Shows / Destination Discourse
Destination Discourse
Destination Discourse is the essential podcast for DMOs and travel industry professionals who want to stay ahead in destination marketing, stewardship, and management. Hosted by industry experts Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker, each episode delves into the key issues and trends shaping the future of tourism. From cutting-edge innovations to the complex challenges of destination management, we offer thought-provoking insights, honest debates, and practical takeaways. Part love letter to the…
Episodes
- Destination Discourse
105: What Are DMOs Actually Paying Agencies For? (Agency Panel Reaction, Pt. 1)
This is part one of a two-part reaction to episode 103, where a panel of leading destination agencies agreed on two big things: AI is commoditizing tactical…
- Destination Discourse
104: Why Aren't DMOs Weaponizing Their Local Universities for Visitors and Advocacy? (Kristen Adamo)
Every DMO says it wants community partners, yet most ignore the one institution already moving thousands of people into their destination every year. Kristen…
- Destination Discourse
103: What Do the Industry's Top Agencies Really Think About the Future of Destination Marketing?
For the first time ever, four of destination marketing's biggest agency partners sat down together, on the record, to talk openly about where this industry is…
- Destination Discourse
102: Is Your Destination Chasing Luxury at the Expense of Its Locals? (Shannon Lowery)
Luxury hotels keep going up. Affordable housing doesn't. As destinations chase the top of the K-shaped economy, the residents who staff the front desks and…
- Destination Discourse
101: Does Your DMO Need a Hive Mind? (Janette Roush)
Every DMO generates a constant stream of intelligence - agency reports, meeting transcripts, sales calls, partner conversations - and most of it ends up…
- Destination Discourse
100: After 100 Episodes, Which of Our Own Beliefs Didn't Survive?
Two years, 100 episodes, and zero preparation. In the first-ever live edition of Destination Discourse, Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker take audience questions…
- Destination Discourse
99: Who's Actually the Theater Director of Your Destination? (Seth Lieber)
Destinations International's 2025 Destination Next study says DMOs should stop just promoting the visitor experience and start owning it. Seth Lieber, founder…
- Destination Discourse
98: Are DMOs to Blame for Their Own Funding Crisis? (Bill Geist)
A city council in Georgia just replaced a high-performing DMO with a firm that faked its client list - and barely anyone with standing pushed back. Returning…
- Destination Discourse
97: Are You Marketing a Destination, or Exporting a Culture? (Josh Albrecht)
Most DMOs still ask how to get outsiders to notice their destination. Josh Albrecht, CMO of VISIT Milwaukee, argues that's the wrong question - a DMO's real…
- Destination Discourse
96: Are You Optimizing Your Destination Into a Death Spiral? (Dan Janes)
Stuart and Adam open with Dubai's viral resident-referral campaign - turning locals into paid travel advocates - before returning Destie Dan Janes (KHM Agency)…
- Destination Discourse
95: When's the Last Time Your DMO Admitted a Campaign Bombed? (Dan Gibson)
Every DMO panel is a highlight reel - so why does no one ever mention what didn't work? Returning guest Dan Gibson (Visit McMinnville) joins Stuart Butler and…
- Destination Discourse
94: Are LLM Visibility Audits Total BS? (Emily Zertuche)
Every vendor in the industry suddenly has an "AI visibility score" to sell you. Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker dig into whether GEO (Generative Engine…
- Destination Discourse
93: Are You Paying Attention to the Trends Reshaping Marketing Right Now?
Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker step outside destination marketing to spot the trends reshaping consumer attention right now - and don't even agree on which ones…
- Destination Discourse
92: Is Your DMO Chasing Relevance When It Should Be Fighting for Significance?
In this episode of Destination Discourse, Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker recap Adam's latest CMO Jam - a live, candid roundtable with six DMO marketing leaders…
- Destination Discourse
91: Is Your DMO Website Still Just a Listings Page in an AI World? (Will Wright)
AI is already cutting DMOs out of the trip-planning conversation - and Will Wright (Destination Core) thinks most destination websites are wasting the one…
- Destination Discourse
90: Why Would AI Ever Trust Your DMO's Content?
In this episode of Destination Discourse, Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker tackle a question most DMOs would rather avoid: why should AI ever trust your content…
- Destination Discourse
89: Is Your DMO Still Treating AI Like a Toy Instead of a Teammate? (Dan Flores)
Dan Flores, Head of Tourism at Satisfi Labs, joins Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker with an uncomfortable premise: most DMOs are still treating AI like a gadget…
- Destination Discourse
88: Is Your DMO Protecting Itself Into Irrelevance? (Chris Fair)
Most DMOs talk about economic impact. Chris Fair, CEO of Resonance Co and author of the annual Best Cities report, talks about something harder to measure —…
- Destination Discourse
87: Would Your Stakeholders Fight to Keep You If You Disappeared Tomorrow? (Gary Sherwin)
Most DMOs measure success in website clicks and visitor guide downloads. Gary Sherwin has spent 20 years at Visit Newport Beach asking a harder question: if…
- Destination Discourse
86: Are You Still Doing Work That AI Should Be Doing For You? (Dan Holowack & Janette Roush)
Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker welcome back Dan Holowack (CrowdRift) and Janette Roush (Brand USA) for a tactical deep dive into how DMOs are actually using AI…
- Destination Discourse
85: Are DMOs Focused on the Wrong Things at the Worst Possible Time? (Emily Zertuche)
What happens when destination marketing organizations start optimizing for short-term ROI at the exact moment AI is fundamentally changing how travelers…
- Destination Discourse
84: Can DMOs Fill the Void Left by Local Media? (Dan Gibson)
In this episode of Destination Discourse, Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker are joined by Dan Gibson, CEO of Visit McMinnville and former journalist, to explore…
- Destination Discourse
83: What Is the Real Purpose of a DMO? (LIVE from DI MarCom 2026)
In this episode of Destination Discourse, Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker share a live session recorded at Destinations International’s MarCom Summit, where they…
- Destination Discourse
82: What Should DMOs Actually Be Doing With AI Right Now? (Janette Roush and Dan Holowack)
In this episode of Destination Discourse, Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker are joined by AI leaders Janette Roush and Dan Holowack for a fast-moving, no-fluff…
- Destination Discourse
81: Are DMOs Still Thinking Like Marketers Instead of Experience Creators? (Matt Vinson)
In this episode of Destination Discourse, Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker are joined by Matt Vinson from Visit Dallas for a conversation about what destination…
- Destination Discourse
80: Do We All Need To Be More Scrappy?
In this episode of Destination Discourse, Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker record together in Myrtle Beach for a conversation that gets personal, practical, and a…
- Destination Discourse
79: Are DMOs too focused on the D and not enough on the O?(Matt Stiker)
In this episode of Destination Discourse, Stuart Butler, Adam Stoker, and returning guest Matt Stiker tackle one of the most entertaining—and surprisingly…
- Destination Discourse
78: Are DMOs Missing the PTO Hacking Opportunity? (Caleb Sullivan)
What happens when travelers start treating their vacation calendar like a strategy game? In this episode of Destination Discourse, Stuart Butler and Adam…
- Destination Discourse
77: Is Your Paid Media Strategy Built for a World That No Longer Exists?
In this episode of Destination Discourse, Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker are back for a long-overdue one-on-one conversation, and they waste no time jumping…
- Destination Discourse
76: Are We Treating AI Like Google Instead of a Co-Worker? (CA Clark)
In this episode of Destination Discourse, Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker are joined once again by AI strategist C.A. Clark for a wide-ranging conversation about…
- Destination Discourse
75: Has Destination Marketing Been Gentrified? (Katy Livingston and Matt Stiker)
Destination marketing has a sameness problem, and this episode tackles it head-on. Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker are joined by Matt Stiker and Katy Livingston…
- Destination Discourse
74: Why Aren’t DMOs and Vacation Rentals Working Together? (Alex Husner and Annie Holcombe)
In this episode of Destination Discourse, Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker are joined by Alex Husner and Annie Holcombe from the Alex & Annie Podcast for a candid…
- Destination Discourse
73: Are DMOs Facing an Identity Crisis? (Christian Mengel)
This episode of Destination Discourse starts in the most on-brand way possible: with Christian Mengel joining live from the Kansas City airport, turning the…
- Destination Discourse
72: Should DMOs Be Responsible for Visitor Safety? (Jason Holic)
A new (intentionally terrible) Stu’s News jingle makes its debut, January downloads surge, and Jason Holic of Experience Kissimmee shares how his team is…
- Destination Discourse
71: Are You Committing the Three Deadly Sins of Board Governance? (Bill Geist)
In this episode of Destination Discourse, Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker welcome back industry legend Bill Geist for a no-nonsense masterclass on DMO board…
- Destination Discourse
70: Are Silos Holding DMOs Back? (Danielle Hollander)
If you’ve ever felt like your DMO is five different organizations wearing the same logo… this episode will feel very familiar. Stuart and Adam welcome Danielle…
- Destination Discourse
69: Are We Built for What’s Coming in Tourism? (Live at SC GovCon)
In this episode of Destination Discourse, Stuart Butler (Visit Myrtle Beach) and Adam Stoker (Brand Revolt) record live at the South Carolina Governor’s…
- Destination Discourse
68: Are DMOs Treating Long-Term Assets Like Short-Term Expenses? (Eddie Kirsch)
Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker kick off the episode shaking off post-holiday rust with their signature mix of self-awareness, banter, and big-picture thinking…
- Destination Discourse
67: Are Data Hangovers and Zombie Metrics Putting DMOs at Risk? (Emily Zertuche)
It’s the first recording of 2026, and Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker welcome back Emily Zertuche for round three. After a quick (and rusty) start, they dive…
- Destination Discourse
66: Are DMOs Forgetting Why People Travel? (Amir Eylon)
Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker are joined by Amir Eylon (Longwoods International) broadcasting from “Snowmageddon Aftermath” in Ohio to talk about what matters…
- Destination Discourse
65: What Are the Desties' Predicting for Destination Marketing in 2026?
Stuart and Adam open with a quick Miracle Morning check-in (45 days strong) and a reminder that early wins matter before work even starts. In Stu’s News, they…
- Destination Discourse
64: Are Adam Stoker’s 2026 Resolutions Right for DMOs?
In this episode of Destination Discourse, Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker dig into Adam’s 2026 resolutions for destination marketers. Rather than rehashing…
- Destination Discourse
63: What Questions Would You Ask a DMO If You Were New to the Industry? (Dustin Rowe)
Stuart and Adam start off completely off the rails, then do something they don’t usually do: hand the keys to their guest. Dustin Rowe, CEO of whatsgood.city…
- Destination Discourse
62: What Are Stuart Butler’s Predictions for Destination Marketing in 2026?
Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker kick off 2026 with a New Year’s episode built around Stuart’s “predictions” (not resolutions). They open with optimism (and a…
- Destination Discourse
61: Has our ability to measure outpaced our ability to explain? (Emily Zertuche)
It’s a festive Destination Discourse that turns into a full-on industry thought exercise. Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker welcome back Emily Zertuche…
- Destination Discourse
60: Will This Announcement Shake Up the DMO Media World? (Zeek Coleman)
Stuart and Adam open with Stu’s News on Australia’s move to restrict social media accounts for users under 16 on certain platforms, sparking a quick sidebar on…
- Destination Discourse
59: Is The Click Dead? (Diane Charno)
Stuart and Adam kick things off with some lighthearted college sports trash talk before welcoming a very special guest co host, Diane Charno, EVP of Marketing…
- Destination Discourse
58: Are DMOs Really Serving Residents?
In this episode of Destination Discourse, Stuart and Adam are together in person in Myrtle Beach for the very first time, recording live from the Grand Strand…
- Destination Discourse
57: What Are Adam and Stuart Most Thankful For in 2025?
In this Thanksgiving-week episode, Stuart and Adam shake off a few weeks of heavy, future-of-AI doom-spiraling and intentionally zoom out to focus on…
- Destination Discourse
56: Is This the Beginning of the End for DMOs? (Janette Roush)
Stuart and Adam are joined by Brand USA’s Janette Roush for a provocative exploration of the question no one in tourism wants to ask out loud: what happens to…
- Destination Discourse
55: Are DMOs Ready to Teach, Not Just Market? (Kara Franker)
The game has changed, and not just for marketers. In this episode of Destination Discourse, Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker are joined by Kara Franker, CEO of…
- Destination Discourse
54: Is It Time for Agencies to Get Paid for How They Think, Not What They Do?
This week on Destination Discourse, Stuart and Adam dive into one of their most candid conversations yet, a real-time therapy session about the changing…
- Destination Discourse
53: Should Vacation Be Mandatory in Destination Marketing? (Jennifer Walker)
We promote the power of travel—but are we actually taking it ourselves? In this episode, Jennifer Walker from Visit Dallas challenges the tourism industry to…
- Destination Discourse
52: Can Supply Chain Thinking Revolutionize Destination Marketing? (Caleb Sullivan and Tyler Ford)
In this episode of Destination Discourse, we’re joined by returning guest Caleb Sullivan and first-time guest Tyler Ford, an outsider from the automotive world…
- Destination Discourse
51: Should the 4 I’s Replace the 4 P’s of Marketing? (John Gardner)
In this episode of Destination Discourse, Stuart and Adam sit down with marketing strategist John Gardner to unpack a bold new framework for modern marketers…
- Destination Discourse
50: How Have Our Views Changed After 50 Episodes?
It’s the 50th episode of Destination Discourse, and Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker mark the milestone by taking a reflective walk through their biggest…
- Destination Discourse
49: How Can DMOs Stand Out in Meetings Marketing? (Joe Heller)
In this episode of Destination Discourse, Stuart and Adam sit down with Joe Heller, CMO of Discover Philadelphia, to tackle one of the biggest challenges…
- Destination Discourse
48: Are We Overstating AI’s Environmental Impact? (CA Clark)
This week’s episode goes deep into one of the most complex and often misunderstood conversations around artificial intelligence: its environmental impact…
- Destination Discourse
47: What Can DMOs Learn from Media’s Demise? (Christian Mengel)
In this episode of Destination Discourse, Stuart and Adam are joined by Christian Mengel of St. Joseph CVB—who is not the dating site, despite the name—for a…
- Destination Discourse
46: Who Won at Destination Discourse LIVE at ESTO 2025?
We brought Destination Discourse to the main stage at ESTO 2025 for a special live debate—and it did not disappoint. In this high-energy session, Stuart and…