434. Leveraging Lifestyle Media to Boost Tourism, with Liza Graves
Release Date: 06/25/2025
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_outlineOn this episode of Destination on the Left, Liza Graves shares her journey growing a 100% digital lifestyle publication that she started as a way to help small businesses through the recession. She talks about why it is important to find your North Star and how that can guide you through the ups and downs. We talk through some of the unique ways that StyleBlueprint helps DMOs and tourism businesses reach a traveling audience.
What You Will Learn in This Episode:
- How Liza launched StyleBlueprint during the Great Recession to help support local businesses and why that mission has been the cornerstone of her company’s growth
- Why it’s essential to know your North Star as a business or destination, and how that core purpose can help you navigate challenges like economic downturns and the pandemic
- What it means to tell authentic, experience-driven stories about destinations and small businesses, and why origin stories resonate so powerfully with target audiences
- How StyleBlueprint partners with destinations and DMOs, and what makes a successful collaboration, including the role of co-ops and customized storytelling
- Why identifying your brand or destination’s true story matters more than following trends, and Liza’s tips for discovering and communicating those stories effectively
- How to break through the clutter when pitching stories to media outlets or digital publications, based on Liza’s frontline advice for PR professionals and marketers
- What collaboration and community-building look like in practice, and why Liza believes working together leads to more sustainable, meaningful growth for destinations and businesses
Finding Your North Star
From the Great Recession to catastrophic floods and the uncertainty of the pandemic, Liza knows a thing or two about leading through adversity. Her advice is to have a clear North Star, your guiding purpose and values that keep you focused through turbulent times.
During the pandemic, StyleBlueprint leaned deeply into its core mission: supporting local. Liza reached out personally to partners, offered flexible arrangements, and championed resources like PPP guidance. Because these actions were rooted in authentic care and community, her business not only weathered the storm but emerged stronger and with deeper trust.
Her experience is a master class for tourism professionals: know your core, communicate gratitude, and adapt your offerings while never losing sight of the people and partners who make your destination or business possible.
Finding and Telling Destination Stories That Resonate
One of the signature advantages of StyleBlueprint is the way it dives deep, trading five-point “Top Things to Do” lists for rich, immersive lifestyle features. Liza advocates for destinations and businesses to invest time in uncovering their true stories, often starting with their own origin. Why did you open your restaurant, shop, or B&B? What local traditions or quirks define your town?
It’s not always easy to surface the stories closest to us—we’re often “too close” to see what’s special. Liza encourages hiring a professional storyteller if needed, or leveraging AI tools as a prompt to reflect on why your place or business exists and what personally resonates about its history or community role. These stories aren’t just interesting, they magnetize your ideal visitor and forge lasting emotional connections.
Strength in Partnerships
A standout takeaway from the episode is Liza’s embrace of “coopetition”—forming strategic, collaborative storytelling and marketing partnerships even among traditional competitors. StyleBlueprint’s co-op articles group similar destinations, such as “guys’ weekend getaways” or “mother-daughter retreats,” giving readers variety and context while offering participating locales a cost-effective, high-impact platform.
These efforts enhance authenticity and make it easier for destinations to identify and communicate the unique experiences they offer. The key, as Liza notes, is partnering with platforms that “overdeliver,” know their audiences, and, most importantly, care.
Resources:
- Website: https://styleblueprint.com/
- LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizagraves/
- LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blueprint-inc-local/
- Subscribe to StyleBlueprint’s daily emails: https://styleblueprint.com/ac-subscribe/
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