Destination On The Left

In this episode, you will learn from Ramjee Chandran about the evolution of tourism publishing, and why creative content is as important now as it was in 1989. Ramjee Chandran is an entrepreneur, writer, publisher, and musician with 27 years of publishing experience. As a journalist, his articles have been published in India and other countries. Most of Chandran's publishing career involved magazines related to the tourism industry including city guides and business travel magazines – both print and online. The first city guide he launched was on March 31, 1989, for his hometown of Bangalore, India. In the years following, he launched the "Explocity Guide" series of city guide magazines in several destinations including New York City, Dubai and several major metros in India. Other magazines included Executive Traveller and other city-based lifestyle magazines. Ramjee Chandran received investment from a US-based venture capital fund in 2000, and a few years later, a meeting with publishing mogul Rupert Murdoch led to Murdoch picking up a 25% stake in Chandran's publishing enterprise, Explocity. Chandran was awarded the prestigious "Chanakya Award" for Innovative Leadership by the Indian Council for Public Relations and was named one of 10 best entrepreneurs from the state of Karnataka, India by online giant, Rediff.com (REDF – NASDAQ). Recently, Ramjee launched a website for New York State: www.DestinationsOfNewYorkState.com and runs this in an exclusive strategic alliance with the experienced tourism company, Destinations Of NYS, based in Saugerties, NY. Chandran is also a jazz guitarist and has performed on stage with internationally acclaimed jazz musicians and at international jazz festivals. He believes that the one thing he does with more mediocrity than playing jazz is his other distraction, playing chess. What you'll learn about in this episode: The story behind Ramjee's first destination magazine, and his shoestring budget How Ramjee learned to scale his enterprise up from 1 magazine out to 3 countries How Ramjee sought creativity from his content Why you need to listen to what people want and find a creative way to present it to them Ramjee's biggest challenge, scaling, and how he made it work How Ramjee evolved his business from a single print publication to what it is today Why digital scaling is much easier than print scaling The story behind Ramjee's new website DestinationsOfNewYorkState.com Why collaborations between publishers is rare- but how Ramjee makes it work What makes tourism communication so exciting How Dubai has developed a phenomenal tourism enterprise in such a short time Ways to contact Ramjee: Website: www.DestinationsOfNewYorkState.com Website: www.SolMooney.com Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramjee_Chandran

In this episode, you will learn about the importance of creating opportunities for both guests and other small businesses from Debbie Meritsky. Debbie is a graduate of New England Culinary Institute and has worked in the food industry for over 30 years with an emphasis on local, organic, and seasonal ingredients. Debbie is co-owner of the Black Sheep Inn & Spa located in Hammondsport in the Finger Lakes region of NYS. As the Inn chef, she is an avid proponent of sourcing local organic foods and the clean food movement in the Finger Lakes region. Debbie prepares delicious farm-to-table breakfasts for her guests, sourced from within 50 miles of the Black Sheep Inn & Spa. She also enjoys sharing with her guests those techniques on how to create this lifestyle at home, wherever they may live. Debbie's other passion is art, and, specifically, creating art from recycled and repurposed "ingredients". Debbie and her husband Marc created the Arts in Bloom Art Trail to showcase the fantastic art being created in their area. In its 5th year Arts in Bloom is a family-friendly, free community event that features live demonstrations at artist studios and galleries on the trail. What you'll learn about in this episode: Debbie's background Why Debbie loves doing farm-to-table & how that helped form her business How Debbie likes to give her guests experiential opportunities when staying with them at the Inn Debbie's philosophy of, if you're not having fun doing something then your guests aren't going to have fun Why you should source what is available now to bring the best to your guests Why it's not about money – it's about opportunity Why forming partnerships with other small businesses is one of the biggest but most important challenges you will face The story behind the family-friendly, free community event, Arts in Bloom & the F.L.A.V.O.R. Studio at the Inn The many opportunities for partnerships with the over 100 distinct breweries, cider houses & distilleries in the Finger Lakes region How knowing how to cross-sell can help you create more opportunities The importance of finding local small businesses that understand and want to excel at forming partnerships Why, as tourism partners, you need to build your story to tell the outside world Ways to contact Debbie: Website: www.stayblacksheepinn.com

In this episode, you will learn about non-profits in the travel and tourism industry from Jacob Taddy. Jacob Taddy is the founder and Executive Director of Onwards, a non-profit organization connecting people through unique travel experiences that empower local entrepreneurs. After working on service projects in the Navajo Nation, Skid Row in Los Angeles, and construction sites throughout the US and the Caribbean, Onwards was born when founder Jacob Taddy recognized a need to shift how he, and others, were talking about and providing domestic and international aid. Onwards seeks to shift from short-term solutions and volunteer projects to long-term, sustainable economic development. By providing microloans and business training to local tourism based business owners, Onwards empowers local entrepreneurs to tap into the largest industry on the planet, tourism, to create jobs and direct tourism dollars into communities that need it. What you'll learn about in this episode: What the next generation of travelers is looking for How the idea for Jacob's non-profit organization, Onwards, was born and how it finds ways to direct travelers to communities that need it How Onwards creates authentic experiences Onwards level of integrity behind what they do How Onwards top priority is providing the biggest benefit to the community Jacob's biggest challenge: convincing people to go places that they've never heard of, and how he overcomes it Why Onwards puts the faces of entrepreneurs at the forefront of their organization How Onwards is showcasing models of community development in Haiti & the DR The benefit of non-profits not treating each other as competitors The importance of focuses on strengths in a partnership Ways to contact Jacob: Twitter: @onwardstravel Website: www.onwardsinc.org Email: jacob@onwardsinc.org

You have heard our guests talk about co-opetition- that really cool thing that happens when competitors come together to collaborate on a project or program in order to create something bigger than they could have done on their own. This podcast recaps ten strategies for successful collaborative partnerships that we have learned from our guests. What you'll learn about in this episode: Strategy #1: Communication — why clear communication requires talking on the phone or in person — not just through email (David Holder) Strategy #2: Bring the right resources to bear — why you must know when to bring in outside help when you don't have the necessary expertise needed for a project (Ralph Thompson) Strategy #3: Set realistic expectations — why it's so crucial to make sure that all project collaborators understand what realistic project success looks like — especially in the short term (Meg Vanek) Strategy #4: Form relationships that lead to partnerships — why networking is the way that successful collaborative partnerships get off the ground (Kelly Rapone) Strategy #5: Have a shared vision — why it's so important that all collaborators envision the same outcome for a project (Jennifer Ackerson) Strategy #6: Find commonality — why successful partnerships have to come from a place where partners share something in common (Leah Mueller) Strategy #7: Set deadlines — why you need doers (not talkers) in your partnerships (Leah Mueller) Strategy #8: Ask for solutions — why you shouldn't present solutions to your partners or stakeholders and should instead bring them into the discussion (Dan Fenton) Strategy #9: Have a can-do attitude — why you need to approach every project with the attitude that it will succeed (Kelly Blazosky) Strategy #10: Be Genuine — why you should underpromise and overdeliver in your partnerships (Kristy Kennedy)

In this episode, you will learn about how New York is consistently growing their tourism efforts from Gavin Landry, the former Executive Director of Tourism at Empire State Development. Gavin Landry joined Empire State Development (ESD) as the Executive Director of Tourism in March of 2013. Mr. Landry's appointment came at a time of continued tourism growth across New York State and amidst the launch of a series of new tourism initiatives by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. Thanks to the support of Governor Cuomo, tourism has become the fourth largest employer in the State. As former Executive Director, Mr. Landry lead the iconic I LOVE NEW YORK marketing campaign where he developed and implemented new initiatives to further the State's positive tourism growth. Mr. Landry also worked closely with the New York State Tourism Advisory Council, which provides input and advice regarding the state's tourism efforts. Before joining Empire State Development, Mr. Landry ran Landry Hospitality Consulting Services, where he provided full-service hospitality consulting to hotel developers and owners. Mr. Landry ran commercial hotels for a professional management company in markets such as Detroit, MI; Columbus, OH; Charlotte, NC, and Somerset, NJ. He has also served as president of the Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau, a post he held for 12 years. During that time, he served as the President of the NYS Association of CVB's (2000-02). Gavin was the recipient of the 2016 Excellence in Leadership Award by the NYS Tourism Industry Association. A graduate of Cornell University, Mr. Landry served as an adjunct professor at New York University's (NYU) Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism, and Sports Management for five years where he taught graduate courses in various disciplines of the tourism industry. In February of 2013, Mr. Landry was the recipient of an award for teaching excellence from NYU, one of 20 given across nine teaching disciplines. Mr. Landry is a member of the Cornell Hotel Society. What you'll learn about in this episode: "It's all here. It's only here.": How Empire State Development gets visitors that could travel anywhere to come to New York Using the "I LOVE NEW YORK" brand to attract visitors beyond New York City and into all of New York state The support the New York tourism industry has received from Governor Andrew Cuomo (including $55 million in 2017) ESD's experiential marketing team's I LOVE NEW YORK "traveling pod" that includes interactive digital experiences to help raise awareness for events and attractions all over New York State The impact of ESD's digital initiatives like the I LOVE NEW YORK app that has been downloaded over 100,000 times since 2015 ESD's social media efforts that have resulted in I LOVE NEW YORK being the #1 most followed state tourism office on Twitter and one of the top state tourism offices on Facebook ESD's partnership with Beautiful Destinations on Instagram where they've created some amazing video content How ESD uses a matching funds program and tourism grants for funding local efforts in the different regions across New York The recent growth of the agritourism industry under New York Governor Andrew Cuomo Leveraging partnerships to attract International travelers The incredible return on investment New York State has seen in the tourism industry (an investment of $170 million became nearly $8 billion!) Ways to contact Gavin: Website: esd.ny.gov Facebook: www.facebook.com/EmpireStateDevelopment Twitter: @EmpireStateDev Website: www.iloveny.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/iloveny Twitter: @I_LOVE_NY Instagram: @iloveny I Love NY App: iTunes, Google Play

This episode is a little different from most. We will be hearing from a tireless advocate and NYS tourism industry promoter, Mike Linehan. This interview was recorded in October 2016. Mike was gracious in volunteering to be one of Destination on the Left's first interviews. He was very patient with me and my audio team as we were learning the ropes of podcast production. Mike and I had a fantastic conversation and he shared many insights from his 30 years in the tourism industry. The audio from our interview however didn't record properly and most of the interview was unusable. Mike was very kind when I explained what had happened and offered to reschedule so that we could get a good audio file. Unfortunately, our schedules did not align and Mike passed away unexpectedly on February 15, 2017. Mike's vision, his tenacity, his insights, his humor are part of the foundation of tourism in New York State. So, I went back to that bad recording and found 20 minutes of our conversation that I want to share with our listeners. We can all continue to learn and benefit from Mike Linehan. Mike Linehan served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Yates County Chamber of Commerce for 24 years. Born in Hammondsport, NY, Mike settled in Penn Yan, NY after spending several years in the state of Colorado. Mike's formal training included courses of study at St. John Fisher College, Corning Community College, Finger Lakes Community College and the Institutes for Organization Management at the University of Oklahoma, where he was a graduating member of the Class of 1999. Mike was a member of: the Keuka College Community Associates Board serving as Chair since 2000; NYS Tourism Industry Association where he served as past president; Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; Loyal Order of Moose; Finger Lakes Regional Tourism Council where he served as Chair; Finger Lakes Wine Country Tourism Marketing Association where he served as Chair and the Chamber Alliance of New York State. In his spare time, Mike enjoyed cooking, gardening, and boating on the Finger Lakes. He lived in Penn Yan with his wife, Molly, daughters Meaghan and Morgen, and dogs Moses and Maggie. What you'll learn about in this episode: The challenge that arose after Penn Yan was flooded in May 2014 and how they overcame the public misperception that Penn Yan was closed after the media focused on the damage of the flood Penn Yan's efforts to redevelop the waterfront that Mike was beginning to focus on in October when we conducted this interview Why dissenting opinions are so important in achieving the best final product Examples of working within regulations and working to get onerous regulations lifted The importance of visiting your elected officials when they're home in your district Tourism websites: www.yatesny.com fingerlakestravelny.com www.fingerlakeswinecountry.com In Memorium: www.gofundme.com/mike-linehan-family-fund

In this episode, you will learn how every traveler makes a difference from Kristy Kennedy, Vice President of Marketing and The Director of Tourism for the Adirondack Coast Visitor Bureau (ACVB), a division of the North Country Chamber of Commerce. Kristy has been with the ACVB since 2008. In her current role, Kristy leads the Visitors Bureau's efforts in developing and implementing a yearly strategic marketing plan to increase tourism in Clinton County. A Plattsburgh native and a graduate of Plattsburgh State University, Kristy was named a Face of our Future by Strictly Business magazine and in 2008 Kristy was named New York State's Virginia Allan Young Careerist in acknowledgment of her personal and professional accomplishments, writing ability and public speaking. She went on to place in the top 10 in the nation. Before joining the Chamber, Kristy worked as Office Manager and Marketing Coordinator for Fesette Realty. Prior to that, Kristy held the role of Marketing & Promotions Coordinator for 95 Triple X and 620am WVMT Radio in Burlington. Outside of her work at the Chamber, Kristy enjoys listening to live music, exploring the local food scene and creating one-of-a-kind dishes in her kitchen. She is a self-proclaimed Crazy Cat Lady and spends as much time with her better half Shannon and her family as possible including two full-of-life nephews. What you'll learn about in this episode: Why the ACVB doesn't get caught up in the "heads in beds" mentality and focuses on all travelers – even the ones that don't stay overnight How every traveler creates their own domino effect for the region The ways ACVB makes the most of their small budget and three person team The locational benefits of going bilingual How the AVCB helps their stakeholders be as prepared as possible by hosting customer service seminars "Where the mountains meet the coast:" the story of how the Adirondack Coast name came to be The integrated social content plan that helped the ACVB use social media reach all their demographics How competing attractions work together to grow the ACVB in a way that helps everyone succeed Why Kristy loves an outside perspective on the ACVB and keeping the master plan updated Ways to contact Kristy: Website: goadirondack.com

In this episode, you will learn about what can be done to build a destination's brand from David Holder, the former President of Visit Syracuse. David Holder did not grow up in Central New York, as you'll recognize from his slight southern drawl and love of cheese grits. He may not be a native but he is definitely one of the area's greatest cheerleaders. A love of the outdoors, weather (yes, you heard correctly), great food, and overall quality of life drive David's passion for the Syracuse area. When he was President, he translated that love into a killer brand position for Visit Syracuse, one of six accredited DMOs in the state of New York, leading the effort to Do Your Thing and amplify awareness of Syracuse for convention planners, sporting event organizers and leisure visitors from around the world. Prior to joining Visit Syracuse, David directed the tourism and economic development efforts for the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia, led the Steuben County Conference and Visitors Bureau in Corning, New York and conducted community based strategic planning for the Texas Tourism Division. He earned both a Bachelor of Science and a Masters of Science in Tourism Management from North Carolina State University. What you'll learn about in this episode: David's background Looking for opportunistic disruptions: finding how to push your product in unusual ways How David turned Syracuse into the Official Home of Winter to capitalize on the long winters of Syracuse and turn it into a real asset The Snow Angel Challenge: The initiative that Syracuse and The Salvation Army are entering together Why the perception of your residents is just as important as the perception of visitors The importance of getting the community on board with your initiatives Building your brand around emotions when you don't have one massive asset The support system of destination marketing organizations throughout New York that Syracuse is a part of How David helped improve the relationship between Visit Syracuse and CNY Arts so that they work together Why digging your heels in isn't the right answer when trying to reach a common goal Ways to contact David: Website: www.visitsyracuse.com

In this episode, you will learn about tracking conversions from Ralph Thompson, President and Chief Brain of eBrains. Formally trained as in finance and as a CPA, Ralph gained basic experience with Price Waterhouse Coopers and then moved on to NYSE regional banking firm where he advanced to become a top finance and administration executive over 10 years. He took his first entrepreneurial step as co-owner and COO of The Martin Agency (an Ad Age Agency of the Year) where he grew the company from 20 people to 250 over a 10 year period before selling it to Interpublic Group. His next adventure started when he co-founded eBrains to focus on digital marketing in the travel and tourism industry. eBrains is celebrating its 18th year. The company was sold three years ago to a DC marketing holding company and Ralph remains in his role as President and Chief Brain. Ralph enjoys using ample blessings of both sides of the brain to help brands leverage the digital marketing space to drive more measurable incremental ROI. He enjoys spending time with his wife of 48 years, two children, 3 grandchildren and collaborating with friends and colleagues. Ralph enjoys golf, wine, great food and travel. What you'll learn about in this episode: Ralph's background How Ralph used co-registration with Virginia Tourism to reduce the cost of sending out travel guides from $12 to $2 at a time when co-registration was looked down upon How Ralph has figured out how to track a much higher than average percent of conversions How Ralph used digital strategies to inspire overnight stays in Buffalo and Niagara Falls from nearby Ontario Canada travelers. Why a simplistic measurement is better than no measurement How Ralph encourages his team to invent best practices rather than follow best practices The mobile Cost Per Action (CPA) network that Ralph is working on Why you need to leverage your own resources and develop strategic partnerships to deliver the best possible product How to find the best partners or "co-petitors"

In this episode, you will learn about working with partners to create a niche culinary trail from Meg Vanek. Meg Vanek is the executive director of the Cayuga County Convention and Visitors Bureau and has served in this capacity for 20 years. She is originally from the Finger Lakes but left the region at 17, graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and worked in the property management and hospitality industries in southern California and England for 14 years before returning to the region. In addition to her position as executive director of the Cayuga County Convention and Visitors Bureau, she also serves on the Board of Directors of the NYS Tourism Industry Association, the Cayuga Lake Scenic Byway, the Finger Lakes Regional Tourism Council, as well as several other tourism related committees. What you'll learn about in this episode: Meg's background How Meg has helped Cayuga County stand out from the crowd by presenting a unique experience for the visitor- The Finger Lakes Sweet Treat Trail How Meg blended agriculture and culinary assets together in The Finger Lakes Sweet Treat Trail What's coming up for the Sweet Treat Trail in 2017. How competitors worked together on the Sweet Treat Trail to grow their own businesses What great partners look like to Meg A business that thought outside of the box in order to be eligible for the Sweet Treat Trail How Meg set realistic expectations for new partnerships The Sweet Treat Trail's upcoming appearance on HGTV Ways to contact Meg: Finger Lakes Sweet Treat Trail: tourcayuga.com/farm-to-table/finger-lakes-sweet-treat-trail