After 100 Episodes, Which of Our Own Beliefs Didn't Survive?

Two years, 100 episodes, and zero preparation. In the first-ever live edition of Destination Discourse, Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker take audience questions in real time and put their own positions on trial.

Adam explains why he moved from championing owned media to arguing that earned media now carries the most weight, because answer engines value third-party conversation above everything else. Stuart argues DMOs should focus less on owning the conversation and more on stimulating word of mouth, from reviews to Reddit.

Then it's the agency-client relationship. When Adam asked 225 people at ESTO who loved their agency of record, not a single hand went up. He argues both sides are unhappy because agencies get paid for hands, not brains. Stuart pushes back on agency bloat and event spending, and on DMOs that use agencies as scapegoats. They also cover surveying staff, stakeholders, residents and visitors, hiring for aptitude and attitude over experience, and why being kind matters more than being nice.

Bottom Line: If you believe exactly what you did two years ago, you haven't been paying attention. The DMOs and agencies that thrive will be the ones willing to challenge their own assumptions, and to say unspoken expectations out loud before they turn into resentments.