Destination On The Left

In this episode, you will learn about how DMOs can band together to come up with great ideas to serve their partners from Greg Evans. Greg Evans has been with Simpleview since 2008 and currently serves as their Vice President of Sales & Account Services. In his role, he provides strategic insight and recommendations for his teams when providing knowledge and best practices to current and prospective clients. He has nearly twenty years of corporate sales and account management experience, having worked for technology-forward corporations such as MCI Worldcom and Iron Mountain. A transcript of this episode is available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/greg-evans/

In this episode, you will learn about the important idea of Cathedral Thinking from Rick Antonson. Rick Antonson is the former president & CEO of the international award-winning destination marketing organization, Tourism Vancouver. Among his volunteer leadership roles, Rick was president of Pacific Coast Public Television, chair of Destination Marketing Association International (based in Washington, DC), and deputy chair of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (based in Bangkok, Thailand). Rick collaborated with leaders of other organizations to initiate the Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Task Force. He was at the helm of Tourism Vancouver when the organization launched the bid to bring the 2010 Winter Olympic Games to Vancouver and Whistler. Today Rick is a full-time author and scriptwriter. The New York Times noted his Route 66 Still Kicks; Driving America’s Main Street as “One of the best books of the bunch” in their Christmas travel book roundup. The Chicago Tribune called his To Timbuktu for a Haircut; A Journey Through West Africa a “travel classic.” When his most recent book, Full Moon Over Noah’s Ark; An Odyssey to Mount Ararat was released last year, the American Library Journal saw it as this tasty, spicy feast of a book” Rick speaks frequently around the world about Cathedral Thinking and is a strong believer that tourism is a vital force for peace. A transcript of this episode is available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/rick-antonson/

In this episode, you will learn about having that real, authentic experience when you travel from Joe Baur. Joe Baur is an American travel author, writer, filmmaker and podcaster whose work has appeared in a variety of domestic and international outlets, including Matador Network, BBC Travel, Viator, and CraftBeer.com to name a few. He’s also the author of various Falcon Guides titles and 2016’s Talking Tico: (Mis)adventures of a Gringo in and Around Costa Rica. Following a year of living in Costa Rica, where he joined The Tico Times staff and contributed travel content, Joe returned to the United States and launched the Without A Path travel podcast, featuring conversations with fellow travelers on the experiences that have most shaped their lives. In August 2016 he relocated to Düsseldorf where he co-hosts the trivago Podcast and continues to pursue unique travel stories with a preference for getting off the tourist trek. A transcript of this episode is available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/joe-baur/

In this episode, you will learn about using creativity to solve difficult challenges from Lisa Burns. Lisa Burns has been in the travel industry for over 35 years with a wide range of experience including group tour planning and product development, event and meeting planning, marketing and public relations, and both a domestic and international tour director. With a proven track record of diligence and reliability, Lisa is goal-oriented, a natural and articulate communicator focused on the nuance and value of detail management and always a willing, eager and motivated champion of the task of the moment. She is able to juggle multiple projects and thrives in a fast-paced environment. With a passion for the tourism industry, destination marketing and being the consummate hostess, Lisa is a passionate advocate for the product she represents and is always willing to put in the time and energy needed to reach a goal. A transcript of this episode is available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/lisa-burns/

In this episode, you will learn about making sure your destination has a successful tomorrow by building lasting partnerships today from Drew Alberti. Drew Alberti has been the Program Manager for Lakes to Locks Passage since 2008. He is responsible for community outreach, product development, and brand awareness. Some of his accomplishments include authoring From Forest to Fields: A History of Agriculture in Champlain Valley, producing the Waterways of War guidebook series and serving as editor for the Lakes to Locks Passage and National Geographic co-branded geo-tourism website. Previous work experience includes Collections Manager at the New York State Museum in Albany and Park Ranger at the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site in Kinderhook. He holds an MA in Public History from the University at Albany. A transcript of this episode is available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/drew-alberti/

In this episode, you will learn strategies for collaborating with a large region like the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor from Jean Mackay. Jean Mackay has served as a director of communications and outreach for the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor since 2007. She manages all aspects of web based and print media and works collaboratively with organizations throughout the 500-mile long National Heritage Corridor to preserve Canal Heritage, promote tourism and foster vibrant communities along the waterway. Jean formerly worked as director of education for Autobahn International. She holds a MS in environmental education from Lesley University. A full transcript of this episode is available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/jean-mackay/

In this episode, you will learn about using great design to drive people to your destination from Cindy Harris. Cindy Harris is a graphic designer, painter, and lover of all things art. She began Harris Studios over 15 years ago with the purpose of helping established businesses create an authentic identity through design. Cindy believes in the importance of good design in this world and asserts that design should be a reflection of both who your business is, as well as where your business is headed. Cindy has created unique brand identities and meaningful design work in a host of different industries, including travel and tourism, food and beverage, retail and spas, and events and promotions. In 2013, she was honored with a tourism legacy award for tourism branding and creativity. Cindy is both a designer and an artist, painting is her passion. She is a proud member artist at the Pat Rini Rohrer Gallery in Canadaigua, New York. She has been a juried artist in the internationally acclaimed Finger Lakes Plein Air Competition. When Cindy is not designing or painting, you can find her knitting, reading a book, or taking a stroll around her beautiful neighborhood in the Bristol Hills. A transcript of this episode is available here: http://destinationontheleft.com/cindy-harris/

In this episode, you will learn about what your destination can do to attract international travelers. Nicole Mahoney started Break The Ice Media in 2009 in response to the evolving needs of small to medium-sized businesses, in particular, the rise of social media. Break The Ice Media is a boutique marketing and communications firm with a focus on travel, tourism, food, wine, and hospitality. As CEO, Nicole is responsible for working with clients to understand their marketing needs, develop strategic marketing plans and execute those plans. She is also responsible for building a team that can deliver. Break The Ice Media specializes in collaborations that leverage resources of multiple partners for the creation of successful marketing programs within the travel and hospitality industry. Break The Ice Media views these programs as “coop-etition” where partners cooperate with their competition to create a program that is larger than one they can execute alone. Building these programs requires a leader who is level-headed, an effective listener, with an ability to move a group towards consensus in order to move forward. Nicole received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Rochester Institute of Technology and a Master of Arts in Communications from The College at Brockport, SUNY. Nicole loves the Finger Lakes region of New York State where she was born and raised. She is raising 4 daughters with her husband, John. A transcript of this episode is available here: destinationontheleft.com/nicole-mahoney-solocast-episode-3

In this episode, you will learn about collaboration across county lines with a FAM tour from Rhonda Vaccaro, Vice President and Senior Consultant at Break The Ice Media. Today Rhonda brings more than 20 years of sales and new business development to the table. She's a master at creating relationships and has a deep understanding of sales strategies, creating win-win opportunities for BTI's tourism clients. Rhonda and her staff are able to act as a much-needed sales arm for Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs), providing management, tracking and reporting, and of course-- closing those sales successfully. With her easy-going personality and high attention to detail, Rhonda is able to put her management skills to work as BTI's HR person, and Office and Operations manager. A transcript of this episode is available here: destinationontheleft.com/rhonda-vaccaro-fam-tour

In this episode, you will learn everything you need to know to get started working with a travel influencer from Colleen Knopeck, Associate Consultant at Break The Ice Media. Imagine being a Kindergartener and winning a writing award from a national PBS Kids show. Or by fifth grade, regularly writing for the Buffalo News’ Kids Page — and having the chance to interview Buffalo Sabres hockey players. And yet, that’s exactly what Colleen Knopeck did. It’s like she came fully hatched as a writer. As the Communications Specialist for Perry’s, a New York State maker of ice cream, Colleen handled Perry’s sponsorships, public relations, and media relations. She wrote everything from customer and consumer e-newsletters, the blog, social media, annual reports, to writing and directing an in-house video. If you were a blogger or members of media that were lucky enough to have ice cream dropped off to you — you could thank Colleen for coordinating it. Her gift for writing articles and short stories translated into Colleen’s ability at Break the Ice to find the essential story in each client’s industry, and develop targeted messages. Because clients are often so close to their technical side or information, they can have a hard time sorting it all out. Clients may feel it’s hard to explain or put into words. With great listening skills, Colleen helps each client save time by doing that required distilling. She’s able to get that information to the consumer, or the media, that works best for a particular audience. Her innate ease with and understanding of social media allows her to see opportunities for effective advertising. A transcript of this episode is available here: destinationontheleft.com/colleen-knopeck-travel-influencers