Episode 170: Ohio’s Largest Playground, with Scott Hutchinson
Release Date: 03/11/2020
Episode 375: Cultivating a Transformative Mindset, with Meredith Calloway
Destination On The Left
On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Meredith Calloway, Chief Visionary Officer and Co-Founder of Gifted Travel Network (GTN). She shares more about the inspiration behind her community of luxury travel advisors and her nuggets of wisdom about how to develop and cultivate a brand message that will help you stand out from the crowd by finding your brilliance. What You Will Learn in This Episode: How Meredith transitioned from working in finance to starting a travel business and founding Gifted Travel Network Why finding one’s “zone of genius” and pursuing a passion is...
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Episode 374: Our Exciting Travel Alliance Partnership Rebrand, with Nicole Mahoney
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This week, I’m reflecting on our new brand and why we are so excited about the next chapter. I want to share the branding journey with you to highlight the lessons we learned along the way. I hope that our story will inspire you and give an introduction to our new company and the philosophy behind it. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Why we decided to merge two brands, and how the Travel Alliance Partnership will be an economic development partner for destinations What the rebranding process involved, including workshops, visual mapping, and merging of brands Why embracing “cathedral...
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Episode 373: Understanding American Traveler Sentiment, with Amir Eylon
Destination On The Left
A thirty-two-year veteran of the Travel & Tourism industry, Amir Eylon leads the entire team at Longwoods International, responsible for the development and execution of all facets of the organization, from program development to customer acquisition and retention. He joined Longwoods in 2015 from his previous role as Vice President, Partner Engagement with Brand USA, the public-private partnership serving as the destination marketing organization dedicated to increasing international visitation to the US. He led the team responsible for helping to increase Brand USA’s partnership base...
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Episode 372: The Impact of Coopetition in Creating Meaningful Travel Experiences, with Greg Takehara
Destination On The Left
Greg Takehara has been the CEO of Tourism Cares since 2019. He previously served on its Board, acting as its Chairman before becoming CEO. Prior to Tourism Cares, Greg was the President of Trip Mate, Inc., a travel insurance administrator. He began his thirty-five year career in the travel and tourism industry at The Mark Travel Corporation, where he served as General Counsel. Greg serves on the Board of the US Travel Association and has served on the Boards of NTA and the IGLTA Foundation, as well as numerous industry committees. He is from Chicago and has an undergraduate degree from the...
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Episode 371: Leaning into the Uniqueness of a Destination, with JoAnna Haugen
Destination On The Left
JoAnna Haugen is an award-winning writer, consultant, speaker, and solutions advocate who has worked in communications-related positions in the travel and tourism industry her entire career. She is also the Founder of Rooted, a solutions platform at the intersection of sustainable tourism, social impact, and storytelling. Through Rooted, JoAnna helps tourism professionals decolonize travel experiences and support sustainability using strategic storytelling. In 2021, Newsweek named JoAnna a winner in the storytelling category of its Future of Tourism awards. She has also been nominated for...
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Episode 370: Transforming Marketing with AI, with Paul Roetzer
Destination On The Left
Paul Roetzer is the Founder and CEO of Marketing AI Institute; co-author of Marketing Artificial Intelligence: AI, Marketing and the Future of Business; host of The Marketing AI Show podcast; and creator of the Marketing AI Conference (MAICON). As a speaker, Roetzer is focused on making AI approachable and actionable for marketers and business leaders. A graduate of Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, Roetzer has consulted for hundreds of organizations, from startups to Fortune 500 companies. Previously, he was Founder and CEO of PR 20/20, a digital marketing agency that he...
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Episode 369: The Power of Owned Media, with Adam Stoker
Destination On The Left
Adam Stoker is the Co-Founder, President, and CEO of Relic, a full-service destination marketing agency. For over 15 years, Adam has excelled in the leisure travel, stakeholder engagement, and destination branding spheres. Immersed in the world of tourism, Adam has spent time as a member of the Utah Tourism Industry Association Board. He is a frequent speaker and collaborator at industry events nationwide, speaking at the Utah Tourism Conference, Texas Travel Summit, several Destinations International events, and more. A passionate thought leader in the world of owned media, Adam speaks on the...
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Episode 368: Uniting Communities through Memorable New York City Tours and Events, with Rowena Sahulee
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Rowena Sahulee is a marketing executive with over 20 years in the dual realms of tourism and economic development. She has worked in marketing functions at organizations such as Circle Line Statue of Liberty Ferry and Harbor Cruises, the first concessionaire to the Statue of Liberty. The Greater Houston Partnership, the main business organization in the Houston, Texas, 10-country region. Choose NJ, the economic development marketing organization for the State of New Jersey. After Choosing NJ, she started with Empire State Development in the Division of Tourism, I LOVE NY, as the Director of...
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Episode 367: Uniting for Success in the Travel Industry, with Nicole Mahoney
Destination On The Left
This week we’re coming to you directly from the ABA Marketplace in Nashville, where I’m talking to eight amazing travel industry experts about why there’s a sense of energy and forward focus in 2024. They share more about the experiences visitors to their destinations are requesting and dig into the importance of authenticity and making genuine connections between visitors and locals. In this episode, you’ll hear from these travel and tourism industry leaders: Lorey Hall: Kris Hoff: Adam Jacobson: Sonya Nash: Jill Shorkey: Marlene Smith: Greg...
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Episode 366: Nurturing Relationships in the Tourism and Travel Sector with Nicole Mahoney
Destination On The Left
This week, the podcast is coming to you from the ABA Marketplace in Nashville, where nearly 3,000 tour and travel professionals convened to learn and network with their peers. From indigenous experiences in Alberta to the revitalization of destinations like Philadelphia and Branson, this episode is packed with valuable perspectives on collaboration, envisioning the future of travel, and the power of personal connections in the tourism industry. In this episode, you’ll hear from these extraordinary leaders: Vince Accardi: Richard Arnold: Marcy Barnes: Aaron Brown: ...
info_outlineScott Hutchinson is the Director of Marketing & Communications for the Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau and has been with the WCCVB since June of 2014. Scott oversees the bureau’s marketing efforts, managing its advertising and public relations campaigns, as well as the production of its blog content, e-newsletters, and annual Visitors Guide. Prior to joining the WCCVB, Scott held roles with the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Western & Southern Open and Ryan Partnership – a creative agency in Columbus, Ohio. He also had the opportunity to serve as a correspondent at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. Scott is a graduate of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University and a resident of Cincinnati.
In this episode of Destination on the Left, Scott dive’s into the strategy that has brought Warren County upwards of twelve million visitors annually. He discusses the inspiration behind the “Ohio’s Largest Playground” brand, and he talks about what’s in store for the future of WCCVB.
What You Will Learn in This Episode:
- Scott’s journey into the travel and tourism industry
- How WCCVB’s marketing strategy reflects the qualities that define Warren County
- What Scott’s team at WCCVB has done to make Warren County stand out from the crowd
- The inspiration and meaning behind the “Ohio’s Largest Playground” brand
- How WCCVB has tapped into the youth and amateur sports travel market
- Lessons and best practices Scott took away from bringing a major sporting event to Warren County
- How WCCVB portrays their community events through their PR and marketing efforts
Warren County Has Something for Everyone
As the director of marketing and communications for the Warren County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Scott Hutchinson oversees the bureau’s marketing, advertising, public relations, and content creation. Warren County, Ohio is nestled in between Dayton and Cincinnati, so Scott is presented with both unique opportunities and challenges as he tries to make the Warren County travel experience stand out. He has already separated Warren County from the pack by rebranding the destination as “Ohio’s Largest Playground.” But Scott and his team plan to drive even more visitor traffic this year when they open a brand new multi-purpose sports complex that will serve as a central hub for youth sports organizations and their families.
Telling Warren County’s Story
Scott cherishes the privilege to promote the place where he built his entire life, and he has done an outstanding job telling Warren County’s story. Warren County is most known for King’s Island, but there is a ton of activity beyond the amusement park. The region welcomes approximately twelve million visitors annually and it continues to grow thanks to Warren County’s close proximity to Dayton and Cincinnati. The Warren County Convention and Visitors Bureau has played a significant role in the recent spike of visitors, and they continue to drum up new and innovative campaigns that capture the defining qualities of this unique area.
Ohio’s Largest Playground
While many destinations hone in on one defining characteristic to build the foundation of their marketing strategy, Warren County has done the exact opposite. In fact, the abundance of attractions is Warren County’s biggest strength, and the seemingly endless list of things to do is the inspiration behind the “Ohio’s Largest Playground” brand. They have the state’s second-largest winery, oldest hotel, oldest restaurant, and they even hold a global tennis tournament every summer. With that, we are only scratching the surface of what Warren County has to offer, Scott and his team have embraced the notion that Warren County has something for everyone, and with their central location, they are within a day’s drive for over 60% of residents in the United States.
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OhiosLargestPlayground
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottlhutchinson/
- Twitter: @warrencountyoh
- Website: http://www.ohioslargestplayground.com/
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