416. Exploring Afro-Latino Culture and Heritage, with Eileen Ivette
Release Date: 02/19/2025
445. Immersive Travel and Community Empowerment, with Florence Li
Destination On The Left
On this episode of Destination on the Left, Florence Li, Director of International Development for Songtsam Resorts, shares how her family-owned luxury boutique hotel collection has built its reputation by opening hidden doors to remote destinations in Tibet and Yunnan. She explains how Songtsam differentiates itself by offering immersive cultural experiences, empowering local communities through creative staffing solutions, and staying deeply committed to sustainability. Florence also highlights how the brand’s mission to preserve Tibetan culture and protect the environment resonates with...
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444. Reclaiming Imagination in Business, with Susan Robertson
Destination On The Left
On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Susan Robertson, Possibility Architect at Sharpen Innovation and Harvard instructor. Susan shares why so many of us lose our sense of imagination as we grow up and how we can get it back by embracing curiosity and being open to mistakes. We also discuss how even the wildest brainstorming ideas can lead to real breakthroughs and role-play through a few examples to demonstrate that creativity isn’t just for artists; it’s something we can all tap into to spark fresh ideas. What You Will Learn in This Episode: How Susan Robertson...
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443. Helping Tourism Professionals Reach Gen Z Audiences, with Nathan Oyer
Destination On The Left
On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with our summer intern, Nathan Oyer, who’s about to head back to Binghamton University. In this episode, you’ll hear a candid introduction with Nathan about his experiences as a TAP intern, then we’ll dive right into the training session Nathan led for our team. He shares his insights and research on what makes Gen Z tick, from their love of authentic marketing to the language and wellness trends driving their travel decisions. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Why understanding the differences between generations is key when...
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442. Sacramento’s Farm to Fork and Festival Revolution, with Mike Testa
Destination On The Left
On this episode of Destination on the Left, Mike Testa, President & CEO of Visit Sacramento, describes how his destination has diversified their focus to include festivals and events, sports, leisure markets, and culinary. He explains how positioning themselves as America’s Farm to Fork Capital has paid dividends, including booking a 10-year contract to host the Terra Madre Americas convention. Mike also discusses why tourism is not for tourists and how that plays into action through Visit Sacramento’s work and community partnerships. What You Will Learn in This Episode: Why Mike’s...
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441. The Story Behind Hands Up Holidays’ Ethical Family Adventures, with Christopher Hill
Destination On The Left
On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Christopher Hill, Founder of Hands Up Holidays. Christopher takes us inside his journey from a career in finance to launching a travel company focused on eco-luxury family volunteer vacations. In our conversation, Christopher shares the story behind Hands Up Holidays, and we discuss the company’s focus on family and ethical travel with a holistic approach that ensures each journey leaves a positive impact on local communities and their visitors. What You Will Learn in This Episode: How Christopher built Hands Up Holidays by combining...
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440. Boosting Tourism Marketing Success with Owned Media Tactics, with Camille Zess
Destination On The Left
On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Camille Zess, Vice President of Growth at TAP, who brings 14 years of wide-ranging expertise in digital strategy, website development, email marketing, and the ever-evolving world of AI. We discuss the “Owned” media segment of the —your website, blog, email marketing, and other assets you have complete control over. Camille shares practical tips on evaluating and optimizing these owned channels, from knowing when it’s time for a website refresh to the power of blog audits and list segmentation. Our discussion also explores...
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439. PESO Model in Action: Social Media and Shared Tactics, with Adrienne Currie and Brittany Lynn
Destination On The Left
On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Adrienne Currie, Community & Marketing Manager at TAP, and Brittany Lynn, Senior Account Manager at TAP for the third installment of a special four-part series exploring the Model—a framework for creating integrated marketing plans that drive results in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry. Our conversation shines a spotlight on the “S”—shared media, and Adrienne and Brittany dive into the strategies behind creating impactful social media campaigns, from identifying your target audience to understanding the value of...
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438. Earned Media Essentials for Tourism Marketers, with Colleen Onuffer
Destination On The Left
On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Colleen Onuffer for the second installment of a four-part series exploring the Model—Paid, Earned, Shared, and Owned media—in integrated marketing. Colleen shares more about earned media: what it is, why it’s critical for building credibility, and how organizations in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry can use it to tell their story more powerfully. From collaborating with influencers to maximizing media placements, she explains how earned media fits into the bigger picture and interacts with other parts of the PESO...
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437. Paid Media Tactics That Work in Travel and Tourism, with Colleen Senglaub
Destination On The Left
On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Colleen Senglaub, Digital Account Manager at TAP, for the first installment of a four-part series exploring the Model—a foundational framework for integrated marketing plans in travel, tourism, and hospitality. We dig into the “P” of PESO—Paid Media. Colleen shares her expertise on digital advertising, breaking down today’s must-have channels, including Meta (Facebook and Instagram), Google, programmatic, and connected TV campaigns. They also touch on emerging platforms like Pinterest and TikTok, offering fresh ideas for...
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436. Inspiring Confident Communication, with Karen Laos
Destination On The Left
On this episode of Destination on the Left, I talk with Karen Laos, a communication expert and confidence cultivator, about the most common mishaps that we make when communicating, and practical advice on how to avoid them. We discuss the importance of communication as a woman, the benefits of building strong relationships, and why being interested is a better strategy than being interesting. She also gives us easy phrases and questions to help us start creating deeper connections today. What You Will Learn in This Episode: How Karen Laos discovered the power of confident communication, from...
info_outlineIn this episode of Destination on the Left, Eileen Ivette shares her journey to becoming a creator and travel influencer. We discuss her award-winning Black Latin History series, which won Best Travel Series at the Black Travel Film Festival. Eileen shares historical narratives and shows people how to immerse themselves in history while traveling. She details her storytelling approach, from equipment choices to balancing work, authentic experiences, and content curation for each piece.
What You Will Learn in This Episode:
- Why Eileen is passionate about creating platforms that highlight the presence and contributions of Afro-Latinos in Latin America and the importance of representation
- How Eileen’s unique approach to storytelling involves treating her content as a love letter to a destination and the strategies she uses to create immersive and engaging content
- Why Eileen believes that exposure to diverse cultures through travel leads to personal expansion and greater cultural understanding
- What role Eileen’s background in journalism plays in her ability to capture and share meaningful stories through video content
- How Eileen collaborates with destinations and the flexibility she appreciates when creating authentic stories that resonate with her audience
Celebrating Cultural Diversity Through Travel
With an academic background in journalism, media, and film from Howard University, Eileen has always been passionate about storytelling. This passion led her to create content that entertains, educates, and inspires.
Eileen loves to share stories about black history, businesses, and events across Latin America. Her commitment to this cause was recently recognized with her award-winning Black Latin History series, which won Best Travel Series at the Black Travel Film Festival. Through her work, Eileen aims to share history and show how travelers can immerse themselves in it when visiting different destinations. She believes that cross-cultural connections and exposure to new cultures lead to expansion and growth.
Crafting Content with Heart
Eileen views her projects as love letters to the destinations she showcases, pouring emotion into each piece she produces. Her aim is always to capture the energy and essence of each place she visits, bringing it to life for her audience.
She described balancing her work with the authentic travel experience, ensuring her content remains engaging and immersive. Her goal is to make viewers feel the energy and emotions of the places she visits, even if they can’t be there in person.
Inspiring Connections
Eileen’s work goes beyond sharing beautiful destinations; it bridges gaps and inspires meaningful conversations about cultural diversity. She emphasizes the importance of connecting with one’s roots through travel, highlighting how these journeys can help individuals understand and appreciate the diverse threads that shape our shared history. Eileen’s travels to Colombia and Brazil are great examples of how immersing yourself in local culture builds amazing community connections.
Resources:
- Website: http://www.eileenivette.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eileen-ivette/
- YouTube: https://youtu.be/beLg_ljrmDU?si=a-Uh6NskvNjpWqEm
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