The Conference Side

In those early years, as with most of us starting out in consulting, there was the need to supplement a slow-to-establish client base with some side hustles. One of the first was becoming Destinations Wisconsin's first part-time director (and thank you for the buoy, my friends). 

One of the ways that we were going to find the revenue to compensate me was to launch an annual conference, which, of course, infuriated the Secretary of Tourism (something I would find over the years would be my hallmark with most of the individuals running my State and International DMO Trade Associations). But, by placing it six months from the State Conference, we assured the Secretary it would not cannibalize his event...and the Wisconsin Fall Conference on Tourism continues as a success to this day.

Then, when the International Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus announced they would be hosting their Annual Convention in Hong Kong in 1997, the late Bruce Riley McDaniel and the still very much alive former Director of the Fargo CVB Cole Carley decided there was simply no way many Midwest DMOs could justify a trip to Hong Kong...so they called me to see if I would run a local version of the convention that fall, providing professional development for the rest of us. I agreed, again thankful for the work.

It was to be a one-off...but it proved so insanely successful that it too continues to this day. And, was a constant burr under the saddle of every CEO of the organization today known as Destinations International (until the arrival of Don Welsh, who embraced the event). Kinda reminds me of that Motley Crue song.

That they have lasted over 25 years, I look back at those two conferences with a profound sense of pride. But, I do ponder their future. Are conferences like this still relevant? Do they need to evolve? Or, are we fine...as Destinations International is reporting a record pace of registrations for this year's Annual Convention in Chicago.

I guess the next generation of DMO pros will decide the next chapter of all of them.