428. From Attractions to Experiences, with Laurel Greatrix
Release Date: 05/14/2025
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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_outlineOn this episode of Destination on the Left, Laurel Greatrix and I explore why today’s travelers are seeking out the experience first and planning trips around it. She shares the top types of experiences that travelers are searching for and explains why they allow visitors to explore a destination more deeply.
What You Will Learn in This Episode:
- Why today’s travelers are increasingly planning trips around experiences rather than destinations, and what this shift means for destination marketers
- What types of travel experiences are trending right now, from outdoor adventures to immersive, small-group offerings like cooking and craft classes
- How Viator supports both large and small experience operators and helps them reach wider audiences through powerful distribution partnerships
- Why authenticity matters in travel experiences and how travelers are seeking unique, non-mass market interactions to go deeper into destinations
- What roles collaboration and strategic partnerships play in Viator’s business model, including the relationship with TripAdvisor and broad third-party distribution
The Experience-First Shift in Travel Planning
Historically, travel planning centered around destinations, accommodations, and flights. Travelers picked a location, locked in their hotel, and then considered what activities to do once on site. But according to Laurel Greatrix, Vice President of Marketing at Viator, the world’s largest travel experiences marketplace, that approach is rapidly evolving. Increasingly, travelers are first setting their sights on unique and memorable experiences and building their trips around them.
What sets the experiences sector apart isn’t just its offline-heavy operation or diversity, but the sheer pace of its growth. Since the pandemic, demand has soared for outdoor and active experiences, with destinations like Alaska, Utah, Colorado, and Banff seeing impressive spikes in bookings. Simultaneously, activities such as cooking classes and craft workshops are seeing consistent double- and even triple-digit growth rates. These trends show travelers craving meaningful engagement with destinations, a trend accelerated by the global prioritization of health, wellness, and authentic encounters.
Authenticity and Personalization
“Authentic” is a buzzword often used in travel, but as Laurel points out, it means something different to every traveler. Viator’s data shows that while classic attractions, think the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower, remain bucket-list essentials, growth is skewing toward bespoke, local, and hands-on experiences. Travelers increasingly seek opportunities to connect with local culture, meet passionate guides, and try their hand at activities like perfume making in Paris or chocolate crafting in Belgium.
For marketers and operators, this means a growing need to communicate what makes their experiences unique, accessible, and “authentic.” Reviews, detailed product descriptions, and visually rich content can help set expectations and attract customers seeking depth over breadth.
Collaboration in the Experiences Ecosystem
Viator’s success is rooted in collaboration, internally and through partnerships. Its acquisition by TripAdvisor shows how powerful collaborations can transform an entire market segment. By powering bookings across thousands of partner sites ranging from airlines to travel agencies and even Amazon, Viator helps even the smallest operators achieve global reach.
Collaboration also extends to working with destinations and other experience providers. By joining forces, they can disperse visitor traffic, reduce overcrowding at major sites, and promote lesser-known experiences that contribute to local economies and more sustainable tourism practices.
Resources:
- Website: https://www.viator.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurelgreatrix/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/viatortravel/
- X: https://x.com/ViatorTravel
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/viator
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ViatorTravel
We value your thoughts and feedback and would love to hear from you. Leave us a review on your favorite streaming platform to let us know what you want to hear more of. Here is a quick tutorial on how to leave us a rating and review on iTunes!