The City of Duluth is dialing into the digital era with a fresh approach to pumping up its tourism. Breaking away from traditional town halls, Duluth's Tourism Marketing Working Group is now hosting listening sessions online – and they want to hear from you. Today at high noon, industry partners and locals with a hankering for hospitality got their chance to chime in on how the city should sell itself to visitors, during a virtual meeting held on Microsoft Teams.
Karen Pionk, who chairs the Tourism Marketing Working Group, is all about drawing insights from these virtual gatherings. "These listening sessions are invaluable opportunities for us to connect with our community and gain valuable insights into how we can enhance our tourism marketing," she said according to the group's Facebook page. It's no secret that the tourism trade has taken a beating, and Duluth is on the hunt for fresh ideas to pack a punch in its promos and cast a wider net.
Anybody eager to contribute couldn't just stumble in; they needed to hustle and grab the participation link posted on the city's own website days before. With the details out in the open – including a meeting ID (268 324 755 621) and a passcode (8r77hQ) – the goal was to make sure anyone with a stake in the game could have a seat at the virtual table. For those who missed today's session, fear not – this is just the kickoff in a series intended to draft a nifty new RFP (Request for Proposal) that gets the tourism marketing down pat.
On the technical side of things, it was as easy as clicking on a link for participants to jump into the discussion, virtually rubbing elbows with city officials and tourism buffs alike. The city bets these sessions will provide a mountain of insight and prove to be well worth the effort. "We look forward to engaging with industry partners and passionate individuals to ensure our efforts align with the needs and desires of our community and industry," Pionk told the group's Facebook page. It's part of the city's broader strategy to get tourism back on its feet, leveraging local wisdom to put Duluth back on the map.
