Field Notes

In this episode of Field Notes: Insights & Observations for the Travel Marketer, Eric sits down with Sara Dyer to unpack Canva’s largest product launch in its history — a complete reinvention of the platform into a full creative operating system. We break down how Canva’s new AI-powered suite is transforming the way destinations and travel marketers create, collaborate, and deploy content at scale… even without a full creative team.

🧠 What We Cover:

Canva’s three-layer Creative OS: Visual Suite, Canva AI, and Platform How DMO teams can lock brand standards while enabling creativity

Canva Grow — the new AI marketing engine that scans your destination website, pulls brand voice, tone, colors & messaging Auto-generating on-brand ads and pushing them directly into Meta Ads Manager Real-time ad performance insights within

Canva Turning visitor survey data into infographics and dashboards instantly

The new “Ask Canva” AI assistant for design suggestions, copy improvements, and creative guidance

Why Canva’s update is a game-changer for small and mid-sized teams with limited time and budgets

✨ Why This Matters This update collapses design, data, creative, email, video, and ads into one platform, cutting subscriptions, saving time, and giving travel marketers the ability to build professional-level content in minutes — no Adobe mastery required.

🔗 Connect with Sara Instagram: @saradyer If you’re a travel marketer trying to keep up with AI-driven creative tools, this one’s worth your time.

In this episode of Field Notes: Insights and Observations for the Travel Marketer, Eric Hultgren sits down with Ben Knapp, Brand Strategist at Saffron Brand Consultants, to unpack this year’s City Brand Barometer—a deep dive into why some cities rise in global rankings while others fall behind.

Ben shares powerful insights on:

The evolution from place branding to placemaking

How cities can close the perception–reality gap

The role of AI and online sentiment in shaping travel decisions

Why smaller, lesser-known destinations are poised to thrive in 2026

From Madrid’s brand alignment to the rise of Dubai and the rebirth of smaller communities, this episode explores how cities can turn authenticity into competitive advantage.

👉 Download the full report: https://bit.ly/3WNO4o5

In this episode of Field Notes: Insights and Observations for the Travel Marketer, Eric Hultgren takes us inside his keynote talk delivered in Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio. With spooky season as the backdrop, he leads travel marketers through a journey that compares reading the jungle to understanding the shifting marketing landscape—where AI is no longer “new,” it’s “normal.”

Eric explores how AI is reshaping content discovery, why trust outweighs reach, and how travel brands can adapt by scaling content smartly while staying authentic.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

🌍 Why marketers should think like anthropologists, not advertisers.

⚡ Why AI is not a trend—it’s infrastructure, like electricity or highways.

🔎 The shift from SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and what that means for travel marketers.

📹 Why blogs feed AI but video delights humans—and how to balance both.

🤝 Why trust > reach when building communities in an era of automation.

🥖 How to repurpose one big piece of content into 40+ smaller ones (from bread to Hamilton to whitepapers).

📲 Tactics to stop cross-posting and instead design platform-specific content.

📧 Why email and text remain undervalued community-building tools.

👥 How to turn employees into brand megaphones without policing them.

🚦 Why “zero-click attribution” will redefine how we measure marketing success.

In this episode of Field Notes: Insights and Strategies for the Travel Marketer, Eric Hultgren takes the stage in Flint, Michigan, to deliver his keynote “Brand as Signal.” The talk explores how travel brands can adapt and lead in a rapidly shifting marketing landscape dominated by AI. With billions of weekly queries happening on ChatGPT and platforms like Google Gemini, the rules of visibility are being rewritten. Eric breaks down what this means for marketers and, more importantly, what to do about it. What you’ll learn in this episode: Why AI isn’t the future of marketing, it’s the present. The concept of “answer engine optimization” and how it’s replacing SEO. How to create scalable content systems (turning one white paper into 200 pieces of content). The importance of trust, taste, and community over sheer volume of posts. How to turn employees into authentic brand ambassadors on platforms like LinkedIn. The dangers of cross-posting without tailoring content to each platform. What “zero-click attribution” means for the future of traffic and conversion. Eric also shares practical action items travel marketers can take right now, including how to feed AI models the right signals, test your visibility in Gemini/ChatGPT/Perplexity, and move from passive audiences to active communities. Plus: Stay tuned until the end for a lively audience Q&A covering cross-posting, emoji use, and whether traditional SEO efforts still translate in an AI-first world.

In this episode of Field Notes: Insights and Observations for the Travel Marketer, Eric sits down with Shannon Gray, Provost of the Southeast Tourism Society’s Marketing College and founder of Gray Research Solutions. Together, they dive into:

Shannon’s journey from anthropology into travel marketing research.

What makes Marketing College such a unique program for tourism professionals.

How community, innovation, and mentorship shape the next generation of travel marketers.

Why graduates often come back to teach and give back to the program.

The evolving role of research in driving smarter tourism marketing decisions.

Whether you’re curious about professional development, intrigued by the intersection of anthropology and marketing, or just want a behind-the-scenes look at how tourism leaders are being trained, this conversation offers fresh insights and inspiration. 👉 Learn more about Marketing College through the Southeast Tourism Society: southeasttourism.org

In this episode of Field Notes: Insights for the Travel Marketer, Eric sits down live at the STS Connections Conference with Chris Landry, President & CEO of the Louisiana Travel Association.

Chris shares his perspective on Louisiana’s unique travel identity, the evolving role of AI in marketing, and why hospitality is the ultimate differentiator in tourism. Topics include:

🌴 What hosting a major conference means for Lake Charles and overlooked Louisiana destinations

If you’re passionate about travel marketing, destination branding, or the future of hospitality, this episode offers fresh insights straight from one of Louisiana’s leading voices.

🌐 Learn more: Louisiana Travel Association

In this episode of Field Notes: Insights for the Travel Marketer, Eric sits down live at the STS Connections Conference with Chris Landry, President & CEO of the Louisiana Travel Association.

Chris shares his perspective on Louisiana’s unique travel identity, the evolving role of AI in marketing, and why hospitality is the ultimate differentiator in tourism. Topics include:

🌴 What hosting a major conference means for Lake Charles and overlooked Louisiana destinations

If you’re passionate about travel marketing, destination branding, or the future of hospitality, this episode offers fresh insights straight from one of Louisiana’s leading voices.

🌐 Learn more: Louisiana Travel Association

In this episode of Field Notes: Insights for the Travel Market, Eric sits down at the STS Connections Conference with Jordan Basham, creator of the Instagram account Where to Geaux.

Jordan shares her story of starting as a Baton Rouge foodie posting takeout boxes during COVID, growing into a full-time influencer, and launching her own social media agency. Together, we dig into:

✅ How DMOs and brands can effectively work with influencers

Whether you’re a travel marketer, local business, or just curious about the behind-the-scenes of influencer marketing, this conversation is packed with practical insights.

📲 Follow Jordan on Instagram: @wheretogeaux225

As a travel marketer, the AI landscape is shifting fast and last week’s update to ChatGPT might be the biggest change yet. In this episode of Field Notes, Eric Hultgren breaks down what GPT-5 means for you and your DMO team, and how to turn this leap in AI capability into a competitive advantage. We’ll walk you through a set of high-impact prompts you can start testing today in GPT-5 or A/B against other models like Claude or Perplexity to inspire travelers, personalize experiences, and drive more bookings.

Whether you’re new to AI or looking to sharpen your skills, this “Summer of AI” starter kit will help you level-up your AI dexterity and make your destination stand out.

Chat GPT 5 Prompt Starter Kit

https://www.advancetravelandtourism.com/insights/travel-marketers-gpt-5-prompt-library/ 

In this episode of Field Notes, host Eric Hultgren sits down with Emily Clay from Advance Travel & Tourism to explore the world of eco tourism. With a deep background in sustainability, Emily shares insights into how destinations can identify and amplify their eco-forward efforts in ways that are both authentic and effective.

The conversation covers:

What initially drew Emily to the topic of eco tourism

How travel marketers can recognize and support sustainable tourism practices in their regions

The importance of transparency and reporting when promoting eco-focused initiatives

The evolving landscape of eco tourism and what it means for the next decade

Common pitfalls marketers can avoid when crafting sustainability messages

Her top recommendation for a book or documentary to learn more about conservation

Whether you're already immersed in sustainability or exploring how it intersects with travel marketing, this episode provides valuable takeaways to help shape your strategy and storytelling.

Follow Field Notes for more conversations that help travel marketers navigate changing consumer values, emerging trends, and actionable strategies.