Destinations International’s Jack Johnson discusses why destination marketers should focus first on making their cities better places to live.
 
We generally think of destination marketing organizations as focused on bringing visitors to their destination — attracting outside business to help support the local economy. But Jack Johnson, chief advocacy officer for Destinations International, maintains that DMOs should be more concerned with how they can better their cities for the local community.
 
In this episode of Eventful: The Podcast for Meeting Professionals, Johnson speaks with Northstar Meetings Group vice president and content director Loren Edelstein, discussing why it’s more important than ever for DMOs to find ways to support their own destination, serving as a local asset and viewing residents as customers. Recorded at DI’s Annual Convention in Baltimore, the conversation took place just before the organization published its updated “Community Shared Values Workbook,” laying out nine core values for destination marketers.
 
Among the topics discussed:
 
Why DMOs should be more proactive in sharing data about economic development with destination partners, ensuring everyone feels included in the tourism economy (6:45)
 
How the funding model for DMOs should be reformed to ensure greater security for the industry (10:30)
 
How funding sources could be expanded beyond hotel taxes, to include “anyone who benefits from the positive portrayal of the destination” (13:25)
 
The two things DMOs should change immediately in the way they do business (15:30)
 
Why values are going to play an increasingly important role in attracting meetings and events (17:05)

This episode is sponsored by Visit Long Beach.