Who You Gonna Call? Nobody Knows.

Tourism has another visibility problem.

Not the “we need more travelers” kind. The “we don’t know who does what anymore” kind.

You’ve got vendors doing research, influencers doing strategy, AI doing logos, and three guys in a trench coat offering “destination place intensives” for $17K and a LinkedIn recommendation.

I’m not judging.

I Was a Big Badge Girl

Full transparency? I used to pay for the booth. The BIG one. The sponsorship. The badge lanyards. The "can’t-miss breakfast with logos on the fruit cups."

I played the game. And for a while, it worked.

People knew who to call… because I paid them to remember.

But then I stopped.

• Because I'm no longer paying to prove my own value. Full stop.

Unless you're a major sponsor, a keynote speaker, or someone’s brother-in-law, people really don’t know who to call. For anything.

Everybody else? You're fighting the algorithm and the gatekeepers. And the gatekeepers? Oh honey, they’re THRIVING.

Gatekeeping: The Full-Time Job Nobody Applied For

Let’s talk about it.

There’s a tiny group of people on boards, at bureaus, in vendor coalitions who control access like it’s backstage at the Beyoncé tour.

• Want a campaign approved? Better be on the “known vendor” list.

• Want a chance at the RFP? Hope you were on that pre-conference Zoom.

• Want to even be considered? Better hope someone name-drops you correctly.

It’s not just who you know anymore. It’s what budget line you bought your way into.

Meanwhile, Buyers Are Just Out Here Raw-Dogging the Internet

Tour operators, DMOs, hotels, suppliers, they’re all asking the same thing:

“Who does this?” “Is this person legit?” “Why does everyone say they do ‘strategy’ but no one can send me a quote?”

It’s giving confusion. It’s giving ✨vendor soup✨.

What We Actually Need

Not another vendor roundtable. Not a new “industry initiative.” We need a damn phone book.

A way to know:

• Who actually does what

• Who’s faking the funk

• Who can do the job without being a main-stage sponsor

I’m not saying I’ll build it. (But I am saying I get calls weekly asking me to decode the vendor lineup like I’m the Oracle from The Matrix.)

And While We’re Here, A Little RFP Rant

You know what really grinds my gears?

Those posts that say:

“We’re looking for a strategic plan. Who do you recommend?”

Girl. A what now?

That’s like saying “I need surgery. Anyone know a doctor?” What kind of surgery? Brain? Toe? Cosmetic? Emergency?

If your post is that vague, one of two things is true:

• You don’t know what you actually need.

• Or worse: You do, and you’re just looking for a fresh batch of auditioning monkeys.

Strategic plans are not one-size-fits-all. You don’t hire a choreographer to fix your Wi-Fi. Be specific. Be honest. Stop crowd-sourcing complex work like it's a group lunch order.

TL;DR: Who You Gonna Call?

No one knows. The visibility game is rigged. The real talent is hidden under 47 lookalike logos. And the ones who could actually help can’t afford a booth, a badge, and branded bananas at breakfast.

We deserve better.

Or at least… clearer captions.

Ok, I'll bite. What do I specialize in? Creative Leverage.

TTYL, Jenn