Brand USA Talks Travel

How can travel media publishers earn reader loyalty? We get the unique perspective of Bryan Kinkade, VP/Publisher at AFAR Media. Bryan shares insights gleaned throughout his 15-year career in travel and media, touching on the differences between digital and print content, the role of local voices in storytelling, and keeping visitation sustainable on an individual level. We also hear about Bryan's recent 6-week sabbatical across South America. The episode is live from ESTO in Savannah, Georgia.

Live from Savannah, Georgia, we kick off coverage of ESTO with Ellen Davis, Executive Vice President, Business Strategy and Industry Engagement at U.S. Travel. Ellen covers the importance of conducting your own research, collecting first party data, and keeping inbound international travel to the U.S. competitive, as well as the backstory on Ellen's role in the formation of Cyber Monday.

Start-up culture is always interesting, as is how small destinations work with limited budgets. Hear what Wendy Hasse, President/CEO of Visit Santa Ana has learned. Also, if you’re thinking about CDME certification, Wendy shares her experience with the process.

How did Visit The USA go from 0 to over 600,000 followers on TikTok? We ask Coralis Rivera-Aponte, Brand USA's Manager of Integrated Marketing and Social Media. We discuss why TikTok is a valuable platform for DMOs, the meteoric rise of Threads, and Brand USA's social media strategy in FY24. Coralis was recently named to the 30 Under 30 list by Destinations International.

We discuss refocusing a DMO to help build the local community through job creation, economic activity, earning taxes through tourism, and building a brand that helps diversify the economy by attracting investment and businesses. Jack also talks about being named one of the top 25 most influential people in the meetings industry. Jack Johnson is Chief Advocacy Officer at Destinations International.

We tackle the complex topic of accessible travel, covering innovation, higher level education, and the ADA. You likely know Jake from his many previous roles in our industry, but his latest venture may well be his most impactful. Jake is now Founder and CEO of TravelAbility. The episode was recorded live at Destinations International in Dallas, Texas.

Mark & Fred cover a wide range of topics from Broadway to the Boroughs, to the DMO’s re-brand, to Restaurant Week. Fred Dixon is President/CEO of New York City Tourism & Conventions.

Paul talks about winning D.I’s. Global Impact Award, how to transform an organization using a balanced score card performance management framework, taking the D.I. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion CEO Pledge, and making tourist spaces more accommodating for children and adults on the spectrum. Paul Nursey is the CEO of Destination Greater Victoria. This was recorded live from the Destinations International Convention in Dallas, Texas.

Live from Destinations International, we speak with the host city's representative: Craig Davis, President and CEO of Visit Dallas. Craig discusses how the stereotypical cowboy image plays into the Dallas brand, what he’s learned at this year’s convention, the city's upcoming new convention center, and his major career shift of moving to Dallas after growing up in Ontario and spending 30 years in Pittsburgh.

Live from the D.I. Convention, we discuss Idaho’s approach to international marketing, segmenting seasons, artificial intelligence, and making choices among many places to highlight in the state. Jeremy Chase is Marketing and Innovation Administrator at the Idaho Department of Commerce.