The End of Destination Marketing

Once, destination companies were the gatekeepers. The storytellers. The ones who painted the map and whispered, “Come here.” Or shouted.

But the gate is gone. The map is clickable. And the traveler? They’re steering the ship themselves.

So now what?

If your job was to attract, it's no longer enough. If your mission was to market, it’s time to evolve. Because the future isn’t about filling hotel rooms. It’s about filling needs. Filling hearts.

The role of a destination company isn’t to shout louder than the noise. It’s to cut through it with truth, connection, and meaning. To become curators, not promoters. Hosts, not herders. Bridge-builders between people and place.

Travelers aren’t just looking for a view. They’re searching for a feeling. A moment. A reason.

And that makes you more than a marketer.

It makes you a steward.

Not just of tourism, but of transformation.

Not just of places, but of possibility.

So, you need to focus more on the health of the place you are serving.
Because if the place thrives, everything else follows.