On this episode of Destination on the Left, Mike Testa, President & CEO of Visit Sacramento, describes how his destination has diversified their focus to include festivals and events, sports, leisure markets, and culinary. He explains how positioning themselves as America’s Farm to Fork Capital has paid dividends, including booking a 10-year contract to host the Terra Madre Americas convention. Mike also discusses why tourism is not for tourists and how that plays into action through Visit Sacramento’s work and community partnerships.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• Why Mike’s long tenure at a single DMO has given him unique insights and influence in the community
• How Sacramento’s diversification from meetings and conventions to include festivals, sports, leisure, and culinary events has dramatically grown annual room nights and economic impact
• What motivated Visit Sacramento to claim the title of America’s Farm to Fork Capital
• How Visit Sacramento secured high-profile events like the Tower Bridge Dinner and attracted the Michelin Guide to the city, to cement its reputation as a food destination
• Visit Sacramento’s focus on quality of life for residents, and drives deeper community partnerships
• Strategies Mike and his team have used to build relationships with local leaders and partners
• How successful event hosting, like the Aftershock Music Festival, has opened doors for additional festivals and conventions

Building a New Identity: Sacramento’s Creative Leap

When people think of top destinations in California, their minds often go straight to San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, or Napa. Sacramento—the state’s capital—rarely makes the “must-visit” short list. But as Mike Testa, President and CEO of Visit Sacramento, explains, that’s exactly why his team has spent the last several years shaking up expectations and positioning Sacramento as a destination worthy of national and international attention.

Mike’s approach to make noise, drive results, and never be satisfied with the status quo. When the pandemic hit, instead of waiting it out, Visit Sacramento doubled down on innovation by diversifying its room night sources and investing heavily in outdoor events, festivals, sports, and especially its burgeoning culinary scene. The payoff has been nothing short of remarkable.

America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital

Sacramento sits in the heart of fertile farmland, growing everything from sushi rice to 80% of the nation’s caviar. But it wasn’t until a local chef pointed out the city’s unique agricultural advantage that Mike and his team realized: Sacramento had a rock-solid, authentic claim to the title America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital.

Visit Sacramento set out to build signature experiences, like the renowned 800-person Tower Bridge Dinner (a highlight that sells out in seconds), a Michelin Guide presence (Sacramento became only the fifth U.S. city to earn this distinction), and a thriving roster of food and wine festivals. Topping it all off, the city soon hosts the inaugural Terra Madre Americas, a massive international celebration of slow food previously held only in Italy, for which Sacramento was selected as the North American host in a 10-year deal.

Putting Community First

At the heart of Visit Sacramento’s strategy is a simple, resonant principle: “Tourism is not about the tourists. It’s about improving the quality of life for the people who live here,” Mike emphasizes.

This community-first approach runs deep. It means demonstrating the value of tourism to local officials and residents not just through economic statistics, but by contributing to civic life and showing up for critical community projects, events, and diverse groups.

Resources:

• Website: https://www.visitsacramento.com/
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-testa-1082673/
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sacramento-convention-&-visitors-bureau/
• Attracting International Brands to Your Destination, with Mike Testa

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On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Christopher Hill, Founder of Hands Up Holidays. Christopher takes us inside his journey from a career in finance to launching a travel company focused on eco-luxury family volunteer vacations. In our conversation, Christopher shares the story behind Hands Up Holidays, and we discuss the company’s focus on family and ethical travel with a holistic approach that ensures each journey leaves a positive impact on local communities and their visitors.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• How Christopher built Hands Up Holidays by combining luxury travel with meaningful volunteer experiences
• Why personal interaction with local communities and hands-on volunteering create transformative travel experiences for both guests and host communities
• How Christopher creates consistency across marketing and delivery
• How Christopher’s business model evolved to focus on families and why inspiring the next generation of world changers has become a core part of his mission
• Why building strong, direct relationships with local communities and ground partners was essential before launching the business
• How Hands Up Holidays curates unique, customizable trips that blend giving back with sightseeing and adventure
• Hands Up Holidays’ collaborations with nonprofits, DMCs, travel agents, and brands like TOMS, and why shared values are key to their effective partnerships

The Foundation of Responsible Tourism

Launching Hands Up Holidays wasn’t a matter of spinning up a website and sending travelers abroad. Christopher spent two years building relationships with communities worldwide. He sought firsthand knowledge—not just through professional networks, but by traveling, listening, and consulting directly with prospective partners. His approach was, and still is, to ask communities what they need, ensuring that volunteer efforts are genuinely beneficial and welcomed.

Luxury, Family Focus, and Holistic Sustainability

Christopher identifies three powerful differentiators that have contributed to Hands Up Holidays’ success:

• Luxury with a Purpose: Targeting high-end travelers with a philanthropy-based model, the company opens doors for those seeking to give back without sacrificing comfort. Hands Up Holidays redefines the luxury experience to include ethical action.
• Family-Focused Experiences: Although originally aimed at professionals, Hands Up Holidays soon shifted focus to catering to families, especially those eager to foster gratitude and a sense of global citizenship in their children.
• Holistic Sustainability: Their approach isn’t just about volunteering; it encompasses eco-friendly lodging, organic and local food, energy-efficient travel, and exclusively local guides. This creates a well-rounded, responsible travel experience.

Collaboration and Alignment

Collaboration—with communities, nonprofits, destination management companies (DMCs), and even other travel agencies—is central to Hands Up Holidays’ success. Christopher shares examples from major partnerships, like working with TOMS Shoes and a skateboard company to create impactful experiences in South Africa. The key ingredient for successful collaborations is shared values, and Christopher highlights that the most fruitful partnerships arise from aligned missions.

Resources:

• Website: https://handsupholidays.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handsupholidays/

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On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Camille Zess, Vice President of Growth at TAP, who brings 14 years of wide-ranging expertise in digital strategy, website development, email marketing, and the ever-evolving world of AI. We discuss the “Owned” media segment of the PESO Model—your website, blog, email marketing, and other assets you have complete control over. Camille shares practical tips on evaluating and optimizing these owned channels, from knowing when it’s time for a website refresh to the power of blog audits and list segmentation. Our discussion also explores emerging trends, such as adapting your content strategy for AI-driven search and leveraging print collateral in creative ways.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• Why owned media (websites, email marketing, blogs) serves as the foundation for effective marketing plans
• Steps Camille recommends for evaluating and enhancing your owned assets
• How segmentation and personalization in email marketing can help target different audience groups more effectively
• Why regular content audits ensure your owned channels remain timely, relevant, and aligned with your strategic goals
• What role emerging trends like AI and generative engine optimization (GEO) play in shaping how destinations should develop and share owned content
• How to measure the success of owned media tactics using key performance indicators in Google Analytics

Owned Media as the Cornerstone of the PESO Model

The PESO Model, originally developed by Ginny Dietrich, stands for Paid, Earned, Shared, and Owned media. While all four elements are essential for a comprehensive integrated marketing strategy, owned media is often the foundation upon which the other components are built.

Unlike paid placements or earned coverage, owned media provides total control over your messaging, branding, and audience engagement. For travel and tourism organizations, this means shaping the narrative around your destination, attraction, or service without being subject to algorithms, editors, or third-party platforms.

Websites, Emails, and Blogs

The best place to start is with the basics: website, email, and blog. Each serves a dual role as both a direct communication channel and a central hub for integrating with your other PESO tactics.

Website: Your digital home base. Every few years, assess its usability, content, and technology to ensure it supports both visitors and your staff. If you avoid using your own website in campaigns, that’s a red flag that shows it’s time for a revamp.

Email Marketing: A direct pipeline to your audience. Focus on growing your list, increasing engagement, and experimenting with segmentation for better targeting, such as creating a local list for residents interested in exclusive offers.

Blog: An SEO powerhouse and evergreen content resource. Use it to highlight key assets, answer frequently asked questions, share itineraries, and drive authority on topics that matter to your audience.

Integrating Owned with the Wider Plan

Though the acronym reads PESO, starting with “paid” isn’t always the most effective. As Camille points out, TAP often leads with owned or earned tactics because they form the content backbone for everything else; paid campaigns merely amplify what’s already working.

When planning, review your owned assets alongside your brand positioning and audience goals. Consider where gaps exist, such as organizations not yet doing email marketing (and wanting to drive repeat visitation) or those needing advanced tactics like personalized content and tailored landing pages for lead generation or ticket sales.

Resources:

• https://spinsucks.com/communication/peso-model-comprehensive-guide/
• Website: https://travelalliancepartnership.com/
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camillezess/
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tapintotravel/

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On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Adrienne Currie, Community & Marketing Manager at TAP, and Brittany Lynn, Senior Account Manager at TAP for the third installment of a special four-part series exploring the PESO Model—a framework for creating integrated marketing plans that drive results in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry.

Our conversation shines a spotlight on the “S”—shared media, and Adrienne and Brittany dive into the strategies behind creating impactful social media campaigns, from identifying your target audience to understanding the value of different platforms and building trust through authentic connections.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• How Brittany and Adrienne use the PESO Model to build integrated marketing plans for travel, tourism, and hospitality clients
• Why knowing your target audience and campaign goals is crucial before choosing the right shared media tactics
• What goes into developing an effective social media strategy, including content planning, engagement, and the use of hashtags and tagging partners
• How to select and evaluate the best shared media platforms based on audience demographics, campaign objectives, and available resources
• Why content pillars matter for organizing and delivering valuable, engaging, and brand-aligned social content
• What emerging tactics Adrienne and Brittany are watching, such as leveraging organic posts as paid media and the value of platforms like Pinterest, YouTube, and other social channels
• How measurement and analytics inform ongoing social strategy and why continual reassessment and adjustment lead to stronger results

Integrating Shared Media into the PESO Model for Travel Marketing

The PESO Model, Paid, Earned, Shared, and Owned media, is an integrated framework for crafting holistic marketing strategies. Shared media focuses on channels where content is disseminated and interacted with through social platforms and other collaborative online spaces.

Brittany Lynn describes the shared portion as “the how”, where strategy and messaging meet real-world execution. It’s all about knowing your audience, setting campaign goals, and determining communication tactics such as content cadence, use of hashtags, partner tagging, and the kind of engagement you want to inspire. The foundation, according to Brittany, is investing the time upfront to truly define who you’re speaking to and what you want to achieve long before you begin posting.

Adrienne Currie adds that, especially within smaller or mid-sized organizations with limited bandwidth, it’s crucial to focus on one platform and really master it before expanding. Knowing which platform best reaches your audience and aligns with your objectives (think Pinterest and YouTube for evergreen content, or Instagram for visual storytelling) is key.

Building a Strategic Shared Media Plan

Rather than chasing every trending platform, Brittany and Adrienne advise starting by auditing current channels. Understand which platforms your target audience uses, what types of content perform best, and how those channels are furthering your goals. If you inherit a client’s existing channels, Brittany recommends a critical evaluation: Are you amplifying the right messages, at the right frequency, and in the right tone? Is your existing presence consistent with your brand strategy?

Adrienne details TAP’s use of content pillars—groupings like education, industry news, community updates, and promotion—to ensure content isn’t just promotional but genuinely provides value. She cautions against making every post a sales pitch: “You want to be offering some value and building that relationship with your followers.” This approach keeps your audience engaged and fosters trust, especially important in the travel and tourism business.

How to Know If Your Shared Media Works

Brittany loves digging into analytics, suggesting a focus on metrics like engagement, clicks, views, comments, and shares. She sees data points not just as numbers, but as storytelling devices, as each metric helps paint the picture of how your audiences are responding to your content. Regularly revisit your foundational goals, if engagement lags, experiment with content format, tone, or posting frequency.

Social strategies should be living documents, adaptable as feedback and metrics roll in. Adjust as needed. Don’t be afraid to tweak or pivot entirely if something isn’t working.

Resources:

• https://spinsucks.com/communication/peso-model-comprehensive-guide/
• https://travelalliancepartnership.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrienne-currie-23117b33/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittanyklynn/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/tapintotravel/

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 o​f. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Colleen Onuffer for the second installment of a four-part series exploring the PESO Model—Paid, Earned, Shared, and Owned media—in integrated marketing. Colleen shares more about earned media: what it is, why it’s critical for building credibility, and how organizations in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry can use it to tell their story more powerfully. From collaborating with influencers to maximizing media placements, she explains how earned media fits into the bigger picture and interacts with other parts of the PESO framework.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• How Colleen Onuffer defines earned media and why it is considered more credible and trustworthy by consumers compared to paid and owned channels
• Why the Peso Model is essential for creating an integrated and effective PR strategy, and what the interconnections are between paid, earned, shared, and owned media
• How to approach strategic PR planning, including the importance of starting with research, setting clear goals, and understanding your audience
• What types of earned media tactics Colleen recommends for destination marketers, including media relations and influencer partnerships
• How emerging trends like artificial intelligence (AI), podcasts, and the rise of micro and niche influencers are shaping the landscape of earned media
• Why measurement and the Barcelona Principles are so critical for PR success, and how to plan up front to track the true impact and quality of earned placements
• How to start small, leverage multi-channel opportunities, and set yourself up for measurable success

How Earned Media is Different from PR

Destination marketers know that cutting through the noise to reach travelers is harder than ever. In a world saturated with content and advertising, earning trust and attention calls for a sophisticated mix of strategy, storytelling, and smart tactical planning. We’re discussing the critical “E”—Earned Media—in the integrated PESO model this week.

The Value and Challenge of Earned Media

Earned media is any publicity gained through organic means rather than paid advertising. Unlike owned or paid channels, it’s the result of others—media outlets, influencers, travelers, or even locals—talking about your destination. Think press coverage, travel blogger posts, influencer recommendations, glowing TripAdvisor reviews, or enthusiastic social shares.

Colleen emphasizes that earned media carries higher trust among consumers. Because earned media is not paid for by a brand directly, it’s often perceived as more credible or trustworthy by consumers. Mainly because brands don’t control the message. Unlike owned or paid media, where the brand is the voice, earned media relies on the voices of others to push the brand or narrative. It’s both valuable and vulnerable—a product of relationships, storytelling, and a bit of risk-taking.

Creating an Earned Media Strategy

It’s tempting to jump straight to pitching, press trips, or influencer outreach. But effective PR starts with strategic foundations. Colleen recommends that travel marketers:

1. Define Their Positioning: What’s the unique appeal or challenge your destination faces?
2. Unlock Insights Through Research: Deeply understand audience motivations, needs, and media behaviors.
3. Set SMART Goals: How many placements? What kind of coverage, and where? Do you want to attract a niche or mass audience?
4. Build Audience Personas: Understand their pain points, decision-making process, and where they seek inspiration.

With these insights, your earned media initiatives—whether hosting writers, partnering with content creators, or launching brand ambassador programs—are more likely to land meaningful, measurable results.

Resources:

• https://spinsucks.com/communication/peso-model-comprehensive-guide/
• Website: https://travelalliancepartnership.com/
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleenonuffer/
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tapintotravel/

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On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Colleen Senglaub, Digital Account Manager at TAP, for the first installment of a four-part series exploring the PESO Model—a foundational framework for integrated marketing plans in travel, tourism, and hospitality. We dig into the “P” of PESO—Paid Media. Colleen shares her expertise on digital advertising, breaking down today’s must-have channels, including Meta (Facebook and Instagram), Google, programmatic, and connected TV campaigns. They also touch on emerging platforms like Pinterest and TikTok, offering fresh ideas for reaching key audiences.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• How Colleen develops paid digital marketing plans using the PESO model and why this strategic framework helps destinations choose the right mix of paid, earned, shared, and owned tactics
• Why goal-setting and understanding your audience are foundational before selecting digital advertising channels and campaign types
• What considerations go into selecting paid media channels, including Meta (Facebook/Instagram), Google, programmatic connected TV, Pinterest, and TikTok, and why asset type and audience preference play a critical role
• How audience targeting and campaign automation are evolving (especially on Meta), and why maintaining control over audience selection is more important than ever
• What retargeting is in digital advertising, how it can be used effectively for tourism marketing, and why monitoring ad frequency matters for guest experience
• How to approach measurement, including setting the right KPIs, using industry benchmarks, and making ongoing campaign optimizations to ensure campaign success

Maximizing Your Travel Marketing Impact with the PESO Model: Paid Media

The PESO Model, developed by Spin Sucks founder Gini Dietrich, offers a holistic structure for integrated marketing. Of the four PESO pillars, paid media encompasses any tactic that requires a direct investment to capture attention. As Colleen Senglaub explains, this includes everything from digital campaigns (social ads, Google search, display, programmatic, and connected TV) to traditional placements like billboards and print, along with sponsored content and trade show activations.

The key to successful paid media is intentionality. Marketers should analyze both the needs of their destination and the motivations of their target audience, choosing only the channels best equipped to deliver on their specific business goals.

Channels to Consider in the Modern Mix

Choosing where to focus isn’t about following flashy trends—it’s about aligning with your destination’s unique goals and audiences. As Colleen says, every decision should connect back to core campaign objectives—are you trying to drive web visits, capture leads, or expand your newsletter reach? Who is your ideal traveler, in terms of age, interests, and location?

A well-aligned strategy might mean an integrated mix, like for TAP’s Baseball Hall of Fame campaign, which blended Meta, Google, TikTok, and CTV, thoughtfully timed to coincide with the launch of a new exhibit and the availability of assets.

Emerging Channels and Creative Asset Considerations

Don’t overlook evolving channels. Pinterest, for example, wields unique influence over women-led travel planning, while TikTok is a powerhouse for reaching Gen Z, who increasingly look to social platforms instead of Google for travel inspiration.

But succeeding on new channels requires the right creative approach. TikTok demands fun, vertical, trend-aligned videos, whereas Instagram and Meta perform better with a thoughtful mix of sizes and styles. Marketers should aim to capture assets in multiple formats upfront, future-proofing their campaigns for every channel.

Resources:

• https://spinsucks.com/communication/peso-model-comprehensive-guide/
• Website: https://travelalliancepartnership.com/
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-senglaub/
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tapintotravel/

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 o​f. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Karen Laos, a communication expert and confidence cultivator, about the most common mishaps that we make when communicating, and practical advice on how to avoid them. We discuss the importance of communication as a woman, the benefits of building strong relationships, and why being interested is a better strategy than being interesting. She also gives us easy phrases and questions to help us start creating deeper connections today.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• How Karen Laos discovered the power of confident communication, from her childhood negotiation lessons to navigating high-stakes boardrooms
• How practicing self-trust leads to a stronger impact
• What the most common communication mishaps are among professionals, including “data dumping” and “upspeak,” and how to avoid them for clearer, more influential messaging
• How asking questions and practicing active listening can build stronger relationships, and why being interested is often more effective than trying to appear interesting
• Why both women and men experience self-doubt and impostor syndrome, and what strategies Karen recommends to overcome these universal challenges
• How to shift from playing small to contributing ideas with confidence, even when facing rejection or critical feedback
• Practical tactics you can use immediately, including key phrases and reflective listening, to deepen your professional and personal connections

How Confident Communication Fuels Growth in Tourism and Hospitality

Many professionals find themselves holding back in meetings or missing opportunities because of self-doubt. Karen Laos’s personal journey is a testament to this struggle. She recounts a pivotal moment in a corporate boardroom when she froze, second-guessed herself, and missed a chance to steer the meeting. It was only after her boss pointed out that “you didn’t trust your gut” that Karen recognized how often she’d been asking for permission rather than claiming her space.

When you play small, you withhold ideas, skip chances to contribute, and shrink when faced with pushback, you miss opportunities. Sharing your perspective is a muscle—one that grows each time you use it.

Common Communication Mishaps (And How to Avoid Them)

Karen outlines two common pitfalls in professional communication:

• Data Dumping & Rambling: Sharing too much information at once overwhelms listeners. Many people “build a case” before getting to their point, often burying the key message at the end. Karen recommends the “BLUF” method (Bottom Line Up Front): start with your main point, then offer supporting details. In emails, include your conclusion or request in the first line, letting readers decide if they want to delve into the details.

She suggests that when you notice yourself rambling, pause, gather your thoughts, and state directly: “My point is this…”

• Upspeak: Ending statements with an upward inflection can make confident people sound uncertain. This is especially common in self-introductions. Instead, “punctuate” your spoken words. Practice ending key sentences with a period, not a question mark, to project authority and credibility.

Karen recommends that you record your introduction and listen back; do you sound confident, or does your voice rise at the end?

Building Trust Through Consistent Presence

Trust is foundational to business relationships. Karen stresses the importance of being genuine and avoiding the temptation to rush or sell yourself. Authentic listening, maintaining open and inviting body language, and even the way you manage your facial expressions can influence how you are perceived. Simple gestures—smiling, making eye contact, and being conscious of your posture—go a long way in signaling your approachability and professionalism.

In hospitality and tourism, your voice drives personal growth while fostering collaboration and relationships that propel entire destinations forward. By implementing these practical communication strategies, you’ll not only stand out but you’ll also help your organization and community flourish.

Resources:

• Website: https://karenlaos.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenlaos/
• Free Guide to sound more credible and confident: 9 words to avoid and what to say instead: https://karenlaos.com/words-to-avoid/

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On this special episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Karen Kuhl (Executive Director, Tour Cayuga, NY), Lauren Sackett (CEO, Rhinelander Chamber of Commerce, WI), and Roni Weiss (Executive Director, Travel Unity) all about the nuances of inclusivity in the travel and tourism industry. We discuss how destinations can actively create environments where every traveler and resident feels a sense of belonging. Discover the landscape of DEAI (Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion) and gain practical advice on how to make tourism more accessible and authentic.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• Implementing DEAI initiatives in rural and small-town tourism communities, and the impact these efforts have on both residents and visitors
• Why transparency, community input, and vulnerability are critical in making a destination truly welcoming for all, not just in intention but in actionable practice
• What social impact means through a tourism lens, and how prioritizing inclusivity supports both the local community and the visitor experience
• How organizations can start with small, meaningful steps—such as improving website accessibility or forming advisory groups—to advance DEAI practices, even with limited resources and staffing
• What practical strategies destinations can use to measure the success and ROI of their inclusion initiatives
• How empathy, humility, and realistic goal-setting play a fundamental role in sustaining progress on DEAI efforts, even when facing criticism or limited momentum

Shifting from Intentions to Actions

Travel professionals often assume they are, by default, welcoming, but wanting to welcome everyone and actually creating a place where everyone feels welcome are two very different things. My guests emphasize that building an authentically inclusive environment requires deep listening, transparency, and sometimes vulnerability.

Roni Weiss outlined Travel Unity’s perspective, explaining that inclusion isn’t just aspirational—it’s measurable. He described public standards focusing on three levels: leadership and workforce, community engagement, and the traveler’s experience. The overarching message? DEAI isn’t merely about not excluding—it’s proactive work that touches every level of an organization.

Social Impact Beyond the Tourist

While tourism is often measured by economic indicators, genuine social impact weaves together the needs of visitors and residents alike. Karen Kuhl stressed that her work in Cayuga County, home to Harriet Tubman’s legacy, is community-centric: tourism isn’t just for visitors, after all, but for all the residents who live in a destination too. DEAI initiatives must ripple inward before they shine outward.

Working in rural northern Wisconsin, Lauren Sackett shared that enhancing accessibility, like mapping out trail accessibility and filtering for diverse-owned businesses, is as much about serving aging and differently abled residents as it is about attracting new visitor demographics. Tourism isn’t just about bringing travelers in; it’s about the community as a whole.

Practical Steps for Small Towns and Rural Destinations

Even if you’re a limited-budget organization, you can meaningfully implement DEAI. My guests’ advice is to start small, but start now. Identify community values, tap into available grants, and build from within—embedding inclusive principles into staff roles, outreach, and even RFPs for outside vendors.

DEAI principles should be everybody’s work and on everybody’s task list, which is why advisory boards are a resourceful way to bring diverse voices into decision-making without overhauling governance structures.

Authentic inclusion is a journey, not a checkbox. Be humble, honest, kind, and patient, my guests recommend leading with empathy and listening to those with lived experience.

Resources:

• Karen Kuhl: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-kuhl/
• Lauren Sackett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-sackett-iom-b2a5a59a/
• Roni Weiss: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roniweiss/

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 o​f. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!

On this episode of Destination on the Left, Liza Graves shares her journey growing a 100% digital lifestyle publication that she started as a way to help small businesses through the recession. She talks about why it is important to find your North Star and how that can guide you through the ups and downs. We talk through some of the unique ways that StyleBlueprint helps DMOs and tourism businesses reach a traveling audience.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• How Liza launched StyleBlueprint during the Great Recession to help support local businesses and why that mission has been the cornerstone of her company’s growth
• Why it’s essential to know your North Star as a business or destination, and how that core purpose can help you navigate challenges like economic downturns and the pandemic
• What it means to tell authentic, experience-driven stories about destinations and small businesses, and why origin stories resonate so powerfully with target audiences
• How StyleBlueprint partners with destinations and DMOs, and what makes a successful collaboration, including the role of co-ops and customized storytelling
• Why identifying your brand or destination’s true story matters more than following trends, and Liza’s tips for discovering and communicating those stories effectively
• How to break through the clutter when pitching stories to media outlets or digital publications, based on Liza’s frontline advice for PR professionals and marketers
• What collaboration and community-building look like in practice, and why Liza believes working together leads to more sustainable, meaningful growth for destinations and businesses

Finding Your North Star

From the Great Recession to catastrophic floods and the uncertainty of the pandemic, Liza knows a thing or two about leading through adversity. Her advice is to have a clear North Star, your guiding purpose and values that keep you focused through turbulent times.

During the pandemic, StyleBlueprint leaned deeply into its core mission: supporting local. Liza reached out personally to partners, offered flexible arrangements, and championed resources like PPP guidance. Because these actions were rooted in authentic care and community, her business not only weathered the storm but emerged stronger and with deeper trust.

Her experience is a master class for tourism professionals: know your core, communicate gratitude, and adapt your offerings while never losing sight of the people and partners who make your destination or business possible.

Finding and Telling Destination Stories That Resonate

One of the signature advantages of StyleBlueprint is the way it dives deep, trading five-point “Top Things to Do” lists for rich, immersive lifestyle features. Liza advocates for destinations and businesses to invest time in uncovering their true stories, often starting with their own origin. Why did you open your restaurant, shop, or B&B? What local traditions or quirks define your town?

It’s not always easy to surface the stories closest to us—we’re often “too close” to see what’s special. Liza encourages hiring a professional storyteller if needed, or leveraging AI tools as a prompt to reflect on why your place or business exists and what personally resonates about its history or community role. These stories aren’t just interesting, they magnetize your ideal visitor and forge lasting emotional connections.

Strength in Partnerships

A standout takeaway from the episode is Liza’s embrace of “coopetition”—forming strategic, collaborative storytelling and marketing partnerships even among traditional competitors. StyleBlueprint’s co-op articles group similar destinations, such as “guys’ weekend getaways” or “mother-daughter retreats,” giving readers variety and context while offering participating locales a cost-effective, high-impact platform.

These efforts enhance authenticity and make it easier for destinations to identify and communicate the unique experiences they offer. The key, as Liza notes, is partnering with platforms that “overdeliver,” know their audiences, and, most importantly, care.

Resources:

• Website: https://styleblueprint.com/
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizagraves/
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blueprint-inc-local/
• Subscribe to StyleBlueprint’s daily emails: https://styleblueprint.com/ac-subscribe/

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On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with John Nguyen, CEO of Heritage Line. In our conversation, John shares his passion for his home in Southeast Asia and describes his luxury cruise line, how he developed it, and how they deliver on unique experiences by going to places that most tour operators cannot access. John describes partnerships that he has built with competing river cruise companies to help develop sustainable practices and facilitate connections between locals and international visitors that make a positive impact.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• How John Nguyen overcame losing his sight and used it as inspiration to launch two successful businesses in Southeast Asia’s luxury travel sector
• Why honoring local communities and creating positive impacts in the destinations he visits is central to John’s business philosophy
• What makes Heritage Line’s luxury river cruises unique including access to hidden, off-the-beaten-path villages and authentic guest experiences
• How John developed partnerships and collaborations to promote sustainable practices and protect the villages visited by river cruises
• Why relationships, word-of-mouth, and tailored experiences have been fundamental to reaching high-end international travelers and building reputable brands
• How John and his teams implement philanthropic initiatives such as vocational training and literacy programs to support and empower local communities
• What inspires John’s ongoing projects and new destination explorations, including his process for identifying and creating exceptional travel experiences in emerging regions

Adversity to Industry Leader

Growing up along the Perfume River in Hue, Vietnam, John was surrounded by a rich culture, history, and a profound sense of place. These early influences fueled his passion for boating and inspired the creation of guest experiences that combine authentic local connections with high-end service. After losing his sight in the late 1990s and faced with the daunting prospect of unemployment, John chose entrepreneurship instead. He launched his first venture, Trails of Indochina, in 1999, even before luxury tourism infrastructure existed in Vietnam.

Despite the limited five-star accommodations available at the time, John believed that travelers would value unique, immersive experiences over amenities alone. “I was able to persuade people to stay at just decent hotels, but they got the opportunity to really experience authentic and unique experiences in the region.” This focus on access, storytelling, and local connection formed the foundation for his later river cruise company, Heritage Line.

Small Ships with a Big Impact

By operating boutique ships with as few as six to 27 cabins, Heritage Line is able to visit secluded villages and rarely accessed corners of the Mekong and other major waterways. This approach not only creates exclusivity for travelers but also preserves the intimacy and integrity of local communities.

Guests may visit villages where electricity is a novelty, collaborate with locals on traditional crafts such as textile weaving and wood carving, and support philanthropic projects, including building wells and eradicating illiteracy. Travelers have the opportunity to really learn more about how locals live.

Collaboration Over Competition

As Southeast Asia’s tourism profile has grown, John has witnessed an influx of international operators, some with larger, less community-integrated ships. Rather than seeing them strictly as rivals, John champions “coopetition.” Heritage Line works directly with other cruise companies to build sustainable practices and prevent the negative impacts of overtourism.

By coordinating with these “friendly competitors,” John and his peers can spread the benefits of tourism more equitably, develop vocational and philanthropic programs, and ensure that the arrival of travelers enhances rather than disrupts local communities. Notably, Heritage Line has spearheaded projects to provide clean water, vocational training for marginalized groups, and even tackle illiteracy through book donations and mobile libraries.

For John, the true essence of travel lies in its ability to forge meaningful, transformational connections. Whether helping a guest donate a sampan (boat) to a family, bringing books to a remote village, or enabling visitors to join local festivals, Heritage Line’s experiences go beyond passive sightseeing.

Resources:

• Website: https://heritage-line.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/heritage-line/

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 o​f. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!