39: Can Destinations Influence the Guest Experience? (Rebecca Wormleighton)

In this episode, Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker welcome special guest Rebecca Wormleighton, co-founder of Zendelity, to explore a nuanced challenge in destination marketing: How much influence do DMOs actually have over the guest experience—and what can they do about it? Despite Stuart battling some lingering Covid brain fog and Adam fresh off his 18th wedding anniversary trip to see Morgan Wallen, the crew dives deep into the disconnect between what destinations promise and what travelers experience. Rebecca shares insights from her career in hospitality tech and customer experience, suggesting that many organizations are managing frontline staff with outdated tools—spreadsheets and checklists—while pouring resources into digital guest messaging. She advocates for proactive data collection and operational visibility as the key to preventing negative guest experiences before they happen. Stuart and Adam consider the implications for DMOs: Can destinations track predictive metrics like staffing levels or restaurant wait times? Should DMOs create community-wide incentives or certification programs to raise service standards? And how does expectation-setting influence reviews and perception? The episode also includes:  • A discussion of lagging vs. leading indicators in tourism performance  • A hilarious AI-generated “apology video” for missing an episode due to Stuart’s Covid  • Adam’s shameless plug for the launch of Generation 2 of TourismIQ  • The concept of “Destination Excellence” as a possible rallying cry for communities Whether you’re a destination marketer, hotel operator, or tourism professional, this episode will challenge your thinking about what really drives guest satisfaction—and what role you play in shaping it. Want some swag at ESTO? Send in a question or comment before the event, and you’ll get a free shirt at the live Destination Discourse session!

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