Tech, Travel, and Twang!
Come for the thoughts, stay for the tea. The co-founders of Destination Innovate, Jennifer Barbee and Kristen Cruz brew up the latest industry tea every Tuesday - diving into simmering issues, hot trends, and special guests. Grab a cup and let’s spill the tea!
Tech, Travel, and Twang!
Tuesday Tea #6 | Keeping It Real: In Life & In Destination Marketing
How can destination podcasts remain captivating in a rapidly changing travel industry? Join us as we sit down with Jenn Barbee, the Chief Detsruptor at Destination Innovate, and Kristen Cruz, the Chief Experience Officer and Co-Founder, to dissect this very question. We unpack the initial buzz around destination podcasts and the ongoing hurdles in sustaining listener interest. Jenn and Kristen emphasize the crucial role of targeting local communities to keep content relevant and explore savvy PR strategies like guest appearances on popular podcasts to boost visibility. We also discuss prescribed vacation; could it work in the U.S.?
Remote work challenges are also on the table. We contrast the unique stresses and distractions of working from home versus an office, especially for over thinkers. Dive into the importance of planning and budgeting for major travel conferences like ESTO and TACVB. Jenn and Kristen share their excitement for specialized think tank events and leadership development workshops tailored for Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs), making this episode a treasure trove of actionable insights for anyone navigating the world of travel marketing and remote work.
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The Tech, Travel, and Twang Podcast is hosted by Co-Founders, Kristen Cruz and Jenn Barbee with Destination Innovate. Learn More! https://destinationinnovate.com/about/
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Well, hello, welcome back to Tech Travel and Twang. Well, hi there, welcome back to Tech Travel and Twang, our Tuesday tea edition. I'm Jen Barbie, chief Disruptor at Destination Innovate. I have with me our Chief Experience Officer and Co-Founder, kristen Cruz. Hi, kristen.
Speaker 2:Hey Jen, Good morning.
Speaker 1:Good morning. I'm excited to dig into our tea today. We're going to talk about owned media Destination Podcast, we're going to talk about a country whose doctors actually prescribe travel, and we're going to hit the conferences for August. So I'm ready to dig in. How about you, Kristen?
Speaker 2:Yes, super ready to dig in, I feel like we have. We always bring some really good tea fodder to our Tuesday tea, but today I'm really excited to dig in on some more like mainstream topics. This is podcasts and destinations. It's a big topic right now, so I'm excited.
Speaker 1:It is, and it's such a good idea always. I totally support, you know, growing your own media assets for a destination. But it was podcast popped off. It was such a good idea and these destinations took these podcasts on, which is amazing. But then you've got to think about the appetite of the traveler too. So I think we're at like a crossroads of like what do we do with these now?
Speaker 2:Well, and I think too it's there are lots of things right in our, in our realm of advertising and media that makes sense, generally speaking, and podcasts are one of them. We know that podcasts are not going away. Right, we all have to interact within a podcast or kind of formulate that into our plans in some form or fashion. But there's also that area of these amount of content a user is going to want to digest and continuously digest. That's the point, exactly, the trip Right. And then you know there's, there's, there's so much more that it's like peeling an onion at that point. Right, it's like so many layers to like answering that question and, depending on your destination, depending on your traveler, it is very different for everyone.
Speaker 1:But I think what really? What? What doubles down? Or where the, where the opportunity is right, there is the residents. We go back to DMO relevancy. Keeping DMOs relevant, those residents like your community, should be your number one saturation point for those podcasts. Because, you're right, the traveler appetite is different and we can't you know, we can't change how people want to travel. So I'd probably listen to. If I'm going to, especially if I'm going to a big trip like an overseas trip, I'm probably going to listen to a couple of podcasts, get my tips out of there, and then I'm going to take the trip, and then I'm not going to necessarily subscribe, or even if I do subscribe, I'm not consuming that content constantly after that, right, yeah, and I think that's where it comes down to who the audience is for your podcast as a destination.
Speaker 2:I think the why are we doing this? Has to be really well defined and answered really early up front. Otherwise, as you're putting together your topics and you're kind of outlining your plan for your podcast, things start falling apart Like we've seen. So many destinations start to struggle with who's on the podcast.
Speaker 2:What are they covering? Yeah, who are they talking to? What are the guests look like? You know, as they continuously refine what that content is, and so, and in the struggle, we've seen the struggle with the following numbers start to emerge like it's a lot more difficult Again, like if you're not looking at your community as your foundation for your podcast.
Speaker 1:You know no-transcript, because I don't know what weekend I might just pop off and want to take my family Right. That's where that opportunity is too. But yeah, I think we're in an inflection point. And also what's interesting is podcast popularity hasn't waned, but new subscriptions are starting to come down. Like people are like, okay, this is what I listen to. They aren't necessarily adding on a bunch of new ones.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, because there's so much to consume out there, you know, and our time is very precious, and so you're dedicating for those that you're truly subscribing to, right, and that you're digesting on a weekly or by however often that those are your podcasts. That's what you have time to dig in and listen to.
Speaker 2:And everything else feels like it's the one offs. I'm going to listen to this podcast in this episode because it talks about this, or this podcast in this episode because it talks about that, not necessarily an entire series from one specific platform or person, you know.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. But you know, what is still a good strategy is getting yourself and your DMO as a guest on these top tier podcasts that are popping up that from a PR perspective. Absolutely, and I think that's where Collaborators this year.
Speaker 2:Right Collaborators and I think that's where a lot of destinations veered. Originally was okay. Well, let's get on the podcast bandwagon. We, as a destination, need a podcast and there were so many other agencies, people out here going hey, we can help you with your pot.
Speaker 2:Like, let's, let's get on the podcast bandwagon. And that made sense for a minute, right, while the while things were still baking like things were still in the oven around destinations and podcasts. But now, thinking about the time that's dedicated into the podcast circle, of things being part of the podcast, that makes sense for the topic, the campaign, whatever it is that you're trying to go after, or whatever message it is that you're trying to go after, or whatever message it is that you're trying to work through, makes better sense in that time spent.
Speaker 1:I think this is part of a broader conversation and we're kind of picking on this one piece. But, honestly, look at the trends that popped off of 2020. We're four years past that now. We're almost five years in this time to re-look at recovery strategies and what we're really doing, because some of these things were just quick, you know, plug the hole so the water doesn't keep leaking, but thinking about the long term and it was really hard, so I've got to give benefit there. You couldn't really look back in 2020, 2021 and say what was going to be the trends in 2025. Heck, if you say what the trends are next month, I'll call you a liar because you don't really know. So there are those immediate pieces, but it is time to look at us again, instead of just adding on and putting another stone on and adding another Jenga and doing this Like let's get real, real.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, yeah, and isn't it crazy that we're about to be in 2025? Like it makes you reflect just a number of sequences. Like man, it's time to reflect how are we doing it, what could be better, what should be different. You know and yeah, it is we it is that point in podcasts is like one of the things at the top of this list to go back and look at strategy on and how has that evolved over the last four to five years and how does it make sense for your business? Now you know, how does that podcast make sense? Or the time you dedicate.
Speaker 2:I think a lot of us, generally speaking, have all these great ideas for podcasts where it makes sense for us as a business or for us as individuals. But sometimes you have to take a step back and go who's listening? Why are they listening? What is it that they're getting out of this podcast? Like, look at the data. You know really kind of make decisions from data, I think is where we're at. But yeah, there's so much that we could talk about around the concept of podcasting going into 2025. Like that should be a podcast A podcast about a podcast.
Speaker 2:A podcast about a podcast.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I just see us adding on and you know, and looking at these conferences and what they're also serving as content and talking to DMO leaders who are just their minds are blown. They're mystified in a lot of ways, like they want to do, keep up with the Joneses, but what does that really mean, you know, for their destination, you know, or their travel business? I think that is also like we're adding on too much. So we've got to pare down a lot of our strategy and do it even better. Do it better than anybody else.
Speaker 2:Right and for a lot of DMOs, because remember the struggle when podcast podcasting as a destination was you know the thing, everyone was kind of talking about it. There were a lot of DMOs who wanted to be part of it but didn't have the bandwidth, they didn't have the resources, they didn't have the resources, they didn't have the technology, they didn't want to get involved with it. So it was like, well, how do I get, how am I part of this trend, how am I part of this movement without really having the resources to be part of it? And I think those DMOs that we have to continue to think about, the DMOs that don't have the resources, that don't have the budget, don't have the bandwidth to really pull off something as big as starting their own destination podcasts and learn from some of the successes. The things that they did in lieu of that actually paid off, sometimes even more so than having a destination podcast.
Speaker 1:That's a really good point. That's a really good point. And also, like we mentioned earlier, if you are a destination who wants to get into that trend, that don't have the bandwidth or the budget, guests on podcasts. Advertising on podcasts is actually insanely cheap cheaper than facebook. Right, there's a lot of ways to get in there. But speaking of adding things on and getting burned out, so doctors in germany can prescribe you a paid four weeks fall vacation if you are a stressed out parent.
Speaker 2:Of all the countries, number one. Also, why are we not doing this more in places where we actually live? Jennifer, Like, can we not get more of this? This is, I mean. Come on, I'm super proud for the just being as progressive as they are in this category, cause, yeah, huge need.
Speaker 1:They really are. But Europe overall, coming to travel, europe overall, is much more like. They think travel is a right, a privilege. They get incredible times off. You know a lot of people take sabbaticals for three months, four months at a time. Their jobs are always secure right.
Speaker 2:They take it very seriously, which is something that we need to do also. If we got that right here, I feel like we'd all be on a four-week vacation the problem is, we can't do that because we crash our economy. Unfortunately, we would.
Speaker 1:And you look, you look at those those countries that are doing that, like italy, you know they're giving money for you to come buy a house there. They will give you money to come get their house. You know why? Because italy's economy is flattened. There's a like 40 or 50 unemployment for people under 30. So you know it's a trap some of that. I don't want to say a trap trap, but I mean some of those things.
Speaker 2:The grass isn't always greener, right right, yeah, yeah, it's definitely, it's definitely an investment to wait so we may not be able to do a prescribed four week break.
Speaker 1:But I do believe, and I think we're seeing this trend in corporate America, where people are starting to ease up on when people need. I saw this one. It was great. This TikTok in this guy was talking to his new or supposedly talking to his new boss and he's like when you come from a toxic work environment. He's like OK, so I know it's my first day. What do I do if I get sick, like, let's just say, tomorrow? He's like okay, so I know it's my first day. What do I do if I get sick, like, let's just say, tomorrow? He's like you take a sick day. He's like but I just started. He's like I don't understand the question. You take a sick day? He's like well, what if my daughter's sick and it's not me? He's like you take a sick day't anymore days, whatever we need. But I think we are getting to understand that we are burning ourselves out and if we want to keep really good, top tier strategic thinking talent, we've got to give them more time.
Speaker 2:More time, yeah, and to recognize when they're when, when there's that feeling of being overworked or overburdened or just completely stressed out, like recognize that and and sometimes you have to force people, take the day, take the week, you know like go do what you need to do for yourself. And I think if we did that more as a, as a collective workforce in this country, we probably would be over here talking about Germany. They're prescribed for a week, big Asians, I mean we should do better. I feel like too. At the same time, there is a lot more here, especially, I think, in our industry.
Speaker 2:We are in tourism and we are in travel. We obviously know how important it is. I do feel like there's a lot more leeway happening and there's a lot more resource being offered to people. You know like coverage for if you do need some like mental health kind of check in. You know like making sure that you're doing things collectively as a team and recognizing doing more team building. You know taking more of the work from home opportunities where you can. So I mean it's happening. It's just not happening as fast as it should be.
Speaker 1:I think it'll accelerate here in the next five years, because it's not us, it's not our generation that's asking for this. We'll work until we fall out dead at our chair. It's the, you know, the gen z, and not even millennials. Millennials are the same too. It's really the gen z coming up going. I'm not doing that. They think they have so many more options and in some cases they definitely do so. They're not willing to work a corporate job 40 hours a week, 60, 60 hours a week. You know 30 years. So it's got to be more attractive to keep that workforce.
Speaker 2:It does, and the work life balance is so like we were talking about that so many years ago, but it's even more important now, like work life balance is extremely important especially if you're working from home.
Speaker 1:I find working from home can be more stressful than being in an office.
Speaker 2:It can feel more stressful Sometimes. I think that the disconnect that can be created from that virtual space leaves a lot like I'm an overthinker, you're an overthinker, we're all, we're a collective overthinkers, and so it's hard sometimes to stay focused because you're it's the constant distractions of not, I guess, not putting, not being able to put eyes on things immediately or not being able to, like have that immediate interaction sometimes. So it can be. I think that that's another topic that we should really delve into, I feel like for sure.
Speaker 1:I totally agree. I cannot believe it's August and this is going to be a hard month for a lot of people in the South and and so forth to get travelers out. So definitely, you know, push your cool patios and those sorts of things, cause cool cations are what we have left here. I don't think anybody wants to get out in this damn heat.
Speaker 2:Yes, so it's back to school month for a lot of us. There's also, I know, for a lot of dmos that have tax-free weekends in their state. They're focusing a lot of those shopping exertions on the tax around the tax-free weekend, sort of like.
Speaker 2:it's like inching out that last little bit of summer where you could actually get a little family time in, but also check off a few things for the back to school list, although we always say here in Texas that the back to school time frame always backs up right to tax free weekend, and so it's much harder for our DMOs in the state to really be like, hey, come plan a trip, because you're literally turning around and sending your kids to school that Monday. Yeah, so that's a whole other topic that we need to fix here in the state is trying to time these, these weekends that should be really beneficial for our economy and our businesses, with our actual school schedules, cause they seem to not want to ever talk to each other. But but yeah, but we're also. I mean it's. I feel like our summer here hasn't been as brutal as it has been the last couple of summers, but I know collectively I think that's what it is.
Speaker 2:We're still dealing with a lot of people that don't necessarily want to travel within this heat of the summer. They want to go further north, they want to, which you know takes a little bit more legwork to get there, a little bit more time off that you got to spend getting there, but there's still some time to eke out some last minute summer travel for sure.
Speaker 1:I was surprised. I don't think Arizona has one, or I've never seen it advertised.
Speaker 2:But also we go back to school in July, so yeah you have a funky school schedule too, so that you know, I think a lot of it too is, um, we've sort of tax free weekend for us has sort of merged into back-to-school shopping, where they're kind of they don't necessarily have to be, you know connected in that way. It's really just, you know, give us a break for a weekend and take our tax away, give us a slight break, you know, but I, but you know what, for eight dollars, for every hundred dollars that I spend, it's not really worth the amount of chaos. And stress that because everyone wants to shop that weekend. So there's a lot, a lot of people that don't even take advantage of it. But it's still a good time for him to be like get out, get your last minute back to school stuff. Also, eke out a last minute summer trip somewhere.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, and Estos coming up next week.
Speaker 2:I know there's some good conferences coming up. What's that? The August 12th I think, and then right after that is TACVB Texas Association of CVBs conference, and that's the 20th through the 23rd in Austin. So yeah, there's some good conferences coming up. I think for most of us we've sort of planned out like what our you know fall conference travel schedule looks like. But it's really this is a good time earlier on in the year, not so much later in the year to kind of start thinking about 2025 and what to budget For those October 1 fiscals, figuring out like where do I want to go as a destination? Where do I want to send my team? We've even been doing that Like there's so, and conferences are getting so much more expensive now that you can't take your entire team to one conference.
Speaker 2:You know it's just, you just blow the budget and so figuring out like where to divide and conquer your resources, where you have maybe some of your creators on your team or your marketers on your team going to a conference that makes better sense for the tools they're using and some of your leadership going to some of these bigger conferences, Are your leadership going to a of these bigger conferences?
Speaker 1:Are your leadership going to a Think Tank and Transformation retreat? Yes, yes, which we haven't talked about a little bit, but we are actually decided. The best time for that is breaking out the first of the year, so those dates are coming out soon, but we're really excited to keep talking about our Think Tank and Transformation weekend too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and I think it's encouraging to see more DMOs doing more think tank type events in their destination with their stakeholders. You know whether it be like you get all your restaurants together, you talk about social media for two hours you know what I'm saying Like workshops that really kind of dig into some of the specialties and things. You know tips and trends and things. So that's always good. But definitely as a as a DMO leader, we need more of like what we're trying to put together, those transformative events, which is a few days where you're with other leadership and you're really concentrated on those conversations that are really meaningful right now, without a lot of you know chaos and noise from everything else.
Speaker 1:Absolutely so. We're super excited to talk about that. We do have some new new announcements, new things happening on the DI front, so if you're listening, keep listening. We'll be dripping those out as they come available. But great Tuesday tea Again. I'm kind of thinking Germany sounds good, but I'm going to stick here with a good old US. And you know, fight the good fight.
Speaker 2:We're getting there, there's. No, I think there's, we're getting there. I think this is going to be one of those years where you know everything's moving and shaking really drastically and we've also. It's a, it's a election year and so we just have to be willing to go with the flow and just you know, and just pivot. This is another. This is a kind of a year of pivoting.
Speaker 1:where we need to pivot in tourism, so for sure for sure, for sure, well, awesome, well, hope you guys have a great rest of your week. Kristen, as always, I'll talk to you 37 800 more times today yes, I'm sure you will awesome. Thank you guys. Be good and we'll talk to you next podcast. Bye guys, thanks for watching.
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