Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

Welcome to Chicago

The eyes of the nation will be on Chicago next week as it hosts the Democratic National Convention; a convention just as historic as the one the Windy City hosted in 1968.

In a sensational piece in the Chicago Sun-Times today, Neil Steinberg asks the question: how will the City of Big Shoulders be viewed at the end of next week? Some believe it will be an opportunity for Chicago to shrug off all the shade being thrown its way for being a dangerous place. Others believe it to be a lose-lose proposition because people who are predisposed to believe Chicago is dangerous won't care if it looks spectacular...they'll hold on to those beliefs.

My favorite quote in the piece, though, comes from political publicist Thom Serafin, who says people in Chicago tend to look at the cost but not the benefit of big events.

“Like NASCAR,” he said. “The revenue numbers did not substantiate all the effort. The profit is in people watching all over the world. Watching that skyline, thinking, ‘I’m going to go there next year. I want to be there. It’s a beautiful city. The setting is so beautiful.’”

And, that is why we host big events. Detroit absolutely changed its narrative it with the NFL Draft.

Here's hoping Chicago can do the same next week.

Stepping Across the Line

As we touched on yesterday, residents of destinations around the globe are beginning to push back against the mass tourism they believe is negatively impacting their Quality of Life. And I get it. I've been a destination marketer for decades...and, for the first time, found myself face to face with the ugly side of mass tourism last summer as I watched 7 cruise ships jockey for position along the Alaska Coast.

Of course, when I asked our driver why the City didn't cap the number of boats each day, she looked at me like I was crazy. "Why would we do that," she asked. Of course, I was talking to a person whose livelihood depends on more and more boats...and not a resident.

But, the anger is real...and it got very real last week.

We're becoming used to seeing graffiti and banners expressing frustration with tourists. "Your Paradise, Our Hell," "Tourists Go Home" and "Tourism = Terrorism."

But, this was a first..."Kill a Tourist" on a wall in Majorca.

OK...this is over the line. Because some nut job will think this is the will of the people. Just like a lot of nut jobs thought occupying the Capitol was a good idea.

This level of rhetoric needs to stop. Good people are addressing the issue...maybe not as fast as you want. But they are.

Just Stop.

Image Credit: The Daily Mail

Not Quite the Intended Result

As cities across Europe push back against mass tourism, some have instituted fees on non-residents with the stated intention of dissuading tourists from visiting. My friend (and past guest on DMOU) George Tzougros from the Wisconsin Arts Board (celebrating their 50th) shared a recent analysis of some of those fees and taxes with me over the weekend...and, they're not working.

Well, at least not in slowing down the number of visitors clogging their streets and attractions. According to National Geographic, the taxes (most under $10 a day) are having no discernible impact on visitation (ya think?).

What they are doing is raking in a ton of cash, ostensibly for resident quality of life mitigation.

One can only hope that's where the money goes.

Politics

Not that those politicians that seek to limit choice, equity and recognition of history give a shit...but new research from Longwoods International indicates that just over a quarter of Americans make their travel decisions based, at least in part, on the political reputation of a destination. Thus, politics puts a quarter of the inbound visitor revenue required to power an economy at risk.

In a world where most voters are most concerned with the economy and their ability to survive, it is indeed fascinating that so many politicians are more interested in playing party philosophy than what voters actually want. And yet, people still vote for them.

If the electorate voted their true interests, none of these clowns would remain in office. But, they are smug in their realization that we don't vote our true interests. We vote with our tribe. And we are typically worse off for it.

What Talk Radio Should Be

It should be TALK.

There was a time in my life here in Madison that I filled in for a few weeks for a news radio icon in the Mad City as he recovered from a health scare. I guess that gave me cred a few years later to be considered to do fill in on talk radio. After a few shows under my belt, I was called into the program director's office. He said that I was doing it all wrong.

Take a position and drive it home, he admonished me. Don't say that an opposing position is an interesting concept. Shut them down hard, he said.

But, I offered, it was an interesting alternative. He just shook his head and I never worked on air there again.

That day came back to me when I heard that Chicago radio icon Steve Cochran got axed at the once legendary WLS. Because that is what he was trying to do with his morning show there.

Interesting story from BNM. And he's so right. That is what talk radio should be.

Not the shit we are forced to listen to from the corporate shills that only care about drama and contention.

It Ain't Me, Babe

When Terri and I went from being working partners to loving partners, she set down a few ground rules regarding lines I really shouldn't cross if I wanted her to stick around. One was that I could never run for public office, or she'd be gone.

A recent article in the Washington Examiner strongly suggests that the American Two-Party system is beyond broken (something I've said for decades). It suggests a new Party (I'd hafta give that some thought). And then suggests, "Politics aside, it is fun to wonder what it would be like to have Bill Geist for a President."

Babe...I'm sure they're talking about the "other one."

Really.

Glad It's a Priority

Back in 2022, Congress voted to establish a position within Commerce; the Assistant Secretary for Travel and Tourism. According to Travel Weekly, the position was created to ensure travel issues receive more high-level government focus.

The position just received funding over the weekend when the President signed a package of spending bills.

Glad that the government felt they have had the luxury of time to get serious about a critical component of the nation's economy.

But, better late than never.

Unless it takes two more years to fill the position.

The Three A's

One of my regular morning reads is Fortune's CEO Daily. Editor Alan Murray has been in Davos the past few days, hanging with CEOs from around the world. Last night, Fortune sponsored a dinner with 80 of them...from Amazon to Intel to Williams Sonoma.

They asked the CEOs to discuss, at their tables, the biggest risks and the biggest opportunities facing business in 2024. The discussions were held under Chatham House rules, so individual comments aren't attributable. But the answers are fascinating.

My favorite quote: “In terms of risk, we talked about three A’s—asteroids, AI and assholes…assholes meaning politicians, misinformation, deep fakes—you name it."

A to that.

Next Up on DMOU: Stacy Ritter

As we kick off a new year of conversations on the DMOU Podcast, we start you off with a bang. Visit Lauderdale’s Stacy Ritter is a force of nature…and has been an unapologetic voice against some of the policies coming from the current State’s political leadership that have caused some conventions and events to cancel bookings in her destination. We talk about how the culture of the community and the DMO simply require no less of a response, as well as discussing her DMO’s work in the DEI space before there was such an acronym. And, on her Bonus Round Question, she shares her experiences as the Florida Chair of the first Obama for President Campaign.

Invest a half hour in this fascinating conversation.

In the Name

As is our custom, we offer up a music video each New Year's Eve. For the most part, these posts shudder at how inhuman humanity is becoming.

It started in 2006 with an exceptionally powerful song by the forgotten Living Loud. In 2008, the late Jimi Jamison moved us with "Can't Look Away." In 2011, it was Michael Jackson's "Earth Song." In 2016, we questioned how our government had become a monster with a song from 1969 (some things were clearly prophesied). The following year, we suggested that we might / should be on the "Edge of a Revolution."

Of course, that just didn't happen.

In 2017, Jackson Browne asked us all, "How Long." At the close of 2019, Martin Sexton begged us to join "One Voice Together." Of course, 2020 was a shit show of a completely different proportion, and we closed with a reworking of "Auld Lang Syne" from Yam Haus and Jaybird Studios.

This year, however, we're back to where we started.

On this final Music Friday of 2023, it's "In the Name of God" from Living Loud.

And, as we raise a glass tonight, can we add world peace to our toast?