DIAC21 Highlights
In the inimitable words of Tony Stark in Iron Man 2, “It’s Good to be Back.”
Good to be back out on the road (despite the Delta variant). Good to break bread and toast our friends in bars and restaurants. And, many of us got to do just that last week in Baltimore as Destinations International staged its 2021 Annual Convention with more people onsite than virtual. And, that says a lot about our future, as we emerge from the Plague.
This is only a supposition…but I’m guessing that the DI Convention is somewhat of an anomaly. Because DMO Leaders work in the hospitality field where vaccinations are crucial, we may be more willing to travel than many. And, we’re more willing to engage in shaking hands, hugging and hanging in lobby bars than most. Time will tell if we were collectively too soon. But, my gut tells me that the health safety protocols put in place in Baltimore will have prevented a spreader event.
For attendees, it was a week of pure joy. Reconnecting with old friends and discovering new compadres was exciting. Exploring Baltimore was magical. Al Hutchinson and the Visit Baltimore Team were magnificent hosts. And, the content of the Annual Convention continues to point a path forward for our sector.
The guys from the DI Advocacy Team released the 2021 version of the Tourism Lexicon…and in the Q&A, Panama City’s Dan Rowe asked if they could produce a set of words and phrases we should never use. Words like “give” and “donate” when it comes to government “investment” in what we do. Brilliant idea.
And, on Day Two, DI’s Jack Johnson tied a bow around his Community Shared Value concept with a process and workbook for Destinations International members to use as they establish themselves as such.
The updated DestinationNext Future Study was less break-through than past iterations (hey, it’s only been two years). But, it did validate a number of concepts we’ve been espousing for years…and, validation is sweet when it reaffirms that collaboration and community alignment is key to everything we do (the number one trend they discovered in this year’s research). And, the Miles Global All-Stars session was the best in recent memory, with compelling stories from Sweden, Iceland, Singapore and America.
We roamed the halls and lobbies throughout the event, asking DMO pros what one thing was learned or developed during the Plague that they would keep post-COVID. 20 DMO pros took us up our invitation to share their truths…and you can hear their answers on the latest edition of the DMOU podcast, entitled “What 20 Will Keep.”
But, beyond the sheer joy of seeing friends, colleagues and clients for the first time in two lonely years… seeing my former VP of Sales at the DMO now known as Destination Madison be inducted into the Destinations International Hall of Fame was certainly a high point of the week. Deb Archer’s 26-year run as the head of that DMO has certainly earned her that right…and we couldn’t be more thrilled and proud that she received this sensational honor.
The biggest take-away from the week in Baltimore, however, was a line from the opening keynote address by Wes Moore. He spoke of how we all have a hand on the pen that writes our community’s story. He suggested to the assembled that the visitor also has their hand on that pen.
Let’s make sure that what we all write together each day springs from the page with love, equality and sensitivity.