While all eyes are fixed on the 2024 presidential campaign and what the results could mean for tourism, destination communicators across the nation also need to pay attention to local elections. New leaders at the city, regional or state level can mean big challenges – but also big opportunities – for destination organizations.

Thinking proactively is vital to ensure your efforts continue in the right direction, and that means reaching out as soon as possible to build relationships with incumbent leaders. A few actions now can help ease any potential transitions when new administrations step into office in 2025. 

1. Prepare a Primer

It’s tempting to assume an incumbent administration will understand and appreciate everything your destination organization does. Assuming anything, however, isn’t a strategy to embrace. Instead, prepare a presentation to let your future governmental leaders know, loud and clear, what you’ve been up to and what you hope to do under their administration.

Prime incumbents on your destination marketing strategy with a white paper or other briefing on your destination organization efforts so they understand where you’re coming from and what they’re stepping into. It’s a strategic and proactive way to build a successful working relationship and to help them trust that you both share a critical mission: to uplift your local communities. 

2. Collect the Data, tell the Story

When it comes to making a case for your destination organization’s efforts, data speaks volumes and is particularly effective when it tells a compelling story. Prepare and present numbers about traveler trends, community involvement, and your overall impact that you want future leaders to know but weave this into a narrative and storytelling that provides real examples of how tourism and the work of your organization has benefited the destination and its residents. Provide financial data and visitation statistics alongside qualitative evidence like testimonials from local businesses and perception studies to paint a more complete picture,

Preemptively make the case that your destination organization contributes positively to the community in a variety of ways so that there will be little discussion when the new administration reviews your team’s work. 

3. Agree on Priorities

It’s no surprise that budget cuts or culture shifts may affect your destination organization moving forward, so discuss internally to prepare for all contingencies. Agree on what programs you are ready to sacrifice as a destination organization and where the hard lines are.  

An internal audit will help your team know your priorities and help you prepare for what may come. Remember that your destination organization serves your local communities first and foremost, so it is important to understand how you will continue to support them when uncertainty and change get voted into office. 

4. Establish Boundaries

Destination marketers know they don’t wield the same power that elected officials, but that doesn’t mean destination organizations should be acquiescent or silent where there is misalignment. Following the elections, it’s a strategic time for destination organization leadership to write a statement to congratulate the winner and introduce your organization to any new administration that may come into office. It’s also a prime time to establish what your boundaries have been, what has worked and how you hope to continue your momentum.  

And if there is no new administration, you can still write to reinforce your positive working relationship or use the election as a moment to reevaluate what has worked well and what has not, and realign your strategy accordingly. 

5. Organize an Introduction

Who doesn’t love a party? Bring together stakeholders and local tourism businesses to welcome new (or even returning) leaders and put a human face on your destination’s tourism industry. By creating face-to-face interactions from the start, you can provide updates on your work while injecting some much-needed humanity into your relationships with politicians who may only see tourism as a set of charts and tax revenue.  

A reception onsite at a convention hall or hosted by a tourism partner will show your new leaders exactly how your work is impacting people and will hopefully win them over to your side in case of any friction.

Creating healthy working relationships with local administrations is a vital step to ensuring a county, city or state can continue to enhance their local communities through tourism. Beyond party affiliations, destination organizations and governments both share the goal of supporting local communities in any way they can, so start from this common ground and work to build success together.