Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

20 Voices

Just back from Destinations International's live, in person Annual Convention in Baltimore. Over 800 gathered last week in the Charm City...and suffice to say, it was good to be back. And, Al Hutchinson and his team at Visit Baltimore were the consummate hosts.

We'll do a recap of our take-aways in the Z-News later this week. In the meantime, we roamed the halls and meeting rooms asking DMO pros what they did differently during COVID that they will keep post-pandemic. And, you can hear those conversations in the latest episode of the DMOU Podcast.

Enjoy.

Serendipitous Crossings on the Way to Baltimore

Last week, the DMOproz sphere and the Simpleview universe criss-crossed as Searchwide Global's Mike Gamble and I were guests on Simpleview's The Future of Tourism podcast, hosted by the inimitable David Peacock. At the same time, we dropped our conversation with Shimo on the DMOU podcast, discussing Simpleview's sensational upgrades to the MINT+ database of meetings, conventions and events.

And then, there was this: Simpleview's State of SEO Report, chock full of fascinating morsels like 45% of all DMOs are using "Visit" in their URLs ("Experience" is the next most common...under 5%). Or, that the top spot in search doesn't necessarily translate into the most click-throughs. Or that more DMO searches occur through Safari than any other browser (really). It's like an MBA on SEO.

Good stuff all. And, all free for the inquisitive.

The Future of Tourism > DEI

Honored to be interviewed (along with my friend Mike Gamble of SearchWide Global and Tourism Diversity Matters) by David Peacock on Simpleview's Future of Tourism podcast.

You can find the video here 

You can listen to the audio here.

It's an important conversation on the importance of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Destination Marketing.

Thanks David, for the opportunity and for all you do for our sector.

DMOU: Getting LGBTQ+ Right

Authentic. It's the word we often hear when Destination Marketers attempt to develop messaging for consumers. But when reaching out to a market that doesn't look or live like you, achieving authentic is often elusive. Last month, HospitableMe's Billy Kolber and Kenny Porpora joined me on the DMOU Podcast to break down how DMO pros should approach the LGBTQ+ market. From working with the local community to determine whether your destination is ready to designing and executing authentic messaging, this is a conversation you won't want to miss. Plus, they revealed details on their new Master Class, with a discount for DMOU listeners that expires at midnight tonight.

Check it out!

Rough Seas Ahead

On the DMOU podcast, we've talked with DMO CEOs about creating sensational culture within their organizations. Pre-Plague, Anchorage's Julie Saupe said that she didn't want to risk her culture by allowing remote work. Sounds quaint now...but it made tons of sense then.

South Shore's Spero Batistatos built culture by creating a daycare in his office for staff with newborns. And, mid-Plague, Fired Up's Tammy Blount shared her thoughts on maintaining culture through a crisis.

Friends...it's about to get a whole lot tougher. Slack recently surveyed 10,000 knowledge workers...and the numbers are scary (tip of the hat to Fortune's CEO Daily for these chilling stats:

—76% of those surveyed want flexibility on where they work.
—93% want flexibility on when they work.
—56% are open to new job opportunities that may provide them more flexibility.
—21% are likely to jump ship in order to get that flexibility.
—Flexibility is second only to compensation in the factors leading people to change jobs.
—Black, Hispanic and Asian-American workers are more desirous of flexibility, and far more open to changing jobs to achieve it.

And, as most non-profit DMOs pay below private sector market rate and we, as a sector, are desperate to diversify our offices, this isn't good news.

But, as DMOs did last Spring, we'll figure a path through this new reality.

New on DMOU: Getting LGBTQ+ Right

Just up in the DMOU vault is an insightful conversation with our friends Billy Kolber and Kenny Porpora of HospitableMe into the world of LGBTQ+ travel. From ensuring that your community is ready...to hitting all the notes perfectly in your messaging, this podcast is for any DMO pro that recognizes the opportunity to welcome a vibrant and growing market to your community.

You'll also hear about their new Master Class...and score a DMOU / DMOproz discount code, just for listening. And, yeah...their Bonus Round questions are pretty fun, too.

Join us.

Boycotts and Cancellations

A few years ago, North Carolina and Indiana infamously passed "bathroom bills" and quickly lost major sports events and future corporate investment. Both States ultimately backed off...but the damage was done to their national reputations.

Today, it's Georgia. After passing a law that many believe will restrict voter rights, Major League Baseball has pulled this year's All-Star Game from Atlanta. Will Georgia legislators blink?

Don't get me wrong, I abhor restricting voting rights for any citizen of this country. But, does pulling the All-Star game hurt the citizens of Cobb County more than the clearly teflon politicians that passed this tone-deaf measure? Will they back down as other States have done? Or does this reaction inflict further pain on a travel industry that has been decimated this past year?

I caught this interesting take yesterday from WSB Radio in Atlanta. Yeah...lots to unpack here.

The law still sucks...but, if Georgia legislators won't budge, who gets hurt?

The unintended consequence, indeed.

10,000

When we relaunched DMOU (Destination Marketing Organization University) as a podcast in the Summer of 2019, I'm not sure we had a goal in mind...other than to share compelling stories from people in and around the Destination Marketing space. It's what we love to do; shining a light on people who are making a difference.

But, waking up this morning to the fact that, overnight, DMOU passed the 10,000 download mark? That's cause for humble celebration.

Thanks to the over 50 guests over the past year and a half that have taken time out of often brutal schedules to share their truths. You inspire us...and we're thrilled to give your voices wings. And, to those that have powered the downloads, thanks for valuing what we've created.

And, if you've yet to listen, the entire library of conversations is available here, as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other audio platforms...including our latest episode with Visit Alexandria's Patricia Washington.

Here's to 20,000!

Missing a Market?

As Americans over 65 are increasingly in line for their vaccinations across the country, one could make the case that they may be the first back out on the road.

Indeed, TravelAbility's Jake Steinman said as much in an article he posted earlier this week, adding that this cohort is also sitting on 70% of this nation's discretionary spending power. They're also more likely to require special accessibility features in hotels, restaurants and attractions.

Sounds like a perfect time to start re-imagining how we all serve this growing market. To get you motivated, check out our conversations with Jake, Greater Lansing's Julie Pingston and Visit Mesa's Marc Garcia on DMOU podcasts.

Time to Step Up

We were honored last Fall to be invited to be a contributor to a video series developed by BVK that addressed the need for DMO transformation. Clearly, we've been singing that song for years...but it was cool to have an accomplished agency like BVK embrace our ideas.

The first three videos in the series are out...but we really want to direct you to the opening salvo from Erin Francis-Cummings from Destination Analysts. They recently surveyed over 240 DMO executives and found that 95% recognize the need to transform to meet changing realities. But, less than half believe they can...or are willing to exert the effort.

Erin's episode is a must-see...if for no other reason to realize that you are not alone. And, that you should not shy away from the knowledge that change is required...and you're just the DMO pro to do it.

And, DMOproz is here to assist.