The tourism and travel industry outlook for 2025 points to a host of reasons to double down on the customer experience. Businesspeople are back in the office, traveling to meetings, and taking advantage of the chance to explore new cities while on the road. At the same time, leisure travelers are more price-sensitive, and the economy is uncertain.

Top destination organizations navigate changes by focusing on what matters most—the Visitor Experience (VX). With a few shifts in your strategy, you, too, will weather the next storm. In this blog post, get a download on winning VX strategies and how leaders find the money to fund them. Armed with the latest information, you will be ready to soar past your goals in 2025.

Trending Ways to Improve the Customer Experience

Leading DMOs are sold on educating entire communities about the importance of the customer experience. In 2025, they will increase their investment in their VX strategy. Top trends include:

• The creation of Customer Experience Officer (CXO) positions at DMOs and CVBs. These leaders constantly communicate with stakeholders about how to improve the Visitor Experience in their communities. They develop strategic plans, secure resources, and develop programs.
• Online VX education for community partners. Demand for Treat ‘em Right’s custom VX education platforms and video lessons is high. Mid-sized DMOs reach thousands of industry employees through online education every year.
• Creation of training programs on inclusive workplaces and lessons in Spanish. Treat ’em Right produced a seven-part VX Education program for the Mississippi Tourism Association in both English and Spanish and our first lesson on inclusion. We worked closely with the MTA to craft an inclusion message that fits the community.

“I believe for inclusion to work it must start within the industry first, so we’re creating programming for all of our Spanish speakers,” says Phil Bruno, Founder and President of Treat ’em Right. “Employees better understand the important messages in VX education when it is in their native language.”

The new CXOs work closely with Treat ‘em Right to manage the creation of online education programs for community partners. When promoted well, 10-15% of industry employees will participate in online VX education every year, thus delivering a powerful, cost-effective boost to the visitor economy.

The Importance of a Smart Visitor Experience Strategy in 2025

Let’s unpack the reasons for increasing your investment in VX strategy.

1. Industry leaders expect a leisure travel slowdown due to an uncertain economy and consumers taking on too much credit card debt in recent years. Destinations that exceed expectations will do better because they have a built-in base of return visitors, and those guests tell their friends.
2. There is good news if you’re in a midsize or small market! “Detour destinations” are hot! According to Expedia’s Unpack ’25, travelers want to veer off the beaten path to both save money and enjoy authentic experiences. Employees with VX training are the ones who deliver those authentic experiences.
3. Business travelers are back in force at conventions, conferences, and on sales calls. Smart DMO leaders will seize the opportunity to attract bleisure travelers by providing exceptional service.

How Everyone Benefits

In the big picture, investing in VX education for industry employees buoys your entire community. At the Destinations International 2024 Advocacy Summit, Jack Johnson, DI’s Chief Advocacy Officer, stressed the importance of DMO programs that promote communities as attractive travel destinations:

“What makes these organizations essential is their unique destination knowledge, brand management savvy, and promotional expertise – all of which not only attract visitors but contribute to a community’s social and economic vitality.”

Members of DI have access to a new Catalyst Toolkit, a suite of resources to help them promote their communities. While exploring the tools, remember that nothing beats word-of-mouth advertising. Add VX education for your community partners to your promotional strategy and you will exceed your expectations in 2025. Get a taste of VX education in this video we made for the Skagit Tourism Bureau in Washington.

The Financial Rewards of a Robust Visitor Experience Strategy

Your heart says, “Yes, we need to put more resources into the customer experience.” But your head says, “We don’t have the money.” Not so fast. Do the math and you will see VX education pays off.

Figure the cost-to-benefit ratio by setting measurable objectives such as

• An increase in the percentage of guests referred by a past guest.
• Improvements in employee retention year after year.

Read our article on calculating the dollar value of achieving objectives and measuring the return on expectations. The data makes it clear—an investment in VX education is a sound business decision now more than ever.

Where to Find the Funds to Achieve Your VX Goals

Whether you reallocate resources or attract new funding, you will breathe easier when you have funding for VX education.

Remember that your city and state leaders want the tourism industry to thrive and may fund your vision. They did in Mississippi. The Mississippi Tourism Association received state funding for a statewide VX education program. Treat ‘em Right has created six video training sessions highlighting Mississippi’s brand as a tourist destination. Mississippi DMOs are offering the training free of charge to industry employees.

Contact Us While You Plan

As you plan for 2025, bounce your ideas off Phil Bruno, Founder and President of Treat ‘em Right. He draws upon his 45 years of industry experience to advise leaders like you and develop custom VX education programs. Call Phil at 314-221-6037 or contact him online.