After taking a few days off to recover from gallbladder surgery, I’m excited to be back in action—and more than ready to start eating again! This week has taken me all across the region, from Franklin County to Giles County, Lynchburg to Wayne County, and beyond. As we move through February, most of you have likely experienced your first DMO (Destination Marketing Organization) check-in for the year. I’ve had the privilege of joining a few of these meetings with our team, and I’m looking forward to visiting more communities in the coming months as we fine-tune this initiative.
With that in mind, I want to take a moment to reiterate our goals for these check-ins and what they can mean for you as a local DMO.
Aligning Tourism Efforts for Greater Impact
One of the biggest challenges in tourism is alignment. Every destination has a unique brand, audience, and opportunities to market to different groups of travelers. As a regional organization, our goal is to bridge the gap between local, regional, and state tourism initiatives to create a cohesive strategy that amplifies all of our efforts.
These DMO check-ins serve as an essential touchpoint, ensuring that our regional branding not only supports your local efforts but also enhances and strengthens them. Instead of being just another voice in the mix, we want our regional messaging to act as a bullhorn for the work you’re already doing—helping your destination reach more people with a stronger, unified message.
Evolving the DMO Check-In Format
Each month, our team sends out an itinerary for the upcoming DMO check-in. So far, these meetings have largely followed a checklist format, running through agenda items and marking them off. While this has been effective, I want to see these meetings evolve into deeper, more fundamental discussions about the key topics that impact tourism in your area.
Instead of relying on follow-up emails and back-and-forth messaging, we want to have real-time conversations during our visits. By providing itineraries in advance, we’re encouraging you to review them, prepare for the discussion, and bring any relevant information to the table. In turn, we will ensure that we clearly communicate expectations and program details when we send out the agenda.
These check-ins should be more than just a meeting—they should be a strategic collaboration that maximizes opportunities for growth and innovation in your destination.
Key Areas of Focus
Moving forward, DMO check-ins will be critical for:
1. Project Updates & Grant Opportunities
Reviewing progress on shared marketing and enhancement grants
Discussing new grant opportunities, such as:
ABC Arts Grant
RATS Grant
Tennessee Whiskey Trail Mural Grant
Helping to develop a plan of action for pursuing these funding sources
2. Aligning Messaging with State Initiatives
Ensuring that our PR and media narratives are in sync with the state’s tourism messaging
Reviewing state-level social media and marketing plans and identifying opportunities for local integration
3. Strengthening Regional Collaboration
Creating a consistent tourism message that benefits both local and regional efforts
Identifying partnership opportunities across counties to boost visibility and engagement
A Collaborative Approach to Tourism Growth
Our team is thrilled to be part of these check-ins, and we have truly appreciated the hospitality and camaraderie we’ve experienced so far. Thank you for being an active part of this process and for helping us refine these meetings to make them as effective as possible.
These check-ins are not just another meeting on the calendar—they are the most critical and impactful tourism conversations you will have each month. Together, we are building a stronger, more connected tourism network that benefits every destination in our region.
I look forward to continuing this journey with each of you and seeing where this collaboration takes us in the months and years ahead!
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