A lot of attention is paid to the 6a to 6p economy...but that has been a disservice to its 6p to 6a sister of the night. 24 Hour Dallas intends to change that...and we talk with the organization's Coordinator, Bryan Tony, on the most recently released episode of the DMOU Podcast.
Chick here to listen...or find us on your favorite podcast platform.
Prior to the Plague, the best Destination Marketing professionals had a pretty good idea of what their hoteliers were thinking. But today?
The DMOU podcast is back from Holiday Hiatus with STR's Vail Ross, talking about the new demands, pressures and opportunities facing today's hotel executives. And, it's one of over 100 conversations waiting for you in the DMOU vault.
And, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts to ensure that you're notified the moment a new episode drops. Because we're looking forward to a great 2023.
Trying to find the dock for a Water Taxi to get us to dinner...and the address provided is not recognized by GPS. And there's no signage at the nearest parking lot. Sure, the locals know where to go...but how many first-time visitors miss their reservations because nobody in management of this otherwise sensational experience thought about how a potential first-time customer (who will likely rip them on Social Media) could possibly locate an impossibly difficult to find dock. Have you tried to find your business using GPS (and on all the platforms)? As Todd Rundgren famously said on Something/Anything, "you might be surprised."
Or the web platform that chose to update the skins of all its users without warning and inadvertently caused at least some of us (and I'm guessing more) to have their interface become unreadable? We open a "support" ticket, get a rapid response...and then are told, "looks good on our end." Yeah, because they're all using big screens while the majority of our users are on laptop and mobile. When shown screen shots of how it's not OK, they go radio silent for two days. Hey...we get it. You fucked up and don't know how to fix it. But, an automated, "we know you're still out there" response each day would be nice so we don't start searching for another host because we think you don't care (which I just had, minutes before they finally acknowledged their mistake).
In every enterprise, there needs to be a person responsible for these kinds of missteps. I'm not saying it's a full-time job (though it may well be). But somebody needs to be on the case, everyday, focused on how new and existing customers can revel in your customer care...and be, as Guy Kawasaki once said, "Thunder Lizard Evangelists."
Here in the geographic upper tier of the United States, it gets cold in the winter. Sometimes bone-chilling below-zero cold. So, the walk from the parking garage to the airport terminal can be a dilemma if one is traveling south for some warmth.
Let's be honest...an overcoat is only necessary in the two transits between terminal and parking. You don't need it during your excursion to tropical climes. And, stuffing your big-ass coat in your bag once in the terminal is a hassle and could needlessly put you over the weight limit for baggage.
Enter MKE...one of a handful of airports that offers a coat check for frigid passengers to doff their heavy coats before heading to warmer destinations. It's $2/day with a maximum charge of $10 regardless how long you're gone. And, they provide the service in their Summerfest Marketplace retail store...exposing those dropping off their cold weather gear to a plethora of cool local products.
Pretty brilliant, eh?
Now that the mid-terms are (mostly) over, it's time to get back to work.
Hopefully, as a DMO pro, you've already built at least a cursory relationship with your Federal and State delegations (something that should have been in play for all candidates over the past few months so that you're ready to roll regardless of the victor).
And, top of the docket for the Tourism and Hospitality industry right now is the bi-partisan House Resolution 9231...the Service Worker Economic Stabilization Act, designed to remove disincentives in the present tax code that discourage companies from spending on in-person meetings and business travel.
According to Tourism Economics, the bill would increase revenue at travel businesses that offer food or entertainment services by about $70.4 BILLION over the next two years, many of which are small businesses.
You know what to do...call or write your Senators and Representatives now.
While national statistics indicate that the American workforce has returned to pre-Plague levels, those of us in the travel and hospitality industry know that we are the outlier. Most hotels, restaurants, attractions and retailers are beyond desperate for employees with which to keep their doors open and service levels high.
On a trip to Mississippi last week, I saw a billboard (click image to enlarge) offering a $5,000 signing bonus for cooks. And, if it takes $5,000 to get someone to apply, one must ask if we are barking up the wrong tree.
If the "usual suspects" don't want to work...who does?
Can you say formerly incarcerated individuals (the numbers of which are expected to blossom when cannabis offenders are freed)? This is a fascinating article on how individuals that made an unfortunate wrong turn (not habitual or violent criminals) can be the best employees ever.
Worth bridging the conversation in your community, n'est-ce pas?
As we breezed around a corner into the trade show area of last week's Upper Midwest CVB Fall Conference, what to our wondering eyes would appear but our friend Staci Wilken (the former CEO of Visit Kankakee County).
As we talked about the tumultuous year that she's had, I thought back to a DMO CEO with whom I worked during my days in Madison. When I asked why she abruptly stepped away from what was (at least outwardly) one of the choicest gigs in the Midwest, she replied, "you can only be told "fuck you, you suck" so many times a day before it's really not worth it anymore." And, this was an individual that rarely swore in public.
That's pretty much what happened to Staci at the hand of a micro-group of community "leaders" who wanted her gone...despite the incredible work she had accomplished in her time there. So, she left behind the sickening bullying to recapture her life.
And, like a phoenix, there she was, launching her new venture called Experience Edit, an experience-based management agency. A what, you ask? Check out her Facebook page to get a more nuanced understanding of how Staci can assist you and your organization.
And, welcome to this side of our world, my friend.
As we noted yesterday, addressing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is so much bigger than ethnicity and gender. It also can extend to how Destination Leaders address ensuring that visitors with sight challenges are able to enjoy the experiences we offer.
Travel Yukon has partnered with EnChroma to deploy special glasses designed to help the color-blind among us to see the Northern Lights in all their radiant glory. As the news release from EnChroma notes: "Ten tourism operators in Yukon, and the Yukon Visitors Information Centre, will loan EnChroma glasses to color blind visitors. This partnership will enhance accessibility and inclusion, help attract more tourists and make the visits of those who are color blind more colorful and memorable."
Wanna experience what one man saw? Click Here.
And, for the millions around the globe with colorblindness, this is so very cool.
As Visit Baltimore's Al Hutchinson said on stage at this year's Annual Convention of Destinations International in Toronto, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion "is never about pushing anyone from the table...but bringing more people to the table and expanding opportunities for all.”
While the majority of DEI work has been focused on race and gender...one cannot forget the inclusion of language as a means to accessibility. Visit Sacramento has just launched a Spanish-language section, saying they "understand and acknowledge the many contributions of Latinos in Sacramento and beyond, who trace their cultural heritage to Mexico, Central and South America and have shaped the “Farm to Fork” capital with rich culture and tradition.”
As over a quarter of Californians speak Spanish in their homes, this kind of outreach positions Sacramento as a welcoming destination to a significant portion of its target market.
Well played...
And, to hear more about Visit Sacramento's DEI initiatives, check out the DMOU Podcast with VP of EDI Sonya Bradley.
In last week's edition of the Z-News (you can subscribe here), we talked about some of the Scared Cows of Destination Marketing that are being eyed by some in the aftermath of the Plague. In our commentary, we cautioned that some of those tried-and-true strategies may still have some life in them.
Our friend (and former guest on DMOU), Savannah's Joe Marinelli, reached out to say they've been printing 500,000 Visitors Guides each year for over a decade and go through virtually every one by year's end because demand is so strong. They've just opened their fifth Visitor Center and have found great success (and foot traffic) in selling Savannah food and merchandise. And, as to the website, Joe says they'd never compete in the marketplace without one.
Are any of those sacred cows still on your extinction list?
Recent Comments