Destination On The Left

Melissa Cherry serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Destinations International. She is responsible for the development and execution of the overall marketing and communications, product engagement, information technology, meetings, and education strategies to promote and elevate the Association's mission and brand to drive awareness of its impact to advance the success of the destination marketing industry worldwide. Prior to joining Destinations International, Melissa was senior vice-president for marketing and cultural tourism at Choose Chicago. During her four-year tenure at the city's official destination marketing organization, she led Choose Chicago's domestic and international marketing strategies, including all efforts for brand strategy, integrated marketing, research, advertising, official publications and collateral, website, social media, and event marketing. Additionally, she launched the first-ever Cultural Tourism Strategy to increase visitation and awareness to Chicago's cultural entities, events, and neighborhoods. John Percy is President and CEO of Destination Niagara USA. It is the official Tourism Promotion Agency and a full-service Destination Marketing Organization serving Niagara Falls and Niagara County, New York/USA. Previously, John served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the organization. Other prior experience includes Vice President of Tourism for the Niagara Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau and 15 years in shopping center marketing and management in both Western New York and Detroit, Michigan. In addition to serving as Vice Chairman for the Board of Governors for the American Bus Association Foundation and on the Board of Directors for ABA's actual association, John also serves as the current Chair-elect on the Destinations International Foundation Board of Trustees. He also serves on boards for the Niagara USA Chamber of Commerce, Niagara Falls Community Mission, and the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area. John is also a co-chair of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion task force for Destinations International, a task force that Melissa Cherry oversees in her role. Destination on the Left is joined by Melissa Cherry, COO at Destinations International, and John Percy, President and CEO of Destination Niagra USA, to discuss America's racial unrest. The conversation about equity, diversity, and inclusion can be uncomfortable to have, but it is needed in every aspect of our lives right now. On our podcast, Melissa and John share their personal stories about how they have been impacted by bias. The racial conversation is both a challenge and an opportunity, and there is so much we can do right now to make sure this moment in time does not pass us by. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Melissa and John's journeys into travel and tourism How equity, diversity, and inclusion manifest in the travel and tourism industry today Melissa and John's personal experience with racial bias Why the conversation about race is both a challenge and an opportunity How we can use creativity and collaboration to tackle prejudice in travel and tourism Why Destination International's DEI Committee was created and how it has evolved What we can do NOW to make an impact on racial inequality in the U.S. Systemic Prejudice in Travel and Tourism Destination on the Left is joined by Melissa Cherry, COO at Destinations International, and John Percy, President and CEO of Destination Niagra USA, to discuss America's racial unrest. The conversation about equity, diversity, and inclusion can be uncomfortable to have, but it is needed in every aspect of our lives right now. On our podcast, Melissa and John share their personal stories about how they have been impacted by bias. The racial conversation is both a challenge and an opportunity, and there is so much we can do right now to make sure this moment in time does not pass us by. Coming Together As One As the conversation about race is amplified, there is a new sense of urgency and a light at the tunnel. But while there are many opportunities for addressing the issue of race, there are a lot of challenges. Through Melissa and John—a woman of color and a gay, white man—their personal stories show how real systemic prejudice and bias is here in the U.S. It is something that we can't ignore any longer, and by coming together as one force of creative problem solvers, we can tackle this adversity in our industry once and for all. The Racial Conversation Right now, there are a lot more conversations about race and they are easier to have. But only a couple of years ago, we still had to convince people to be a part of the conversation at all. The best thing we can do as a collective is to show empathy and facilitate open discussions about the realities we don't truly understand. What do our organizations look like? What do our communities look like? Those are the questions we need to be asking ourselves in order to properly direct our problem-solving skills and make a difference. 5 Questions About Race Video 5 Questions About Race Article Leading by Example: Lessons in Race and Racism An OPEN LETTER to Our Colleagues and the World from Black Destination Industry Leaders LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-cherry-444806/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-percy-cdme-20558b3/ Episode Transcript 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. 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In Destination on the Left's 200th episode, we kick off October's theme of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Nicole Mahoney shares experience with these issues, and she talks about the different ways her team is working together to live out the 'equitable' core value within their company. Learn what we can do to explore, understand, and act on the topic of diversity in the travel and tourism industry. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Host Nicole Mahoney's experience with the challenges of equity, diversity, and inclusion What Nicole's team is doing to live out the 'equitable' core value within their company What we can do to explore, understand, and act on the topic of diversity in the travel and tourism industry The lessons Nicole learned about diversity in applicant pools during the hiring process How Nicole's team took a proactive approach to diversity in their company and industry How the team was living out their core values, and where they were falling short Why addressing systemic racism in your organization will impact existing employees, future employees, and clients alike Addressing the Topic of Diversity in our industry In Destination on the Left's 200th episode, we kick off October's theme of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Nicole Mahoney shares experience with these issues, and she talks about the different ways her team is working together to live out the 'equitable' core value within their company. Learn what we can do to explore, understand, and act on the topic of diversity in the travel and tourism industry. In light of recent events in the United States that sparked severe racial unrest, the opportunity to have this conversation could not have come at a better time. Looking into the Mirror With racial injustice sweeping the country right now, it is hard to focus on more than race. In the travel and tourism industry alone, racial diversity is a major issue, and it goes all the way to the leadership level of top organizations. As Nicole started to think about this, she realized that even her own company is guilty of homogeneity. Nicole didn't build a team of white women on purpose, and there was no discrimination in the hiring process—she just didn't receive a diverse applicant pool. But that is how she and her team *used* to think. After the death of George Floyd, they decided to take a proactive approach to diversity instead of leaving it to circumstance. A Deep Dive into the Unknown At first, Nicole and her team weren't quite sure how to address the issue of diversity in their company and industry. But after exhausting every resource and contact they could pull from their network, a plan started to materialize. They used their 'equitable' core value as a framework and starting point in their exploration of systemic racism and diversity in the United States. The team figured out where they were living that core value, and where they were falling short. And as a result, the discoveries they made will shape the policies and actions of the organization as a whole, impacting existing team members, future team members, and clients alike. Email: nicole@breaktheicemedia.com Website: www.destinationontheleft.com/summit Website: https://breaktheicemedia.com/ Twitter: @Break_TheIce Facebook: @BreakTheIceMedia Additional Resources: How We Live Core Value Equitable Shortfalls Systemic Racism Explained Racial Equity Report Card

Rick Antonson is the author of the travel narratives: To Timbuktu for a Haircut: A Journey Through West Africa, Route 66 Still Kicks: Driving Americas Main Street, and Full Moon Over Noah's Ark: An Odyssey to Mount Ararat and Beyond. He is the co-author of Slumachs Gold: In Search of a Legend. He was president and CEO of Tourism Vancouver, is past chair of the board for the Destinations International, based in Washington, DC, and served as deputy chair for the Pacific Asia Tourism Association, based in Bangkok, Thailand. He speaks around the world about the multi-generational philosophy Cathedral Thinking. Rick and his wife Janice make their home in Predator Ridge, Okanagan Valley, Canada. You can find him online at www.rickantonson.com and www.cathedralthinking.com. Destination on the Left is joined by Rick Antonson, the former president and CEO of Tourism Vancouver, the past chair of the board for Destinations International, based in Washington, DC, and the former deputy chair for the Pacific Asia Tourism Association, based in Bangkok, Thailand. He initially joined us on Episode #44, where we talked about using cathedral thinking to create a brighter future. During our conversation, we talk about the importance of scenario planning and managing a crisis. We discuss the different ways the pandemic has shown tourism affects everyone. And we discuss the power of cathedral thinking in rebuilding the future. What You Will Learn in This Episode: What was going through Rick's mind as the pandemic gained momentum and spread across the globe Rick's approach to crisis management in the tourism industry What we should be doing to respond to the crisis right now to prepare our destinations for regrowth The concept of cathedral thinking, and how DMOs can use it to plan for rebuilding in the future Different ways in which the pandemic has shown tourism's effect on entire communities What Comes Next After COVID? Rick Antonson is the former president and CEO of Tourism Vancouver, the past chair of the board for Destinations International, based in Washington, DC, and the former deputy chair for the Pacific Asia Tourism Association, based in Bangkok, Thailand. He initially joined us on Episode #44, where we talked about using cathedral thinking to create a brighter future. During our conversation, we talk about the importance of scenario planning in managing a crisis. We also discuss the different ways the pandemic has shown tourism's effect on entire communities. And we discuss the power of cathedral thinking in rebuilding the future. Crisis Management 101 At first, we were facing more of a business and marketing crisis than a worldwide shutdown like we see today. That is the first step in crisis management—identifying you are actually IN a crisis. But in crisis management, the most immediate thing is to then determine what the situation is and get the facts. This enables tourism organizations to have more strategic discussions based in realism, not idealism. You can't react to a crisis based on what you wish was happening or somebody's artificial forecast. You have to react based on the facts, and sometimes you have to go below the surface to get away from the noise and piece together what is really happening. Stepping Stones Rick recently authored an op-ed that ran in the Vancouver Sun titled "Immediate Financial Assistance Needed to Save BC Tourism Sector." In this piece, Rick talks about the importance of funding tourism now in order to regain lost business by the year 2023. This is not a quick rebound. Even if a vaccine is approved and distributed in major markets across the globe, it will take time for the wheels to start turning again. People have to individually want to travel again—not desire. But making travel a priority when they're concerned with getting back to work and replenishing their savings is also going to take time. The pandemic has taken a toll on our industry, but we do have the power to rebuild it better than before. Rick's Op-Ed: Vancouver Sun Website: http://www.rickantonson.com/ www.cathedralthinking.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickantonson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rickantonsonauthor/ Twitter: @inkroadsrick

Living in Southern Africa for 12 years, Thomas has 20 years of experience in the Hospitality and Tourism sector while working for brands like TUI and Thomas Cook in 8 countries and cultures. His focus on digital marketing and distribution, the turnaround of Hospitality and Tourism businesses, and the opening of Hotels has made him a Digital Native Hospitality and Tourism professional. Before that, he started his career with the largest commercial company, METRO, in Europe and IBM, where he evolved his career in IT, software development, and systems integration. It is this combined commercial, IT, Digital, and Hospitality and Tourism experience that created the holistic approach of Rainmaker Digital. Destination on the Left is joined by Thomas Mueller, the founder and CEO of Rainmaker Digital. Rainmaker is a social enterprise with a clear target to keep more tourism spend in destinations through the democratization of technology. On our podcast, Thomas joins us to talk about how his company is helping clients keep more of the tourism spend in their destinations by disrupting the digital value chain. He shares his take on why Coronavirus is the biggest opportunity of our lifetime, and he also talks about sustainable tourism from an economic perspective. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Thomas' journey into the travel and tourism industry Why there were such profound skills gaps in small and mid-sized hospitality businesses during the digital transformation of travel and tourism Thomas Mueller's 5 Stages of Success, and how destinations are using it to transform their travel ecosystems in South Africa How Rainmaker is eliminating the complexities of the digital revolution in hospitality Why Coronavirus is the biggest opportunity of our lifetime in travel and tourism How the role of DNCs will change as a result of COVID How Thomas has seen creativity used throughout the pandemic Why economic sustainability is as critical as environmental and social sustainability in the travel and tourism industry Rainmaker Digital Thomas Mueller is the founder and CEO of Rainmaker Digital, a social enterprise with a clear target to keep more tourism spend in destinations through the democratization of technology. This technology enables destinations and their hospitality and tourism businesses to take back control of their visibility, digital presence, reputation, communication, and distribution. On our podcast, Thomas joins us to talk about how his company is helping clients keep more of the tourism spend in their destinations by disrupting the digital value chain. He shares his take on why Coronavirus is the biggest opportunity of our lifetime, and he also talks about sustainable tourism from an economic perspective. Adapting to the Digital Market Thomas brings so many different viewpoints to the table because he has worked with teams in almost every corner of the travel and tourism industry. He experienced the digital transformation in real-time, and he helped businesses thrive by staying in front of the rapid changes. But during this process, he discovered massive skills gaps in small and medium-sized businesses who were struggling to adapt to the digital market. All of the various roles were siloed and cut-off from the core business, so they failed to communicate with each other and couldn't deliver what the customer wanted. Thomas used the 5-Stages of Success to guide these teams to a more holistic approach to destination marketing. A Holistic Managed Service The five stages are streaming, planning, booking, experiencing, and sharing, and Thomas Mueller made it available as a holistic managed service. All of the stages became integrated and interdependent on one another, which allowed them to perform at a much higher level. Then, because it is a managed service, hospitality businesses can easily overcome the skills gaps. With the responsibility in Rainmaker's hands, the clients can focus on what they do best; making customers happy. Rainmaker makes sure there are customers coming through the doors without any complexity or technical challenges. Website: www.rainmaker.travel LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thmnam/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/rainmakerdigital/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rainmakerafrica Twitter: @RainmakerAfrika Keep More Tourism Spend in Destinations for Sustainable Tourism Development | getenabled@rainmaker.travel Episode Transcript 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/

James is Partner and Co-founder of Rove Marketing, a leading tourism data, analytics, and consulting firm. They are focused on helping tourism organizations become more data-driven, so they are better positioned to navigate change, maximize travel visitation, and ultimately drive revenue growth. He brings over 20 years of strategic knowledge in CRM, customer experience management, data and analytics, branding, and digital marketing strategy. Destination on the Left is joined by James Sauter, a partner and co-founder of Rove Marketing. Rove is a leading tourism data, analytics, and consulting firm focused on helping tourism organizations become more data-driven, so they are better positioned to navigate change, maximize travel visitation, and ultimately drive revenue growth. On our podcast, James talks about how destinations are using mobile location data to inform their early recovery plans, how residents sentiment data can help with recovery and rebuilding and how collaboration will fuel the future of tourism. What You Will Learn in This Episode: James' vision with Rove and the services they offer The two areas in which Rove works with tourism organizations to help them utilize data How Rove has used data to help tourism organizations navigate the pandemic The tourism dashboards Rove is building all over the world, and how they work How Rove is tracking resident sentiment to support destinations and drive tourism traffic How mobile location data and other sources are being used creatively to help destinations recover What role data will play in transforming destinations to fit the "new normal" How this data collection and analysis process will eventually be able to span multiple destinations and entire regions Rove Marketing James Sauter is a partner and co-founder of Rove Marketing. Rove is a leading tourism data, analytics, and consulting firm focused on helping tourism organizations become more data-driven, so they are better positioned to navigate change, maximize travel visitation, and ultimately drive revenue growth. On our podcast, James talks about how destinations are using mobile location data to inform their early recovery plans, how residents sentiment data can help with recovery and rebuilding and how collaboration will fuel the future of tourism. He explains how we can better use data to plan for the future during these uncertain times. The Power of Data Collection Before COVID, everything pointed to massive growth in the tourism industry. It was a major opportunity for Rove to get in on the ground floor and help tourism organizations make better decisions by leveraging data technology and their insights. They accomplish this by providing full-service consulting and data collection services under one roof. And data collection is more important now than ever. It has played a huge role in understanding what is happening in the travel industry as consumer trends/government regulations change. Using that information, DMOs can plan the best course of action and pivot as needed. How to Use the Data You Collect One of the areas where James' team found its stride was with mobile location data. As we work through this fragmented reopening process, it is important to know where people are, where they're visiting within a location, how long they're staying, and their demographic. This can help destinations drastically during the early stages of recovery. They are also using creativity to leverage data in other ways, such as sourcing rating and review information. Rove can pull all of the reviews for restaurants, hotels, attractions, etc. and put them into a scale to track performance. Obviously, when COVID hit, there was a dip in data for this tool, but everything is proving extremely valuable as tourism reopens. Website: www.rovemarketing.ca LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamessauter/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/rove-marketing/ Email: james.sauter@rovemarketing.ca Episode Transcript 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/

In Destination on the Left's solocast episode, we share the process that our team recently developed to reset our forward-thinking mindset. We found that when you challenge yourself and your team to move past the perceived limitation of uncertainty and stay focused on the future, many opportunities will appear. This solocast is an opportunity to discuss our company's experience and the tools we used to get back on track during the pandemic's challenging times. What You Will Learn in This Episode: How to assume a solutions-oriented, forward-thinking mindset during this challenging pandemic The meeting agenda we use for our team strategy meeting How to implement the processes from Gino Wickman's "Traction" in your own organization The benefits of performing a SWOT analysis to generate forward-focused questions that guide your team's discussion How to use Traction's IDS process to solve unique business problems that arose during your strategy meeting How to create a forward-focused gameplan and define every team member's role so you can execute with maximum efficiency Working Together to Plan for the Future In Destination on the Left's solocast episode, we share the process that our team recently developed to reset our forward-thinking mindset. We found that when you challenge yourself and your team to move past the perceived limitation of uncertainty and stay focused on the future, many opportunities will appear. This solocast is an opportunity to discuss our company's experience and the tools we used to get back on track during the pandemic's challenging times. Strategic Meeting One of the first pieces of our process is the meeting strategy. Using techniques from Gino Wickman's book Traction, we run through financials, new projects, accomplishments, upcoming projects, and our current business plan that was updated in May. Our business plan depicts the Traction model, which includes our core values, mission, vision, marketing strategy, and 3-year picture. This segues into a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats). From there, we move to forward-focused questions segment about our team and performance as an organization. Then, we used those questions to identify goals that will carry us through the end of the year and into 2021. Identify and Solve Your Issues The IDS format is another Traction piece that we have used to maintain a forward-thinking mindset. With this method, you first identify the problem you want to solve, then collect feedback from your team, and work together to figure out the best solution. In our case, it was whether or not to renew our lease given the current circumstances of COVID-19. We weighed the pros and cons of working from home, and the IDS process prevented us from talking in circles so we could reach a solution. Once everyone on your team understands the gameplan and knows their role in how you're going to move forward, you will build momentum extremely fast. Email: nicole@breaktheicemedia.com Website: https://breaktheicemedia.com/ Twitter: @Break_TheIce Facebook: @BreakTheIceMedia Additional Resources: Strategy Meeting Agenda Book: Traction by Gino Wickman SWOT Analysis Worksheet Pros and Cons of WFH

Sanger is the leading ambassador and advocate for museums in New York. She produces programs that promote best practices and deepen connections with members and constituents. She seeks new programs and funding opportunities for museums and the organization; maintains and develops relationships with stakeholders including museum professionals, industry partners, state and federal funding agencies, private foundations, local, state, regional, and federal government officials, and leaders of peer institutions and arts organizations. Created a state-wide partnership with Smithsonian Institutions Museum on Main Street Program. Doubled organizational membership and income. Instrumental in legislative initiatives to secure new state funding sources for museums. Destination on the Left is joined again by Erika Sanger, Executive Director of the Museum Association of New York State! She made her first appearance on Episode #25, where we talked about the role of museums in New York State's tourism and economic development. But a lot has changed since then. On our podcast, Erika discusses the different ways museums continue to innovate and change to meet visitor needs during the pandemic. From online and virtual programming to redefining the physical spaces, this part of our industry is doing everything possible to adapt. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Erika's role as the Executive Director of the Museum Association of New York State How the changes Erika's organization has made over the last several years prepared them to pivot during the pandemic How Erika has helped and supported other members of her industry throughout the pandemic Which parts of the museum have taken the largest hit from the pandemic, and how that will impact them moving forward The silver linings to the global pandemic and its impact on museums How museums have leveraged different platforms to create a profound virtual experience for visitors to enjoy at home The Museum Association of New York State Erika Sanger is the Executive Director of the Museum Association of New York State. She made her first appearance on Episode #25, where we talked about the role of museums in New York State's tourism and economic development. But a lot has changed since then. On our podcast, Erika discusses the different ways museums continue to innovate and change to meet visitor needs during the pandemic. From online and virtual programming to redefining the physical spaces, this part of our industry is doing everything possible to adapt. Stretched Thin, But Still Fighting It has been nearly six months since the global pandemic shut down our world economy, closed borders, and brought the travel industry to a complete standstill. We are doing everything in our power to keep up, and the levels of creativity and collaboration in the travel industry are evolving at an unprecedented rate. As the world slowly re-opens under limited circumstances, associations like the Museum Association of New York State are leading the charge, helping the struggling industry stay afloat and build momentum. The Post-COVID Museum Experience All of this change and adaptation begs the question, what will the post-COVID museum experience and landscape actually look like? With such a massive economic hit, many of the client-facing positions of the industry have been eliminated. We have lost so many future leaders of their respective fields, and the only thing museums can do is hope for more support and continue to be resilient. Increased social media presence, data collection, and a general pivot to virtual was the ultimate savior of museums at this time. They are creating the virtual mirror of the museum experience as we know it, and it has seen great success. Website: www.nysmuseums.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erika-sanger-7b8202a/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/museum-association-of-new-york Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nysmuseums Twitter: @erika3791 @nysmuseums

Kate Scopetti is living a full life revolving around a passion for travel, plus an exceptional ability to develop super creative and truly unique experiences, naturally led to the creation of the categorically successful Mid Atlantic Receptive Services, (MARS) and its subsidiaries: Go Performing, Go Student Tours, Go Sports Tours, and SoccerTours.net. Destination on the Left is joined by Kate Scopetti, President and owner of MARS & Companies (Mid-Atlantic Receptive Services). On our podcast, Kate joins us to talk about the group travel industry, the work her organization is doing to prepare for recovery, and why collaborations are more important than ever. She explains her philosophy of "opening our minds to where the opportunities lie," and talks about how that philosophy is applied in her own businesses. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Kate's background and her journey into the travel and tourism industry The evolution of MARS & Companies since its inception What MARS & Companies is doing to prepare for recovery after the pandemic How MARS & Companies transformed into a true wholesaler How Kate has used creativity to help MARS stand out from the crowd The different strains of collaboration in the group travel industry Why collaboration is more important than ever in the group travel industry Kate's philosophy of "opening our minds to where the opportunities lie," and how that philosophy is applied in her own businesses How the group travel industry has been affected by the global pandemic MARS & Companies Kate Scopetti is the President and owner of MARS & Companies (Mid Atlantic Receptive Services). With a full life revolving around a passion for travel, Kate has developed an exceptional ability to craft extremely creative and truly unique experiences that led to the formation of MARS and its subsidiaries. On our podcast, Kate joins us to talk about the group travel industry, the work her organization is doing to prepare for recovery, and why collaborations are more important than ever. She explains her philosophy of "opening our minds to where the opportunities lie," and talks about how that philosophy is applied in her own businesses. Transforming into a True Wholesaler MARS & Companies initially started as a receptive company in the Mid Atlantic Region. They developed a substantial following in the DC area as the go-to experts for tour operators and other agents in the area. They worked collaboratively with this regional network of tourism professionals to connect different types of clients with different types of products throughout the year. And from there, they transformed into a true wholesaler. MARS & Companies now offer products around the world, and they still have a significant amount of clients that were with them from the beginning. Creativity in the Group Travel industry Collaboration has enabled Kate to build a powerful foundation and client base, but the use of creativity really helped MARS & Companies stand out from the pack. Kate and her team use creativity to build unique, custom strategies for their clients based on the specific needs and goals of each one. As a wholesaler, they can help their clients grow by expanding their product offerings without adding a significant amount of labor. Using creativity during these difficult times is only going to yield new solutions that will become part of your product line when things pick up again. As we make our way out of this pandemic, that is important to remember. Website: www.takeafuntrip.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-scopetti-5126b516/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/mid-atlantic-receptive-services/about/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MidAtlanticReceptiveServices https://www.facebook.com/GoPerforming https://www.facebook.com/GoStudentTours https://www.facebook.com/SoccerTours.net Twitter: @takeafuntrip

Kathy Casstevens is the Marketing Director at Starved Rock Lodge. She is also a photographer, tourism professional, and lover of nature. Kathy launched GnatTravel a year ago to promote travel in a different way. She is also the chair of the LaSalle County Tourism coalition. Destination on the Left is joined by Kathy Casstevens, the Marketing Director at Starved Rock Lodge. During our conversation, Kathy shares her journey into destination marketing and talks about how she has used creativity and collaboration to market Starved Rock Lodge on a shoestring budget. She provides a bunch of tips and insider hacks for marketing that will drive results at any destination, and she walks us through the content strategy that helped bring over two million visitors through Starved Rock last year. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Kathy's journey into destination marketing with Starved Rock Lodge How Kathy has used creativity and collaboration to highlight Starved Rock's unique features and make it stand out from the crowd How Kathy leverages digital photography to drive visitor traffic at Starved Rock Different platforms Kathy is using to share Starved Rock's massive digital photo library Systems and processes Kathy has in place to manage her content strategy How Kathy has been communicating with the press during lockdown Different collaborations that have helped Starved Rock Lodge grow its visitor base Starved Rock Lodge Kathy Casstevens is the Marketing Director at Starved Rock Lodge in Utica, IL. She joins Destination on the left to share her journey into destination marketing and talk about how she has used creativity and collaboration to market Starved Rock Lodge on a shoestring budget. During our conversation, Kathy provides a bunch of tips and insider hacks for marketing that will drive results at any destination. She walks us through the content strategy that helped bring over two million visitors through Starved Rock last year, and she discusses some of the exciting projects on the horizon that aim to generate even more traffic next year. What Makes You Unique? Starved Rock Lodge is nestled in the heart of Starved Rock State Park in North-Central Illinois. It is such a unique place because it completely disrupts the rolling meadows and cornfields with 18 glacier-cut canyons, seasonal waterfalls, and unbelievable views. The actual lodge sits atop an 80 ft bluff overlooking Starved Rock on the Illinois River. And as you can imagine, there is a lot of material to work with in designing a marketing campaign that sets Starved Rock apart from the pack. Last year, they had over two million visitors come through their destination, and as travel and tourism start to pick back up, they plan to do more. Photography is one of the primary tools Kathy will use to accomplish that goal. Build Your Content Library When Kathy started working at Starved Rock Lodge, they literally had ONE digital photo. Now, they have a digital library of hundreds of thousands. With such an unusual landscape in an unsuspecting geographic area, being able to show prospective travelers what makes it unique is vital to their marketing efforts. Over the years, Kathy has expanded the range of platforms Starved Rock uses to promote it's massive digital photo library, and she is able to reach a significantly greater audience through apps like tik tok, Instagram, and a handful of others. Staying organized is a challenge in and of itself, but if you can build a massive content library of your own, there is so much you can do with it at any given time. Website: https://www.starvedrocklodge.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathy-casstevens-4789497/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/starved-rock-lodge-and-conference-center/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starvedrocklodge Twitter: @StarvedRockLdge @kcstarvedrock

Rachel Laber Pulvino is a Rochester native who has the privilege of promoting her hometown on a daily basis as the Director of Public Relations and Communications for Visit Rochester. In this role, Rachel is regularly reaching out to regional, national, and international media to share Rochester's story, and help media and visitors alike discover the activities and attractions that make Rochester an ideal destination. Raised in Rochester, Rachel attended SUNY Geneseo, where she earned a B.A. in Communication and continued on to the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University for graduate school, where she earned an M.S. in Public Relations. Rachel is an active member of the Public Relations Society of America, Rochester Chapter, currently serving on the board, while also volunteering on the programming and PRism award committees. Rachel also volunteers her time for the SUNY Geneseo Alumni Association Board of Directors as well as Big Brothers Big Sisters Greater Rochester. Rachel is a proud resident of the City of Rochester where she resides with her husband, Rich Pulvino. When she's not playing tour guide to visiting travel writers on the weekend, you can find Rachel visiting wineries in the Finger Lakes, at arts and cultural performance, or at Wegmans. Destination on the Left is joined by Rachel Laber, the Director of Market Communications and Public Relations for Visit Rochester. She joins Destination on the Left again to talk about what the Visit Rochester team is doing to support their tourism industry partners through the pandemic. Rachel originally appeared on Episode #57, where we talked about driving tourism in Rochester, NY through creativity and collaboration. She is here to expand on that and talk about the different programs and response measures her team has taken over the past four months. What You Will Learn in This Episode: How Visit Rochester pivoted to help the community respond to the pandemic The development of Visit Rochester's digital content strategy for the local market The ROC acronym and how Visit Rochester has used it to navigate the pandemic How Visit Rochester began to create new programs after learning that the pandemic was going to be a long-fought battle What Visit Rochester did to help local businesses in the community thrive during the reopening phase How the ROC Ready Promise is providing a sense of safety to visitors in the reopening phase The creation and execution of Visit Rochester's Rediscover Rochester campaign A Lifeline for the Community Rachel Laber is the Director of Market Communications and Public Relations for Visit Rochester. She joins Destination on the Left again to talk about what the Visit Rochester team is doing to support their tourism industry partners through the pandemic. Rachel originally appeared on Episode #57, where we talked about driving tourism in Rochester, NY through creativity and collaboration. She is here to expand on that and talk about the different programs and response measures her team has taken over the past four months. From the initial lockdown to the reopening phase, Visit Rochester has remained nimble throughout. This is a look into the challenges they faced during quarantine, and how they overcame them to continue supporting the industry. Visit Rochester's Massive Pivot When the stay-at-home order first went into effect back in March, Rachel and her team had to act swiftly. They began meeting and ideating daily to try and plan for what might be coming down the pipeline, and fight or flight took over. Instead of burying their heads in the sand, Rachel and her team approached the problem as realists, identifying what challenges were on the horizon, and what they could do to support their stakeholders at that moment. Visit Rochester pivoted right away, and within 24 hours, they shifted their efforts from marketing Rochester to outsiders to speaking directly to their local audience. Knowledge is Power Visit Rochester dedicated itself to promoting local businesses. They helped organize and roll out virtual events that their attraction partners were putting together. And ultimately, they became a conduit of information. Rachel and her team were fiercely on top of all developments in government regulation and response, and they made sure their partners were informed so they could plan their next moves accordingly. It inspired a powerful digital content strategy that is still driving traffic for all of their partners today, and it took the organization's creative and collaborative function to an entirely new level. Launch of Rediscover Rochester campaign: http://www.visitrochester.com/rochester-rising/ Website: http://www.visitrochester.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachellaber/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/visitrochester/ Facebook: Facebook.com/VisitRochester Twitter: @rachellaber @VisitRochester