at various levels, from volunteer to Chair. He was selected as the FBLAs Business Person of the Year in North Carolina in 2019 and is currently the President of the Outer Banks Community Foundation. Married to a native Texan, he is the father of two young daughters and enjoys time on the water and the guitar in his spare time. On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Clark Twiddy about leading effectively during a crisis. Clark reflects on how he worked to build a trusting relationship with his customers even during the lockdown and why that allowed him to reap the rewards once things reopened. We also discuss how Clark’s company built capacity and value through digital innovation and how they work in partnership with the University of North Carolina in the spirit of co-opetition. What You Will Learn: Clark reflects on his experience managing his vacation rental business through the pandemic The two reasons businesses in the travel industry can fail How showing vulnerability builds trust How Twiddy & Company built capacity and value by leveraging digital tools Why Clark was so keen to engage with the broader community on a sustainable tourism project The creative ways that Clark has guided his company through the last 18 months and the key lessons learned Maintaining Visitor Trust As the pandemic took hold, customer confidence in the possibility of future travel took a nosedive. Clark explores the lessons his company learned about maintaining visitors’ trust and why it was so important to be honest and transparent — and he shares the three key factors that comprised their covenant with their customers. We discuss why it is so powerful to acknowledge failures and how it allows community partners and stakeholders to have faith in your business. Leading in a Crisis Leaders in the hospitality industry are predisposed to want to give visitors a positive experience, but that desire was tested amid the COVID-19 crisis. Clark explains why he felt it was important to highlight to his team that it was ok to make mistakes but that the most important thing was to learn from those mistakes. He outlines how they built their founding principles of reflectiveness and transparency and how he sees them benefiting their partners in sustainable destination management in North Carolina. Book: Memories of the Currituck Outer Banks: As Told by Ernie Bowden by Clark Twiddy Website: https://www.twiddy.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clark-twiddy-3b61a7133 https://www.linkedin.com/company/twiddy-&-company-realtors/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TwiddyOuterBanks Twitter: https://twitter.com/clark_twiddy https://twitter.com/TwiddyOBX 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/

Douglas Ralston is the President and CEO of True Omni. With over 20 years of expertise in the digital and technological industry, Doug is a digital experience expert who reinforces innovation. Equipped with an industry-wide background in omnichannel, eCommerce, social and interactive digital strategy, Ralston steered technology businesses from different Fortune 500 companies over the last ten years. Doug has a core focus on how traditional organizations can rethink their engagement strategies, utilize technology to increase efficiency, drive revenues and still provide memorable personal experiences. On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Douglas Ralston, who describes why he sees the digital visitor experience as a way to open new channels for revenue, data, and engagement. We discuss the evolution of consumer behavior over the last 18 months and how it aligns with recent technological advances. Doug shares case studies of big brands that have added an omnichannel approach and how destinations of all sizes and budgets incorporate similar strategies into their visitor experience. What You Will Learn: How creativity and innovation combine when applying an omnichannel marketing strategy How large brands are fully developing this type of strategy Affordable ways to develop an omnichannel strategy for your destination Tactics that destinations can use to gather data that helps them better serve their visitors How to leverage your current technology to enter the omnichannel world Personalized Information Understanding and personalizing the customer experience is the future for the travel industry, and omnichannel communication allows you to meet your customers where they are most comfortable. When you’re developing technology, remember that the more value you give your visitor in the form of information, coupons, or tickets, the more value you will get back in the form of data that you can use to understand and improve the visitor experience. Enhancing Visitor Experience The omnichannel approach to the visitor experience is all about allowing your customer to access the content they want on a device of their choosing to enhance their experience of your destination. Smartphones and mobile devices have opened up a whole new medium of communication, and if destinations can evolve their marketing on a digital level, then they will be able to open up new channels for revenue and visitor engagement. Douglas Ralston, on behalf of True Omni, will be part of the upcoming Louisiana Governor’s Travel Summit (Aug 24-26), Alabama Governor’s Conference (Aug 28-31), and eTourism Summit Tourism (Sept 20-22) Website: https://www.trueomni.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglasralston/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trueomni Twitter: https://twitter.com/ddralston https://twitter.com/trueomni 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/