Destination On The Left

As Account Manager – Leisure Trade & Product Structure with Destination Sherbrooke for the past five years, William Hogg has developed and deepened key relationships with tourism partners and travel buyers from the region, across Canada, and around the world. The instigator of the Sherbrooke – Heart of the Townships brand, he continues to strategically develop products and position the city, partners, and the region in Canadian, American, and international (Asian and European) leisure and tour & travel markets. On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with William Hogg about how he has kept his Canadian destination Sherbrooke, near the U.S. border in Quebec, at the forefront of travelers’ minds over the past year. He shares his most creative ideas – from hosting frequent virtual familiarization (FAM) tours for operators in the travel trade to creating an award-winning Local Flavors Road Trip. William also shares why he sees collaboration as the key to successfully navigating the changes in a post-pandemic travel industry. What You Will Learn: What the closure of travel and tourism due to the pandemic has meant for Canadian destinations Creative elements incorporated in Sherbrooke’s strategy to move through the challenges of 2020/21 and beyond How William collaborated with neighboring municipal organizations to find ways of attracting hyper-local tourism What Destination Sherbrooke is doing to support their local community Why William is currently seeing more interest from U.S. tour operators than Canadian operators for Summer 2021 Collaborate for Success In the current climate, sharing wealth and resources is the key to success, and collaborations between destinations don’t need to be completely equal for them to be successful. Smaller communities can collaborate with larger ones to work together to both draw visitors to their attractions and offer them a range of places to eat and sleep, leading to a win-win outcome for everyone. COVID-19 Friendly Attractions Being COVID-friendly is vital in the post-pandemic recovery period and promoting outdoor attractions that visitors feel comfortable with as they ease back into tourism is very important in the rejuvenation of the industry. William discusses why the attractions that Destination Sherbrooke is focusing on are centered around agri-tourism. He also describes how Sherbrooke won international recognition for the pivots they have made during the pandemic and the continued creativity they have shown in drawing people to the area. Website: https://www.destinationsherbrooke.com/en/visitors LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-hogg-94b24326/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/destinationsherbrooke Twitter: https://twitter.com/DSherbrooke

Carole Stizza is a Professionally Certified ICF Executive Coach, a SeniorHR Professional, and has a background in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. She has also survived 3 different car accidents (all stopped while turning left) and stage 3 cancer. Resilience, grit, and impatience for life have all been constant companions as she has supported her Air Force Husband and moved her family around the U.S. for 26 years and traveled the world. Her ability to help clients navigate change, clarify what is important, and step into better conversations have led her to be a contributing author in two books and now releasing her own called: The ASK Framework, questions that elevate your Influence, Performance, and Leadership. On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Carole Stizza about the power of self-awareness that comes when you ask for positive feedback. It may seem counterintuitive to ask people to tell you what you are doing right — but that is exactly what Carol suggests doing. Carole also discusses the framework for how to have those professional conversations that she created to help people understand the idea of self-leadership, and why she decided to expand her ideas into a book. What You Will Learn: What it means to use self-leadership How Carole is seeing people apply self-leadership as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic How Carole helps her clients learn how to celebrate and realize self-leadership The importance of taking curiosity in a more strategic, actionable direction by giving context in conversations How to use Carole’s framework to introduce a sense of positivity and collaboration one-to-one or within a team How to remind people what they should celebrate about themselves when home or hybrid working You Are Already Your Best Self The first step of self-leadership is to recognize that you are already positioned to be your best self. We’re all unique — so start to embrace how you uniquely think and move away from comparing yourself with others. Adopting what makes you unique and what sets you apart, then starting to appreciate and embrace those things ensures that you understand how to put yourself out in the world. Framework for Feedback As leaders and individuals we are always evolving, learning, and growing, so the idea that you are already your best self can be overwhelming. And that’s because we don’t always know what to celebrate about ourselves, we need a framework for feedback about what other people appreciate about the gifts they see in us. Keep growing and keep changing but also make the choice to enjoy who you are in the moment. Website: https://relevant-insight.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolestizza/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/relevant4you Twitter: https://twitter.com/relevant4you Book: https://resources.relevant-insight.com/ASKFramework986140 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/

Jim is the President & CEO of Response Marketing Group, a consumer-data-focused marketing agency in Richmond, Va. As such, he is responsible for relationship development and account strategy at the independent agency, which offers data analytics, predictive modeling, and multi-channel services. The agency serves several clients in the financial services, travel/tourism, and insurance sectors. With over 30+ years of experience in the marketing and advertising industry, Jim is a nationally recognized speaker at conferences and events such as the Forrester Marketing Conference, Direct Marketing Association, Public Relations Society of America, and the Southeast Tourism Society. Jim is considered a thought-leader on the value of data insights married to relevant messaging to the target audience. Jim also leads the Travel and Tourism practice for RMG, which includes clients such as Arkansas Tourism, Georgia Tourism, Visit Jacksonville, St Tammany Parish, The Ritz Carlton, and Marriott International among others. Prior to Response Marketing Group, Jim was Senior Vice President at The Allant Group in Chicago, IL from 2010-2014. He led the Strategic Consulting practice that delivered marketing strategy and high-level research to CMOs and brand managers at clients such as GM, Comcast, Nationwide Insurance, US Tennis Association, US Cellular, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and Wells Fargo. From 1999-2010, Jim was an agency partner in RightMinds a strategic consultancy in Richmond, VA serving national brands and emerging growth brands. On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk all things data with James Harenchar. Jim clarifies the types of data that are available, and how they help build predictive models and analytics that deliver a reduced cost per acquisition. He demonstrates how data has helped tourism marketers achieve better results with some recent case studies. Jim also walks us through the evolving nature of the direct response marketing industry, and how response attribution works in the digital world. What You Will Learn: How Jim leverages data analytics, predictive modeling for clients in the travel and tourism sector Where Jim finds the data that we don’t have and the ‘secret sauce’ of matching it to messaging How building relationships translates into better, more effective marketing Why and how you should be differentiating your messaging for different audiences Why consistency across your messaging, imagery, and CTA considerably boosts your advertising response rate Engaging the Audience In the travel and tourism industry, we are always looking to marry customer insights with marketing strategy and use the data we have more effectively. But in some cases, it’s the data we don’t have that would help me gain greater insight into what individuals are looking for from a destination or experience. It’s great if you have a first name and last name and an email address but if you don’t have any detail on gender, income, whether they have children or are an empty nester then it’s much more difficult to tailor your messaging and engage that individual that’s already in your database in a meaningful way. Personalized Messaging The relevance of digital marketing is more important than ever, so the more data you have on your client base the more likely it is that you will be able to personalize your ads. The direct marketing industry has evolved to where potential visitors expect the images and ads that they’re seeing to be focused on their interests. This is where data, analysis, and segmentation can help professionals in the destination marketing world achieve personalization more quickly and efficiently. Website: https://rmg-usa.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jharenchar/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rmgusallc/ 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/

Andy McNeill is a travel and hospitality entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in his profession. He is the CEO and founder of American Meetings, Inc., an industry-leading meetings and events agency that produces thousands of live and virtual meetings annually for Fortune 500 clients. He is also the co-host of the Destination Everywhere Podcast, top travel and hospitality podcast that highlights bucket-list destinations, luxury hotels, local cuisine, and must-do activities. Andy is a significant voice in the hospitality, meeting, and travel industries. On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Andy McNeill about how the travel industry has changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Andy shares his thoughts on the hybrid event model and how destinations and suppliers can benefit from this new approach to meetings. We also discuss creative ways that destinations can take their experiences and products virtual to support both online and in-person attendees. What You Will Learn: Key lessons learned during the last year on how the travel industry is evolving Why Andy McNeill believes the hybrid-event model is here to stay How destinations can make their virtual event component creative How in-person events are making attendees feel safe How Conventions and Visitors Bureau (CVB) staff can innovate to promote their destination Creative Hybrid Events The travel and tourism industry has fundamentally changed over the last year, but we can adapt and grow with the changes. With a few creative tweaks, you can tailor your offering to what visitors are looking for both in-person and for virtual tourists. Andy describes some of the most creative online and hybrid events that he has seen in the past 12 months and gives listeners some inspiration for planning their own engaging events to attract visitors. Technology and Collaboration We dig into the specifics of how to leverage the spirit of ‘coop-etition’ the blend of collaboration and competition if you are part of the CVB community. Andy shares his experience of using technology to promote visitor destinations and how to ensure your region is still an attractive prospect in the new normal world of safety protocols and flexible booking policies. Collaboration is going to be key to enhancing the online event experience so we also explore the key lessons learned, and how the industry will evolve as we come out of the pandemic. Hotel Negotiating Tip in the New Normal: https://americanmeetings.com/tips-for-negotiating-in-the-new-normal/ Cleaning Requirements Interview with Shari Cedar: https://americanmeetings.com/venue-cleaning-requirements/ Safety Guideline Digital Booklet: https://americanmeetings.com/wp-content/uploads/AMI-Safety-Sanitation-Resource-Guide-for-Live-Meetings.pdf Destination Everywhere Podcast: https://americanmeetings.com/podcast/ Website: https://americanmeetings.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-mcneill/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanMeetings/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/andymcneill https://twitter.com/amermeetings 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/

A seasoned tourism executive with over 35 years of experience in the industry, Don Welsh serves as the President and CEO of Destinations International. Since joining the association in March 2016, Welsh has implemented a strategic realignment for the association through a renewed commitment to focus on member needs to deliver the resources members have determined to be essential to the success of their organizations. Prior to joining Destinations International, Welsh served as the President and CEO of Choose Chicago. Welsh also held the CEO position at the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association and the Seattle Convention & Visitors Bureau. Prior to joining the destination marketing industry, Welsh served as senior vice president for Westin Hotels at its corporate headquarters and has also held senior leadership positions in sales and marketing for Westin Hotels and Resorts, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, and the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas. On this episode of Destination on the Left, I welcome President and CEO of Destinations International, Don Welsh back and we dive into what the travel industry has learned from the COVID-19 pandemic over the last 12 months. We discuss the various opportunities for the industry to drive home the importance of adopting tourism as a community shared value and how we can promote this mindset. Don also gives us his insights into sustainable tourism, the changing meetings industry and the adoption of equity, diversity and inclusion principles. What You Will Learn: The silver linings hidden in the COVID-19 pandemic The importance of our networks and why we need to work together to move forward How the links between Convention and Visitor Bureau (CVB) and local communities have been cemented during the last 12 months What Destinations International has planned for their next program and how they are developing for the future What the travel industry should do to position themselves for successfully moving forward over the next five to 10 years Collaboration in Recovery The travel industry has been in crisis mode but now we are moving slowly towards recovery. There are certain destinations that are almost in full recovery mode, such as beach, mountains, or lake resorts and there are also many areas that are still at the beginning of their recovery process, such as urban destinations. The key factor for successfully returning to normality is that we maintain this hyper communication that has taken place this past year, so more people are aware of what destination organizations do and the contributions they make. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Besides the increase in community shared-value work we need to change our vocabulary around how the travel industry can benefit communities, through the recovery and into the good times ahead. There have also been silver linings to the pandemic, and one such positive change was the increased adoption of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) principles and their heightened visibility during challenging times. Website: destinationsinternational.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/destintl/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-welsh-76520b1a8/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/destintl/ Twitter: @destintl 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/

Carol Lempert supercharges executive presence and careers with the performance secrets actors use to light up the screen. She is a sought-after leadership expert quoted in Forbes, Financial Post, National Post, The Reader’s Digest, and Thrive Global. Typically companies bring her in to help them fill their leadership pipelines. She teaches executives to tell better business stories, increase their executive presence, improve their personal brand and build more resilience. Carol’s clients include Google, Marriott, American Express, Travelers, and the Harvard Executive Education program (yes, THAT Harvard. Her Mom is too proud). On this episode of Destination on the Left, Carol Lempert discusses how to better communicate and engage with others as part of a collaborative team. Carol shares her expertise as an actress with listeners and gives actionable tips and techniques on how to sound and look confident when pitching an idea and how to use high gain questions to make stronger connections and create better collaborations. We also do a live exercise that demonstrates how effective listening leads to a deeper understanding of what’s really important to others in your sphere. What You Will Learn: The performance secrets that Carol uses to supercharge executive presence The four dimensions of executive presence Carol’s insights as an actress, on communication, and how that supports effective teamwork and collaboration How to effectively pitch ideas The importance of asking open-ended questions to deepen understanding of a topic How to break through roadblocks to positive collaboration Essential Dimensions of Executive Presence Many of us in the world of travel, tourism, and hospitality have experience with booking or promoting theatre and live performance. Still, we don’t often get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what we can learn from actors about collaboration. Carol Lempert guides us through the four dimensions of executive presence and how she works with business people to help them communicate and pitch their ideas, so audiences listen. Collaborating Successfully Carol shares her insights on effective communication skills and how they can impact both in-house teams and teams of collaborators across various organizations. Collaboration and communication are closely tethered and both are vital for creating and bringing a successful project to fruition. Carol explains why leading cross-industry projects need to be open and transparent with the expectations from the off and aware of how to break down any roadblocks by listening and communicating productively. Website: https://carollempert.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carollempert/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarolLempertSpeaking Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarolLempert

Michael is a native of the Finger Lakes region. He was born in Rochester, NY but enjoyed an early childhood upbringing in Newport, RI (“America’s First Tourism Town”) to which he attributes his passion for hospitality. Over his thirty-five-year career, he has had the pleasure and honor to serve as a Convention Sales Manager, Director of both Convention Services and Visitor Services for Visit Rochester (twice), sell and market to domestic and international groups for the Corning Museum of Glass, Top of The Rock at Rockefeller Center and as a VP for Group Sales Box Office/Broadway.com (both in NY, NY). His earliest accomplishments as a Patient Unit Secretary at Strong Hospital, Front Office Supervisor for Stouffer Hotels, and Event Manager for Casa Larga Vineyards are where he believes his desire to serve, delight, and exceed expectations for guests, people, peers, and friends-alike was crafted. Recently, Michael continued his two-decade-long consulting business offerings to museums, attractions, municipalities, artists, and other family-owned and corporate clients as a resident in Chicago, IL. Just last year, in 2019, he went back to complete his Bachelor’s Degree from Rochester Institute of Technology finishing on the Dean’s List with 10 A’s for 5 in-class subjects and 5 online, a feat he is extremely proud of and happy to have finished (as were his mom and RIT friends, favorite faculty members, and fellow alum). Destination on the Left is joined by Michael Hardy, the Executive Director of Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce. On our podcast, Michael shares the key takeaways from his experience in the tourism and hospitality industry. He talks about how the “no-event events” helped his community draw attention and visitors during the holidays. Michael also dives into the concept of “return on involvement” and explains why that is the best measurement for success in any organization. No matter what we have experienced thus far, there are many silver linings, and our conversation highlights some of them. What You Will Learn: The insights Michael has gleaned from his experience working in the tourism and hospitality industry Watkins Glen’s “no-event event” concept and how it drove visitor traffic during the holidays Why “return on involvement” is the best measure of success in any organization The silver linings that have come out of the pandemic thus far How Watkins Glen has used creativity and collaboration to stand out from the crowd What tourism businesses can do to put together a more impactful guest experience Watkins Glen, NY Michael Hardy is the Executive Director of Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce. On our podcast, Michael shares the key takeaways from his experience in the tourism and hospitality industry. He talks about how the “no-event events” helped his community draw attention and visitors during the holidays. Michael also dives into the concept of “return on involvement” and explains why that is the best measurement for success in any organization. No matter what we have experienced thus far, there are many silver linings, and our conversation highlights some of the victories and struggles in Watkins Glen, NY. The Many Faces of ROI Michael has built an exemplary career in the travel and hospitality industry. He used each experience as a springboard to another, picking up a vast array of different skills along the way. From marketing and event planning to operations and customer experience design, Michael gained exposure to all facets of the industry, leading him to develop the idea of return on involvement. This concept is about identifying what visitors are getting for their time and money, then figuring out what you can do to add even more value to that experience through your involvement. In doing so, you will have yet another tool to separate your destination from the pack. No-Event Events The pandemic is waning, consumer confidence is increasing, and the tourism industry is rebounding. This leaves us with a unique problem that we haven’t had in quite some time—too many destinations to choose from. For destinations to compete in such a high-stakes arena, they have to reach deep within their ranks to find a sense of creativity and collaboration. One of the ways Michael and his team achieved this was through their Holiday Happenings campaign. This was the birth of their “no-event event” concept where destinations can build an event framework and fill it in with an agenda that meets the CDC and local government restrictions at the time the event takes place. Through this type of modular event planning, DMOs can stay light on their feet and adapt in real-time as health guidelines change. Phone: 607-535-4300 Cell: 585-721-6032 Email: michael@watkinsglenchamber.com Website: www.watkinsglenchamber.com 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/

Lisa Berger, Director of Tourism for Ulster County, has more than twenty years of government experience, starting at Ulster County Tourism as the Director of Marketing and Group Sales. She was promoted to Deputy Director in four years, and from there, was asked to lead the county’s Office of Employment and Training and Workforce Development Board. Over the next six years, Lisa worked with businesses, economic development, and education leaders to create policies and programs that help ensure that the labor force meets the needs of local businesses and industry. Berger became the Director of Ulster County’s Department of Economic Development in September 0f 2019, where she developed strategies that promote sustainable economic growth, which will help all Ulster County residents. In November 2020, Lisa found herself back at the county’s Tourism Department, this time as the Director. She brings an innovative, creative flair for robust partnerships and original promotional campaigns. Berger is currently looking at reinventing the standard travel guide, making it a meaningful touchstone for the creation of authentic experiences. On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Lisa Berger about transferable skills and why it’s so critical to spread the word about various routes into a successful career in the tourism industry. As Lisa explains, we need to show people the path to follow and where being a travel and tourism professional could lead them. We also dive deep into Lisa’s plans for Ulster County to lead recovery in the tourism sector – including expanding the visitor base, building partnerships, and helping travelers make a deeper connection with the experiences available in the area. What You Will Learn: How transferable skills and the ability to use previous experience and a passion for helping your community can lead to a successful career in tourism Why the tourism industry needs to promote the principles of diversity, equality, and inclusion Some of the things that Lisa is working on to help Ulster County lead the way into recovery Lisa’s new travel guide project with curated experiences that will help expand their visitor base How Lisa is making partnerships work for businesses, communities, and visitors and why they are stronger together Why building deeper connections through partnerships and with their visitors is driving Lisa’s approach to recovery Making Deeper Connections Lisa shares her passion for finding and fostering deeper connections between visitors and what Ulster County offers in terms of local activities, arts, and experiences. She shares the region’s plans for expanding their visitor base by shifting the focus onto the cultural heritage traveler and looking at their history as a center for art and music. The county’s plan to really speak to a diverse audience in a welcoming way, to let them know that they’re going to feel comfortable, is at the heart of Lisa’s plans for moving forward into the future. A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats Cooperation is also one of the key principles of Lisa’s roadmap to leading recovery in the tourist centers of her region. Integral to their plans to build partnerships and find ways for visitors to connect with the region is their carefully curated travel guide — complete with COVID-safe QR codes — which will showcase the unique partnerships that the county has built so they can offer visitors more recreation opportunities than ever before. Lisa also outlines her philosophy of creating connections by asking businesses in the tourism sector what they feel they need from her department, listening, and working to give them what will help them most. Website: https://ulstercountyalive.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-berger-she-her-hers-75997b8/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisa.berger.710 Instagram: Ulster County Tourism 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/

Debra E. Ross is the founder, publisher, and CEO of Kids Out And About, LLC. The company publishes KidsOutAndAbout.com, launched in 2001, and BeyondTheNest.com, launched in 2016. The sites, which are presented under the umbrella of EntertainmentCalendar.com, provide comprehensive calendar and resource lists celebrating each of 45 local regions across the U.S. and Canada. Kids Out And About’s focus is on activities for kids, teens, and families; its readers are 85% parents and the remaining 15% are grandparents. Beyond The Nest focuses on arts, culture, and recreation for grownups. Originally founded in 2001 as a community website for parents in Rochester, NY, KidsOutAndAbout.com started expanding out of Western New York in late 2010. The combined sites currently attract 6 million unique visitors per year, and over 400,000 opt-in readers receive a weekly e-newsletter filled with things to do both in their local area and virtually. Deb’s weekly “Notes from Deb” column at the top of the KidsOutAndAbout.com newsletters is celebrating its 20th year of publication in 2021. As publisher, Deb leads a team of content managers whose mission is to celebrate each local region’s best opportunities and thereby help sustain communities. Destination on the Left is joined by Debra Ross, the founder, publisher, and CEO of Kids Out And About, LLC. On our podcast, Debra shares her passion for celebrating local regions across the U.S. and Canada. She talks about the importance of selling both the residents and outsiders on tourism in smaller communities. And she also discusses her experience with coopetition, as well as the big plans communities are working on to prepare for the 2024 eclipse. What You Will Learn: Debra’s journey into the travel and tourism industry What Debra is doing to celebrate local regions across the U.S. and Canada Debra’s role as the publisher and CEO of Kids Out and About, LLC. The importance of selling both the residents and outsiders on tourism in smaller communities Debra’s experience with the power of coopetition in local regions The big plans communities are working on to prepare for the 2024 eclipse Kids Out and About Debra Ross is the founder, publisher, and CEO of Kids Out And About, LLC., a media network that provides a comprehensive calendar and resource lists celebrating each of 45 local regions across the U.S. and Canada. On our podcast, Debra shares her passion for celebrating local regions across the U.S. and Canada. She talks about the importance of selling both the residents and outsiders on tourism in smaller communities. And she also discusses her experience with coopetition, as well as the big plans communities are working on to prepare for the 2024 eclipse. Connecting Travelers, Community Members, and Destinations Kids Out and About generates almost all of its revenue through local advertising. It is a predominantly mission-based organization, meaning that its fundamental purpose is to celebrate and nurture the communities it serves. With Debra at the helm, Kids Out and About has taken an approach that enables local businesses, CVBs, and DMOs to be more themselves—thus standing out from the crowd. It is about highlighting all of the ways in which local community members and outsiders can connect with them on a deeper level. First, they match travelers with the activities they are seeking already, then they offer a broad spectrum of other opportunities the travelers may have never even considered. Thriving Together In order to create deeper connections on a regional level, coopetition must become an integral part of the process. We are seeing tourism businesses work together despite nominally competing for the same tourism dollars under normal circumstances. If you zoom out and look at the bigger picture, success is often measured collectively. Large CVBs and DMOs are only interested in how tourism is performing at scale. By determining what metrics to measure and providing support to other destinations in your region, communities can grow stronger than ever before. With collective action, everyone has a chance to thrive. Website: www.kidsoutandabout.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DebraERoss LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-ross-roc/ 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/

Roni Weiss was born in Long Island, New York, and grew up in Snohomish County, Washington, north of Seattle. At the age of 10, Roni began attending Edmonds Community College (now Edmonds College), receiving his Associates of Arts and Science with Honors at the age of 12. He graduated from Lynnwood High School at the age of 15, then attended the University of Washington, receiving double Bachelors of Arts degrees in Drama and English at the age of 18. Through years of world travels, Roni visited 70+ countries, including every country in Europe, six of seven continents, and taught English in Italy, France, Taiwan, and Chile, both to youth and professionals. In 2011, Roni founded RW Social, a marketing and consulting company for the travel industry and nonprofits. From 2011 to 2016, Roni worked with Africa Travel Association (now Africa Tourism Association), assisting with and speaking at ATAs events in NYC, DC, and multiple African countries. In 2013, RW Social launched the New York Travel Festival, an event focused on innovation and sustainability in the world of travel, which served as the genesis for Travel Unity, where he now serves as Executive Director. Roni lives in Westchester County, NY with his partner, Lauren, and their four children. Destination on the Left is joined by Roni Weiss, Executive Director of Travel Unity. On our podcast, Roni discusses his unique journey into the travel and tourism industry and the world of entrepreneurship. He explains how a broader view on community impact can create a win-win for both the tourism organization and the community it serves. In addition, Roni makes the case for why representation in marketing and PR needs to be executed thoughtfully and consistently with more depth. This conversation is the key to getting started or leveling up your focus on DEI, and Roni brings so much value to the table. What You Will Learn: Roni’s unique journey into the travel and tourism industry and the world of entrepreneurship How a broader view on community impact can create a win-win for both tourism organizations and the communities they serve Why representation in marketing and PR needs to be executed thoughtfully and consistently with more depth Personal vs. Organizational Development tactics in the travel and tourism industry Tips for finding the right candidates during the hiring process Travel Unity Roni Weiss is the Executive Director of Travel Unity, a non-profit focused on increasing diversity in the world of travel through individual and community empowerment. On our podcast, Roni discusses his unique journey into the travel and tourism industry and the world of entrepreneurship. He explains how a broader view on community impact can create a win-win for both the tourism organization and the community it serves. In addition, Roni makes the case for why representation in marketing and PR needs to be executed thoughtfully and consistently with more depth. This conversation is the key to getting started or leveling up your focus on DEI, and Roni brings so much value to the table. Overcoming Inequality in Travel and Tourism Travel Unity provided Roni with the opportunity to make an impact on both the personal development side and the business/organizational development side of the travel and tourism industry. The center circle of this ven diagram is the inequality in this world. Initially, that took the form of socioeconomic status in Roni’s work. But as he grew, Roni dove even deeper into the concept of cultural exchange, searching for new ways to bridge the gap between all types of people from different walks of life. When travel organizations adopt a similar perspective and focus on building connections in the communities they serve, it will help develop an environment where everyone thrives. Be Proactive in the Hiring Process Once a community has stitched the tears in its connective tissue, the travel and tourism sector can make a greater impact than ever before. Pushing for personal and organizational development in the community will create a future workforce that shares the same values. This is an ideal framework to work from as an organization grows. When adding new team members and filling existing roles, it is important to do everything in our power to build a team that supports our vision for diversity. Homogony doesn’t exist because we aren’t getting the candidates we need, it exists because we aren’t going out there to find them. This is something we have complete control over, and it will change the dynamic of our teams for years to come. Website: https://travelunity.org Facebook: https://facebook.com/officialroniweiss LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/roniweiss Twitter: https://twitter.com/roniweiss 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/