Every conference comes with a suitcase full of takeaways.
Some are tangible: a notebook full of scribbles, doodles and arrows that made perfect sense at the time, a pocket full of business cards you have every intention of putting into your contact list and maybe one too many branded tchotchkes.
Yet the best ones usually don’t take up any space at all.
As we left the Destinations International Annual Convention a handful of ideas kept resurfacing. They weren’t confined to a keynote or a breakout session. They emerged in conversations with destination leaders, clients and our own team, each offering a different perspective on where our industry is headed.
These are four ideas we thought were worth packing.
Adopt Portfolio Mindset
“International growth is no longer just a market-selection exercise. It is a portfolio discipline, balancing opportunity, risk, relationships and the agility to act.”
Katie Briscoe, CEO
No market is guaranteed, and no strategy should depend on a single source of growth. The destinations that succeed will think beyond annual planning cycles, building strategies that can absorb disruption, seize new opportunities and create momentum over time.
Growth Happens Between the Channels
“Travelers don’t experience marketing in channels anymore. They experience it in moments. Growth comes from understanding how those moments connect and building strategies that meet travelers wherever discovery happens.”
Justin Farmer, Chief Growth Officer
Travelers don’t care whether inspiration comes from a creator, an AI assistant, a news story or a friend’s recommendation. They simply follow curiosity. Growth comes from connecting those moments into one journey instead of treating them as separate channels.
Don’t Forget the Fundamentals
“The ‘holy trinity’ is still fully in effect in the UK. In order to maintain and grow UK visitation, DMOs need to invest in travel trade, trade media and consumer marketing. Determining the mix and when you turn the volume up and down is the art to the science.”
Beth Freedman, EVP, Global Integrated Marketing
Innovation is exciting, but the fundamentals still matter. Beth’s perspective is a reminder that successful destination marketing isn’t about abandoning proven strategies. It’s about knowing when to amplify each one and how they work together.
AI is changing discovery. Communications is shaping what gets discovered.
“AI doesn’t create a destination’s reputation. It reveals the one that’s already been built. Every story, article, recommendation and traveler experience becomes part of what AI understands about a place. The role of communications has never been more important.”
Derek Klaus, SVP, Public Relations & Communications
AI isn’t replacing public relations. It’s raising the stakes for it. As travelers increasingly rely on AI to discover, compare and plan trips, the quality and credibility of the information surrounding a destination matter more than ever. Earned media, trusted voices, authentic storytelling and real traveler experiences all contribute to the digital footprint AI draws from. In many ways, communications is no longer just about shaping perception. It’s helping shape what travelers, and AI, know to be true.
Unpacking It All
Conferences have a way of putting familiar ideas into sharper focus. Some challenge the way you think. Others simply confirm you’re asking the right questions. These are a few of the ideas that continue to shape our thinking and the conversations we’re having with destinations every day. We hope they spark a few new ones for you, too.
