Karyl Leigh Barnes’ Post

Raise your hand if you’re chronically online. ✋ Most of us are, but none more so than Gen Z and Millennials, who are flocking to social media in spades to make decisions for everything, including travel plans.     Now you can download FOR FREE Development Counsellors International “Top Travel Influencer List 2024,” to see how destinations can harness the power of creator partnerships to meet younger generations where they are:

I've worked in the travel and tourism industry since I was 16 years old and I'm in great company with 122 million people around the globe. On the hard days (or years...) #WorldTourismDay provides the reminder I need to remember just how grateful I am that I fell into my life's passion early on and have had a lifetime to savor bringing people together, building up economics and sharing ideas. Tourism Jobs Matter!

24 Hours of Travel Innovation Learning for FREE on World Tourism Day? That's worth dialing in! Thank you, Destination Think, for helping to make the world a better place by sharing the wisdom of the world's tourism innovators! Topics explore the role of travel in making destinations more equitable, decarbonization and sustainable housing solutions. Registration link in comments. #WTD2024 #SustainableTourism #TravelResponsibly

I talked about this topic earlier this year, but it continues to be as relevant as ever: how do we navigate the complexities of crisis management in the travel and tourism industry, especially during election years? This election year, the landscape for destinations can shift dramatically, and it’s crucial to prepare for the potential disruptions that election years can bring. This read provides intel on how to maintain control, stay proactive, and protect a destination’s brand during volatile times. Check out the article below and let me know your thoughts on how destination organizations can continue to prepare in the face of uncertain political futures. https://lnkd.in/eydGzDyv #DestinationMarketing #CrisisManagement #TravelIndustry #Polycrisis #ElectionYear #MarketingStrategy

We swim in it, cruise across it, fly over— and in Teahupo’o, Tahiti, this summer, Olympians will be surfing in it to win the gold! The ocean, however, is not a resource to take for granted. I am interested in watching how destinations around the world are increasingly contemplating our industry’s impact on this precious ecosystem. I’m proud to work with clients like Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. and Belize Tourism Board who are just some of the destinations doing great work to ensure our oceans remain blue and thriving for generations (and Olympic Games) to come: https://worldoceanday.org/ #travelPR #destinationmarketing #sustainabletravel

I love the Summer Olympics so of course, at this time of the year, my thoughts turn to the intersection of sports and tourism. One thing—among many—that I love about #DestinationMarketing is the innovation inherent in our work. This post by my colleague Ayana L. Young gives you a taste of how DCI thinks outside the box to engage sporting partnerships for our destination clients: https://lnkd.in/eAnHa_4D There's no better time to consider this than Olympic season!

There's a reason why the American Hotel & Lodging Association reports that 76% of hotels in the U.S. are facing staffing shortages this summer. It's simple: hospitality workers deserve more. It's sad that we can't rely on travelers to be the ones to be gracious. But that means that the tourism industry needs to deliver at a larger scale. Development Counsellors International research report, "Strengthening the Travel and Tourism Workforce," makes it clear that professional pride, workplace respect, and upskilling opportunities are among the ways destinations can attract and keep tourism workers. And since your frontline workers are the best brand ambassadors you have, grooming and growing your hospitality workforce has become a key part of #destinationmarketing. https://lnkd.in/eh3Hf8tV

I’ve worked with many new #travelPR professionals who felt anxious during their first big travel conference. When you’ve been doing this for as long as I have, it's easy to forget that this anxiety is normal! Events like Destinations International 2024 Annual Conference in Tampa, Florida, can be overwhelming when you’re new. But the good news is, it’s not like switching schools in the awkward years of middle school (and I should know...). In this article, my colleague Kayla Leska offers some good advice on how to make sure first-time conference attendees are prepped for success: https://lnkd.in/eAH5ASZB #travelPR #destinationmarketing

I have a little boy, so dinosaurs are a big part of my life right now. Here's another reason to love them - fossilized grape seeds in Peru, Panama, and Colombia suggest that dinosaurs' extinction led to the thriving of this fruit. I'll raise a glass tonight and thank you for your sacrifice, Mr. 🦕🦖. [Link to article: https://lnkd.in/eHSsqVwC]

This article titled “We’ve All Become Travel Influencers. It’s Ruining the Planet,” caught my attention. With so much “influencing” out there, my Development Counsellors International influencer relations team is constantly educating #destinationmarketing professionals about what makes influencer partnerships strategic - knowing what story needs to be told and who to work with to share that story. That often means saying “no” to inbound influencer requests or saying “yes, if…” #Sustainable choices are often the hard choices – but they are the right choices. And they ensure that the benefit of tourism dollars are going in the direction they should to help those who need them most.