Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

Are Visitor Centers Still Relevant?

We hear that question a lot. Since we all carry more computing power and information on our mobile devices that the astronauts did 50 years ago on the trip to the Moon, who needs physical Visitor Centers anymore?

The answer turns out to be smart Destination Marketing Organizations. Check out the recent article written by our friend Virginia Haley of Visit Sarasota County. She reports that between January through March of 2019 (the high season in Sarasota), her Visitor Center staff saw a 46 percent increase in traffic as compared to the same months in 2018.

So, don't shutter your Visitor Center just yet...rethink it. Which is what Visit Eau Claire's Linda John did as she opened her new "Experience Center" earlier this year. You can hear Linda's story on the new DMOU podcast series, launched earlier this month.

Still relevant? And then some.

It All Starts with a Visit

It was ten years ago this month that Irving's Maura Gast unleashed the phrase "It All Starts with a Visit" during her closing address as Chair of Destinations International. If she had a Franklin for every time that phrase has been uttered over the past decade...well, let's just agree she wouldn't need to purchase a lottery ticket ever again.

It surfaced in the media again last week as Southern Delaware Tourism announced a collaborative Visitors Guide with Sussex County Economic Development. As CEO Scott Thomas said, “All the time, we see first visits turning into summer vacations that become beloved traditions families share for generations. For entrepreneurs and business executives, first visits often lead to serious, detailed inquiries about our local business climate and, from there, to new local businesses. It just makes sense to offer information of interest to both visitors and entrepreneurs in the same resource guide because the two groups often overlap."

As Tourism is the first date for Economic Development, this is an interesting partnership...and I can't wait to see how this plays out.

And, for more thought leadership from Maura, don't miss the chance to listen to her recent interview on the recently resurrected DMOU.

Family Values

Often, in this rough and tumble world of full-contact Destination Marketing, it is easy to forget what really matters: Family.

I direct you to a story posted last evening on nwi.com, the online version of the Northwest Indiana Times. It chronicles the genesis and evolution of a program initiated by South Shore CVA CEO Spero Batistatos that firmly underscores that agency's dedication to its employees and their families.

For the past 22 years, professional members staff have been able to bring their newborns to work, rather than take time off or leave the company. The image upper left is of Carolyn and Reagan, the first two kids in the program.

For those that think this is but a thinly veiled way to squeeze more work out of parents, you've never spent time with the CVA staff. It is one of the most family-like cultures I've ever experienced in 24 years of working with Destination Marketing Organizations all over this country. This program is just one of several examples of how people come first for the South Shore's DMO.

To hear more on the story, swing by the resurrected DMOU (it's now a podcast) and listen in as Spero talks about his daycare initiative, as well as the "Grass is Greener" program the CVA helped launch last year.

Good stuff.

 

We're Back

Yesterday, we announced, through our (almost) monthly Z-Newsletter (and, if you're not a subscriber...WTF?), that we are bringing DMOU back.

Destination Marketing Organization University was our answer to the reality that our peers were forgoing industry conferences in the wake of one of those now forgotten recessions. Over the next 5 years, we interviewed (via teleseminar, available as a live feed or on CD or cassette) over 150 of the best and the brightest in Destination Marketing, sharing innovative tactics and strategies.

Well, DMOU is now a podcast. And, the first 5 episodes of the resurrection are online for you to sample. We've lined up some pretty cool names to kick it off. Rick, Maura, Amir, Linda and Spero. If you're stumped, I guess you'll just hafta click on the link.

And, we're making more every month.

It's good to be back...and we're excited to share lots of cool stories with the best storytellers on the planet in the months and years to come.

Don't be bashful. Tell us what you think of the new format...and toss us suggestions of guests you'd like to hear or topics you'd like us to explore.

DMOU is back, babies.