Today, I’m honored to be joined by our two incredible Advocacy Committee Chairs: Gary Sanchez from Visit Dallas, who is completing his second and final year as co-chair, and Julie Gilbert from Destination Door County, who’s wrapping up her first year in this leadership role. In 2024, the Advocacy Committee tackled a range of pressing topics — from crisis preparedness and sustainability to community engagement and the evolving policy landscape. Today, we’ll take a deep dive into these discussions, reflect on the insights gained, and look ahead to what’s on the horizon for our sector. Welcome Gary and Julie.

Destinations International

The Architects of Destination Advocacy Podcast is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Andreas Weissenborn and produced by Relic.

To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit https://thedmpn.com/. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email [email protected].

Today, I’m thrilled to be joined by none other than Josiah Brown, also known as the New York Sherpa, who served as the emcee for our recent Advocacy Summit in Puerto Rico this October.

As the summit's guide and a keen observer, Josiah had a front-row seat to some of the most dynamic conversations happening on and off the stage. From strategies for enhanced community engagement to navigating the challenges of tourism funding and resident sentiment, he witnessed firsthand the passion, ideas, and solutions that emerged from these discussions.

In this episode, we’ll tap into Josiah’s unique perspective, not just as an emcee but as a 'fly on the wall' to unpack the key themes that resonated most deeply. We’ll explore how destinations can connect with their communities, educate stakeholders, and build trust in an ever-evolving tourism landscape.

Josiah's Blog Post About Advocacy Summit 2024

Destinations International

The Architects of Destination Advocacy Podcast is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Andreas Weissenborn and produced by Relic.

To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit https://thedmpn.com/. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email [email protected].

Today, we have a continued announcement to introduce the new Accessibility Playbook, a comprehensive and actionable framework designed to enhance accessibility across the tourism landscape.

This playbook isn't just a guide; it's a powerful tool packed with hundreds of resources, tips, and real-world use cases that can help you align your destination with the needs of all visitors. Whether you're managing a small team or a large-scale operation, the playbook's customizable components allow you to insert your own branding and craft a personalized approach to accessibility.

The curated checklists keep project management in check, helping your team track progress and ensure that every aspect of accessibility is covered.

To dive deeper into what this means for our sector, we have three special guests joining us today. First, we welcome Ava Wells, the social inclusion manager of Destinations International, who has been at the forefront of this initiative. Joining her is Courtney Cacatian, Executive Director of Charlottesville, Albemarle County, VA along with her Director of Visitor & Community Engagement, Cassie Ivey, who will share their insights on how this playbook can be applied in the real world.

Accessibility Playbook

Destinations International

The Architects of Destination Advocacy Podcast is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Andreas Weissenborn and produced by Relic.

To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit https://thedmpn.com/. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email [email protected].

Our guest today is Amir Eylon, the President and CEO of Longwoods International, a leader in tourism & Destination research. Amir brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the table, especially when it comes to understanding resident sentiment towards tourism.

Longwoods International has been at the forefront of gathering and analyzing data to help destinations understand how their residents feel about tourism in their communities. This research is crucial for creating sustainable and positive relationships between visitors and locals.

Today, Amir will share some of the latest findings from Longwoods International's studies, discuss the importance of resident sentiment in tourism planning, and offer insights into how destinations can better engage with their communities to foster support for tourism.

So, without further ado, let's dive into this conversation with Amir Eylon.

Destinations International's 2023 Resident Sentiment Surveys

Destinations International

The Architects of Destination Advocacy Podcast is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Andreas Weissenborn and produced by Relic.

To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit https://thedmpn.com/. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email [email protected].

Welcome to our special and final 3 of 3 podcast episode arc around the release of our brand-new research study, Destination Promotion: A Catalyst for Community Vitality. 

This report emphasizes the pivotal role of destination organizations in shaping the economic and cultural landscape of communities that go beyond the realms of traditional tourism.

Our discussion today will unravel how these organizations act as catalysts for a broad spectrum of economic benefits on behalf of research and analysis provided by Tourism Economics, Longwoods International, Clarity of Place, and MMGY NextFactor.

We want this episode to share perspectives on how destination promotion not only enhances visitor experiences but significantly contributes to the overall economic prosperity, quality of life, and cultural richness of communities which foster economic growth, cultural development, and community well-being.

Join me in welcoming one of those destinations from the study as well as one of the research partners who helped work on the project. Welcome to the Show Adam Sacks, President of Tourism Economics and Barry White, CEO of Chattanooga Tourism Company.

Destination Promotion: A Catalyst for Community Vitality | Destinations International

Destinations International

The Architects of Destination Advocacy Podcast is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Andreas Weissenborn and produced by Relic.

To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit https://thedmpn.com/. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email [email protected].

Welcome to a special 2 of 3 podcast episode arc around the release of our brand-new research study, Destination Promotion: A Catalyst for Community Vitality. The report emphasizes the pivotal role of destination organizations in shaping the economic and cultural landscape of communities far beyond the realms of traditional tourism. 

Our discussion today will unravel how these organizations, act as catalysts for a broad spectrum of economic benefits. Through research and analysis provided by Tourism Economics, Longwoods International, Clarity of Place, and MMGY NextFactor, the report illuminates the extensive, catalytic economic impacts of destination promotion. 

We want this episode to share perspectives on how strategic destination marketing not only enhances visitor experiences, but significantly contributes to the overall economic vitality, quality of life, and cultural richness of communities, fostering economic growth, cultural development, and community well-being.

Join me in welcoming one of those destinations from the study as well as one of the research partners who helped work on the project. Welcome to the Show Michael Crockatt, President/CEO from Ottawa Tourism and Cassandra McAuley from MMGY Nextfactor!

Destination Promotion: A Catalyst for Community Vitality | Destinations International

Destinations International

The Architects of Destination Advocacy Podcast is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Andreas Weissenborn and produced by Relic.

To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit https://thedmpn.com/. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email [email protected].

Welcome to a special 1 of 3 podcast episode arc around the release of our brand-new research study, Destination Promotion: A Catalyst for Community Vitality and its key findings. The report emphasizes the pivotal role of destination organizations in shaping the economic and cultural landscape of communities far beyond the realms of traditional tourism. 

Our discussion will unravel how these organizations, by transcending their conventional focus solely on the hospitality sector, act as catalysts for a broad spectrum of economic benefits. Through research and analysis provided by Tourism Economics, Longwoods International, Clarity of Place, and MMGY NextFactor, the report illuminates the extensive, catalytic economic impacts of destination promotion. 

This episode promises to offer insightful perspectives on how strategic destination marketing not only enhances visitor experiences but significantly contributes to the overall economic vitality, quality of life, and cultural richness of communities. organizations in fostering economic growth, cultural development, and community well-being. 

As an expansion of the study, we developed 10 destination-specific case studies and their role in being a catalyst for community vitality. Join me in welcoming one of those destinations from the study as well as one of the research partners who helped work on the project. Welcome to the Show Jayne Deluce, President/CEO from Experience Champaign-Urbana and Tina Valdecanas from Clarify of Place!

Destination Promotion: A Catalyst for Community Vitality | Destinations International

Destinations International

The Architects of Destination Advocacy Podcast is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Andreas Weissenborn and produced by Relic.

To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit https://thedmpn.com/. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email [email protected].

Today’s podcast episode and the first for the new year takes into the realm of community connectors for the greater good of collaboration. (a tongue twister)

As destination organizations, our role and primary stewardship is the Community! We foster economic development, quality of place, and community vitality. All through the power of collaboration!

In many ways, collaboration is our greatest asset as we are neither silos nor single-source solutions for many of the problems facing our destinations. We operate best in a space with many shared lanes but always come to the table with the brand of the community held in the highest regard.

As we start 2024, I wanted to bring this conversation full circle on collaboration with a drop of inspiration on our sector’s greatest strength, welcome to the show, Annie Rummel, CEO of Great Lakes Bay Regional CVB and Nicole Mahoney, CEO of Break the Ice Media and fellow podcast host of Destination on the Left and recent author.

Annie and Nicole, welcome to the show!

Great Lakes Bay Regional CVB

Break the Ice Media

Destination on the Left

Destinations International

The Architects of Destination Advocacy Podcast is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Andreas Weissenborn and produced by Relic.

To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit https://thedmpn.com/. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email [email protected].

Today’s podcast episode and guests is our final one for 2023 and a reflection of our advocacy committee for destinations international. Destinations International is a tapestry of volunteer committees and task forces that help guide and initiate much of the output and direction the association takes year after year. Committee members constitute a myriad of different organizations across the members of destinations international and volunteer their time in a number of different ways. 

For the advocacy committee, we are comprised of over 65 individuals across destinations and suppliers who meet every two weeks to discuss the latest issues or opportunities we might have in our sector. We are a lively bunch as each conversation is intended for everyone to share their opinion and also collaborate on ideas amongst ourselves. 

In the past year, we have looked at being under attack for woke topics and ESG, overtourism, TikTok bans, short-term rentals and more. 

Today, I’m happy to bring on our two co-chairs of the 2023 advocacy committee to hear their thoughts on the past year and dissect a bit of their favorite moments and topics that we’ve covered. Please welcome to the show Kurt Krause of Visit Norfolk and Gary Sanchez or Visit Dallas.

Visit Dallas

Visit Norfolk

Destinations International

The Architects of Destination Advocacy Podcast is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Andreas Weissenborn and produced by Relic.

To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit https://thedmpn.com/. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email [email protected].

The 2023 Advocacy Summit in Little Rock, AR brought forward major releases on behalf of Destinations International and our ongoing advocacy efforts. Listen to the advocacy team walk through all our releases and with links to everything in the show notes.

Community Vitality Wheel:

Community Vitality Wheel | Destinations International

Destination Effect:

The Destination Effect

A Destination Promotion Community Index:

A Destination Promotion Community Index | Destinations International

Destinations International

The Architects of Destination Advocacy Podcast is a part of the Destination Marketing Podcast Network. It is hosted by Andreas Weissenborn and produced by Relic.

To learn more about the Destination Marketing Podcast Network and to listen to our other shows, please visit https://thedmpn.com/. If you are interested in becoming a part of the network, please email [email protected].