The events of Memorial Day, May 25, 2020 — the death of George Floyd, captured on video, created a nationwide protest. It was a grisly harbinger of the ever-present specter of racism, but also a powerful call for pressing change not just in Minnesota but across the country and around the world. If…
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For the last decade, tourism organizations globally have been moving toward a more local, engaged, and citizen-focused model. As we set our sights on regenerative tourism, sustainability, accessibility, and a virtuous visitor economy, the question remains — how do we generate the engagement and…
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Advertising guru David Ogilvy said it best in the 1950s: “The consumer is intelligent, the consumer will figure it out, the consumer will make wise choices.” The pressing need for destinations to communicate their authentic state of being has never been more apparent. Visitors in a world rebounding…
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If you’ve watched the rise of narrative-based generative artificial intelligence (AI), then you’re likely as conflicted about the long-term outcomes of this magnificent leap in computing technology as I am. On one hand, we have revered computer scientist and cognitive psychologist, Geoffrey Hinton…
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Behavioral optimization in tourism may not be a familiar term, but it’s definitely happening. For over two decades, psychologists, sociologists, researchers, academics, and strategists worldwide have been actively exploring ways to influence and shift human behavior within the tourism industry. At…
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When we look for inspiration and ideas that will help us develop, manage and optimize the success and sustainability of our own destinations, we often look to Europe. More than a decade ago, their early work on overtourism highlighted the need for a more engaged network of destination stakeholders…
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By definition, sustainability and regeneration initiatives are activities that leave a lasting positive impact on places and people. They’re also an opportunity for destination marketing organizations (DMOs) to build meaningful partnerships outside the cohort of the usual suspects. While many DMOs…
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Sporting events have the power to engage, unify, and ennoble people. But what happens when destination organizations work in partnership with the “unusual suspects” to take these events to the next level? The Maryland Cycling Classic in September 2022 is a remarkable case study on how destination…
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Over the past few years, there has been a growing awareness of the need to rethink the role of destination organizations in the tourism industry. With concerns over overtourism, environmental sustainability, and social responsibility, there is growing recognition that the old destination marketing…
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To better understand the emerging role of destination organizations in sustainability and regeneration, it would serve us well to look at our meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) peers and take some notes. For over a decade, innovators like #meet4Impact and the Global…
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