Netflix and Stranger Things ended the year and a decades-long series with mind-blowing consumer attention. 1.1 million people packed into over 620 theaters for 3500 showtimes to see the final episode of the series on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. The “ticket” itself was a clever twist: seats were free, but attendees had to purchase a food-and-drink credit. [...]

The Zero-Click Era Is Here — And Your Brand’s Visibility Strategy Needs a Reset In 2025, something quietly but decisively changed: your audience stopped behaving the way your dashboards think they behave. Organic traffic flattened, even declined for many. But demand didn’t. Discovery didn’t. Attention didn’t. Instead, everything is shifting to "zero click discovery, " the growing ecosystem where people get [...]

The Birthday Trip That Became a Masterclass in Hospitality On a recent family trip to Chicago to celebrate my son’s birthday, we planned the kind of weekend any kid, and any parent, would love. A stroll down Michigan Avenue. A stop at the Spider-Man exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry. A downtown hotel near Millennium Park glowing with Christmas [...]

In a cluttered media landscape where attention is harder to win than ever, tourism marketers are being pushed to rethink how they drive awareness, influence travelers, and build long-term demand. That’s the core message behind Stronger Together: How Earned and Paid Media Work Better in Tandem, a recent webinar hosted with Southeast Tourism Society (STS), Advance Travel & Tourism, and Pineapple [...]

Events aren’t side dishes in the travel economy anymore, they’re becoming the main course. And if your destination isn’t treating them that way heading into 2026, you’re already behind. In a recent conversation on the Field Notes podcast, Rachel Normansell of Yodel joined me to unpack why events will be one of the biggest competitive advantages for DMOs in the coming [...]

Tired of chasing immediate bookings? Sustainable success in travel marketing starts at the Upper Funnel, where you build long-term brand awareness and affinity. This means focusing on SEO, compelling content, and visibility on major search platforms.