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Destinations International asked me to speak about using shared values to unite people in divisive times.
Destination marketers are being asked to inspire inbound visitors, lift local pride, and brief policymakers who wake up on different sides of the aisle. That is a lot of needles to thread with one piece of thread.
The answer is values. From a million surveys across 180 countries, we know people act when messages align with WHAT MATTERS MOST to them. For the Destinations International Advocacy Summit in Sacramento, we focused on two audiences at the same time. The people who live in the United States, and the inbound travelers who are deciding where to go next. Then we looked for shared values that would work across today's political spectrum, and values that would motivate travelers from around the world.
Destination marketing organizations facing the challenge of attracting visitors in polarized times need strategies that transcend politics and connect with travelers' core values.
Three values rose to the top. Personal Growth. Relationships. Financial Security. Here is how to put them to work.
1) Personal Growth for inbound travelers
What it means here: self-discovery and learning.
Why it matters: people who value this want travel to change them in some way.
What to do next: build a Leave Wiser promise. Tell and prove stories where visitors gain a skill, a story, or a new perspective. Think micro workshops with local makers. Curated conversations with historians and culture bearers. A field notebook at check in and a reflection moment at check out. The message is simple. Come here as you are. Leave wiser than before.
2) Relationships for the U.S. general population
What it means here: meaningful human connection.
Why it matters: this value resonates across Team Red and Team Blue, which makes it a powerful bridge.
What to do next: frame tourism as a network of genuine relationships. Launch Shared Table nights with restaurants and community centers where residents and visitors meet over food and conversation. Spotlight collaborations between local businesses, schools, and event organizers. Show hospitality as mutual respect and authentic connection. When people see tourism as a web of real connections, they protect it.
3) Financial Security for both audiences
What it means here: trustworthiness and stability.
Why it matters: people want to know their money is safe and doing something good. Residents want the same thing for public funds.
What to do next: publish Local Prosperity stories with real numbers. Transparent pricing for visitors. Clear receipts for residents. Where do the dollars go. Which schools improved. Which main street stayed alive. Look at the Shorefast model on Fogo Island for inspiration about tourism as a community investment. The destination becomes a trustworthy choice, and the industry becomes a stabilizer.
Turning values into a plan
Start with People, then Values, then Behavior. Identify the audiences you need to move. Select the right shared values and specific definitions of those values for each audience. Then translate those values into specific storylines, experiences, and proof points. Don’t forget to measure what changes. More pride. More advocacy. More spend. Shorter paths to yes in council chambers.
The bigger idea
When you align messages and experiences with values, you get something rare in a divided moment. You get resonance. Visitors feel it. Residents feel it. Decision makers feel it. That feeling turns into behavior. Which turns into results.
If your team wants to map these values for your destination, I can help you do that. The work is practical and the outcomes are measurable. Most of all, it brings people together around WHAT MATTERS MOST.
WHAT MATTERS MOST to the people you need to inspire?
Values are the answer. Let’s put them to work.
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