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.
Terri caught this in her feed the other day and it's too sensational not to share. It's Frito-Lay's homage to the World Cup pitting Payton Manning against David Beckham (with an assist from a host of soccer-related cameos) on whether to call the sport Soccer or Futball.
Yeah...it's Soccer.
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.
I've been pondering this quote almost every day since I heard it this summer at the Annual Convention of Destinations International. And, we included it in our DMOU podcast episode in which we asked DMO pros about new positions and titles they were considering that they never would have in 2017.
Well, we decided to go deeper. And, on the just dropped 100th episode of DMOU, we talk with Ottawa Tourism's Catherine Callary about how Canada's indigenous story is being told through an increasingly authentic lens...and learn about the Ottawa Indigenous Tourism Entrepreneur Training program.
Good Stuff.
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.
Seen on a box of crackers: the "Best By" date (which means precious little, according to this story in the The Conversation).
But, "Best if Used By?" While I'm sure that there may be the rare MacGyver-esque situation where one "uses" a cracker to save the world, I'm just as sure the folks in the Marketing Department never saw this go by during the design phase for the box.
Because, if they did, the imprint would likely read, "Best if Enjoyed By."
Just sayin...
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?
For those of us that have worked in the Destination Marketing field in University towns with a high-end football fanbase, this is as second-nature as walking down the street. But, for many outside our world, they have no idea how much the time of kickoff dictates how business thrives (or suffers) on game-day weekends.
Great story from the Lincoln Journal Star on how an 11am kickoff produces a completely different result on area businesses than a 2:30 start, featuring our friend Derek Feyerherm from the Lincoln CVB.
And congratulations on a great Husker win last Saturday, my friend.
Well...they are nuts in a sack.
Just sayin...
The companies that have withdrawn from Russian engagement continues to grow. McDonalds (which will result in a $50 million loss in revenue per month) is one of the most notable to say nyet.
But, it isn't just shutting off commerce in an effort to encourage Russian leadership to stop this wanton act of aggression and disregard for human life. It's shutting off services...which Destinations International has just done by termination of the membership of the St. Petersburg Convention Bureau.
Along with the announcement, DI also offered a link to a non-profit organization led by D.C. chef, José Andrés, that
has been on the ground in Ukraine feeding displaced people since the outbreak of violence.
Please join DMOproz in supporting this vital lifeline for so many.
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