~ Guest blog by Expedia VP & General Manager of Destination Services and Expedia Local Expert ~
Yesterday I drove 3 ½ hours from our office in Bellevue to Lake Quinault. As one of the executive sponsors of this project, I am here to support the team as they prepare and present their final recommendations to the local community this evening. I am struck by two things.
First, what a special location this is! I have visited Olympic National Park before, but never this side of it. The lake is stunning, especially surrounded by mountains and epic trees, among them the tallest Sitka Spruce in the world. The air is deliciously refreshing. Everything is bathed in cool rain and brilliant sunshine, sometimes simultaneously. The buildings are rustic and comfortable, decorated with historic photos, art from the local Native American Indian Nation, and artifacts from the logging industry. All of this creates a tranquil setting that evokes the generations of diverse people who have lived, worked, and relaxed here. It all makes me want to put on my boots and head straight into the forest.
Second, what a tremendous contribution Expedia and the eight members of the project team are making to this community and to the overall World Heritage mission! Yesterday and today, I have been with the team as they calmly but passionately discuss their insights from the last 10 days, refine their recommendations, and test their presentations with each other. I am impressed by how much this team has accomplished in a short time, including not only their observations and expertise about the location, but also the relationships that they have developed with a variety of stakeholders in this community. I am impressed by the energy they are dedicating to ensure that this work has enduring positive impact (among other things, the team room was still full of activity when at 11:30 pm last night). Perhaps most of all, I am impressed by the way that each team member is bringing her/his professional Expedia expertise to bear, whether it be developing a compelling identify and brand for the destination, creating compelling imagery and graphics, designing a website, formulating new sustainable tourism products, or defining a targeted set of promotions.
I am looking forward to the discussion with the community tonight. And I am proud to be part of Expedia.
First, what a special location this is! I have visited Olympic National Park before, but never this side of it. The lake is stunning, especially surrounded by mountains and epic trees, among them the tallest Sitka Spruce in the world. The air is deliciously refreshing. Everything is bathed in cool rain and brilliant sunshine, sometimes simultaneously. The buildings are rustic and comfortable, decorated with historic photos, art from the local Native American Indian Nation, and artifacts from the logging industry. All of this creates a tranquil setting that evokes the generations of diverse people who have lived, worked, and relaxed here. It all makes me want to put on my boots and head straight into the forest.
Second, what a tremendous contribution Expedia and the eight members of the project team are making to this community and to the overall World Heritage mission! Yesterday and today, I have been with the team as they calmly but passionately discuss their insights from the last 10 days, refine their recommendations, and test their presentations with each other. I am impressed by how much this team has accomplished in a short time, including not only their observations and expertise about the location, but also the relationships that they have developed with a variety of stakeholders in this community. I am impressed by the energy they are dedicating to ensure that this work has enduring positive impact (among other things, the team room was still full of activity when at 11:30 pm last night). Perhaps most of all, I am impressed by the way that each team member is bringing her/his professional Expedia expertise to bear, whether it be developing a compelling identify and brand for the destination, creating compelling imagery and graphics, designing a website, formulating new sustainable tourism products, or defining a targeted set of promotions.
I am looking forward to the discussion with the community tonight. And I am proud to be part of Expedia.
Posts
