organizations are now leading efforts to develop physical products (new venues), develop new events, develop human capital (staff and board), and to develop relationships (with local sporting clubs and regional/national event owners). Today, tourism leaders are proving to be more proactive than reactive. They are seeking to create vehicles to push their sports tourism agenda forward. Develop your pathway or leave it to others to potentially choose your fate for you.
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Remote Control – This one is a carryover from last year’s list. Working remotely is not just a trend that industry was forced to adopt due to the pandemic. It is here to stay. If anything is the “new normal” this is it. Given that the generations entering the workforce today largely prefer fl xibility, remote work teams were likely going to take over the business world anyway. COVID-19 just sped up the process. Some organizations we work with have decided to keep the remote work team in place, and a few in the extreme have decided to not renew their offi e leases.
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Silent Sports – Several outdoor sports have seen massive spikes in participation the past two years. Golf, canoe/kayak, and fishi g (among others) all offer opportunities for those destinations that seek them.
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These “silent sports” have become a cornerstone for business development with many CVBs across the country.
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DMO vs. CVB – We have seen more CVBs transition to a bigger vision for their destinations. Numerous tourism bureaus are moving towards a destination marketing organization (or DMO) mission. The difference between the two is subtle but its important. DMOs are responsible for branding and marketing their destination beyond working to attract visitors as a primary mission. DMOs have a lot of verticals to contemplate and manage. Yes, tourism is one, but just one of many things a DMO blends into a community-wide strategy to put their destinations in the best light. We believe this trend is a good one in that DMOs typically have a broader stakeholder audience than CVBs might have, as the DMO works on promotional elements that would appeal to markets beyond tourism. These additional audiences could include the area’s business climate, economic development, politics, arts and culture, and the like. By transitioning to a DMO, tourism suddenly has a more important and integrated seat at the larger table in these destinations. While the past two years have been a rollercoaster, a lot of good has and
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.com/Virrage Images
“Today, tourism leaders are proving to be more proactive than reactive. They are seeking to create vehicles to push their sports tourism agenda forward.”
will come from what we have all been through. Those that accept the challenges of the past and build from them rather than focus on them have a bright future ahead. Good luck to all in 2022. Yours in Sport, Jon.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jon Schmieder is the Founder of the Huddle Up Group LLC, a sports industry consulting company led by award winning executives. Schmieder has 25 years of experience in leading sports tourism and events organizations through strategic growth and increased community collaboration. The Huddle Up Group has worked with more than 250 sports organizations and destinations on over 150 strategic projects. In 2017 the Huddle Up Group was given the Superior Service Award, the highest honor a consulting fi m can earn from the National Association of Sports Commissions. We can be reached at Jon@HuddleUpGroup.com or 602.369.6955. To receive the weekly “Monday Huddle Up” visit www.HuddleUpGroup.com or sign up at www.tinyletter.com/JonSchmieder. © Huddle Up Group, 2021
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