Field Notes

Why Some Cities Win: Lessons from the 2025 City Brand Barometer

In this episode of Field Notes: Insights and Observations for the Travel Marketer, Eric Hultgren sits down with Ben Knapp, Brand Strategist at Saffron Brand Consultants, to unpack this year’s City Brand Barometer—a deep dive into why some cities rise in global rankings while others fall behind.
Ben shares powerful insights on:
The evolution from place branding to placemaking
How cities can close the perception–reality gap
The role of AI and online sentiment in shaping travel decisions
Why smaller, lesser-known destinations are poised to thrive in 2026
From Madrid’s brand alignment to the rise of Dubai and the rebirth of smaller communities, this episode explores how cities can turn authenticity into competitive advantage.
👉 Download the full report: https://bit.ly/3WNO4o5

AI, Content, and Trust in Travel Marketing

In this episode of Field Notes: Insights and Observations for the Travel Marketer, Eric Hultgren takes us inside his keynote talk delivered in Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio. With spooky season as the backdrop, he leads travel marketers through a journey that compares reading the jungle to understanding the shifting marketing landscape—where AI is no longer “new,” it’s “normal.”
Eric explores how AI is reshaping content discovery, why trust outweighs reach, and how travel brands can adapt by scaling content smartly while staying authentic.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
🌍 Why marketers should think like anthropologists, not advertisers.
⚡ Why AI is not a trend—it’s infrastructure, like electricity or highways.
🔎 The shift from SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and what that means for travel marketers.
📹 Why blogs feed AI but video delights humans—and how to balance both.
🤝 Why trust > reach when building communities in an era of automation.
🥖 How to repurpose one big piece of content into 40+ smaller ones (from bread to Hamilton to whitepapers).
📲 Tactics to stop cross-posting and instead design platform-specific content.
📧 Why email and text remain undervalued community-building tools.
👥 How to turn employees into brand megaphones without policing them.
🚦 Why “zero-click attribution” will redefine how we measure marketing success.

Brand as Signal: How Travel Marketers Can Thrive in the Age of AI

In this episode of Field Notes: Insights and Strategies for the Travel Marketer, Eric Hultgren takes the stage in Flint, Michigan, to deliver his keynote “Brand as Signal.” The talk explores how travel brands can adapt and lead in a rapidly shifting marketing landscape dominated by AI. With billions of weekly queries happening on ChatGPT and platforms like Google Gemini, the rules of visibility are being rewritten. Eric breaks down what this means for marketers and, more importantly, what to do about it. What you’ll learn in this episode: Why AI isn’t the future of marketing, it’s the present. The concept of “answer engine optimization” and how it’s replacing SEO. How to create scalable content systems (turning one white paper into 200 pieces of content). The importance of trust, taste, and community over sheer volume of posts. How to turn employees into authentic brand ambassadors on platforms like LinkedIn. The dangers of cross-posting without tailoring content to each platform. What “zero-click attribution” means for the future of traffic and conversion. Eric also shares practical action items travel marketers can take right now, including how to feed AI models the right signals, test your visibility in Gemini/ChatGPT/Perplexity, and move from passive audiences to active communities. Plus: Stay tuned until the end for a lively audience Q&A covering cross-posting, emoji use, and whether traditional SEO efforts still translate in an AI-first world.

Marketing College & the Future of Travel: A Conversation with Shannon Gray

In this episode of Field Notes: Insights and Observations for the Travel Marketer, Eric sits down with Shannon Gray, Provost of the Southeast Tourism Society’s Marketing College and founder of Gray Research Solutions. Together, they dive into:
Shannon’s journey from anthropology into travel marketing research.
What makes Marketing College such a unique program for tourism professionals.
How community, innovation, and mentorship shape the next generation of travel marketers.
Why graduates often come back to teach and give back to the program.
The evolving role of research in driving smarter tourism marketing decisions.
Whether you’re curious about professional development, intrigued by the intersection of anthropology and marketing, or just want a behind-the-scenes look at how tourism leaders are being trained, this conversation offers fresh insights and inspiration. 👉 Learn more about Marketing College through the Southeast Tourism Society: southeasttourism.org

Louisiana Travel, Hospitality & the Future of Tourism with Chris Landry

In this episode of Field Notes: Insights for the Travel Marketer, Eric sits down live at the STS Connections Conference with Chris Landry, President & CEO of the Louisiana Travel Association.
Chris shares his perspective on Louisiana’s unique travel identity, the evolving role of AI in marketing, and why hospitality is the ultimate differentiator in tourism. Topics include:
🌴 What hosting a major conference means for Lake Charles and overlooked Louisiana destinations🍤 The food culture divide—why gumbo, boudin, and jambalaya showcase the western Cajun influence🤖 How AI is changing marketing workflows for CVBs and leveling the playing field for smaller destinations📈 Why Louisiana is optimistic heading into 2026 with big events like Mardi Gras and the Super Bowl fueling demand💡 How the industry can avoid burnout and why “niceness” might just be the most important KPI in tourism🎓 Opportunities in hospitality careers, from marketing to accounting, and the work of the Louisiana Tourism Fund
If you’re passionate about travel marketing, destination branding, or the future of hospitality, this episode offers fresh insights straight from one of Louisiana’s leading voices.
🌐 Learn more: Louisiana Travel Association🎙️ Subscribe for more Field Notes episodes on travel, strategy, and storytelling.

Influencer Marketing in Travel & Hospitality | Field Notes Podcast with Jordan Basham

In this episode of Field Notes: Insights for the Travel Market, Eric sits down at the STS Connections Conference with Jordan Basham, creator of the Instagram account Where to Geaux.
Jordan shares her story of starting as a Baton Rouge foodie posting takeout boxes during COVID, growing into a full-time influencer, and launching her own social media agency. Together, we dig into:
✅ How DMOs and brands can effectively work with influencers✅ What to look for when choosing the right creator for your campaign✅ The ROI question—what works, what doesn’t, and why longevity matters✅ Navigating “viral overload” and why sometimes you don’t want 200,000 people showing up✅ How AI is shaping social media strategy for agencies and influencers✅ Lessons from Raising Cane’s, NIL partnerships, and working with influencers on any budget
Whether you’re a travel marketer, local business, or just curious about the behind-the-scenes of influencer marketing, this conversation is packed with practical insights.
📲 Follow Jordan on Instagram: @wheretogeaux225🎙️ Subscribe for more episodes of Field Notes—your guide to travel marketing, storytelling, and strategy.

What you need to know about GPT 5 as a DMO

As a travel marketer, the AI landscape is shifting fast and last week’s update to ChatGPT might be the biggest change yet. In this episode of Field Notes, Eric Hultgren breaks down what GPT-5 means for you and your DMO team, and how to turn this leap in AI capability into a competitive advantage. We’ll walk you through a set of high-impact prompts you can start testing today in GPT-5 or A/B against other models like Claude or Perplexity to inspire travelers, personalize experiences, and drive more bookings.
 
Whether you’re new to AI or looking to sharpen your skills, this “Summer of AI” starter kit will help you level-up your AI dexterity and make your destination stand out.
 
Chat GPT 5 Prompt Starter Kit
https://www.advancetravelandtourism.com/insights/travel-marketers-gpt-5-prompt-library/ 

Authentic Eco-tourism with Emily Clay

In this episode of Field Notes, host Eric Hultgren sits down with Emily Clay from Advance Travel & Tourism to explore the world of eco tourism. With a deep background in sustainability, Emily shares insights into how destinations can identify and amplify their eco-forward efforts in ways that are both authentic and effective.
The conversation covers:
What initially drew Emily to the topic of eco tourism
How travel marketers can recognize and support sustainable tourism practices in their regions
The importance of transparency and reporting when promoting eco-focused initiatives
The evolving landscape of eco tourism and what it means for the next decade
Common pitfalls marketers can avoid when crafting sustainability messages
Her top recommendation for a book or documentary to learn more about conservation
Whether you're already immersed in sustainability or exploring how it intersects with travel marketing, this episode provides valuable takeaways to help shape your strategy and storytelling.
Follow Field Notes for more conversations that help travel marketers navigate changing consumer values, emerging trends, and actionable strategies.

In a World of AI, Is Friction the New Feature?

In this episode, Eric Hultgren is joined by Bart Thau, Vice President of Marketing at Advance Travel and Tourism, for a thought-provoking conversation about the evolving role of AI in digital marketing and what it means for those working in the travel space. They explore a couple of recent headlines out of Google’s AI division and unpack what marketers should pay attention to (and what they shouldn’t overreact to).
From the acceleration of AI compared to Moore’s Law to how large language models are reshaping the customer journey, the duo covers a lot of ground. Eric also shares how he’s using tools like ChatGPT in unconventional ways to improve storytelling—a key skill for any marketer today. The conversation even touches on the surprising return of analog formats like vinyl, film cameras, and Polaroids, and what that could signal about consumer behavior. Whether you’re an AI skeptic, an early adopter, or just trying to keep up, this episode offers a practical perspective and a few good laughs along the way
Links:
https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-claims-ai-overviews-monetize-at-same-rate-as-traditional-search/547838/
https://www.searchenginejournal.com/is-seo-still-relevant-in-the-ai-era-new-research-says-yes/547929/.
 

SEO + GEO + AEO Lesley Delchamps Talks Search vs Answers

In this episode of the Field Notes podcast, host Eric Hultgren sits down with Creative Director Lesley Delchamps to explore how digital marketing is evolving in the age of AI. The conversation focuses on the shifting roles of: SEO (Search Engine Optimization)  the traditional strategy to rank on search engines, AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), tailoring content for direct answers in AI tools, GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)  preparing content to be pulled into AI-generated responses, like those from ChatGPT. The two dive into ChatGPT Shopping, a new feature that offers personalized product recommendations directly within AI conversations, bypassing Google entirely. For travel marketers, this signals a major change: AI is becoming the starting point for consumer discovery. Lesley and Eric unpack what that means for destination marketing teams and how to stay ahead. The takeaway? Marketers must embrace all three strategies—SEO, AEO, and GEO—to ensure their content is discoverable, AI-friendly, and positioned to influence travel decisions in this new era of search.