The timely theme of “Reimagine” highlights the reexamination of the role a DMO now plays within its community, finding perfect harmony between attracting visitors, managing long-term sustainability of its visitor economy and developing a meaningful relationship with residents.

Here are five takeaways I gleaned from this year’s gathering:

DMOs are becoming stewards of their communities.

In overcoming crises, from the COVID-19 pandemic to gun violence, from overtourism to battling climate change, DMOs have been thrust into a stewardship position to sustainably manage their visitor economy for the future. DMOs like New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty are now focused on long-term planning that considers social, cultural, economic and environmental factors as well as both supply and demand. The Hawaii Tourist Authority has adopted a regenerative tourism approach to ensure benefits are experienced by both the host community as well as visitors, protecting the environment in the process.

Collaborating with a diverse range of stakeholders – residents, businesses, government agencies and non-profit organizations – ensures that comprehensive tourism management plans are developed and implemented.

There’s an increased focus on local community engagement.

As a subpoint from the above takeaway, DMOs need to engage more with all sectors of the destination they represent, particularly those at the city level. Many have traditionally been seen as just a source of funding for their community through grant programs. But there is an increased need to show more value as a resource for tools and information, as well as be a local partner and ally.

The Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp.’s (CVC) ongoing engagement with its city’s Police Department ensured joint advocacy with the Tennessee State Legislature after the tragic Covenant School shooting. DMOs can connect with their resident’s “Love of Place,” as shared in a Bay of Plenty, New Zealand case study, to highlight the relevance, credibility, partnership, and value the organization brings to the community. And it is public relations that play a key role in DMOs for this community outreach, telling their organization’s stories and the value it and tourism bring to the places they are responsible for.

Economic development and the visitor economy continue to converge.

Place marketing has long been the bastion for DMOs within their community. However, as the role of destination management becomes more important, DMOs are intersecting more with their economic development counterparts through talent attraction, joint place branding, and building a diverse workforce within their communities.

As an example, Chattanooga Tourism Company and Visit Baltimore highlighted their efforts in helping workers enter and stay in the tourism, hospitality and local music industries. Collaboration is vital for these two complementary entities.

Sports tourism is having a renaissance.

The U.S.’s cohosting role of the FIFA Men’s World Cup in 2026 and Los Angeles again hosting the Summer Olympics and Paralympics in 2028, highlights the important role sports can play within a visitor economy. Representatives from Destination Vancouver, Visit KC, and the Dallas Sports Commission pulled back the curtain on what it takes for a destination to win a host city bid for a hallmark sport event such as the largest men’s soccer tournament in the world.

CEO of the Dallas Mavericks Cynt Marshall also shared her perspective on how integrated her basketball team is within her community and its valued tourism offering for the city. Sports are an important part of the marketing mix for destinations of all sizes.

Accessible travel is the next frontier in DEI for destinations.

It was clear that diversity and inclusion in all its forms matter more than ever. Race, gender and sexual identity representation a defining topic within communities, workforce development, retention, and career growth. DMO staff and leadership and visitor target marketing demographics.

Now, many DMOs are assessing their ability to cater to visitors with disabilities, ensuring equal access and enjoyment to tourism products and experiences for all. Twenty percent of the population identify as a Person with Disabilities (PwD) – be it cognitive, hearing, vision, or mobility related. This large cross-section of society offers prepared destinations the ability to attract a customer that is loyal and visits repeatedly, stays longer, spends more, often traveling off-season and/or mid-week. However, John Sage, CEO of Accessible Travel Solutions, made the poignant comment that those with an impairment only feel their disability while traveling when encountering barriers to their accessibility.

The ultimate goal of Meta is to have Threads be utilized across multiple apps or the “Fediverse.” Essentially it wants to take over messaging and make it easier to communicate across apps while the Metaverse grows. This way, if someone gets a lot of followers on Threads, they could take them to other platforms for other content sharing (think a TikTok influencer wanting to make content on say, Lemon8, they could just migrate their followers there with Threads). 

How to approach it as a brand: 

• Ask if This Platform Will Help Achieve Brand Goals: Not everyone needs another platform to keep up. If your brand is a visual, compelling, story-telling brand, then maybe you don’t need to have conversations on another platform right away. As your Threads account is tied to your existing Instagram account, the risk of another user grabbing your desired handle is nonexistent, giving brands additional time to assess their involvement on the platform. If you want to jump in now, have a plan on who will run it, or do research on it without putting to much out there at first. These platforms evolve quickly, and this is just stage one. 
• Community and Conversation Will be Key: Meta thrives on community engagement and pushes it in its algorithm. Brands should approach this platform like they do Twitter, with engagement with their community in mind. 
• Focus on Authenticity: Threads by Meta users value authenticity and transparency. Instead of solely promoting your products or services, prioritize building relationships and fostering trust. Be real, be a person, ensure your messages align with your values and understand that platforms like these are conversational, not transactional. People smell a corporate feel a mile away and these platforms want that less and less. 
• Different Content Approach:  Scheduling “threads” won’t be a good use of this platform. This is one for active participation, so the lift shouldn’t be as planned as other platforms. Think of it like walking into a circle of people and starting a conversation. You can have some ideas in mind, but you don’t want to script it, you want to engage. 
• Test and Test More: See what people respond to, see what the platform gravitates towards. Test different messages and find your rhythm. 
• Stay Up-to-Date with Platform Changes: Threads, like any social media platform, will undergo regular updates and changes. Stay informed about new features, policies, and best practices and adapt on the go. This world of media is ever-changing and will continue to evolve, and brands will have to evolve with it.  
• Manning the Ship: Lastly, think about how you’re going to staff it, if you are. These platforms are for authentic people-first content, so realize that putting a calendar together can do the bare min, but the platform will take effort and regular commitment to make it successful. It isn’t a box to check, it’s a universe to enter into, so ensure you understand why you want to enter it in the first place, and how you are going to keep it up (authentically). 

A few key takeaways for brands and influencers: 

• Creators must go beyond tagging a brand in a post or using hashtags like #sponsored or #ad if it isn’t clearly visible to all users. For example, on TikTok, creators must feature the disclosure within the video itself, not just in the caption. So essentially, the fact that it’s a sponsored piece of content has to be unavoidable. 
• AI or “virtual influencers” must disclose their association with brands just like real-life influencers. 
• For product reviews, companies have to either clearly disclose when they provide some sort of incentive for users to write positive reviews on platforms such as Amazon or to stop including those reviews in their total ratings altogether.
• Companies cannot suppress negative reviews or post reviews attributed to people who don’t exist or have no experience with the products in question.
• Standard disclosures won’t work for children, who are unlikely to understand them if they’re the intended audience. However, the FTC has not released details on this front.
• The maximum civil penalty for each violation of the FTC’s provisions is $50,120.

For now, it’s important that brands and creators make it very clear their content is an ad, so announcing it in the beginning and putting it in the text along with #sponsored and #ad is needed. 

TURNER already advises brands to operate with creators along these guidelines, and out of abundance of caution, will ensure TikTok influencers disclose the content is an ad within the video itself, along with the copy/partnership label, ensuring the disclosure is loud and clear, so no guesswork is happening for the audience, or the brand.

March to Freedom Statue | Franklin, Tennessee

Located at the foot of Franklin’s historic courthouse, the March to Freedom statue honors the Black enslaved men of the U.S. Colored Troops, a segregated part of the Union Army during the Civil War. For many decades, Franklin’s history was interpreted almost entirely through the lens of the wealthy white people who once lived here. However, much of Franklin was built on the backs of its Black sons and daughters. In recent years, local residents have worked with city leaders to bring those painful stories to light through a project named The Fuller Story. The statue, one of only a few to depict an African American Civil War soldier, brought many to tears when it was unveiled.

Freeport Veterans Memorial at Casey Park | Freeport, Florida

Located in northwest Florida, the Freeport Veterans Memorial at Casey Park is a decade-in-the-making passion project that honors active, retired, and fallen service members and their families. The lush green space evokes a peaceful and tranquil backdrop for the various statues and memorials scattered throughout including: “The Grace Project,” which pays tribute to women in service; “Homecoming,” dedicated to children for their strength in the absence of family members in service; and even a “War Dog Memorial” to honor our courageous and brave animals in service.

Tuskegee Airmen Monument | Walterboro, South Carolina

This incredible monument at the Walterboro Army Air Field Memorial Park honors and celebrates the heroic achievements of the African-American World War II pilots known as The Tuskegee Airmen. Not only known and revered as one of the most respected fighter groups of WWII, the Tuskegee Airmen paved the way for the expulsion of segregation in the military, as the first African American military fighter and bomber pilots in the United States Armed Forces. Although Tuskegee is actually located in Alabama and is where these pilots trained, they actually went through final air combat tactics training at The Walterboro Army Air Field in 1944 before deploying overseas.

Indiana War Memorial Plaza Historic District | Indianapolis, Indiana

Set in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, the Indiana War Memorial Plaza Historic District has served as a place to honor American servicemen and women for more than a century. The National Historic Landmark District includes two museums, three parks and 25 acres of monuments, statues, sculptures and fountains. No other city in the United States maintains as many acres dedicated to honoring veterans. In addition to its historical significance, the district is a popular gathering place for events throughout the year. Visitors can enjoy guided tours of the plaza to learn more about its rich history and significance.

The Highground Veterans Memorial Park | Neillsville, Wisconsin

The largest manned Veterans Park in the U.S., the Highground Veterans Memorial Park features a 155-acre park with the mission to “Honor, Educate and Heal.” Here, you’ll find such fascinating tributes as National Native American Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean Veterans Memorial, the Military Working Dog Tribute and more. Meanwhile, the Highground Museum’s library boasts over 4,000 books covering military history and interactive exhibits. Set in scenic central Wisconsin, it offers easy access to four miles of hiking trails through pristine forests.

Today, De Vore is committed to helping her clients unlock their full potential via the Travel Coach Network, an extensive database for travelers, companies, and organizations to search for and hire travel coaches. TURNER spoke with Sahara to get her thoughts on the evolution of wellness travel, the state of the industry and much more.

Wellness travel is one of those terms that gets thrown around a lot — what does it mean to you?

Wellness travel has a variety of perspectives and definitions. It was built off the spa industry originally — so a lot of people think of spas, gyms and hotels with luxury wellness treatments. But I focus more on the holistic approach. I look at what parts of travel can improve or positively impact our emotional well-being, our physical well-being, our spiritual well-being. There are decades of research out there that show the various wellness benefits that travel can have on us. I take a closer look at that — things like human connection and time spent in nature. How changing your environment can change your thought process.

You’ve said that travel can help us professionally as well as personally.

Absolutely. When I started my own wellness travel coaching business back in 2018, I took a big interest in the business travel industry because of the burnout epidemic that I was seeing. I’d talk to road warriors they’d talk about how travel could have such a negative toll on them —increased addiction, obesity levels, depression, stress, everything. Business travel can bring emotional struggles, where you feel like you’re doing something that’s not fulfilling you anymore. You’re just on the road, kind of in a robotic sense. That was taking a big toll on the industry.

I wanted to empower companies to flip the script on a business traveler’s well-being. Again, there’s a lot of research out there on how travel itself can inspire creativity, inspire new ideas and build relationships. That’s the whole purpose behind why someone gets on a plane for business and goes to another destination. And then when it comes to the travelers themselves, business travel doesn’t have to have a negative impact on their well-being. It’s about changing behaviors. Instead of going back to their hotel room instead, maybe take a walk near body of water or spend time outside in the sunshine. Connect with the locals, try local cuisine and get immersed more in the local culture. Everywhere around the world has something different to offer and it’s a missed opportunity if business travelers aren’t experiencing it all.

Tell us about your concept of the “Travel Coach” — what is a travel coach and why do you think it’s an important part of the tourism industry going forward?

I started the Travel Coach Network in 2019 based on responses and questions that I was getting online from travelers, travel agents, travel business owners and other people looking to do more with their love of travel. It’s grown over the years — which is great — and now there are different definitions of what a “travel coach” is. But within the Travel Coach Network, a travel coach is someone who helps people set intentions for their trips. We help people use travel as a tool, whether it’s for their personal goals, their work goals or their wellness goals. We help them find the transformation and change in their life that they’re looking for. All of the underlying reasons why people travel in the first place are brought to the surface. Travel coaches show that travel can be a vessel to achieve positive outcomes in our life.

What can destinations and hotels do to stand out in a way that aligns with your work as a travel coach?

What many destinations and hospitality companies offer — at least in their marketing materials — is very similar. You can only have so many different types of beaches and so many different types of comfy beds. Room sizes are going to be quite similar across the board. Every hotel is going to have a great sport and fitness facility now. So, it’s really about thinking outside the box and going back to the roots of why people travel.

When I speak with people at hotels, I tell them to take a look at the unique attributes of their property or their destination. Find an emotional connection. It’s not about speaking about the beach itself, but about what benefits the beach can offer the traveler. It’s speaking to the emotions of the traveler instead of just out of surface level marketing. Go beneath the surface. Understand who you’re trying to attract and look at travelers’ needs on a more human level.

On your website, you mention the idea of “authentic tourism marketing” — can you expand on that?

Instead of trying to market to everyone, authentic tourism marketing is figuring out which audience is best for your destination or property. And then, speaking to that audience on a human level. Addressing those motivating factors that cause them to book the trip in the first place. And instead of trying to keep up with what competitors are doing, take a look at what you can do differently. We hear people in the industry talk about a human-centric approach or a more holistic approach or a personalized approach. But they still refuse to go beneath the surface and speak to the actual emotions of the traveler.

A pet peeve of mine is that so many in the industry haven’t changed their approach. We’ve gone through a pandemic that flipped the tourism industry — and people’s lives — upside down. As a result, people are prioritizing their time, money and happiness more. For companies to completely ignore that change seems like a big missed opportunity. It feels like some hotels and destinations are doing themselves a big disservice. It’s interesting because at its root, travel is such a personal thing.

I just came from a travel and adventure show this weekend where there were a lot of Caribbean destinations. In the Caribbean, as a destination, you’re going to offer a very similar product to your competitors. And I couldn’t tell you the difference from one booth to the next. The marketing materials were more or less the same for each place. It seemed like no one was taking this different approach. We need to look at why we as humans travel in the first place.

Learn more at thetravelcoachnetwork.com. 

You called becoming a full-time travel writer “a harrowing leap.” How did you come to make that leap?

I like to tell people that I stumbled into a dream job that I didn’t know existed. I was an assistant teacher in Atlanta for two years. But when I wasn’t at work — or even during work — I was thinking of traveling the world. But at the time I only had three countries under my belt. Now, after studying abroad there, I’ve always been obsessed with London. I thought: “In a perfect world, I will live in London and find some sort of way to travel the world.” And I thought I’d have to be a millionaire to do so.

So, my gut feeling said two things: It said start writing and move to London by the next summer. I had always enjoyed writing, but I’m like, well, how do I start outside of my own blog? I’ve always had a blog, but how do I freelance? But I got the gumption to finally take that leap and put in my two weeks’ notice and bought a one-way ticket to London with about $300 to my name. That’s where the harrowing part comes in [laughs].

But you managed to establish yourself in London?

Once I was there, I started looking for writing opportunities and eventually I founded a website that covered food and drink that needed a London editor — unpaid. But I thought it would be good for me to get my chops up. And then a few months later, I realized had a travel section! A PR told me, “You’re already writing about food and drink, why don’t you just write about travel?” And that was it. From that point my career mushroomed into doing all these things I’m doing now. And now, because of this profession, I’ve gone to all seven continents and 50 countries.

So it’s worked out! You helped launch the Black Travel Alliance in 2020. How’d that come about?

A lot of colleagues in the content creator writing sectors of the travel industry, we’ve always had underground murmurings about injustice or lack of diversity in certain places and pay gaps as far as influencer rates. But the impact of George Floyd in 2020 reverberated across all industries. It gave us the courage to finally speak up and speak out about it. There was an organic galvanization of people who just wanted better for the industry. We wanted people to be accountable but also to be open to partnering with us to make these necessary changes. So instead of just complaining, the Black Travel Alliance’s aim was to help achieve a more diverse, more equal industry.

It’s been great, even though I’m not active anymore as a board member — I’m just a general member now. We’re seeing brands take heed of these issues, whether it’s getting more people of color on press trips or making sure that content creators are getting paid as well as their non-POC counterparts. There’s a lot left to be done, but we’re seeing progress — speaking engagements, bylines, press trips and all of that.

2020 was also the year of the pandemic, of course. How did that impact what you do?

Well, for the first three months I thought, “My travel writing life is over!” [laughter] But I think in tandem with the impact of George Floyd, something good came out of it. I was able to increase my visibility a bit more as someone in the industry — it made me feel like I deserved to have a voice. Before, I’d turn around and wonder, “Why am I the only person of color on this press trip? Why am I the only person of color on the contributor page of this magazine?” I started asking those questions and that helped me establish myself as an authority in the industry.

The pandemic also made become a bit more business minded. Initially, I was getting into the travel profession for the experience of it. But I’m in my 30s now, I’ve got to make a living. The pandemic was a blessing in that it really pressured me to think as an entrepreneur and to really know what I’m worth. It’s helped my business and brand flourish.

Are there any travel media trends you’d like to see more — or less — of?

A lot of blue-chip journalists in the traditional media landscape still look down on influencers and creators, right? But now, we’re all part of the same ecosystem. So why is it a problem for people to create beautiful videos and photos of themselves traveling in these places? I do feel like video is has become a much more powerful tool to communicate with people. Words are great, but video is very powerful as well. If you can give people more of a visual glimpse into an experience, a hotel, a restaurant or a museum, then why not?

What kinds of travel stories are you hoping to tell in the future?

My wheelhouse isn’t really that deep, right? I specialize mainly in ultra-luxury hotel reviews. I’m more of a guidebook-style, service-oriented journalist. I’m focusing on that — and it’s been a blessing. I’ve had people of color tell me that they’re inspired by seeing me cover these kinds of places because they don’t see representation of that kind on social media and whatnot. It makes me proud to have a job where I can show people that we’re really worthy of this. It’s for us, too. So, I’m hoping to continue doing that.

Follow Travis’s further adventures on Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn and read his latest editorial work on Contently.

Fast Facts:

• Influencer Marketing Industry is set to grow to approximately $21.1 Billion in 2023*
• It is now the norm to pay influencers (42%), rather than just give them a free product (30%).*
• TikTok is now the most popular influencer marketing channel, jumping ahead of Instagram (51%) for the first time, and well ahead of Facebook (42%) and YouTube (38%).
• Nearly 75% of Brands Track Sales from Influencer Campaigns*

Increased Emphasis on Authenticity

As influencer marketing has grown in popularity, so too has the importance of authenticity. Consumers are increasingly skeptical of sponsored content and are more likely to engage with influencers who they perceive as genuine and authentic. This attitude has contributed to the rise of the so-called “deinfluencer.” A growing trend on TikTok, the deinfluencer highlights products or services that are not worth buying — an “honesty is the best policy” approach. In the coming years, brands and influencers will place an even greater emphasis on authenticity, with a focus on building long-term relationships based on trust and transparency.

Greater Diversity in Influencer Marketing

In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the lack of diversity in influencer marketing. Brands are recognizing  the importance of representation and inclusivity, and we can expect to see a greater emphasis on BIPOC and LGBTQ-centric influencer marketing campaigns in 2023 and beyond. This will include not just racial and ethnic diversity, but also diversity in terms of age, gender, body type and beyond.

The Rise of Micro-Influencers

While mega-influencers with millions of followers have traditionally been the focus of influencer marketing campaigns, we’re seeing a shift towards micro-influencers in 2023. Micro-influencers typically have smaller followings but are seen as more authentic and genuinely engaged with their audience. Brands can also work with a larger number of micro-influencers for the same budget as a single mega-influencer, allowing them to reach a wider audience.

Increased Use of Video Content

Video content has been on the rise in recent years, and this trend will continue in 2023 and beyond. Influencer marketing campaigns will increasingly focus on video content, including live streaming and short-form video content like TikTok, Instagram Reels and YT shorts. Brands will need to work with skilled influencers who create engaging video content that resonates with their target audiences and can be utilized in a variety of formats. 

Influencers as Advertisers

Brands are finding that their ROIs are greater with advertising through influencer content. As a result, whitelisting content has become standard in some contracts, especially when it comes to ecommerce brands. Brands are also increasingly demanding greater transparency and accountability from influencers as partnership costs go up. This means a greater emphasis on metrics like engagement rates, click-through rates, ATCs and ROI. Influencers who can demonstrate the effectiveness of their campaigns via detailed analytics will be in high demand. Platforms and affiliate programs are growing in popularity to add a layer of data to partnerships. KPIs are getting more robust as first party data becomes the target for many brands. 

Brands and influencers need to adapt to changing consumer preferences and emerging trends, while still paying attention to platform algorithms. By doing so, they will get the most out of their influencer partnerships. 

*American Marketing Association 

* Influencer Marketing Hub 2023 

FOR SPRING EXPLORERS

Hydro Flask’s Oaxaca Color Drop

It’s Oaxaca’s time to shine. Not only was it named the No. 1 city in the world*, but the Mexico hot spot also served as the muse for Hydro Flask’s latest seasonal color drops. This season, the leading hydration brand known for its bold and vibrant colors turned to Oaxaca to inspire a fresh Spring 2023 lineup. Drawing from the vibrant valleys and cloud-topped rain forests, new hues Mesa, Dew and Lupine embody the city’s perfect light, ethereal colors and of course, course, adventure.

A Classic Refreshed By Red Wing Heritage

Just in time for spring, Red Wing Heritage’s most iconic silhouette, the Classic Moc, is getting a seasonal refresh that draws inspiration from light and natural earth tones. The brand’s best-selling boot will now be made with a unique, archival leather, first introduced by the brand in 1959: Hawthorne Abilene roughout leather. This is full-grain leather that utilizes the other side of the hide to create the textured material. It doesn’t contain wax or oil, allowing for breathable comfort that transitions easily between the season’s styles.

Leatherman’s Little Tool With Big Benefits

Introduced in 1996, the Leatherman Micra® is the famed outdoor brand’s most popular everyday mini-tool with anglers, hobbyists and those who can appreciate the best spring-action scissors around. And now, it’s getting a refresh for spring 2023, releasing in four new colors: Arctic Blue, Black Cherry, Slate, and Navy. Personal care features that fit on your key chain are just part of what makes the Micra truly unique. Ten useful tools are packed into this tiny, lightweight Leatherman. Practical and perfect for a tackle box, pocket, purse, fanny pack, or sewing kit, the Micra makes a great gift for the outdoors lover in your life.

Topo Designs Gets Dirty

Topo Designs’ ultra-sustainable Dirt Collection is specifically built to minimize the brand’s carbon footprint and channel the essence of The New Outdoor. This spring, Topo fans will have new colors to choose from is bringing some new colors: Men’s Dirt Short Sleeve Shirt – Sand; Men’s Dirt Short – Sand, Dark Khaki and Charcoal; Women’s Dirt Crew – Brick and Pond Blue; Women’s Dirt Short – Light Mint, Pond Blue, Sand.

Duluth’s Deep Roots

For all the green thumbs out there, Duluth Trading Co.’s newest gardening collection is rooted in ruggedness. It features super durable DuluthFlex ripstop nylon/spandex fabric, built-in UPF sun protection, tons of spacious pockets for all your equipment and crop and even a unique No Fly Zone technology finish that puts an invisible, odorless barrier between you and pesty bugs.

Osprey’s Extension

Osprey, the Cortez, CO-based maker of high-quality, low-impact outdoor gear, is introducing a wider range of sizes (with extended hipbelts and longer straps) in these select styles:

• Aether | Ariel: Beloved on the trail, the Aether | Ariel Series has continually set the standard for what a pack should do and what it should weigh. Today, the series has gone through a quarter century of relentless evolution and innovation to last a lifetime of trips.
• Volt | Viva: This pack boasts an exceptional fit and a simple, clean design that experts and greenhorns alike can appreciate. Highly adjustable, the Viva is a workhorse, ready to tackle overnight weekends and weeklong trips alike.
• Osprey Sportlite 25: Confidently step out on the trail with the Sportlite 25, one of Osprey’s most minimalist technical day packs. Carry all of your essentials with the convenience of panel-loading design and simple, clean internal organization.
• Talon 22 | Tempest 20: Whether you’re bagging peaks or bikepacking, the Talon 22 is the perfect carry solution. This lightweight pack features a breathable, close-to-body AirScape backpanel and continuous-wrap harness and hipbelt that moves with you.

FOR DOG LOVERS

Native Pet, Because Health Isn’t Just for Humans

Native Pet is an innovative pet supplement company, crafting supplements that harness the nutritional power of whole food ingredients. In an industry that has never prioritized the health of our pets, Native Pet is redefining the bar and holds true to its motto that “we’re the voice of our pets and it’s our mission to give our fur babies the best lives. Because our love language is dog, and dog is our native tongue.” Delivering products that live up to its philosophy, the brand created the Native Pet Pact to offer transparency to its unwavering commitment to making a real difference in your pets’ health. It states that:

• Every Native Pet product is developed 100% in-house.
• The brand will always choose the right forms and formats to ensure the highest level of efficacy.
• Native Pet will never use fillers or additives and will target no more than five inactive ingredients (the industry average is 20).
• Products will use human-grade, whole-food ingredients in each of its formulas.
• Native Pet will never sell a supplement unless it is the best tasting product on the market.

Keep an eye out for a new product launching on National Pet Day, April 11!

FOR THE MODERN PARENT

BEABA’s Latest Baby Solutions

Delivering unparalleled quality for parents, BEABA is changing the baby game as we know it.

• Babycook® Express: Simple, sleek and speedy, the Babycook Express® helps make fresh, homemade baby food faster and easier than ever before, lending parents the hand they need so they can spend more time with their little ones. With a new express cooking mode and patented mixing paddle, you can now prepare food for your little one in just 15 minutes or less! This new and improved model also is eco-designed, using 23% less C02 emissions and only 30% water and electricity consumption when using the ECO function.
• BEABA Bib’Expresso: Bottle prep has never been easier. With the Bib’ Expresso® you’ll have your baby’s bottle ready in just 30 seconds. It heats water very quickly to your desired temperature (72°F or 98°F) and dispenses it directly into your baby bottle with the press of a button. The Bib’Expresso also features a removable & portable top compartment can be used as a water bath to heat up prepped formula bottles, bottles of breastmilk, or baby food jars.
• BEABA Paris Diaper Bag: Sure to fit everything you and baby need, and then some. With multiple easy-to-access compartments and a beautiful color palette, this diaper bag will quickly become your go-to for days out with your little one. Highlights include a modern design, 10 interior and exterior pockets for all your essentials, multi-way carry capabilities, suitcase sleeve for easy travel attachment, a removable shoulder strap and cotton shoulder handle for added comfort, a changing mat, insulated pocket, and more.

Young Days

Young Days, the maker of affordable, ethical baby clothes created by real parents, is getting ready for warm days. Inspired by vintage and retro sportswear, the Young Days Spring Collection features on-trend and easy-to-layer styles that are essential for transitional dressing. Staying true to the brand’s ethos of providing parents with sustainably designed, ethically produced and affordable clothing for babies and toddlers, the new collection includes Young Days’ signature mix-and-match styles and expanded bestsellers, now featured in prints inspired by modern art and design with 1970s graphics and messaging.

How did Wheel The World get started? What was the inspiration?

Looking back and kind of connecting the dots; when I was in school for business and economics, I did a project about social impact and social responsibility. I thought if students were able to use their skills to solve significant problems for society, it would be a win-win. You could put your skills into practice in a way that would be more fulfilling. I thought universities should just enforce social impact as a kind of academic requirement. But it was just an idea.

I was kind of a hypocrite, actually [laughs]. I went in the other direction and began working for the corporate sector developing real estate projects such as offices, hotels, and shopping mall centers. But I started feeling a little bit frustrated about my career. I knew I had to do something more meaningful. I started working for the Chilean government on the underground railway transport system, working to solve a reasonably important problem — how can make transportation more efficient for 40 percent of Santiago’s de Chile population. That was something more compelling for me. 

Then your Patagonia expedition happened, right?

There wasn’t the expectation of starting a company out of it. It was just pursuing this dream with my friend Alvaro Silberstein. I always thought that when you travel, it’s not just tourism. Traveling is an inspiration. The smell, the colors — everything about a new place. It’s a moment where you reflect, right? I thought: “My friend Alvaro and today’s Co-Founder needs to be in Patagonia. How can we make that happen, given he is a wheelchair user?” Long story short, we became the first wheelchair-user expedition to conquer Torres del Paine, Patagonia.  The story went viral, and people with disabilities started to reach out to us to replicate the same trip we did.

That’s when my social impact idea started to make sense. We saw that the lack of accessibility was something affecting so many people. Not only the ones who wanted to travel to Patagonia but also the ones who wanted to explore Tokyo, London, Paris, New York, and wherever. That’s when we felt like we needed to do something about it. Some stories behind companies are about looking for a problem to solve. For us, we found the problem very easily. People with disabilities where facing several problems when traveling. How can we help them do it? Not just in outdoorsy places but everywhere.

Did you get a good response right away? 

Yes, it was a real “a-ha” moment. Our product wasn’t perfect at first — we had a lot to learn. But it was obvious that there was an audience. And as we went along, we saw what we had to improve. That was part of the journey. We got sort of dropped into this opportunity, but it was clear people wanted us to solve this problem. Still, we had some people saying we were absolutely crazy that we were going to start a company by taking people with disabilities into the mountains [laughs]. But we were bold enough and ultimately, we pursued it.

Accessible travel is going more mainstream — not just wheelchair travel, but a pretty broad spectrum. Even with senior travelers, it seems like they can benefit as well.

Exactly. And one thing to understand is that people with disabilities don’t just travel by themselves. They travel with family and friends who are directly connected with them. So, we’re talking about 1/3 of the world’s population that can benefit from accessible travel. It’s a paradigm we need to push and change. Having the opportunity to travel with, say, your grandparents — there’s something magical that could be uncovered because of that.

The population is aging — every one of us will have accessibility needs at some point in our lives. And when I think about aging, it’s about traveling. When I’m older, what I would like to do the most is go around to enjoy these different parts of the world. That’s another thing that encourages us to keep doing what we’re doing.

In the accessible travel realm, what progress have you seen in the past decade? What are you hoping for in the future?

There’s definitely a lot more awareness. Awareness is the first engine that needs to be turned on. That’s not just in the travel industry, but in all industries. But in the travel industry specifically, from airlines to hotels to tourist destinations, we’ve been seeing more awareness. There’s a general feeling that people with disabilities are out there and they’re consuming products and services that are not designed for them. And that needs to be changed.

Society has become more inclusive, as well. In that way, people with disabilities have started to have access to resources they might not have had before. For example, education — and as a consequence, they have disposable income. And they don’t want to spend their money on products and services that are not designed for them. That’s helping to change things.

A personal goal for the future is showing how the travel industry can be an example of how other industries can become more accessible and inclusive. If we can show the world that we focused our company entirely on this segment of the population and we are building something scalable, big and sustainable, I think it could encourage other organizations to think differently. Maybe they’ll hire more people with disabilities. Maybe they’ll create more products and services with those people in mind.

What can destinations and hotels do to make travel more accessible?

Generally, the main problem with destinations is that many of them don’t have a centralized place where travelers can learn all about accessibility. That makes it very hard for people with disabilities to understand whether this particular city or state is accessible to them.

Remember that when you visit a destination, the journey isn’t just the destination. There’s the inspiration phase, thinking about where you could go. If that information isn’t easily available, a traveler isn’t going to be inspired. Then, there’s all the other things — the flight, ground transportation, restaurants, hotels, attractions. That chain is broken right away if the information isn’t there.

You’ve accomplished a lot with Wheel The World so far — what’s next?

We’re growing. We have close to 50 people working for us now and that’s exciting. We multiplied our company by four times last year. Wheel The World is a project that requires a lot of passionate people who are interested in fixing this problem. So getting to this point is an important milestone. Who knows how long it will take to achieve our goal of getting millions of people with disabilities to be able to travel easier, but right now, we have our native platform. We’re introducing many different features, such as group tours, cruises, referrals, and loyalty programs that hopefully will allow us to get there faster. We’re improving our accessibility recommendations engine, one of our most iconic features, that recommends to users what hotel better fits their specific accessibility needs. It shows how accessible a place is for a specific user rather than generalizations.

I hope that 10 to 15 years from now, the world is going to be fully accessible. Accessibility is inevitable. If Wheel The World can help to accelerate that path, that would be entirely joyful. Even if we’re not the most successful company in the world, I’m going to be happy making a contribution that ultimately will improve people with disabilities’ lives.

Learn more at www.wheeltheworld.com. 

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Artificial Vacation

The New York Times investigates the possibilities — and potential concerns regarding AI and travel planning. One problem is that ChatGPT gets its info from the internet. “The software doesn’t always know the difference between reliable and unreliable information on the internet, so it can offer answers that are untrue,” writes Julie Weed. “ChatGPT’s maker, OpenAI, also warns that the software may occasionally produce ‘biased content.’”

DMO AI

Does the rise of artificial intelligence mean that destination marketers are getting into the game? Not yet, according to Skift. DMOs are taking a wait-and-see approach so far. Dawit Habtemariam writes: “Tourism board executives think ChatGPT is impressive, but they haven’t seen solid evidence of its real-world application in destination marketing so far to make a sizeable investment.”

Brand Building

Never mind building a vacation itinerary. Can you get artificial intelligence to build your entire brand? MarTech looks into what is and isn’t possible. “Today, the outputs of ChatGPT are impressive in documentation areas,” writes Theresa Kushner. “It can assist — but not replace — humans in writing reports, outlines, creating press releases, books or developing surveys. It helps writers and editors get started in developing pieces of content. When you have writer’s block and are stuck, ChatGPT can come to the rescue.”

Social Transformation

Artificial intelligence could be a gamechanger for social media, according to Forbes. “From automatic content moderation and personalized recommendations to the ads we watch and beyond, AI is reshaping the way we interact and connect online,” writes Rem Darbinyan, the Founder/CEO of SmartClick. “AI tools help enhance features of social media platforms and lead social media activities at scale across a number of use cases, including text and visual content creation, social media monitoring, ad management, influencer research, brand awareness campaigns and more.”

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