💅 You’re Not Late. You’re Just Not Dumb.

Why skipping the trend bandwagon might be your smartest move yet.

Ever feel behind?

Like you missed the AI wave, forgot to launch a Threads account, or didn’t make your destination “immersive” enough?

Good.

Because in this industry, trend-chasing isn’t a strategy. It’s panic in a polo.

The Trendsetters Are Looking Real Tired, Babes

You know the ones:

• The DMO who built a virtual visitor center in the metaverse. Stunning. Useless. Everyone got dizzy.

• The DMO that let AI rewrite their entire website. And now the About page calls the destination “a mid-tier haven for seasonal engagement.”

• The marketing director who posted “follow us on Threads!” To a platform that wasn’t ready, wasn’t desktop-friendly, and no one cared.

Let’s call it what it is: performative marketing under pressure.

Late Adopters Don’t Burn Out. They Cash In.

You’re not slow. You’re strategic.

You watched AI roll in… and waited to see which tools actually helped humans. You skipped the influencer flood and built brand voice instead. You didn’t hop on every app. You owned your lane.

Being a late adopter doesn’t mean you’re clueless. It means you have standards.

Be Early in the Industry, Not in the Implosion

There is value in being early. Some of you were the first to adopt websites, social, or accessibility best practices early in the industry — and it paid off.

That’s different.

That’s not hype. That’s vision.

You can be early in the industry… and still late in the marketplace. That’s not falling behind. That’s leading with leverage.

Real Trend Fails (That Weren’t Your Fault)

Let’s talk about what actually flopped:

❌ The “AI for Everything” Panic

Vendors promised to replace your writers. Result? A press release called your mayor “Queen of the North.” Cool cool cool.

❌ The VR Room Nobody Entered

You built a virtual experience…for people who just wanted a good coffee and a paper map.

❌ The TikTok “Campaign” With No Plan

Posted 3 videos, got 2 views, and one comment: “Why is this giving public access TV?”

❌ The Influencer Collab With No Controls

Paid a travel girl $5K to post your boardwalk. She tagged the wrong state and said “y’all” in Wisconsin.

The Psychology of Slow

Late adopters:

• Have time to watch what bombs

• Save their staff from burnout

• Protect their budget

• And never have to issue a public apology for “that one weird tweet from our AI assistant”

We’re not resisting the future. We’re building the one that actually works.

The New Power Move Is Restraint

Let them chase “first.” You show up better.

Because in tourism:

• Nobody remembers who was first on a platform

• They remember who built something that mattered

Happy short week, use it strategically.

You’re not missing the moment. You’re watching them waste it.

🖤 Jenn