Blog Posts
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Global All-Stars 2019 Recap
Insights, Ideas & Inspiration from Around the World
The Global All-Stars presentation videos and decks are available here.
Since 2011, Miles has hosted the Global All-Stars mainstage session at the Destinations International Annual Convention, one of the largest gatherings of destination marketing organizations (DMOs) in the world. Over the last 8 years, Global All-Stars has showcased innovation and served as a leading platform for sharing exciting new ideas, insights and inspiration from around the world.
At the 2019 Annual Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, three exceptional speakers presented at Global All-Stars with a unifying theme of the topic of trust. While trust in many “official” organizations has been questioned in recent years, it remains a critical asset for any DMO. Trust is not simply important in the DMO’s...
Eight Great Reasons to Visit Maryhill, Queen of the Columbia Gorge
On a clear day you can see … Stonehenge? From the Pacific Northwest? Sounds outrageous, but it’s true! On a clear day, there’s nothing that compares to the expansive views of the Columbia River Gorge. “God’s country” it’s been called. Sam Hill (who commissioned the full-scale replica of Stonehenge on a bluff above the Columbia River) saw the beauty of this land, purchased 5,300 acres in 1907 and named it Maryhill in honor of his daughter.
When the Friends of Goldendale Observatory host stargazing campouts on a clear night, the amazing views of Maryhill are undeniable. Stargazing campouts are few and far between but if you visit Maryhill, the drive will be well worth the reward. Happen to find yourself in Portland, Oregon? Consider adding this day trip onto your itinerary; just a scenic 100-mile ride east. From the amazing views and art to the award-winning wine and Stonehenge Memorial, here are eight reasons to visit Maryhill.
Dreaming up the Ideal Vacation: Balancing Spontaneity and a Planned Itinerary
The Colosseum in Rome. The Blue Mosque in Istanbul. Big Ben in London. There are certain iconic sights that you simply “have” to see when you visit destinations. But what about relaxing, exploring, and immersing yourself in the local lifestyle? (This is a vacation, after all.)
Some would argue that the magic of traveling lies in those unexpected moments and through truly experiencing a place through all your senses—and they would have a point. There’s nothing like the laze of sunbathing on the shores of Majorca, napping through the heat of the afternoon alongside locals, or the contented leisure of reading a book for hours in a café, as Parisian daily life bustles around you. When it comes to planning a vacation, it seems like travelers often fall into two camps: the stick-to-the-itinerary traveler and the let’s-see-where-life-takes-us traveler. I’d argue you...
Tips for Traveling with Type 1 Diabetes
I have been diabetic for over 20 years, and with that have learned a few tricks to make traveling with Type 1 diabetes a little easier. I am by no means a world traveler, but over the past 20 years I have taken enough trips to learn what rules to follow, what rules you can break, and what you absolutely cannot live without. Below are five tips that will help you when traveling with diabetes.
Tip #1: Know Your Destination
Make sure that your insurance will cover you wherever you are travelling. If you are traveling abroad, check out the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers, which has some great tips and things that are important to know. Double check that your insurance will cover you overseas; if not, purchase special travel insurance (be sure to include coverage for pre-...
DIY Technology: AI-Powered Chatbots
Tools like Chatfuel let you create your own chatbot
This is the second of a series of posts focused on free tools that enable marketers to quickly and easily harness new technologies
Check out the other post in this series here
Another new major technology impacting today’s marketing landscape is Artificial Intelligence, or AI. This is one of the technologies that I think will have the greatest impact on marketing as we move into the future, and it’s already being widely adopted by major brands.
One of the most pervasive ways that brands are utilizing AI now is through chatbots. I’m sure you’ve experienced a chatbot — I use the one in my Bank of America app weekly (the chatbot’s name is, aptly, “Erica”), and I just unsubscribed from my NYT Crossword subscription via chatbot. It’s almost like talking to real...