How Destination Marketers can Inspire Emotion Through Storytelling; the Science Behind a Good Narrative

Author: Meagan McGuire, CDME – Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority

How many times have you been intrigued by a place based purely on a book or a movie? Anthropologists, along with Ira Glass himself, offer some insights into what makes storytelling so powerful. … Continue reading >How Destination Marketers can Inspire Emotion Through Storytelling; the Science Behind a Good Narrative

Cultivating a Destination’s Band of Brothers

Author: Meagan McGuire, CDME – Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority

How does a destination marketing organization cultivate community advocates who will stand with us during times like these? I argue in this essay that, when it comes to the hospitality business community, this essential support is something that must be built up over time through an attentive focus on partner services. … Continue reading >Cultivating a Destination’s Band of Brothers

How Louisiana’s Cultural Tradition has Transcended the Pandemic

Author: Meagan McGuire, CDME – Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority

Louisiana has a rich tradition of gathering. Festivals are important in educating locals and tourists alike on the region’s unique cultural traditions. When it became clear that these gatherings were helping to spread COVID-19, festival organizers and cultural groups reimagined how they could share their culture with the world. … Continue reading >How Louisiana’s Cultural Tradition has Transcended the Pandemic

Tips for Conducting User Experience Research for Tourism Product Development

Author: Cris Kubli – UX Researcher & Cognitive Anthropologist

UX (User Experience) Research is important in the development of new or established tourism products in order to evaluate usability. Experienced UX researcher & Cognitive Anthropologist, Cris Kubli, explains the 5 human components that influence user experience. … Continue reading >Tips for Conducting User Experience Research for Tourism Product Development

One Researcher’s Experience in the Peruvian Amazon Illustrates Positive Community Branding

Author: Dr. Justin Taillon – Highline College

Anthropological research in the Peruvian Amazon has documented a sense of pride felt by the Ese’Eja people with the introduction of community based tourism programs. … Continue reading >One Researcher’s Experience in the Peruvian Amazon Illustrates Positive Community Branding

The New Era of Transformative and Sustainable Tourism

Author: Jeremy Wells – Longitude

While the future of travel and tourism is largely unknown, there are some travel trends and indicators that have remained. Traveler preferences related to wellness, sustainability, solitude, experiential travel, affordable luxury, and “off-the-beaten-path” travel are likely to expand over the coming years, and transformational travel may be a polestar that clues us in to what the future holds. … Continue reading >The New Era of Transformative and Sustainable Tourism