Earlier this month, GRCVB staff traveled to Cleveland to attend Destinations International’s Marketing and Communications Summit. The event welcomes visitors bureaus, agencies and other partners in the destination management industry from around the world to network, share ideas and learn about new trends in destination marketing and communications.

We asked some of our Bureau team to share their takeaways from the conference that might be of interest to hospitality partners in Raleigh and Wake County...

Vice president of data, security and AI innovation Vimal Vyas, CDME
Authentic stories matter more than ever in a world increasingly filled with AI-generated videos and content. Summit sessions consistently emphasized that authentic human storytelling is what truly differentiates a destination. The most compelling campaigns highlighted during the summit placed real residents, visitors and lived experiences at the center of the story, rather than positioning the destination itself as the hero. For Raleigh, this reinforces our continued efforts to highlight award-winning local makers, chefs, artists, entrepreneurs and community voices who bring the destination to life.

AI was discussed throughout the conference, but the consensus was clear. AI can support storytelling, but it should never replace lived experience. AI can assist research and insights, drafting and editing content and operational efficiencies. However, authenticity still comes from real people and real experiences. One example discussed was the backlash against a synthetic AI influencer campaign that audiences quickly rejected as inauthentic. It was a reminder that audiences can quickly recognize when a story isn’t genuine.

Another takeaway was the importance of avoiding over-reliance on single landmark imagery. Many destinations have iconic symbols, such as the Eiffel Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge or Times Square. While those visuals are powerful, they often only tell a very small part of the destination story. Instead, the most successful campaigns reveal multiple layers of a destination, encouraging exploration and deeper engagement. For Raleigh and Wake County, this reinforces the value of highlighting the many dimensions of our destination from culinary innovation and outdoor experiences to creativity, technology and community culture.

Another compelling conversation focused on the role that visitors bureaus play as stewards of a community’s brand. Unlike many industries, destination organizations rarely control the physical product. We don’t own hotels, restaurants, attractions or breweries. We are positioned to represent the collective identity of Wake County as a destination. That responsibility means helping to shape how the world perceives our place... not just as a leisure destination but as somewhere people may also choose to live, work, study or invest. In many ways, the destination brand forms long before someone books a trip.

Other areas of discussion included the increasing importance of high-quality, verified visuals and video content. Video continues to outperform static imagery across most platforms, but authenticity remains critical. As misinformation and deepfake technologies become more sophisticated, destinations must ensure their visual storytelling is credible, verifiable and representative of real experiences. The conversations at the summit reinforced that destination marketing is evolving quickly. Technology will continue to reshape how we engage travelers, but the fundamentals remain the same. Authenticity, trust and community storytelling will always be the foundation of meaningful destination marketing.

Social media manager Emma Bridges
Attending my first industry conference was an amazing opportunity to connect with colleagues and gain fresh perspectives on destination marketing. The session on the “Power of Storytelling” really resonated with me. It reinforced that human-centered storytelling is more important than ever for building genuine connections, making the visitor the hero of the story, not the destination, and it challenged us to consider which stories remain untold in our communities. The session “The Year of YouTube...” highlighted the benefits of evergreen long-form content that continues to generate views long after it is posted. It also emphasized the value of long-term creator partnerships to build authenticity.

Public relations and international tourism manager Hannah Hankins
Attending the Destinations International Marketing and Communications Summit was an energizing experience, where I spent time learning from keynotes, panels and fellow attendees. I came away inspired by the creative methods used to activate public relations campaigns for target markets, as well as destinations' utilization of cultural moments to generate destination momentum, like Puerto Rico’s use of Bad Bunny as an unofficial ambassador for their destination. Another key takeaway I brought back to Raleigh was wondering whose story isn't being told in a destination, and in what way we can platform those voices.

———

Throughout the year, GRCVB’s staff travels around the state and country to trade shows and conferences, with the goal of increasing their knowledge base, promoting Raleigh and Wake County to meeting/convention and sports event planners and building stronger alliances to better support our destination. If you’re interested in discussing some of these insights with our team, please do not hesitate to reach out to us, and stay tuned for future insights from our team!