The latest Destination Discourse episode was recorded live from the 2026 Destinations International Marketing & Communications Summit in Cleveland and asks a question that keeps surfacing in the budget conversations heading into FY27: what is the real purpose of a DMO when the organization is being pulled in five directions at once?

Hosts Stuart Butler (left) and Adam Stoker (right) work through the identity debate live in front of the MarCom Summit room, weaving in attendee reactions and a recurring theme from this year’s summit programming — that destination organizations are being asked to be storytellers, economic development partners, stewardship leads, and community advocates, often without a corresponding budget conversation. The episode runs about 49 minutes and is a useful listen for anyone heading into a board or staff planning session this summer.

What’s in the Episode

Why the “destination organization of the future” framing has become a quiet litmus test for what a CVB actually believes its job is
How summit attendees are interpreting the recently released Destination Reputation Study from DI
The widening gap between marketing-led DMOs and the ones being asked to take on management or stewardship mandates
Where the hosts land on whether the industry needs a new shared definition or just better local clarity

The full episode is on the Destination Discourse YouTube channel and on all major podcast platforms.

Thumbnail via Destination Discourse on YouTube