In this episode, Lesly Veve joins Adam to discuss his background, skills, and aspirations in the destination marketing industry. Lesly shares his passion for changing the narrative about tourism in Haiti and his desire to positively impact Haiti’s tourism economy. He and Adam dive into some of the skills that Lesly has to offer the destination marketing workforce and why any destination organization would be lucky to have him as a part of their team. “How can we change some of that narrative...

In this episode, Adam is joined by Laura White, senior director of brand marketing and strategy at Visit Charlotte. With nearly half of their yearly visitation coming from visiting friends and family, Laura tells us how they shifted their marketing efforts to tap into this previously under-recognized market. Adam and Laura explore the challenges of aligning this new marketing strategy with hoteliers' goals and the importance of fostering community pride.  “When you're hosting, you want to...

In this episode, Adam joins Earl B. Hunter Jr. to announce a brand new podcast, "It’s Bigger Than Camping." They discuss the show's mission to promote inclusivity and unity in the outdoor community, educate listeners on the benefits of the outdoors and highlight destinations that welcome all who want to experience the outdoors. Earl shares insights from his experience in the RV and outdoor industries, emphasizing the importance of inviting everyone, regardless of age, race or gender, to enjoy...

In this episode, Adam sits down with Abdullah Aldhavyan, who recently completed his master’s degree in tourism at George Washington University. Hailing from Saudi Arabia, Abdullah hopes to be a part of bringing tourism back to the country by showing the world what this beautiful part of the Middle East has to offer. “Saudi Arabia is opening their gates and their hands to everyone in the world. Please come and see Saudi. It’s very beautiful. Saudi Arabia has lots of cultures. We have history...

In this episode, Adam sits down with Nephi, Relic’s AI and innovation expert, to talk about an exciting announcement. Over the past several months, Relic has been beta-testing a new AI product that allows destinations to create their own AI chat bot, based on information found on their website. Nephi talks about the process of creating the product and some of the challenges he’s found along the way. They also discuss how AI is changing the digital landscape as we know it and why it’s critical...

In this episode, Shelley Zumwalt, Executive Director at The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, joins Adam to discuss the economic impact of tourism on the state level. Shelly highlights tourism's role in attracting businesses and creating jobs, especially in rural areas. She addresses Oklahoma's perception challenges and the need for effective marketing to showcase the state's unique attractions.  “When we're talking about Oklahoma, we're not just talking about marketing tourism....

Greg Star, a cofounder of Carvertise, joins Adam on this episode to talk about his journey with cancer over the past year and what he has learned as he has recovered. Greg shares valuable lessons about what it means to live a life you are proud of and how he overcame his fear of death. Adam and Greg also talk about how Carvertise continued to grow during this time thanks to an incredible team and insurmountable support from industry friends. “I learned a lot about business from cancer. I...

In this episode, Adam takes the show to The Myrtle Beach Classic, where he sits down with Kyle Oland, director of marketing at Golf Tourism Solutions. Kyle has taken a unique journey to get where he is in his career, and he shares why having a passion for your work is so important. Adam and Kyle discuss the event and how Kyle and his team have stepped away from traditional marketing methods to create an unparalleled guest experience. Listen to learn why it’s crucial to understand the life...

Janette Roush, executive vice president of marketing and digital at NYC Tourism, has built quite a following sharing her thoughts on LinkedIn about how AI is changing the game for the destination marketing industry. She joins Adam in this episode to discuss how she positioned herself as an AI thought leader and why DMOS must embrace this new technology. They cover how AI has changed over the past several years and how destination marketers can find the best tool to help in their specific job...

In this episode, Adam joins the team at Visit Galveston to talk about ways they're moving the destination forward. JR Shaw, host of the Galveston Unscripted Podcast, shares his experience partnering with a destination to produce owned media content. Kellie Gonzalez, client services director at Visit Galveston, talks about her initiative to personalize the guest experience for a recurring conference. Mackenzie Finklea, public affairs manager at Visit Galveston, explains the destination's...

President of Tourism Economics Adam Sacks joins Adam on the show to talk about how his organization has been able to help destinations look at data in a new light. The two discuss how tourism impacts economic development and why it’s critical for communities to work together to see long-term benefits from visitors. “Quality of life for the community is better because all of these events, experiences, attractions, and amenities, exist to the degree they do in the destination because of...

In this episode of the Destination Marketing Podcast, Adam takes the show on the road to the North Carolina Tourism Conference. He joins Scott Peacock, Director of Marketing at Visit North Carolina, to discuss the evolving landscape of destination marketing. They talk about the recent changes in AI and how destinations need to consider what use case is right for them. They also discuss the difference between influencers and content creators and why the industry is shifting towards the...

In this episode, Adam Stoker joins Joe Trahan, a Virginia Beach real estate agent who has successfully integrated community-focused destination marketing into his business. Joe discusses his strategy of merging sales and marketing to engage with the audience by producing valuable content, building trust, and creating a sense of community. He shares his experiences with the "Discover Virginia Beach" Facebook group and podcast, which have helped him generate organic leads and establish a...

In this episode, Richard Hunt, Executive Director of the Electronic Payments Coalition, joins Adam to discuss the potential effects of the Durbin bill on credit card rewards and the tourism industry. Richard highlights his background in politics and banking and the mission of his coalition to maintain a secure and efficient payment system in The United States. He raises concerns about the bill's impact on credit access, rewards, fraud rates, and the lack of evidence for consumer savings. They...

In this episode of The Destination Marketing Podcast, Adam and Mike Kaput, chief content officer at Marketing AI Institute, discuss the impact of artificial intelligence on the destination marketing industry. They delve into the latest AI-powered tools that have emerged and share valuable insights into how these tools can be effectively utilized to enhance destination marketing strategies. “Leading up to ChatGP has been because machines can help make themselves smarter, but now when we have...

Amir Eylon, president and CEO of Longwoods International, joins Adam on today’s episode to discuss the travel-related impact of April’s solar eclipse. Amir shares some interesting statistics he collected from American travelers about their travel plans to see the solar eclipse. The conversation then shifts to other insights that Amir is seeing throughout the industry, such as the impact of inflation and changes in traveler mindsets. “But I think the biggest learning from this one, which you...

Powered by Visit Myrtle Beach, “Traveling the Spectrum” is a docuseries following families with members on the autism spectrum as they take a vacation of a lifetime. On today’s episode, Stuart Butler and Adam invite you to support this docuseries and help it find a platform. They also touch on the importance of a DMO-produced series and how owned media content has a bright future in destination marketing. You’ll also be able to listen to the trailer in the episode and watch the trailer at...

In this episode, Adam continues his time at Destinations International’s Marketing and Communications Summit, where he sits down with Angeline Chew, executive director at Discover Surrey. Angeline shares why ensuring an optimal visitor experience is critical. She also dives into how DMOs can collaborate with stakeholders to curate these experiences for the traveler. “My other thing with destination development is you have to really work within the structure and the capabilities of your...

In this episode, Adam takes the show to the Destinations International Marketing and Communications Summit, where he sits down with Brandon Pendergast, sales and marketing manager at Visit Helena. Brandon talks about Visit Helena’s rebrand process and how they involved key stakeholders and community members to ensure its success. “We communicated to our local stakeholders and invested the time to teach all of our organizations how this brand is not only a tangible document but a tangible...

In this episode, Adam invites travel expert, author and podcast host Sarah Dandashy to share her insights on the hospitality industry. Sarah talks about her experiences working in travel and tourism and explains why having great people is crucial for providing excellent hospitality to visitors. Adam and Sarah also discuss her role in West Hollywood's podcast and why creating meaningful content is critical for destinations. Ask A Concierge The Creators Podcast If you’re enjoying the show,...

In this episode, Adam talks with Tom Farrell, Founder and CEO of The Workshop, an Emmy-nominated team that focuses on producing unscripted television content. They talk about some of the projects that Tom has worked on, including an upcoming project for Visit Myrtle Beach: Traveling the Spectrum. Listen to learn why Tom is so passionate about telling stories and how your destination can do something similar. "I always use that question why not right now? Why not do it right now? You can talk...

On this episode, Adam is joined by President and CEO of Visit Laguna Beach Rachel O’Neill Cusey to discuss their new campaign, “From Radical Origins.” Designed to tell the stories that have shaped Laguna Beach, this brand-new campaign defies conventional advertising norms, offering a fresh approach to portraying a destination's narrative. “If I learned anything, it was from the people that told their stories. They all made a change by doing something radical and doing something that was...

This week, Adam dives into the cultural phenomenon that is Taylor Swift and how two cities were able to capitalize on The Eras Tour coming to town. Isaac Reichman from Choose Chicago and Julie Calvert from Visit Cincy join Adam to talk about their experiences hosting the tour and the incredible results they saw from this major event. Choose Chicago Visit Cincy If you’re enjoying the show, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts! The Destination Marketing Podcast is a part of...

In this episode, Esther Wagner from Palmetto Pride joins Adam to discuss the relationship between litter and crime, and how her organization aims to change littering behaviors for a cleaner South Carolina. She explains the importance of crime prevention through environmental design and its four strategies: territoriality, natural access control, natural surveillance and maintenance. Esther emphasizes the role of stakeholders in implementing these principles and invites other states to...

In this episode of The Destination Marketing Podcast, Adam and Jen Brunson, marketing coordinator at Visit Myrtle Beach, discuss Jen's podcast, "I Speak Mama," a podcast for moms that has been a crucial part of Myrtle Beach’s content strategy. They talk about why a podcast for moms works so well in the tourism space and how subtly promoting Myrtle Beach has proven to be an effective strategy. Jen emphasizes the importance of building trust with the audience before integrating promotional...