Destination On The Left

In this episode, you will learn about America's first wine trail from Cassandra Harrington, Executive Director of the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail. Cassandra has been director of the CLWT since December of 2014. In her time with the Trail, she and her coworker Kathy have completely rebranded the organization, have increased event attendance and have generated a solid social media presence. Cassandra has years of experience working in the tourism industry, having held positions at various wineries as well as the local Chamber of Commerce. When not working, she like likes to remain active by working out and traveling whenever and wherever possible. A transcript of this episode is available here: destinationontheleft.com/cassandra-harrington

In this episode, you will learn about how social media helped Casa Larga Vineyards have a great 2016 from Camille Zess, consultant at Break the Ice Media. By the time Camille left college she was already an accomplished writer. As a writing minor, she took many classes in different types of writing including memoir, which involves real storytelling. And storytelling is key in marketing communications, advertising and public relations. She also trained intensively in grammar and in teaching the subject of writing where she learned to strengthen others' writing while preserving their style. An early adopter in social media, she has long experienced using Facebook, Facebook advertising, Linkedin, and Twitter. As someone particular adept at working in the digital media space, Camille focused on social media when she first joined Break the Ice. She's able to sense changes in social media as they begin and to view its future. This ability gives our clients the help and advantage they need in social media marketing. Now Camille uses her creative magic with words to write content for social media, websites, blogs, and advertising that Break the Ice provides for our clients. That isn't all. She's also able to act as a journalist or write a case study or capture the voice of brands we work with, and she produces high quality, creative online and email marketing campaigns for our clients. A transcript of this episode is available here: destinationontheleft.com/camille-zess-social-media-case-studies

In this episode, you will learn about generating return visits from customers who stop at a stopover destination from Rose Hapanowich. Rose Hapanowich is director of travel and tourism for Destiny USA. Rose has an extensive background in retail as a result of working in department store, specialty shop and outlet shopping venues prior to joining the management team of Carousel Center, initially as Assistant Marketing Director and later as Director of Marketing, where she successfully assisted in the transformation of the property into Destiny USA. She initiated tourism outreach efforts to expand Destiny USA's presence internationally, resulting in her promotion to Director of Travel and Tourism for Destiny USA. Rose continually attends travel trade and consumer-focused shows all over the world resulting in high visibility for Destiny USA as a tourist destination. The property has received a great response from both the group and FIT markets as a result of her efforts. She holds a degree in Economics from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. Her professional affiliations include: member of the I Love New York International Marketing Committee, member of the Shop America Alliance Advisory Board, a member of SKAL, and a member of WITTI (Women in Tourism and Travel International). Well-versed in both tourism and retail, she has spoken at a number of shopping tourism conferences, shows, and functions. A transcript of this episode is available here: destinationontheleft.com/rose-hapanowich

In this episode, you will learn about managing a destination through all four season from Drew Broderick. No day is ever the same for Drew Broderick, director of sales and marketing for Bristol Mountain and Roseland Adventure Attractions, which is comprised of Bristol Mountain Ski Area and Fall Sky Rides, Bristol Mountain Aerial Adventures and Zip Line Canopy Tours, Roseland Waterpark, and Roseland Wake Park. Her enthusiasm for tourism and attractions began with a summer college internship at Walt Disney World. She spent ten years in upper management in the hotel industry and later as the owner of a successful meeting planning and consulting firm, On-Site Meeting Solutions in Dallas, Texas, before relocating to Upstate New York. One of Drew's most memorable events was supervising the VIP hospitality venues for Anheuser-Busch during the 1994 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. She also traveled the globe as a consultant for an international training company. Some of those places included: Dubai, Singapore, Brazil, Australia, Chile, Bermuda, Spain, and Poland to name a few. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management with a Minor in Marketing from Northeastern State University in Oklahoma. Drew has been with Bristol Mountain and Roseland Adventure Attractions for eight years and serves as the media liaison as well as handles all advertising, marketing initiatives, photography and video assets, social media for multiple attractions, and oversees the group sales efforts. Currently, Bristol Mountain has six former Freestyle athletes competing on the US Ski Team and with the next winter Olympics taking place in February of 2018, Bristol Mountain hopes to see one or more of these athletes competing for Team USA. One of Drew's passions is getting people involved in outdoor activities such as skiing, snowboarding, wakeboarding, zip lining, and climbing the courses in the aerial adventure park. Drew says, "There is so much to do right here that we've adopted the tagline of Adventure Capital of the Finger Lakes." A transcript of this episode is available here: destinationontheleft.com/drew-broderick

In this episode, you will learn about programs that bring together counties, hotels, amusement parks, and more from Sarah Blackwell. Sarah Blackwell joined BTI in 2013, bringing a fresh perspective, creativity and attention to detail to every client project she works on. A highly talented writer, she becomes the "voice" of many diverse clients for their stories and blogs — no easy trick. It takes tremendous imagination to write about winter attractions when it's eighty degrees and summer outside. Or to write as the "voice" of a season. There's also the constant need to come up with new angles and pitch stories for clients, and Sarah hits the mark each time. She also finds, researches and implements new media. All this to help get our clients great exposure and effectively connect with their target audiences. There's nothing like working with travel and tourism giants Southwest Airlines and Disney to put real-world, "icing on the cake" experience on top of an education in journalism and public relations. Sarah had — and continues to have — a passion for PR, writing and storytelling. And because she worked with the best in the business in media relations, she knows just how to cultivate relationships with journalists full of mutual respect and benefit. Sarah sums it up: "Pitching story ideas is about knowing who you're talking to — knowing your client's audience and finding compelling subjects." A transcript of this episode is available here: destinationontheleft.com/sarah-blackwell-program-case-studies

In this episode, you will learn about how regions can collaborate together and pool resources to do things together that they could not do alone from Laury Poland. As president of Finger Lakes Wine Country Tourism Marketing Association (FLWCTMA), Laury Poland is responsible for creation, coordination, administration and implementation of all FLWCTMA programs and initiatives to promote economic development in the Finger Lakes region of the state of New York. A native of Rockville, Maryland, Laury began her employment at the Corning, New York-based tourism marketing association on September 30, 2013. Before coming to the Finger Lakes, Laury was responsible for all advertising and promotions initiatives of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board's (PLCB) Bureau of Marketing Communications, Branding & Design. During this time, Laury developed a keen interest in the wine and spirits industry, completing significant coursework in wine education. In her professional role with the PLCB, Laury constructed full-scale traditional and new media campaigns, including website development, digital advertising, and a social media presence through Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, as part of a $6M annual advertising budget. Laury also determined new areas of media to include in marketing and public relations efforts based on trends and technology. Laury wrote, produced and edited video projects for the PLCB's 608 retail stores, Fine Wine & Good Spirits, and oversaw all print, web, radio, television and digital material, ensuring consistency of corporate brand image and messaging. Prior to her time at the PLCB, Laury represented New York-based Church Pension Group Services Corporation (CPG) as vice president of Church Publishing Incorporated, from 2006-2011. Laury joined Continuum International Publishing Group in 2004, as director of Morehouse Church Supplies – a position she held until late 2005 when CPG acquired the book publishing, curriculum and church resource divisions of Morehouse Publishing. Laury was also a business owner, managing her own public relations, marketing and advertising firm, In-House Agency, from 1998-2004, serving as the communications specialist for numerous successful media initiatives. Laury holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism/Public Relations from the Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism at West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV. What you'll learn about in this episode: Laury's personal story of visiting the Finger Lakes as a tourist and how it challenged her conceptions of the region and allowed her to bring an outside perspective once she joined the Finger Lakes Wine Country Tourism Marketing Association How to tell the story of the entire region and the success Laury has seen from doing this for the Finger Lakes Region Giving your visitors an organic experience and letting them live like locals Offering education opportunities for visitors in a way that doesn't feel like the classroom Why travelers are taking shorter vacations but packing more in The study that shows that 81% of visitors who went to the Finger Lakes came back 5 times Giving visitors the opportunity to find their own escape (and why you can't find it for them) Why the sum of the FLWCTMA's parts is much greater than what the counties would have alone (ex: together they have the largest Facebook following for any wine region in America with 72,000 followers) The FLWCTMA's unique structure, why they act like a marketing agency and how funding flows throughout the whole system The FLWCTMA's integrated marketing plan, beginning with its website that sees a half a million unique visitors a year Why word of mouth is the #1 referral and how it has evolved much in recent years with social media The challenges Laury's faced by collaborating with so many different organizations and how she overcame them by giving people the resources to do what they do best Ways to contact Laury: Website: www.fingerlakeswinecountry.com

In this episode, you will learn about how to get 50% of all your customers from referrals. Driven by a conviction that the business of selling creates freedom, David brings an exceptional 40-year career as a salesperson, speaker, coach, and author of "Are you for real?!" (Aviva, 2015), an inspiring sales-career survival guide. He empowers all types of individuals to new heights thanks to his time-tested methodologies, an ability to motivate others beyond their expectations, and his genuine joy in seeing others succeed. David's entrepreneurial spirit was ignited early in life from parents who owned an Oriental rug company. At 15, he launched a business brokering the sale of used appliances, earning the princely sum of $200 per month in the 1970s. Upon graduating high school, he secured an entry-level job at a bank and quickly rose to managerial roles, becoming vice president six years later. David's warmth, sincerity, and passion for person-to-person business would become an asset throughout his sales career, spanning many industries. The roots of his coaching career go back 30 years when he overcame his wall in sales through an intensive personal growth process that led to exponential increases in his revenues. Today, David shares his secrets with others, using a coaching methodology based on the value of work and self. He imparts in his clients the belief that a willingness to change and become a better person will drive sales and business success. According to David, success comes down to awareness, self-acceptance, self-development, communication, change, belief in yourself and the service you provide, and, most importantly, being honest and caring. He resides in his hometown of Brooklyn, New York with his wife. What you'll learn about in this episode: Understanding the tourist's desires by thinking like them Success in business through building and maintaining relationships with the people that will bring customers in your door (tour operators, travel agents, hotel concierges, taxi drivers, etc.) How to get 50% of all customers from referrals (a number David saw during his time as Director of Tourism Marketing at B&H Photo Video) by delivering QSSP: Quality of Service, Selection, and Price Making sure that you have team members that speak tourist's language to make tourists feel comfortable Training salespeople on products they sell so they help customers with their specific needs Teaming up with non-competing businesses to provide customers with fantastic deals How to get a tour operator in a foreign country to put your voucher in their itinerary packets Building out a strategy for strategic follow up Solving the time management problem David's book: "Are You For Real?!: Going From Excuses to Authentic Selling and Living Your Dreams" about authenticity as the key to personal growth Focusing on the experience, not the sale The importance of proactivity in the travel and tourism industry The danger of making promises you can't deliver on Collaborating by referring customers to who can help them (if that person is not you) and how that will come back tenfold Ways to contact David: Website: coachstern.com Resources: Book: "Are You For Real?!: Going From Excuses to Authentic Selling and Living Your Dreams" (If you purchase, David will send you an autographed copy plus provide you a free 45-minute consultation) Blog post: How time management can help boost your commissions by David Stern

In this episode, you will learn about how the Museum Association of New York (MANY) is consistently growing their tourism efforts from Erika Sanger. Erika Sanger joined MANY (Museum Assoc. Of New York) after serving twelve years as the Director of Education at the Albany Institute of History and Art. There she provided vision for the development of programs for adults, children, schools, and families, focusing on object-based learning and digital initiatives. She had led the institute's digital renaissance, most notably with the launch of a new website and creation of interpretative strategies around hand-held digital devices and interactive media. Erika has gained her extensive arts experience through positions held at renowned institutions including the International Center of Photography, the Jewish Museum, the New York Historical Society, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, and the Asheville Art Museum in Asheville, NC. She served as Director of Development at Penland School of Crafts in Western North Carolina, where she was actively engaged in the region's artists community, and participated in the design and implementation of campaigns for capital and endowment funds. She has also developed program assessments with Harvard University's Project Zero, the NC Center for the Advancement of Teaching, and with the education department at the University at Albany. Programs produced under her direction have received funding from major organizations, including the Institute for Museum and Library Services and the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities. Erika holds a B.F.A. from Clark University, in Worcester, MA, and an M.A. from New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. The Annual Conference of the Museum Association of New York will be in April 2018 in Rochester, NY, details to follow. What you'll learn about in this episode: How the Museum Association of New York encourages its members to stand out and appeal to visitors around the globe Collaborating with the strong cultural institutions throughout the state to attract visitors not just into New York City, but to all of New York state How legislators and local governments make a HUGE difference in our cultural institutions, and how to get them on your side Current challenges facing museums and cultural institutions today and how they are affecting visitors How the Museum Association is changing up their programs this fall to push tourism to new heights The interplay between different cultural institutions on a local level and what that means for a community Museum's crucial role in New York tourism and economic development Leveraging partnerships to attract international travelers The importance of attracting visitors to other areas of the state and the usefulness of the I LOVE NEW YORK app Ways to contact Erika: Website: www.manyonline.org Phone: (518) 273-3400

In this episode, you will learn about why collaboration at the regional level makes a huge difference from Valerie Knoblauch. Valerie is President and CEO of the Finger Lakes Visitors Connection where she has worked since 1984 when she was hired as the organization's first employee. In her role, she is responsible for guiding a team of tourism marketing professionals who are charged with promoting all of the fun experiences offered in Ontario County and the Finger Lakes region. Valerie thrives on the challenge of figuring out people's motivations to travel and translating that into marketing programs that inspire travel to the destination where she lives, works and plays. Prior to beginning with the Finger Lakes Visitors connection, Valerie worked as a Tour Guide and Public Relations Manager for Gold Seal Vineyards in Hammondsport, NY after a career as a High School English teacher at Red Jacket Central High School. Valerie loves to travel – imagine that. She also enjoys bicycling, wine, gardening, photography, and cooking. She loves the theatre, especially live theatre and musicals, and likes history – especially as it is interpreted to put into place "where we are today …" Valerie is blessed with a very large family, many of whom have settled in the area. She has been married to her husband Kurt since 1982. They have three sons and three wonderfully diverse daughters-in-law and three grandsons. Valerie has friends across the world, because of her career in travel and tourism and because of her multicultural family. She loves learning every day from all of the characters in her life. What you'll learn about in this episode: The importance of analyzing your strengths and weaknesses, and surrounding yourself with people who complement your skill set. How the regional Hike & Bike collateral piece and her 'Slice, Dice & Spice' event were ahead of the curve in showcasing local assets. Using creative ways to meet the challenges of stretched resources. The importance of communicating ROI to stakeholders and knowing which metrics to report. The importance of agreeing, up front, what the desired outcome is when collaborating The indirect impact of a thriving tourism industry. Using research and a strategic marketing plan to identify opportunities for extended stay and return visitation. Reaching visitors while they are in the destination to encourage extended stay and return visitation. How Ontario County engaged their Board of Supervisors with National Tourism Week. Ways to contact Valerie: Website: www.Visitfingerlakes.com Twitter: @VisitFingerLake

In this episode, you will learn about how leveraging your social media in the tourism industry can help you to bring in more visitors from Brittany Gibson. In her capacity at the Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce, Brittany is responsible for promoting Schuyler County's tourism industry by creating and implementing tourism marketing and public relations programs. She is also responsible for developing and implementing programs to increase the visibility and credibility of the Chamber. Brittany serves on the Finger Lakes Regional Tourism Council Board of Directors, the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance Marketing Committee, the Schuyler County Planning Board, and the Community Development Corporation Board of Directors. She volunteers her time serving as the coordinator of her family's charity organization, Team Charlie. Brittany's areas of expertise include marketing, advertising, public relations, social media, and event planning. She is passionate about the Finger Lakes and is eager to see Schuyler County continue to grow – both in business and tourism. What you'll learn about in this episode: What sets the tourism industry in New York state apart from everywhere else How Brittany seeks out creativity through collaborating with surrounding counties Using social media & consumer email marketing to express creativity Why you need to assess which social media channels will work best for you & your business How Watkins Glen Chamber's Instagram following recently exploded from around 400 to over a thousand in a matter of 1.5 months Why getting engagement from the locals is important when it comes to tourism Why Brittany loves helping small businesses leverage their partnership with the Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce Why you need to go out of your way to build relationships with people TALES – Tourism & Leadership Exchange Summit: the first ever tourism conference being hosted in Schuyler County Why it's important that frontline staff & the community view tourism as a leadership role Three big events/things that the Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce are excited about this year Why Brittany loves to host travel bloggers/writers in Schuyler County (which she did with almost 50 bloggers/writers between May 1st – September 15th last year!) Ways to contact Brittany: Website: www.watkinsglenchamber.com