How do federal, state and local organizations navigate the maze of politics, policy and planning as they plot travel's course of recovery?
Behavioral shifts, new business models, political divides, legislation and regulations complicate destination management, creating a ripple effect throughout the travel ecosystem.
Not only do policy makers and tourism agencies need to consider how to attract visitors to a destination or country, in a safe and comfortable way, but they must now consider what impact such activity places on local communities.
Overtourism and sustainability are two key components that need to be addressed by all stakeholders, alongside encouraging travelers to think about their own and the welfare of others as the industry attempts to return to 2019 levels of inbound tourism.
A session at The Phocuswright Conference 2021 in November last year attempted to unravel these and a number of important issues in the area of strategy at a destination and policy level.
The panel features:
- Isabel Hill, acting deputy assistant secretary for national travel and tourism at The U.S. Department of Commerce
- Stacy Ritter, president and CEO at Visit Lauderdale
- Margo Yates Martinez, communications and marketing at Bloomberg Associates
The full discussion, moderated by Carroll Rheem, CEO at Iolite, is included below...
Exec. Roundtable: Intersection of Politics, Policy & Planning - The Phocuswright Conference 2021