The Layover Live: how destinations collaborate to host major events

On this episode of the Layover Live podcast, Josh Albrecht from Visit Milwaukee and Nick Meisner from Discover Green Bay share the inside story of how destination marketing organizations (DMOs) can team up to pull off major events like the NFL Draft. From coordinating across destinations to rallying community support, they’ll walk through the real-world strategies that turn collaboration into impact. 

Tune in For Big Ideas: 

1. Sports tourism is a statewide opportunity: The NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin, was treated not just as a local event — but as a statewide initiative. Discover Green Bay and Visit Milwaukee collaborated with other Wisconsin DMOs to promote travel across the state, recognizing that major sporting events can benefit multiple destinations. 
2. Regional collaboration drives economic impact: By working together, Wisconsin DMOs helped generate over $104 million in statewide economic impact, with Green Bay alone seeing $73 million. Milwaukee’s hotel occupancy jumped from under 10% to nearly 80%, showing how strategic cross-promotion can lead to measurable results. 
3. The visitor experience starts before arrival: The travel experience begins the moment someone leaves home. By coordinating messaging, hospitality, and logistics across cities, Discover Green Bay and Visit Milwaukee ensured a seamless experience that encouraged return visits and positive word-of-mouth. 
4. Communication with residents and partners is crucial: Both DMOs invested heavily in outreach — like hosting town halls, webinars, and distributing business resource guides to prepare local businesses and residents for the influx of visitors.  
5. Big events are learning opportunities for the future: The NFL Draft served as a blueprint for future mega-events like the World Cup and Olympics. Key lessons included setting realistic expectations, planning for unknowns, and leveraging even distant destinations for brand awareness and long-term tourism growth.