Destination Podcasts: Telling Your Story

It’s no secret that we’re huge fans of podcasts at Travel Alliance Partnership. We have our own podcast, Destination on the Left, that explores creativity and collaboration in the travel and tourism industry. Podcasting gives you the opportunity to talk to fascinating people and tell their stories in ways you might not be able to with short-form content, like a social media post.

As a destination, you have countless stories to tell about your local businesses, residents, and the things that make you a unique place people want to visit. Whether ongoing or limited-run, destination podcasts can create a library of stories that continues to inspire long after an episode is first released. We’ve rounded up a few examples to give you inspiration as you think about creative ways a podcast can enhance your marketing toolkit.

Destination Podcasts

1. Destination Saratoga: All Access

Destination Saratoga: All Access gives listeners an inside look at Saratoga County through local stories, attractions, events and hidden gems. Produced by Discover Saratoga, the podcast features interviews and behind-the-scenes conversations that introduce listeners to the people and places shaping the destination, with topics ranging from restaurants and outdoor recreation to arts, history and community happenings. New episodes are released every other Friday and are available in both audio and video formats.

2. For the Love of Mesa

This podcast was created to feature long-form conversations about news and happenings in Mesa, Arizona. For the Love of Mesa introduces listeners to people who are making the city one of the biggest hotspots in the Southwest. Episodes include everything from conversations with local pizza shop owners to the story of a world-class sports complex.

3. California Now

The California Now Podcast produces bi-weekly episodes that explore the people and places that make California a unique place to visit. The show explores different regions of California, interviews California residents, and gives travel tips for those looking to visit the state.

4. Love & Grit

Developed by Visit Philly, Love & Grit celebrates the people and culture that drive Philadelphia to greatness. The podcast tells authentic stories about the people, music, and culture of Philadelphia. The goal of the podcast is to help people discover the greatness of Philadelphians and drive listeners to go experience the city for themselves.

5. The Inner Coastal Podcast

The Inner Coastal Podcast explores Beaufort, SC through bi-weekly episodes hosted by the team at Visit Beaufort. This podcast stands out because, in addition to inviting listeners to discover Beaufort and the surrounding areas, it also speaks to the community’s passion for preserving and protecting the Lowcountry coast. The podcast interviews local business owners and talks about the lasting impact the Lowcountry of South Carolina has on visitors.

6. Walk in Her Footsteps

Cayuga County in the Finger Lakes prides itself in being the chosen home of Harriet Tubman and in 2022 the region set out to tell her story as they got ready to celebrate her 200^th birthday. As a way to invite both visitors and residents to walk in Harriet Tubman’s footsteps, the county developed a four-episode podcast series to tell her story and show how her legacy lives on in Cayuga County. This show is an excellent example of using a podcast to add an element of long-form storytelling to a destination’s marketing campaign.

7. Unexpected Adventures in North Alabama

With new episodes twice a month, Unexpected Adventures in North Alabama takes listeners through a variety of activities in North Alabama from hiking and fishing to museums and restaurants. The podcast tells the story of hidden gems and gives an inside look into what visitors can expect when they make a trip.

8. The Magic of Kanab

The host of The Magic of Kanab takes listeners on an enchanting tour of Southern Utah in this limited-run series. The show explores Kane County’s diverse attractions and tells stories about secret gems hidden around every corner of this expansive region.

9. Hello Wyoming

Produced by the Wyoming Office of Tourism, Hello Wyoming transported listeners to the Cowboy State through stories about some of the state’s best-kept secrets and favorite local attractions. The episodes make it easy for listeners to imagine a trip to the picturesque area.

Getting Started with a Destination Podcast

While these destination podcasts will provide you with plenty of inspiration, you might be wondering… where do I start? When we spoke with Michael Hensley, then Director of Tourism Marketing at Go Great Lakes Bay CVB, on Episode 333 of Destination on the Left, he gave us some great advice about developing a podcast.

The Go Great Lakes Bay podcast ran from 2020 to 2023, and the content it created is an excellent resource for promoting the destination. The show gave the organization a way to sit down with the people behind the businesses and organizations that shape the region and tell their stories in greater depth. As Hensley explained, that meant listeners could experience the destination through the people who live, work and create there.

The podcast also created value beyond reaching potential visitors. Hensley found that it strengthened relationships with tourism partners by giving them a microphone and a platform for sharing their stories. That’s an important reminder when considering the long-term value of destination podcasts. Those stories captured will remain part of a destination’s content library and continue introducing audiences to the people and places that make it distinctive.

Here are three lessons from Hensley’s experience that can help you get started.

1. Consistency is Key

One of the most challenging parts of starting a podcast is developing your audience. Consistency is the key to building momentum. Don’t get discouraged if your episodes don’t start off with a huge number of listeners. Keep producing high-quality content and you will see results.

Go Great Lakes Bay learned this lesson firsthand. Early episodes were released on an irregular schedule as Hensley handled recording, editing and distribution himself. After learning more about podcasting and talking with others in the industry, the team recognized the importance of consistency and eventually committed to a weekly schedule.

Whether weekly, bi-weekly or monthly makes sense for your organization, find a schedule that works for you and stick with it.

2. Have a Conversation

When Hensley started his podcast, he felt like he needed to be an expert journalist and stressed about how he would conduct interviews. He learned that he didn’t need to be the next great interviewer; he simply needed to open up the space for his guest to talk and share their story.

Don’t feel like you need to have the perfect questions. Simply have a conversation with your guest and give them room to tell the stories that make your destination special. That shift helped Hensley move past his early nervousness and find a natural rhythm for the show.

3. Podcasts are a Team Effort

Collaboration is extremely important when it comes to producing a podcast. At Go Great Lakes Bay, the team worked with a radio company to edit, produce and distribute episodes, taking some of the technical demands off Hensley’s plate.

Many destinations also work with outside partners to get their episodes on the right platforms. If you have a quality team behind you, then you can focus on the storytelling without getting bogged down with the technical side of things. Don’t be afraid to use your resources so you can focus on what it is you do best: telling your destination’s story.

Resources for Destination Podcasters

A few resources that Nicole Mahoney, host of Destination on the Left, recommends include:

• Profitable Podcasting by Stephen Woessner, this book provides a step-by-step guide to launching and producing a podcast.
• This interview on Episode 264 with Tom Ritter on Destination on the left talks about using podcasting as a marketing tool and provides great insights into building a successful show.
• Learn what makes a great story in our blog post: Storytelling is Key in Tourism Marketing

Keep Telling Your Destination’s Story

Destination podcasts give tourism organizations space to tell stories that don’t always fit into a social post, ad or other short-form marketing channel. And those stories can have a life well beyond the original publishing schedule.

Whether you build an ongoing show or create a limited series around a particular theme, think about the stories you want to preserve and the people best positioned to tell them. A strong library of conversations can continue helping audiences get to know your destination long after the microphones are turned off.