Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

A Cautionary Tale

This isn't the story of a clueless Destination Marketing Organization. Indeed, two of their six Directors within the past decade have gone on to work at the State Tourism level, one as Director of the State's Tourism Association. So, it's not that they haven't been blessed with experienced talent.

Rather, this is the story of a careless DMO Board that, according to a just settled lawsuit, passed over an experienced Number 2 to install an individual with no apparent experience in the hospitality and travel industry as its new CEO. The lawsuit claimed the reason for the hire was that he was Black and she was White. In the filing, the Board was accused of saying that, since the town is predominantly Black, the DMO should be headed by someone who is Black.

The story gets more convoluted...and you can follow the rabbit hole if you choose. But suffice to say the Board ultimately hired the Number 2 as interim when the original hire split after less than half a year...while the lawsuit was in play.

But, here's the true cautionary tale: The company that issued the Directors & Officers insurance has alerted the local agent that they are dropping the DMO...and the local agent told the Board that he's having a hard time finding another company that will touch them, if they don't stop making "stupid decisions." When the Board President shot back that "it hasn't been proven nowhere," the agent said, "All right, that's what I needed to hear. Y'all need to get (your insurance) from somewhere else." And he walked out of the meeting.

Losing D&O Insurance is significantly more troubling than settling a discrimination lawsuit which, of course, is troubling enough. Because now, with no insurance, who is gonna wanna serve on that Board?

There are consequences to everything...and some really hurt.

 

 

Ahead of the Curve

Three years ago this week, Longwoods International published the first of what would become the American Travel Sentiment Survey. They, like many of us, were sensing a sea-change in the way we all would live our lives with this "thing" called COVID. Aside from being assured it would magically disappear by Easter, those of us with half a brain knew this was going to be a serious blow to our way of life.

That said, we also didn't think it would last this long...but Longwoods has just released Wave 71 in the series of studies to help us all traverse the landscape. And 30% of Americans still monitor COVID while making travel plans. But, there's lots of good news in Wave 71, which you can find here.

And thanks to Amir, the Team at Longwoods and Miles for keeping us in the know lo these three years.

Jim Dandy to the Rescue

Not sure why I can't get the Black Oak Arkansas classic out of my head...but isn't that what Destination Leadership Organizations have become in the past three years? Coming to the rescue of local businesses that need a helping hand in times of crisis?

That's exactly what the Pinehurst, Southern Pines & Aberdeen CVB did when their power grid was attacked by vandals as their communities entered the all too crucial holiday shopping season. Within hours, Phil Werz and his staff hatched a plan to support their area merchants in a time of acute need.

You can hear about "Moore Miracles" and much more about how that DLO is rockin' their destination on the latest episode of the DMOU podcast.

Cool stuff.

The Insanity of COVID Directives

Honestly, on the day this country requires vax status for Chinese travelers...is this is where we've arrived?

The world eagerly awaits the return of Chinese tourists.

Chinese tourists are ready to travel abroad again. Here's why some countries are hesitant.

Canada to require negative COVID-19 test for air travelers coming from China.

Lack of Info on China's Covid-19 Surge Stirs Global Concern.

Chinese families 'start burning bodies of their loved ones in the streets' amid Covid explosion as corpses pile up in crematoriums and funeral homes.

IATA urges governments to avoid ‘knee-jerk’ rules for China travelers.

Again...Honestly? The country with the highest COVID surge in the world is saying their citizens can move freely about the globe, infecting others? And countries are taking shit about zenophobia?

This isn't about ethnicity..this is about public safety.

Sigh.

The Benefit of Partner Engagement

There are a number of reasons why Destination Marketing Organizations need to build and maintain a high level of engagement with their partners. Those relationships generate great content for marketing, enable the DMO to more effectively choreograph the visitor experience and build esprit d'corps and can lead to increased private sector investment in the agencies work.

It also ensures that, when someone decides to take a run at your DMO's public sector funding, there will be a cadre of influential business people at your side to help explain why your organization is critical to the future success of both their businesses as well as the community at large. Which is exactly what happened this week in Tuolumne County.

County Board Supervisors there had proposed capping the DMO's budget. A public hearing was scheduled...and began with one of the Supervisors calling for a contract extension to give the Board more time to consider the proposal:

"We’ve had a lot of emails, a lot of phone calls, obviously this room is packed full of people… But it was apparent for me that for me to make really a truly informed decision, I want to know what the visitors bureau budget is, I want to know what their business plan is, because to me this is more of a business-plan-projection type of decision and I didn’t have access to that or time to review that before today’s meeting.”

And isn't this how so often it goes. An idea is floated, sounds reasonable at first take...and then is enacted with precious little critical thought as to the ramifications of the action. Only when there's a roomful of people looking on and ready to challenge do many elected officials take a step back to more fully understand an issue. Without an engaged partner base, this proposal may well have sailed through unimpeded. But, it won't.

Visit Tuolumne County has clearly fostered such a partnership with its business community...and now has the attention of its County Board with which to tell its compelling story.

Partner Engagement...because you don't want to hear this at the Barricades.

 

25 Years Ago Today

While it doesn't seem like yesterday, it certainly doesn't seem like a quarter century since Madison opened the doors on the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Monona Terrace Convention Center. Seven years almost to the day when then-Mayor Paul Soglin unveiled plans for adapting Wright's design into a convention and community center, during which the first two were consumed in a ferocious referendum battle that resulted in a 50.8% win. Walk downtown today and ask people if they voted for it and I'm pretty sure 4 out of 5 would say yes...that is how important Monona Terrace has been to Madison's renaissance.

I was part of the team that strategized and led the effort to get that referendum passed. In the process, I was mentored by two individuals that will, sadly, not be in attendance when those of us that moved this civic project to the goal line gather later this week. They are also, outside of my parents and a handful of professors, the two individuals that taught me life lessons that made me who I am today. Both Morrie Andrews and George Nelson departed terra firma in the past few years, but they were the men that made Monona Terrace happen. To be sure, there were hundreds of us that contributed and the Mayor got the ball rolling...but without George and Morrie, it never would have happened.

As we prepare to celebrate 25 years (and salute these two men), I went back and re-read my eulogies. You should, too.

George Nelson and Morrie Andrews...two guys that changed Madison forever.

New on DMOU: Michael Novakovich

This one was a hoot.

Last month, Michael Novakovich (Visit Tri-Cities) joined me on the DMOU podcast microphone to share how outlandish video (by DMO standards) has become such a positive tool for destination brand awareness...and organizational brand awareness. But, the real fun starts when we start riffing in the Bonus Round.

We dropped the latest episode last night. Check it out.

New on DMOU: Brad Dean

If you're not following the DMOU Podcast, you're not getting instantly notified when new episodes are uploaded. Oh sure, you'll hear about them later in the month through our Z-Newsletter...but, like the new Ghostbusters movie, don'tcha wanna see it now?

We just posted a great conversation with Discover Puerto Rico's Brad Dean in which he riffs on a host of topics...but more importantly, reveals that he is the "Underwear King" of Champaign-Urbana IL.

Yeah...it's so worth your listen.

A Serious Level of Recognition

Count me among those that believed the importance of the travel and hospitality industry would finally be recognized as the plague ripped this sector of our economy apart. Thus, count me among those that were scratching their head in disbelief when the hardest hit sectors of our industry (independent businesses) struggle so to find assistance.

But, there are lights appearing on the horizon...highlighted last week by the Governor of New York announcing $450 million in a “Bring Back Tourism, Bring Back Jobs” recovery package to reinvigorate domestic and international tourism as borders reopened. $100 million of the package will go to hospitality workers. $100 million will be dedicated to incentivize employers to bring back staff. There is also money for State and local marketing.

Here in Wisconsin, the Governor just released $15 million for local DMOs saying, “Wisconsin’s tourism industry was one of the first and hardest hit industries of the COVID-19 pandemic, but our local folks at DMOs have been innovative, dedicated and resilient…and it’s because of them that this industry is bouncing back and better.” 

Thanks, Tony. Your recognition and respect for the job that DMOs do everyday is refreshing.

Back on the Circuit

To say it feels great to be back on the speaking circuit would be a supreme understatement.

Thanks to Destinations International for inviting me to moderate a panel last week with the amazing Nan Marchand Beauvoir (US Travel), Beth Potter (Travel Industry Association of Canada via Zoom)) and Bari Golin-Blaugrund from the Cruise Lines International Association at the Advocacy Summit in Houston. Great insights and great content.

And thanks this week to Amanda Davis (Miami OK CVB) and Debra Bailey (Oklahoma Travel Industry Association) for asking me to riff on the post-Plague future of our industry...and open for an amazing presentation from Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell. Dude connects the dots better than any elected official I've seen in years.

Yeah...so great to be back.