Skift Live Coverage

Accor has plenty of opportunities to transform itself into more of a lifestyle brand, but every one of its competitors is playing this strategy to some degree. Finding a way to stand out is easier said than done.

Business school students can probably debate this question endlessly and there would be merit in either position: Should smaller companies copy their larger rivals or vice versa? In the Google era, marketing power often wins the day — but differentiation still counts.

For Visit Florida, the pandemic was a golden opportunity to boost its domestic market share while competitors remained restricted. And it worked — Florida's visitor numbers are on track for a record breaking year.

How can the tourism industry strengthen its relationship with communities? Simple: it needs to embrace the fact that it's the communities who invite stakeholders in, and who give them a seat at the table, not the other way around.

Going for organic growth by tapping into already thriving sectors and industries at a community level, and aligning with government projects, are just two ways cities can plan better events and speed up their economic recovery.

Destination marketing organizations faced the ultimate agility test during the pandemic, with funding sources tied to hotel taxes stripped. It is a wake-up call to diversify finances and strategy to have some level of resilience for the next crisis.

Simply waiting for Europe to "get its shot together" isn't an option, say tourism leaders. Destinations have to plan today to win back their fair share of demand tomorrow while juggling sustainability mandates. Tricky.

As many destinations start to open their borders and welcome back travelers, how can tourism add value to local communities in more environmentally friendly and impactful ways? You don't want to miss these timely conversations as tourism faces new challenges and opportunities.

Skift recently hosted the Hospitality & Marketing Summit. Download the post-event report to dig into the big questions facing hospitality.

Watch a full session from our recent online event devoted to hotels and hospitality, and post-pandemic marketing strategy and planning.