DMOU: Destination Marketing Organization University

You’d have to have been living under a rock to not have seen the international media attention VisitLEX has received after sending an interstellar message of welcome to the TRAPPIST-1 solar system. On this episode of DMOU, we hang with VP of Marketing Leslie Miller to get the inside story on how the initiative came together and how it plays into the broader campaign to build brand awareness for Lexington.

There's a reason why Chamber-DMO combos aren't as prevalent as they were in the '80s and '90s...and that's because they generally don't work all that well. But, the ones that do, tend to rock their communities. Cheryl Kilday is the CEO of Destination North Myrtle Beach and, on this episode of DMOU, she shares how she has cherrypicked the best aspects of both models to create a community asset that drives the economy and the region's Quality of Life. And, how 55 community leaders landed 138 new members in a three hour span.

After over 45 years in the Tourism trenches, Randy Fiveash retired last year for the second time after a sensational career in the Destination Marketing world. From his local DMO work in places like Branson, Myrtle Beach and Gatlinburg to leading State Tourism Agencies in Kentucky and Connecticut, he’s seen it all…and, on this episode of DMOU, we learn his life lessons that still resonate today. From paying it forward to sharing his thoughts on what we once knew about Destination Marketing that we’ve somehow lost…it’s a fascinating conversation with an industry icon. Join us.

As we kick off a new year of conversations on DMOU, we start you off with a bang. Visit Lauderdale’s Stacy Ritter is a force of nature…and has been an unapologetic voice against some of the policies coming from the current State’s political leadership that have caused some conventions and events to cancel bookings in her destination. We talk about how the culture of the community and the DMO simply require no less of a response, as well as discussing her DMO’s work in the DEI space before there was such an acronym. And, on her Bonus Round Question, she shares her experiences as the Florida Chair of the first Obama for President Campaign. Invest a half hour in this fascinating conversation.

The Iowa City/Coralville metro population is roughly 175,000...and yet they host global events on an annual basis. In our last episode of 2023, we welcome our friend Josh Schamberger, CEO of Think Iowa City, to share his thoughts on the evolving role of Destination Marketing & Leadership Organizations and why the size of a destination means very little when you execute like no place else. It's a fascinating conversation with one of the thought leaders in our sector that proves second and third tier destinations can play at a first tier level.

Over the past 5 years, observers of Puerto Rico Tourism’s comeback from hurricanes, earthquakes, Zika, the Pandemic and political turmoil have marveled at the brilliant efforts of Discover Puerto Rico in guiding that renaissance. CMO Leah Chandler shares the remarkable story of a start-up DMO that took its time to understand its existing brand awareness, and then strategically built out a series of initiatives and promotions that have resulted in five years of record growth to the island. Treat yourself to a masterclass in how to execute a magnificent destination marketing plan.

Josiah Brown (Famous Destination Marketing) is one of this sector's newest thought leaders. We had the opportunity to work with Josiah on a destination assessment project in 2018 and were instantly taken by his "outsider" grasp of the intricacies of Destination Marketing. In this episode, we go deep on his take on what DMO pros get wrong when explaining the power of what we do...as well as his thoughts on the muddled state of branding, taglines and campaigns. And, a pretty hilarious story about his first job in the world of septic fields. Trust us...this is one of the hot new voices in our sector. Enjoy.

After a brief travel-induced hiatus, DMOU is back with a wide-ranging conversation with New York City Tourism + Conventions' Fred Dixon. As Chair of Destinations International, Fred has laid out an ambitious agenda for his year including DEI and Accessibility, Global growth, Member sustainability and a renewed emphasis on meetings and business events. We discuss these topics and more...including a fascinating (and fun) story of how his DMO partnered with Taylor Swift. Join us...and it's good to be back.

It was 2011 when several DMO pros in Illinois began discussing the potential to introduce State legislation to add Tourism Improvement Districts into their funding mix. Earlier this year, that legislation finally passed and was signed into law. Rockford Area CVB CEO John Groh and Visit Quad Cities CEO Dave Herrell return to DMOU to share the up and down story of persistence, negotiation and being ready when the political winds were right. Even if your State already has TID legislation in place, this episode is a fascinating primer on moving an initiative through the political process.

If there is a short list of thought leaders in the DMO world, Rick Antonson is always on that list. He was our first guest 20 years ago on the DMOU Teleseminar and our first guest on the the resurrected DMOU Podcast (and that says a lot). On this episode, he’s back to talk Destination Marketing…but also to share thoughts about his latest book, Train Beyond the Mountains: Journeys on the Rocky Mountaineer. Rick and I go deep into the meaning behind travel, the connections made and the life lessons learned. It’s a wide-ranging conversation that I believe you’ll love with one of the most eloquently expressive voices of our era.