Think Like A Visitor

For many Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) leaders, the monthly financial report presented to the board is far more than a collection of numbers. It is a reflection of the organization's stewardship, transparency, and accountability. Board members rely on those reports to make informed decisions, monitor organizational health, and fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities. Strong financial reporting doesn't happen by accident. It is the result of sound accounting procedures, clearly defined responsibilities, and internal controls that protect both the organization and the people responsible for managing its resources. Here are ten essential financial practices every DMO should have in place. 1. Separate Financial Duties No single employee should control every aspect of a financial transaction. The person approving expenditures should not be the same person writing checks or reconciling bank statements. Separating responsibilities reduces the opportunity for errors or frau...

There is a strange expectation placed on Destination Marketing Organization leaders. The Executive Director or President-CEO is often expected to be a strategist, cheerleader, crisis manager, fundraiser, politician, economist, public speaker, mediator, salesperson, and visionary, sometimes all before lunch. The pressure can become relentless. Unlike many leadership positions, DMO leadership carries a unique emotional burden. Your success is publicly measured. Hotel occupancy, tax collections, visitation numbers, stakeholder satisfaction, political relationships, community perception, staff morale, media narratives, and board expectations all seem to converge in one office. And because tourism is tied so closely to economics and public perception, every challenge can feel personal. Many DMO leaders quietly carry stress they never openly discuss.  That silence can become dangerous. Mental health is not weakness. Burnout is not failure. Anxiety is not incompetence. In fact, many of th...

For years, Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) were mainly evaluated based on one key question: “How many visitors did you bring here?” This focus made sense back when many communities were all about growing. More visitors meant more hotel stays, more restaurant visits, more shopping, and ultimately more tax money for local services and a better quality of life. Marketing was the driving force. Advertising, branding, visitor guides, public relations, and trade shows were the tools they used. But tourism has changed, and so have the expectations that communities have for the organizations that represent them. Today, many DMOs are transforming into Destination Management Organizations, a small change in wording that really shows a big shift in what they’re responsible for. The modern visitor economy isn’t just about how many people are coming. More and more, destinations are asking important questions: Are visitors making life better for the people who live there? Is tourism a sus...

“You did great work on this.” Four simple words. But for a leader in a Destination Marketing Organization, they may be the most powerful words you can say. Not in a board presentation or a press release—but in the hallway, over coffee, or in the quiet after a long event. Leadership doesn’t always look like a podium. Often, it sounds like genuine encouragement. We talk a lot about visitor experience. What will they see? How will they feel? What will they remember? But there’s a direct line between how your team feels and how your destination is perceived. When the people doing the work feel seen and valued, their work gets better. More thoughtful. More creative. More inspired. “You did great work on this” is more than praise. It’s acknowledgment. It’s leadership that sees beyond deliverables and into the effort behind them. The grant proposal that took three late nights. The itinerary brainstormed over lukewarm coffee. The front desk team member who turned a complaint into a compliment....

“What’s the biggest obstacle in your way?” It’s a simple question. But when you ask it with real intention—in a quiet moment, behind a closed door—it becomes a powerful mirror. For destination marketing organizations, asking this question as a leadership practice can reveal more than data ever could. Most DMO leaders are busy. Your calendar is a game of Tetris: board meetings, budget presentations, media requests, community events. But busyness can sometimes hide the very obstacles that keep your organization from growing, evolving, or truly connecting with your destination’s soul. Start by asking yourself:   What’s the biggest obstacle in my way as a leader?   Is it lack of funding? Outdated perceptions of your destination? A disengaged board? An unclear vision? Maybe it's fear—of change, of failure, of disappointing the people who trust you. You don’t need to answer out loud, but you do need to answer honestly. Now take that same question to your team.   What’s the bigg...

Destination marketing organizations thrive on collaboration, vision, and trust. At the heart of all three lies one indispensable trait: transparency. While we often speak about clear communication with stakeholders, partners, and the public, transparency with a DMO’s own board of directors deserves equal—if not greater—attention. A well-informed board is not only an engaged partner but also a powerful advocate for the destination. Too often, DMO boards are treated like an occasional audience for good news, high-level updates, and polished wins. But true leadership involves opening the door to the full story—challenges, shortfalls, pivot points, and all. That kind of transparency builds more than awareness; it builds trust and ownership. The board isn’t just there to review budgets or approve marketing campaigns. These individuals are community representatives, connectors, and decision-makers. When they have a clear and accurate view of the DMO’s goals, performance, and evolving context...