What Should Your DMO Stop Doing?

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One of the most overlooked questions in destination marketing isn't, "What should we do next?" It's "What should we stop doing?"

Every destination marketing organization is filled with programs, events, publications, partnerships, and traditions that once made perfect sense. Many were successful. Some were innovative. Others were created to solve a specific challenge that no longer exists. Yet year after year, they remain in the budget, on staff work plans, and on board agendas simply because they've always been there.

That isn't strategy. It's inertia.

Peter Drucker frequently described strategic abandonment as one of management's most important responsibilities. He believed organizations should regularly examine everything they do and ask a difficult question: If we weren't already doing this today, would we start doing it now?

For DMO leaders, that question can be surprisingly uncomfortable.

Legacy Programs Have Hidden Costs
Every ongoing initiative consumes something valuable: staff time, marketing dollars, organizational attention, or political capital. Even programs that require little funding still require meetings, reporting, communication, and maintenance.

The opportunity cost is often invisible.

Every hour spent producing an outdated publication is an hour not spent analyzing visitor data. Sponsorships renewed out of habit may prevent investment in emerging digital channels. An annual event that delivers little measurable impact competes for resources that could strengthen visitor experiences or destination development.

Strategic abandonment isn't about cutting for the sake of cutting. It's about creating room for what matters most.

Tradition Is Not a Strategy
Many legacy programs survive because of their history, not because of their impact.

That doesn't mean tradition lacks value. Some traditions define a destination's identity and strengthen community relationships. Others have simply become familiar.

The challenge for CEOs is distinguishing between the two. Instead of asking, "How long have we done this?" ask:

  • Does this initiative still advance our mission?

  • Does it create measurable value for visitors, stakeholders, or our destination?

  • Would we invest in it if it were proposed for the first time today?

  • What evidence supports continuing it?

These questions shift conversations away from emotion and toward purpose.

Ending Something Doesn't Mean It Failed
Perhaps the greatest obstacle to strategic abandonment is psychology. Organizations often view ending a program as admitting failure. Boards may worry about disappointing long-time partners. Staff members may feel personally connected to projects they've managed for years.

A better approach is to frame change as evolution rather than elimination.

Celebrate what a program accomplished. Acknowledge the people who made it successful. Explain that changes in visitor behavior, technology, or organizational priorities require new investments. The message isn't "This wasn't worthwhile"; it's "It served us well, and now it's time for something that serves us even better." Handled with honesty and respect, most stakeholders understand.

Redirect Resources Toward Higher-Value Work
The real purpose of strategic abandonment is not creating smaller organizations. It's creating stronger ones.

Imagine redirecting the budget from a low-performing printed publication into visitor research that helps local businesses make smarter decisions. Or reallocating staff time from maintaining outdated marketing tactics to developing partnerships that improve the visitor experience. And even giving your team permission to stop maintaining yesterday's priorities so they can build tomorrow's opportunities.

That is how organizations become more agile without necessarily becoming larger.

Every organization has finite resources. Leadership is ultimately the discipline of deciding where those resources create the greatest value.

One Question Worth Asking Every Year
Strategic planning should never be only about adding initiatives. It should also include an honest inventory of everything already on the table.

Consider making strategic abandonment an annual exercise with your board and leadership team. Review every major program, event, publication, partnership, and recurring expense. Ask whether each one still advances your mission and delivers meaningful value.

You may discover that the most important strategic decision isn't launching something new. It's having the courage to let go of something that no longer belongs. Because sometimes the best way to move your destination forward isn't adding another priority.

It's making room for one.


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