Destination Development


Topic Sampling Program Choices Two & Three Day Summits		The New Age of Tourism: Is It Working For You? The travel industry is going through a major metamorphosis with fuel prices all over the map, airlines in disarray, a struggling economy, and a shift from geography-based to experience-based tourism. Additionally, the Internet has leveled the playing field and has rewritten the tourism game. Every year another 1,500 communities in North America work to diversify from their core industry by tapping into tourism. Competition has never been more fierce. Roger’s engaging and eye-opening keynote or general session address looks at the New Age of Tourism and provides bottom-line things you can do to survive, and even thrive, in this brand new age. The Twenty Ingredients of an Outstanding Destination Over nearly ten years, the DDI team surveyed and studied more than 400 well-branded, vibrant downtowns or downtown districts and communities in North America to find the common elements that made them so successful. In this photographic “idea book” workshop, you’ll learn the 20 common ingredients, hear the stories, and see “how-they-did-it” examples including things you can do to create or enhance your own outstanding destination. The Art of Branding a Community “Branding” is the keyword of the decade, and this keynote or general session workshop demystifies and explains the process of branding for both communities and businesses in the tourism industry. Using case histories, video clips, dozens of photos, and humorous stories, attendees will learn what it takes to create a successful brand and how it translates to cash. This is an excellent workshop for states and provinces, cities, counties, regions, and downtowns working to reenergize their economic development and/or revitalization efforts. Things You Can Do Today to Make a Difference Tomorrow This workshop provides several tips and tricks -- inexpensive things you can do today with your marketing and downtown improvement efforts to make an immediate difference in terms of visitation, extended stays, and increased sales. Using real case histories and dozens of photos, we’ll show you how merchants have doubled their sales for just pennies, tricks that will pull customers into your stores, and ways to get everyone on the same page and pulling in the same direction. This is a “must see” workshop for downtown property owners, businesses, Main Street and downtown associations, city leaders, chambers of commerce, and elected officials. Powerlines, Slogans And Logos Part of every branding effort includes the creation of a memorable slogan or tag line, a logo, and if you are very smart - a “powerline.” You’ll learn what the differences are between a slogan, tag line, powerline, logo and a brand identity. We’ll also cover when each should be used, how, and who should use them. This engaging and humorous workshop showcases what works, what doesn’t work (using real life examples), and step-by-step instructions on how to develop a winning marketing message in both graphics and words that will truly set you apart from everyone else. Seven Immutable Rules of Successful Tourism If you can’t get visitors to stop in your community, how are you going to get them to stay? From Roger’s popular book,Your Town, A Destination: The 25 Immutable Rules of Successful Tourism, learn seven of the rules covering a variety of topics including: branding, marketing, the internet, product development, downtowns, signage and gateways, and more. Entertaining and insightful, this multi-media keynote or general session workshop will give attendees action steps they can begin today to make a difference tomorrow. More Rules of Successful Tourism A perfect breakout session following the Seven Immutable Rules, this workshop showcases additional rules such as “Restrooms Attract More Than Flies,” “Critical Mass is Not Just a Religious Experience,” and “Real Men Don’t Ask For Directions.” This workshop is sure to entertain and educate attendees and provides a number of proven bottom-line suggestions on how to increase tourism spending in every community.