Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

DEI is also Visual

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.

DEI is also Lingual

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.

The Most Cost-Effective Path Forward

This just in...the Destination Marketing Organizations in Manitowoc and Two Rivers WI have announced they will be collaborating on a joint Visitors Guide next year.

According to the Interim Director of Explore Two Rivers, such a collaboration “provides the most cost-effective path forward for businesses to market themselves to tourists with the distribution plan and the power of a joint visitor guide.”

Ummm, tell me again why y'all thought breaking up the DMO that represented both communities last year was such a great idea? 

Because it never sounded like a cost-effective path forward.

Just sayin...

That's a Wrap

Just back from the 25th Annual Upper Midwest CVB Fall Conference in Champaign County IL. And, as we kick back on the porch on this beyond beautiful late summer evening, we marvel at what a long strange trip it's been.

Created as a momentary response in a year that our international trade association chose to locate its annual conference in Hong Kong (yeah, the optics would never work back home for most DMOs), three sector veterans decided to create an alternative conference for those of us staying home. The late Bruce Riley McDaniel (Quad Cities), the now-retired Cole Carley (Fargo) and I (launching my consultancy after serving five years in Madison) got together over beers (natch) and drew up plans for that first conference in Dubuque IA. It was originally envisioned as a one-off, as we all expected to return to the mothership's Annual the next year in Detroit.

But, a funny thing happened. Industry peers reached out from across the Midwest telling us how much they liked the format and focus. So, we rolled the dice and took the show to Cedar Rapids...and then Eau Claire. Terri joined the team in 2000 and managed the conference stops in Peoria, Rochester and Rapid Cities before UMCVB contracted with a professional management firm.

And here we are, 25 years later...talking about the great presentations from Visit Indy's Leonard Hoops, Tourism Diversity Matters' Greg DeShields, Madden's Matt Clement and closing keynoter Berkley Young (honestly, one of the best line-ups in years). About the cool thought leadership in breakout sessions from a who's who of industry veterans too numerous to mention here. And, the great networking events at iconic U of I and Champaign venues.

Thank you to Conference Coordinator Erin Bowers for making it all come together. Having done it years ago...we know how many moving parts there are that can go so wrong behind the scenes...but you made it all seamless in our eyes.

And, here's to 25 more!

Keep, Cut and Add

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?

Mikhail

When one looks at who is heading the Russian experience today versus the man at the top in the early '90s, you gotta simply shake your head. Though his term in office was short, Mikhail Gorbachev was one of the most important figures in decades in bringing the world to a more collaborative culture. We lost him at the age of 91 this week and, not surprisingly, the sitting President of Russia refused to attend the funeral.

When word of his passing reached us, Terri suggested we find a way to honor him through our Music Friday post. Unlike other political leaders, I was pretty sure Mikhail didn't have any music videos out there (but, feel free to look). But, there's another Mikhail out there that does have a video...from his film with the sensational Gregory Hines, called White Nights.

It is possibly (with the exception of videos of my daughters dancing in competitions and recitals) my favorite dance video of all time. This is Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines with "Prove Me Wrong."

On Destination Entry Fees

Interesting article from a decidedly European point of view regarding the recent increase in destination entry fees and taxes designed to generate revenues to counter the effects of too many visitors and deter some of the hoards that descend on communities in such numbers as to negatively impact Quality of Life.

The article does provide a counter argument that such taxes, if they do reduce visitation, can have a negative impact on local businesses that are desperately trying to claw back from the effects of the plague. But, the one aspect the article fails to address is whether such taxes will deny the life-enhancing experience of travel for those of modest means; making some tourism destinations only available to the upper class.

There's always the unintended consequence. Here's hoping these destinations can strike a balance.

Image Credit: From our friend Josh Schamberger, CEO of Think Iowa City, on a recent trade mission to Europe.

The Next Chapter for Roger Dow

When Roger Dow took the helm of the U.S. Travel Association in 2005, he propelled the organization to hyper-drive; from one that few would have missed if it had folded (except maybe for its research) to one that helped chart the amazing trajectory for America's Tourism industry. 

That's why many of us were so jazzed when Roger teased us at Destination's International's Annual Convention in Toronto last month with the suggestion that he was going to focus at least some of his retirement years on addressing the workforce issues that are plaguing the hospitality industry. And, last week, he made it official. He and Searchwide Global's Mike Gamble are launching "Future Work Solutions" (FWS), a company that will connect vetted and pre-qualified workers with hotels and convention centers through an app.

In an interview with Travel Weekly, Roger said, "there are a lot of apps out there, but they don't understand our industry. They don't have people in the industry. So what we want to do is go city-by-city, work with the convention bureau, the convention center, the mayor, the economic development associations, the Hispanic Chamber, the Black Chamber and say, 'Let's all work together on building the workforce.'"

You guys rock...and let us know how we can help.

Rando Thoughts on the Annual Convention

A week out from Destinations International's Annual Convention in Toronto, we look back and say thank you. Thanks for the camaraderie, the networking and the learning. Thanks for the honor of getting to moderate a killer panel of DMO thought leaders (Brookhaven's Renee Areng, Burlington's Jeff Lawson and Rapid City's Brook Kaufman) that attracted a standing room only crowd of over 300 attendees.

And thanks for the laughs. Best line I heard in another session's Q&A (and, no...I won't say who said it because it could cost them their job) was that they were struggling with managing Board Members who were eligible for carbon dating.

Which I had to laugh again today when I see that there is so much carbon being emitted in our world that carbon dating is no longer accurate.

So...I guess you're stuck with them, dude.

25 Years Ago Today

While it doesn't seem like yesterday, it certainly doesn't seem like a quarter century since Madison opened the doors on the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Monona Terrace Convention Center. Seven years almost to the day when then-Mayor Paul Soglin unveiled plans for adapting Wright's design into a convention and community center, during which the first two were consumed in a ferocious referendum battle that resulted in a 50.8% win. Walk downtown today and ask people if they voted for it and I'm pretty sure 4 out of 5 would say yes...that is how important Monona Terrace has been to Madison's renaissance.

I was part of the team that strategized and led the effort to get that referendum passed. In the process, I was mentored by two individuals that will, sadly, not be in attendance when those of us that moved this civic project to the goal line gather later this week. They are also, outside of my parents and a handful of professors, the two individuals that taught me life lessons that made me who I am today. Both Morrie Andrews and George Nelson departed terra firma in the past few years, but they were the men that made Monona Terrace happen. To be sure, there were hundreds of us that contributed and the Mayor got the ball rolling...but without George and Morrie, it never would have happened.

As we prepare to celebrate 25 years (and salute these two men), I went back and re-read my eulogies. You should, too.

George Nelson and Morrie Andrews...two guys that changed Madison forever.