Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

Well Played, My Friends

Today's issue of the Z-News (our monthly e-mail newsletter) notes the retirement of 7 (count 'em, seven) DMO CEOs in just the past month. That's simply insane...but, it's a sign of the times.

If you didn't receive today's edition (which also features my commentary on the future of Strategic Plans and links to new DMOU Podcast episodes with Visit Jackson's Rickey Thigmen and Visit Bentonville's Kalene Griffith), click here for the web version, and here to never miss an issue.

And, to those stepping away from the Big Chair, congratulations on starting the next chapter of your lives. Y'all done good.

Who Could Possibly Oppose This Initiative?

In an attempt to jump-start America's struggling travel and tourism industry, Arizona Senator Martha McSally has proposed the American Tax ebate and Incentive Program (TRIP...get it?). It would provide up to a $4,000 tax credit (per taxpayer) for Americans who travel within the U.S. through the end of 2021. In other words...we'll all be able to write-off up to $4,000 in leisure travel expenses. 

It does somewhat re-codify the recently abandoned concept (by most) that tourism is only tourism if the trip is more than 50 miles. But, it's a small trade-off. And honestly, they had to put some limits on the program or people would try to claim their staycations.

More importantly...it creates a $50 million grant program for Destination Marketing Organizations. Yeah...finally.

Who could oppose such a bill?

Besides a fiscal conservative that hates DMOs, I mean.

Where Are You?

These first few weeks of June have opened yet another door. What we do with the opportunity may define us.

The conversations about race in the DMO space have been challenging, yet respectful. I'm sure that the US Travel webinar opened eyes and the latest episode of the DMOU podcast hopefully suggested some next steps.

But, the open letter from the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals? Shit just got real, babies.

In the missive, Chairman Jason Dunn outlined the genesis story of the organization: In 1983, our founders assembled, organized and created a platform that spoke to the inequities, disparities and exclusion of African Americans within the industry before the word "diversity" was popular.

He also said this: Over the last few weeks, our country has come face to face with the ugliness of racism, police brutality and semantic injustice. Demonstrations, peaceful protests and civil unrest have taken place in ALL 50 states and around the World. The NCBMP Board, members and partners applaud the hospitality and events industry associations and corporations issuing statements to their employees, constituents and customers denouncing racism and injustice of any kind in their organizations and throughout society. While NCBMP applauds organizations and companies that have taken a stance and are standing in solidarity. We have also kept note of those who have remained silent. Your silence is loud and deafening.

And then this: We do business with our friends and one's silence jeopardizes our relationship.

I know that some may view this as a threat; something just short of a boycott. And, we all believe boycotts do serious harm to our industry. But please take a step back and view this for what it is. A statement with which we all can agree...we do business with our friends.

For every DMO out there...it's time to be that friend.

 

The US Travel Conversation on Race

If you have yet to check-out last week's online conversation with Destination DC's Elliott Ferguson, Association Forum's Michelle Mason, ADARA's Brandon Meyers and Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board's Ernie Wooden, hosted by US Travel...make time this week to do so.

Powerful stuff, y'all.

Ready to Take THE Pledge?

We are loving the ingenuity of Destination Marketing Organizations around the world that are developing and deploying Pledges that go both ways (visitors respecting destinations and businesses promising a safe environment). But, the Pledge we all need to be intentional about was offered up yesterday by a coalition of 19 Black DMO Executives.

In their Open Letter, they spoke their truth and asked hard questions; questions that typically get a "sure, we do that." But, if our industry really did, there'd be more than 19 signatures on this document. N'est-ce pas?

It's time. Pledge that you'll do more than talk about it, find tired excuses and continue to kick the can down the road.

It starts at home with our DMO Boards and Professional Staff. We all know we can do better. We must.

Time Has Come Today.

Here's (Another Reason) Why DMO Aid is Crucial

When a crisis hits, messaging from those impacted often becomes frantic and scattered. But, for some, it becomes crystalline. 

That was the case when thee Madison Room Tax Commission (a layer of oversight in Wisconsin that recommends to government how Room Tax revenues should be invested) met a couple weeks ago. In one of the best presentations I've seen by a DMO CEO, Deb Archer (beginning at the 44:30 mark) hit the perfect note at the perfect time: Destination Madison's work supports the livelihood of 22,000 people in her county. And, if Madison is anything like the national average...that means 11,000 residents need Destination Madison to be the first in line for funding...not the last (as the Manager of the attached Convention Center hotel said so eloquently at the 2:04.45 mark). For, if Destination Madison is budgetarily unable to attract visitors back to the Mad City, directing revenues to empty facilities is kinda counter-productive.

Over the weekend, I saw another angle that I had never considered...and it came from a column on Hospitality.net from Tom Hazinski and Joseph Hansel of HVS: the lack of federal support for Destination Marketing Organizations "has placed at risk the substantial investment of state and local governments in the tourism and hospitality industries."

In other words, without an aggressively funded marketing effort, State, City and County investments in convention centers, performing arts centers and other infrastructure assets will collapse, plunging local governments into facing drastic cuts to resident services.

Keep the innovative messages coming, people. We're gonna need every one to stave off the knee-jerk reaction of "we all need to share the pain evenly."

No. We don't. Not income generators like DMOs.

 

The View from Within

There's no possible way I could have read every DMO's statement regarding their position on the events around the country (and world) since the death of George Floyd (and, I've read a bunch).

With all due respect to all the inspirational messages out there, I was taken most by Visit Jackson CEO Rickey Thigpen's missive, published last Friday in the Northside Sun.

It is so worth your read. 

The Future of Destination Marketing

Just weeks before "the VID," David Peacock was named to head up a consortium, convened by Simpleview, called the Future Tourism Group. Its raison d'etre: to focus on destination development through a lens of tourism stakeholders and their digital presence.

During this crisis, David has been interviewing industry leaders, delving into the concepts that will, hopefully, result in existential changes in the way Destination Marketing Organizations drive their communities forward.

I am honored to have been one of those that David reached out to interview...and allowed me to share my thoughts on the future of this unfortunately misunderstood and undervalued sector. If you'd like to listen in to our conversation, you can find it here.

And, thanks so much to David and Simpleview for the opportunity. You guys rock.

How Can We Help?

One of the more fascinating aspects of the meltdown of the travel and hospitality industry in March was just how quickly so many Destination Marketing Organizations pivoted, reaching out to their restaurant communities to help promote pick-up and take-out services in an attempt to keep restaurants alive. Last month, some reached out to help local retailers set up and promote online sales. Others have coordinated streaming concerts as fundraising vehicles. In short, not what they teach in DMO school.

Destination Analysts has been releasing its weekly Coronavirus Travel Sentiment Study for the industry since the crisis began to help us make sense of the mindset of both travelers and residents. CEO Erin Francis-Cummings reached out the other day with an intriguing finding from last week's focus groups of local businesses. When Destination Analysts asked restauranteurs about how DMOs could help them now, they said it wasn't marketing...but leadership and advocacy. Leadership in helping them gather and understand the new health guidelines they would be expected to follow in the weeks ahead. And, advocacy to ensure that local governments consider their business plight.

And, that's what the relevant DMO of the future must do, as it is able.

Lead and Advocate.

This is How DMOs Pivot

I've been sitting on this one for a few days for fear that it could provide unsophisticated community leaders the idea that Hotel Room Tax is just "funny money" (a Texas Mayor once actually said that to me) that could be diverted from DMOs to other purposes. But then, I began to believe that this is a learning moment for us all. 

I've always been a fan of placing a portion of Room Tax into a fund designated for destination development projects that increase the magnetism of a place. Asheville, Fox Cities and Fargo are just a handful of communities that do this.

So...there's this pot of money sitting there, waiting for a cool destination-enhancing project to come along. And, right now...that just ain't happening.

But today, there are our industry friends and partners out there who are hurting. So, let's run the philosophy. The money was designated to enhance the community. The way we enhance the community is to build new stuff. Can we make the case that maintaining our base in these dark days is just as important when developers are not knocking on our doors?

I think we all know the answer to that...and kudos to our friends at the Fargo Moorhead CVB.

The Board recently voted to take $500,000 out of its Destination Development Fund on a COVID-19 relief payment to hotels in the destination to help them through these times. It also approved a Matching Grant Fund of up to $400,000 for non-profit local attractions that face continuing negative impacts related to the pandemic.

These revenues were designated to incent future development (not general DMO operations). Today, they may just offer survival. Who else but a DMO with such a fund is coming to the aid of those most stricken by this nation's response to the virus? 

Yeah...pretty much nobody.

Hats off to Charley Johnson, his Board and crew. You make us all proud.