The Future of Tourism

On this episode of the Future of Tourism podcast, host David Peacock sits down with Celestino Ruffini, president and CEO of Visit Beloit, and Ho-Chunk Nation member and language expert Henning Garvin. Together, they explore Visit Beloit’s decision to translate its visitor guide into the Ho-Chunk language. Tune in for a thoughtful conversation about language revitalization, cultural preservation, authentic placemaking, community partnerships, and the responsibility of DMOs to honor the stories that have shaped their communities. 

On this episode of the Future of Tourism podcast, we reconnect with Rodrigo Esponda Cascajares, managing director of the Los Cabos Tourism Board, to explore how increasing competition and changing traveler expectations are encouraging the destination to evolve. Tune in to learn how Visit Los Cabos is moving beyond luxury positioning and investing in authentic experiences, rural tourism, community participation, sustainability, and long-term value creation. This conversation is all about what comes after recovery, and how destination leaders can turn alignment from a crisis-management tool into a strategy for sustainable growth. 

We often think coordination happens in the boardroom, but real alignment is proven on the front line. If strategy doesn’t show up in everyday interactions with visitors, it remains theoretical. This episode of Future of Tourism podcast features Visit Seattle’s Senior Manager of Destination Experience Rudd Schupp. Tune in as he shares how a concierge mindset, powered by Certified Tourism Ambassador programs and a connected network of frontline staff, brings strategy to life across the city — turning plans into people-powered experiences that visitors can actually feel. 

What happens when tourism stops trying to market a city and starts helping run it? On this episode of the Future of Tourism podcast, Łukasz Wysocki, CEO of the Gdańsk Tourism Organization, explores redefining tourism as a civic infrastructure that serves citizens, informs city decisions, and builds long‑term trust. Tune in for a candid look at how tourism can create value for residents and, in doing so, make the destination stronger for stakeholders. 

As destinations worldwide grapple with the political complexity and accelerating demands of sustainable tourism, few cities offer clearer roadmaps than Helsinki and Göteborg —two Nordic leaders whose long-term commitment to environmental, social, and economic stewardship has reshaped what meaningful progress looks like. On this episode of the Future of Tourism podcast, we’re joined by two global tourism leaders representing the top two destinations in the GDS-Index. Jukka Punamäki, senior advisor at Helsinki Tourism & Destination Management, and Katarina Thorstensson, stability strategy and destination development at Göteborg & Co., explore their sustainability journeys, how indexes helped measure success, and what impact sustainability has had on their destinations.

Tourism’s resilience shines through decades of disruption. In this episode of the Future of Tourism, Ryan George shares how tech, trust, and community are shaping the industry’s future.

On this episode of the Future of Tourism podcast, Dr. Phil Xiang from Virginia Tech explores the evolution of smart tourism. This is the final installment of our Executive Insights Symposium series — catch up on previous episodes here:  

• AI governance for DMOs and their leaders with Janette Roush, senior vice president of innovation and chief AI officer at Brand USA 

• Rethinking DMO leadership in a new era of alignment and purpose with Adam Burke, president and CEO of Los Angeles Tourism 

You can download a report packed with executives’ insights into the transformational forces DMOs face here. 

On this episode of the Future of Tourism podcast, Adam Burke, president and CEO of Los Angeles Tourism, explores the evolving role of leadership and alignment in destinations of tomorrow. 

On this episode of the Future of Tourism podcast, Janette Roush, senior vice president of innovation and chief AI officer at Brand USA, explores the urgent need for destination executives to review how they strategically implement AI. Learn the opportunities, risks, and methodology behind effective and ethical AI governance for DMOs. 

On this episode of the Future of Tourism podcast, Greg Takehara and Chris Seek share hands-on insights into how community engagement strengthens development.