Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

Opening a $107 Million Convention Hotel without a DMO

I'm pretty sure that the disillusioned head shake by hotel developers in Conroe has been more pronounced than that of the serial killer in the Geico commercial. As the City of Conroe footed most of the bill for the exceptional new Hotel & Conference Center that opened last week, you'd think someone would have considered that having a DMO with no staff to assist with the opening would have been a red flag.

Hey, if forces within the City wanted to fire accomplished, award-winning DMO leadership...that's fine. Completely their prerogative. But doing it weeks before one of their biggest private economic development partners opens such an ambitious project that needs a professional DMO (and not City Hall receptionists)...that's just carelessly clueless.

But hey, there's a lot of that going on out there.

Sadly.

The Challenge

This is the challenge, n'est-ce pas?

When the late former Illinois Tourism Director Donna Shaw announced that her office would be cutting back on promoting State Parks in favor of the rich experiences of Chicago, she defended the move as an attempt to attract the "high value consumer," referring to those that spend more than those that bring their own bed, beer and bait.

Cathy Ritter, another former Illinois Tourism Director, shared her definition of a high value consumer on the DMOU podcast as one that shared the values and honored the culture of a place.

Both are clearly in play in Hong Kong, according to this story in the New York Times.

But, what a conundrum, eh? How to be a welcoming destination (and DLO) when you really don't want "locusts" weaving through your community.

New on the DMOU Podcast: Kara Franker

For DMOs that produce destination events, it often consumes months of staff time. Yet, Visit Estes Park turned a festival that a neighboring community was preparing to sunset into an event that garnered national media attention in just 100 days. CEO Kara Franker guests to tell the unique story of the revitalized "Frozen Dead Guy Days," an event that not only bolstered a need time on the calendar but also raised money for workforce housing and daycare initiatives. It's a stirring story of community collaboration you're not going to want to miss. You can find the conversation HERE.

And, while you're at it...check out the sensational video behind the story Kara tells on the podcast about backing a Room Tax increase to support local workforce housing and childcare.

Simply brilliant.

Smiles All Around

Walking back to my hotel after an early morning presentation to the Rockford Area CVB Board, I came upon a corner that made me smile (click image to enlarge). 

It was the stone in front of the Rockford Park District that read "Webbs Norman Center." Along with former CVB CEO Wendy Perks Fisher, Webbs was one of the early national visionaries that saw the potential in Sports Tourism almost 40 years ago. It was their early partnership that set into motion the transformation of Rockford Tourism. This video offers a glimpse of that relationship.

My smile grew larger when I noticed that the street in front of the Webbs Norman Center has been renamed Tim Dimke Drive...as Tim and his crew took Webbs' and Wendy's vision and expanded it even further with current RACVB CEO John Groh.

As I ducked into the sensational riverfront Embassy Suites Hotel for a quick bite before heading out, I had to smile again because I heard joy and laughter coming out of the kitchen...and that's a sound we've all missed over the past few years. But, there it was...and, as I surveyed my fellow diners, I could see how infectious it was for all of us.

And, that's just damn good management...the kind that empowers employees to have fun, please the guest and take incredible pride in their work.

Thanks Rockford...let's see if my next stop continues the streak.

Next on DMOU: Peggy Williams-Smith

How does a very Blue City land a very Red Convention? Visit Milwaukee’s Peggy Williams-Smith joins DMOU to share the story of how her Team and City landed the 2024 Republican National Convention. We’ll also discuss how Milwaukee was named one of National Geographic’s Top Destinations and how Visit Milwaukee has expanded the organization’s community awareness, visibility and support. Plus a Bonus Round question on her deep Beer City roots.

Join us.

Concert Fees

Just tell me the friggin price.

It's hotels, airlines, concerts and so many assets we wish to consume. Just tell me the friggin price.

Ari Herstand lived next door during his youth. We luxuriated in his musical experimentation through his window as we sat on our porch. We went to his shows and were blown away. Really? This guy lives next door?

His is a song that Terri and I often message each other when I've been on the road too long.

And, he is the author of How to Make It in the New Music Business, which has a lot of truths that those of us in the Destination Marketing field could maximize.

He recently penned a piece for Variety that so deserves every music fan's read. And yeah...we in the DMO world as well, as we move into ensuring the visitor experience is transcendent.

Just tell me the friggin price.

Re-Acquiring Resident Support

When residents begin to push back on what they perceive to be a community, neighborhood or attraction that is too crowded, they often point the finger at visitors. Whether that's true isn't the issue; local perception is.

Which is why what operators of East Maui's Twin Falls have recently done is so brilliant.

Earlier this month, they staged their first "locals-only day" and the results were pretty fascinating. According to the Maui News, heavy days at Twin Falls see between 200 and 450 cars, taxing the environment and creating parking headaches. On the day reserved for locals, only 150 cars were counted. So, check off the overcrowding box.

But, the really sensational part of the project was reacquainting island residents with one of their favorite childhood memories that they hadn't revisited in recent years because of all the tourists. As one of the employees there said, “the majority (who came) said they hadn’t come here in years and they had avoided the area because it was just overcrowded, so that was one of the comments we heard the most.”

And the island visitors who were turned away? A member of Friends of Twin Falls said, “most tourists were very understanding and ventured to the next stop on the road.” 

Gotta love it. Well played.

New on DMOU: Flagstaff's Trace Ward

The vast majority of Destination Marketing Organizations in the United States are independent non-profit agencies...but that doesn't mean other structures can't work. In the latest edition of the DMOU podcast, we talk with Discover Flagstaff Director Trace Ward on how his office is rockin' it as both a division of Economic Vitality and the City. And (not to be a spoiler), he says it's all about intentional design and intra-agency respect. 

Cool stuff.

That's Bold

Every year seems to favor a new word...intentional one year, paradigm the next, pivot during the plague, etc.

In virtually every interaction I've had with community leaders in the destinations with which we've been working, this year's word is "bold." As in community leaders looking to their Destination Marketing Organization to "be bold." While DMOs are under fire in several destinations, there are many other communities that are looking to their DMOs to step up and lead. Which is exactly what we should be doing. As I've said before (and will to my last breath), our sector is less DMO than DLO: Destination Leadership Organizations.

And, there is no other DLO that has been bolder this year than the Sedona Chamber and Tourism Bureau. Readers of this blog have followed with us the dumpster fire of a community that lost their shit 5 years ago. Listeners of the DMOU podcast have heard former CEO Jennifer Wesselhoff explain how the Chamber moved aggressively to mitigate issues that residents found onerous.

On Monday, the Sedona Chamber cut ties with the City and called upon it to rescind the portion of the Room Tax that historically funded tourism promotion. In doing so, the Chamber took a bold step to support local business and the community's economy in ways in which elected officials are unable...doing what's right without fear of retaliation or retribution by people who are singularly motivated by what will get them re-elected and not what's right for the community.

Bold kudos to you, Sedona Chamber/Bureau. Here's to doing what's right, regardless the cost.

MSP Overnight

When one has logged over 1.5 million miles in the air, there's not a lot for what one isn't prepared. Yet, it happened to me Friday night. I've been stranded overnight many times...but always was able to score a hotel room (even as late as 3:30 am). That didn't happen this past weekend and I spent my first overnight in an airport.

The experience was a never-ending cascade of mistakes punctuated at almost every turn by bad communication, starting with the gate agent we met as we returned from a futile attempt to de-ice. "I don't know," isn't an acceptable answer. And, it propelled my flight-mates and me to figure it out on our own.

Because most of the seating throughout the airport has arm rests, sleeping on seating is pretty much out of the question, if one wants to recline. I ultimately found a semi-dark hallway off F Concourse and spent a few fitful hours on the floor, my backpack as my pillow.

When I finally gave up trying to sleep at 4am, I started to walk the airport and was stunned at the number of people I discovered reclining on padded sleeping mats. Where did these come from? I didn't see them at 2 when I gave up and hit the floor. And yet, they were everywhere. How did I miss this opportunity?

As I continued my journey through MSP, I made other discoveries. Concourse C is exceptionally noisy due to the airport's odd need to continually broadcast that the shuttle isn't in operation overnight. And the seldom used Concourse B? That's where there are no armrests and lots of nooks and crannies in which to find solace as you crash for the night.

Which got me to thinking. Sleeping in an airport is rarely a pleasant experience...and most of us (even veterans like me) don't know how to diminish the anxiety and pain of the experience. So, wouldn't it make sense for airlines to avoid the chance to deliver a service miss with a clueless and uncaring gate agent (he honestly should be canned post haste) with a flash card or QR code that offers suggestions for how to overnight in an airport?

Just a thought...because that would make me love my favorite airline even more.