Host: Steven Gould (Founder & Chief Innovation Officer, TARC) Co-Host: Kathy Santos (Director of Global Partnerships, TARC) Guests: Susie Najera (Los Cabos Tourism Board), Darryl Boggess (Visit St. Pete/Clearwater)
This week on TARC TRIBE, we’re exploring how travel advisors can successfully partner with Tourism Boards and Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs) to grow their business and enhance client experiences! Host Steven Gould and Co-Host Kathy Santos are joined by Susie Najera from the Los Cabos Tourism Board and Darryl Boggess from Visit St. Pete/Clearwater. We’re breaking down what tourism boards actually do, how they support niche markets like golf, luxury, and sustainability, and the power of collaboration through FAM trips, swag bags, and joint marketing campaigns. Plus, we dive into specialist certification programs, crisis management communication, and how to leverage these partnerships to add value for your clients. If you’ve never thought about reaching out to a tourism board, this episode will change your mind!
⏱️ In This Episode:
Time
Topic
0:01 – 1:10
Introduction – how to partner with Tourism Boards and CVBs
1:18 – 2:35
Understanding tourism boards – partnerships between local communities, hotels, and travel industries to drive economic development
6:02 – 10:04
Niche market support – resources for golf, luxury, sustainability, meetings/planning
Specialist programs & training – certification programs (e.g., Los Cabos Specialist) with educational materials, marketing collateral, and incentivized rewards
57:29 – 1:02:21
Crisis management – communicating safety information like weather alerts and health protocols to advisors and travelers
🎯 Key Takeaways:
Tourism Boards Are Partners, Not Just Promoters: They are collaborative partnerships between local communities, hotels, and travel industries designed to drive economic development and visitors to destinations. They want to help you sell their destination.
Niche Market Support Available: Tourism boards provide resources tailored to specific niches like golf, luxury, sustainability, and meetings/planning. Don’t be afraid to ask for specialized content.
Collaboration Creates Memorable Experiences: Successful collaborations include providing swag bags for clients, joint marketing campaigns, and hosting familiarization (FAM) trips. These touches make you stand out to clients.
Specialist Programs Offer Real Value: Certification programs (like Los Cabos Specialist) give advisors access to educational materials, marketing collateral, and even incentivized rewards for registered bookings. They’re free training that makes you an expert.
Tourism Boards Are Crisis Communication Hubs: During emergencies—weather alerts, health protocols, natural disasters—tourism boards are the trusted source for safety information to share with traveling clients.
📋 Resources Mentioned:
Resource
Description
Los Cabos Tourism Board
Specialist certification program with training and rewards (represented by Susie Najera)
Visit St. Pete/Clearwater
Florida destination marketing organization (represented by Darryl Boggess)
