Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

Channeling Brocas

Those familiar with "Broca's Area" understand the magnetic powers of this region of the human brain. Recent research indicates that it latches onto new and different stimuli, causing us to react positively toward unique images.

Like the recent billboard campaign by Wyoming Tourism seen in Madison WI. Not only does seeing a board from a non-Midwest State catch just about every Broca's eye...the creative really seals the deal. You see...these boards are personalized.

"Badgers...Meet the Bison." For the unintiated, while we may be "cheesheads," Wisconsinites (and especially Madisonians) are known as Badgers, a tip of the hat to the University of Wisconsin mascot, Bucky Badger...not to mention that a badger adorns the head of the guilded maiden on the top of our State Capitol.

I had the chance to chat with Wyoming Tourism Director Diane Shober last week at the Utah Tourism Conference and asked how Wyoming decided to market to Wisconsin. She smiled and said that they have been for a number of years on TV.

And...that they decided to divert some of that buy to outdoor this year to catch those consumers that don't watch much TV.

Yeah...like me.

Diane...it so works. And, congratulations to you and your agency on an extremely smart campaign.

Can You Say "Schizophrenia?"

It's been am interesting month so far for this nation's leaders as they take their first meaningful steps to develop a Tourism Strategy for America.

This good news, of course, is that the Commerce Department unveiled its strategy for reaching 100 million international visitors by 2021 last Thursday. And, for the most part, reviews have been favorable.

At the same time, however, the President used a mallet to address a problem with which the government had already dealt...namely, the GSA mess. Instead of moving on, the the Obama administration has placed new restrictions on federal travel and meetings. A 30% reduction from 2010 levels has been ordered to be the law of the land through 2016.

Then there was the good news that the U.S. Travel Association's Geoff Freeman has been named Chair of the Passenger Advocacy Subcommittee of the Aviation Security Advisory Committee at the Transportation Security Administration. A shorter way of saying that is what Geoff said in a prepared statement: "Travelers deserve to have a voice in Washington when it comes to the aviation screening process and entry procedures." True Dat.

At the same time, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (the what?) announced that demand for gasoline this summer will be at an 11 year low. At the same time, MMGY Global and U.S. Travel revealed that intent to travel this summer is up significantly over last year.

What's it all mean? America has a tourism strategy (at least until the Republican House takes another whack at it). Cutting federal meetings and travel is a typically hamhanded response to a media-inflamed issue. Summer travel will be up but we'll drive shorter distances.

And, there is finally a glimmer of hope that TSA might become more customer focused.

OK...not really. But, we're excited that Geoff will shake a few cages in the process.

Two Good Guys Gone

Last Friday sucked.

The events of last Friday hurt even more in the cold, hard light of Saturday morning. Our industry lost two Destination Marketing pros from the same state within 24 hours. One name was "household" in our industry, the other, not so much. Regardless, losing either one sucks. Losing them both sucks more.

Destination Marketing was in Orlando's Gary Sain's blood, as his Dad set the stage for Las Vegas becoming the iconic destination it is today. And, yet, it wan't his pedigree that earned him the top spot with the DMO with second largest budget in country. Instead it was that he had sensational marketing chops...and, he was a truly good guy.

OK, I may be biased on that one...'cause I still think good guys should win. Especially in a world that seems to honor cut-throat, ethically challenged narcissists. But, yeah...Gary was one of the good guys. And, he will be sorely missed. The world is a less cool place today, with his passing.

I was contemplating Florida Tourism's other loss when the news of Gary's passing arrived. Emerald Coast CVB CEO Mark Bellinger may have done a lot of unusual things over the past year...but he saved the most unusual for Thursday night. He committed suicide.

When the story broke earlier last week that he had purchased a $710,000 yacht with DMO money...and then allegations that he bought his $750,000 house with BP funds hit, the media (and the DMO world) was abuzz. There was laughter. There was head-shaking...both of the WTF variety.

That all stopped Friday afternoon when police announced that he was dead.

The comments on the Florida-based online news stories generally villified Mark, who by most accounts had done an outstanding job for the Emerald Coast during the BP disaster. By contrast, the comments in the Palm Springs-based online media (he had been their DMO Director a few years ago) were shocked, saddened and supportive. That he was such a great guy. And, how could this have happened?

Of course, it wasn't their money. But, it begs the question...how can a good guy so lose his way? And then, when called out, believe that suicide is the only viable path?

I struggled with that all weekend. We all should.

Two good guys gone. One taken. The other by his own hand.

We'll miss them both. I'll miss Gary more.

It's Called Hubris

Really. The shit that comes out of some politicians' mouths. They can't be that stupid, can they?

Well, not stupid...'cause they managed to figure out how to get elected. Maybe the word I'm looking for is "unsophisticated."

And, next to that word in the Zeitgeist Dictionary would be a picture of the Carbondale IL City Council, which, last night, ended its longstanding investment in its Destination Marketing Organization on a 6-1 vote.

Not just cut the budget...eliminated it. And, then clucked about how the Bureau's website is "useless" (from our trained eye in Destination Marketing, it's far from) and "we won't miss a beat" because they are a University town.

That sound you just heard was me spitting out my Diet Pepsi as I tried to supress a laugh. Because, you see, the Carbondale City Council is too unsophisticated to understand that there are several case studies out there that conclusively prove just the opposite. Without a DMO, communities lose way more than a beat. They lose jobs, visitor generated taxes and businesses.

The City says it plans to contract with a third-party to handle destination marketing over the next few months (leaving the all important summer season for this university town to chance...and forfeiting tens of thousands of dollars in Illinois Tourism Grant funds, possibly for years until a new DMO is certified by the State).

On second thought, I was right the first time. It's more than unsophisticated.

It IS stupid.

The Ripple Effect

I recently had the opportunity to hang with a community leader that had a hand in luring a low-price airline to his destination, significantly reducing the cost of air travel there, as the previously unchallenged carriers responded by slashing their ubber-high fares.

A good thing for locals, yes? But...just how good?

Turns out that we're talking tens of millions of dollars of savings to locals in the airfares they were initially paying. Which, it would follow, would free up tens of millions into the local economy.

Exactly...and a major retailer that has the database driven capability to connect periodic influxes of cash into the local economy (e.g., IRS refunds and Holiday Bonuses) with increases in local purchases shared said data with this person during a conversation shortly after the low-cost carrier began service.

Sho'nuff...there was a direct correlation. As soon as the low-price carrier came on line, the retailer saw an uptick in local per-customer spending.

The data to prove the impact that travel has is out there, my friends (often in the strangest places). We just need to harvest it.

Thanks, Anyway

While we'd all like to think it was because members of the Senate are smarter than those in the House that had recently eliminated funding for the fledgling Brand USA effort (you can see their inaugural video and song here)...we know the Senate's rejection of the proposed Federal Budget was for partisan reasons.

But, thanks anyway, guys.

And, to the Tourism Industry...if House Republicans could flip this fast, we've got a lot more work to do.

A Golden Opportunity

While there are those in the Hospitality space that are insanely innovative, most of us follow each other around. How else to explain the sad state of air travel in this country?

So, when the Wall Street Journal publishes a story about how some of the best hotels in the country are focusing on the first 15 minutes of interaction with their guests, you can bet other hoteliers are sitting up and taking notice. Thus, if you are a Destination Marketing pro, this could be a golden opportunity, as smart hotels step up their employee training programs.

Connect with them now and encourage them to include you in the training program to help their employees understand the informational resources you provide. A smile, correct posture and a cookie are all well and fine...but guests will really brighten when they hear suggestions for great restaurants, nightspots and cultural opportunities nearby.

If your hotel partners are training...make sure that training includes the most important things.

And, that ain't a cookie.

 

The Olympics: Yin and Yang

For the past few decades of Olympic celebrations, the conversation has been a yin and yang. The Atlanta Games firmy positioned that city as an international destination. Vancouver's Games positioned an entire country.

But the Games in Athens and Montreal were reported to not be the economic boon that had been promised.

Today, some in London are wondering whether this was a good idea. Theatre owners are convinced their seats will be empty during their prime season. Companies are stressing over lost productivity when employees can't get to work because of increased traffic.

At the same time, construction trades are rocking...building the infrastructure required for the games at a time when the Bristish economy could certainly benefit from the infusion of cash.

It all comes down to whether the host city is already an attraction. London clearly is...and stands to lose the visitors that will now elect to go elsewhere to avoid the Olympic crowds. So...in terms of visitor spending, this Olympics could be a wash.

But, that's not taking into consideration the long term advantages seen in communities like Barcelona, where the Olympic Village has transformed a once shabby section of town into a vibrant community.

Will London benefit from the Olympics? Yes...in ways that may be difficult to measure. But, if they can score the kind of world-wide TV coverage that Vancouver garnered?

Hell yes.

Hey...at least it Keeps the Unemployment Rate Down

Really, the people that our government employs...

The New York Times nails it in a recent article on the hoops through we force international visitors to jump. Honestly...there is somebody that is gainfully employed within the bowels of our government that has decided that we must ask the following questions of international visitors.

Before being admited to this country, visitors are asked whether they are guilty of “moral turpitude." That would include lying, adultry and homosexuality. With the lying part thrown in, I'm guessing that covers just about everyone.

Visitors are also asked whether they're planning any “immoral activities.” Immoral as defined by exactly who is undetermined...but I'm guessing anyone lured by the "What Happens Here Stays Here" ads would struggle with answering this one truthfully.

Oh yeah...they also ask if you're a terrorist or a spy.

While these questions might trip up the more intellectually challenged...what does it say to everyone else?

I mean...after they stop laughing.

And questioning why they wanted to come here in the first place.

Thanks to my friend Meilee Anderson for the catch.

 

The Art of Packaging

Those of us in the Destination Marketing world know the importance of packaging. It's just so damn time consumptive a process.

Our target consumer craves packages...but our industry partners are often so busy minding their own store that they completely miss on the opportunities that are, literally, right next door.

Like The Candle Lab in Worthington OH, specializing in natural gourmet soy candles and custom fragrance, offering hand-poured candles in more than 120 fragrances, pour-your-own custom-scented candles and customizable home fragrance products.

Cool...but, it just wasn't happening. That is, until Experience Columbus engaged Joe Veneto to work with their members to identify packaging opportunities. When Joe met with the owners of the Candle Lab, he noticed a wine shop next door called House Wine...and a packaged experience was born.

The Candle Lab now has four locations and House Wine directs visitors to its very cool store by saying "we're next to The Candle Lab."

Not packaging? You're missing out. Don't know how? Consider attending Joe's upcoming Experience Lab in Columbus in September.

Why am I telling you now? Early Bird pricing (as in, save $400) ends on Friday. my friend.