Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

How Do You Like Me Now?

They say that crisis brings out the best in so many of us. And, the stories emerging from communities across the country about how Destination Marketing Organizations pivoted on a dime when they realized what was about to descend upon the hospitality community are as heartwarming as they are expected.

Most Americans are just now beginning to understand the importance and fragility of a sector of the economy they always took for granted.  To be sure, airlines and hotels were impacted briefly after 9/11. But, most other facets of the hospitality industry felt no more than a speed bump...because residents were there to continue eating out in restaurants, meeting co-workers after work at the local watering hole and seeing music, theatre and comedy with friends. Indeed, after the initial shock of 9/11 that had us all glued to our televisions, we needed to go out and be with others.

And, in this crisis, we can't.

Never one to say "I told you so," there is the slightest satisfaction that the recent flirtation some communities have had with shopping their DMO contract out to ad agencies should likely now come to an end.  In a recent interview, the Chairman of the Board of Visit Stillwater OK (which last year went through just such an RFP process) was asked what the DMO was doing during the pandemic:  

"We have transitioned our focus from marketing to visitors to communicating to residents to better support our local business partners. Our staff has called almost 200 local businesses to promote their hours of operation, delivery, pick-up or curb-side services, online shopping options and the availability of gift cards. They continue to update the information on our website and social media throughout each day since things are continually changing. Staff has also recently added a coloring contest for kids and adults online, as well as incorporated virtual tours featuring many of our local museums, attractions and restaurants. These 360-degree images will give our residents something to look forward to and visitors' incentive to visit when traveling again."

I'm pretty sure no ad agency could ever do that.

Well done, Visit Stillwater...and all the other DMOs that know that we are the only agency in our communities prepared for days like these for our destination partners.

The Legal Side of COVID-19

Our friend Bryan Grimaldi (formerly with NYC & Company and now with GreenbergTraurig) is intimately engaged with the firm’s Health Emergency Preparedness Task Force, administering matters for the firm on behalf of their hospitality, trade association, not-for-profit and destination clients. 

He reached out over the weekend to offer our readers a curated list of links to some of their Alerts, blog posts and articles from the past week, which may serve as a resource for navigating this rapidly changing crisis and its impact on the legal aspects of conducting business. These represent some of the key topics about which their clients are most concerned.  In addition to the content, there are links via which you can subscribe to additional content from GT, including webinars on hot topics, such as Force Majeure, Employment Matters, and soon, Government Relief Programs. 

Thanks for having our collective back, Bryan. And, stay safe during the NYC lockdown.

Staying Connected

As more and more of us are "sheltering in place," it can become debilitating to those that crave human interaction...not to mention embracing your team culture.

Destinations International is using an online platform to connect its employees at the end of the day for "Happy Hour." And, over the past week, we've seen a number of DMOs do the same.

If you have staff that is working from home...you should too.

Smart.

Force Majeure

It's been a week of COVI-19 posts as our world markets and events industry freak out over fears that the virus is poised to go thermo-nuclear, fanned by the hysteria of media reporting.

Our friend Bryan Grimaldi (former COO of NYC & Company), now of Counsel at Greenberg Traurig, recently penned a great piece explaining the concept of Force Majeure and when destinations, facilities and event planners can invoke this legal work-around in the face of a crisis (in which we may or may not yet be). This is required reading for all DMOs.

Possibly more immediately important for DMO CEOs is the organization's responsibility to protect its employees from exposure to the virus. Brian's firm has issued an opinion on those responsibilities.

This weekend is a time to consider options and prepare for eventualities.

Yeah...not what we wanted to do. But, it's what we must.

It's Happening

As we talked with American hotel and resort operators over the past couple weeks, we heard a pretty steady refrain..."no group cancellations, yet." Even yesterday morning's edition of Skift reported that only 1 in 10 travelers have changed their plans due to fears over COVID-19.

That all ended yesterday, as reports from Nashville, San Jose, Anaheim, Miami and others began to trickle out that a handful of U.S. conventions have canceled or been postponed.

And, that the media is on these stories...it's bound to get worse.

In response, Destinations International yesterday launched a special page on their website to serve as an information hub for DMO pros to share factual data about the growing crisis. 

Hang on...

The Most Important Board in the City

There's no need to identify the destination or link to the story. Where it was said isn't as important as that it was said by both a reporter in a major market publication and a resident he interviewed.

In the piece, the Destination Marketing Organization Board was called both "the most important" and "the most prestigious" Board in the city. Which is why some in the community are questioning the recent appointment of an individual to the Board; that this person somehow doesn't live up to his inclusion on such an influential Board.

But, here's the thing. That who sits on the DMO Board matters to Joe and Jill Public? Isn't that exactly what we've been talking about with the concept of DMOs becoming a Shared Community Value?

For at least one community, theirs already is.

Forward Thinking

Most Destination Marketing Organizations maintain an "About Us" page on their websites. For many, it's a fairly obligatory nod to the organization's mission and purpose as the "official" destination marketing organization for the region.

My guess is that most prospective visitors couldn't care less...but residents should. And, that's why this page, despite its lack of hits, should boast more than obligatory language. Like Frankenmuth MI's DMO:

"The future of Frankenmuth depends on the Frankenmuth Chamber of Commerce and CVB taking the responsibility to help foster creative, sustainable and innovative ideas. This requires the Chamber and CVB to be sensitive to the changing needs of member businesses, act on signals regarding the health of the business climate and communicating this knowledge in a fair and effective manner for sound decision making."

As we know through Destinations International's "Lexicon" brief, words matter. The future depends. Taking the responsibility. Creative, sustainable and innovative. Sensitive. Act. Communicate. Fair.

I may be one of only a handful that ever views this page...but count me impressed.

 

We'll Never Know

Yesterday, I suggested that we all stop shaking hands in favor of bowing, as fears of the coronavirus spreads. And, I seemed to have had a first follower in the Mobile World Congress, a 100,000 attendee tech conference scheduled for later this month in Barcelona. The Congress was urging attendees to refrain from shaking hands as a way to stop the transmission of the virus.

Alas, we'll never know how that would all pan out...because they've canceled the Congress after 40 companies announced they were pulling out. The largest exhibitor, Huawei, reportedly had flown all their reps into Spain early to self-quarantine before the event.

The biggest loser is Barcelona which, despite its recent rebellion against tourists, stands to forfeit a half a billion dollars US in lost visitor spending.

That's gonna leave a mark.

City Appointments to a DMO Board

The Ringgold WV City Council is considering changing its DMO's By-Laws to allow City appointments to hold successive terms on the DMO Board. And, I think I understand the premise. The sitting Board appointee believes that another term would allow him to be even more effective because he now knows the ropes. And, he's correct there.

But, here's the other side of the conversation. What is most important in City Council or other governmental appointments is that we cycle as many elected officials through DMO Board experience as we can. That way, we expose as many as possible to the importance and impact of the organization in which they invest each year.

And, that is how we build broader support with our elected officials. Because, once they experience the discussions at the Board level, they'll understand that DMOs are a Shared Community Value.

Tourism is the First Date

Since Longwoods International's "Halo Effect" study, we've been telling clients and audiences that "Tourism is the First Date for Economic Development."

That concept played out last week in an op-ed piece from the Mayor of Kankakee IL, the town of my youth and first DMO post. For the past 18 years, a contiguous "suburb" has played host to the Chicago Bears Football Club's annual Summer Training Camp. With sensational new facilities at Halas Hall, the Bears recently announced that, after over five decades of Summer Camp in Bourbonnais IL, Platteville WI and Rensselaer IN, they're headed home.

Of course, this move will put a dent into the region's July tourism business...but, I've not seen any shade thrown online, which is pretty classy from my first hometown.

Instead, check out this excerpt from the Mayor of Kankakee in the local newspaper's "Voice of the People:"

"During last summer’s camp, I met several developers who traveled to the area for a familiarization event hosted by the CVB in partnership with the Economic Alliance of Kankakee County. It was during this event that I met a developer who has since visited the city of Kankakee four times, has hosted the city’s team in Chicago, Racine and Milwaukee to view projects and who is returning to the area next month with interest in investing millions of dollars, not only in the city of Kankakee but, throughout Kankakee County. That was part of the magic of Chicago Bears Training Camp, but most importantly, the hard work of our CVB."

And, not unlike the hokey pokey, that's what it's all about.