Nicole Newman

More than three decades ago, Shelly Archer began her career in hospitality with a simple belief: people matter, relationships matter, and when you take care of both, incredible things happen. That belief carried her from tour operator, to entrepreneur, to co-founding 360 Destination Group in 2012, where she helped grow four Southern California offices into a national company spanning 20 destinations and a team of 180 people. It ultimately became one half of the story that would shape Cohera. But numbers have never been the legacy. Her legacy is the people she believed in before they believed in themselves. The careers she helped launch. The leaders she mentored. The clients who became lifelong partners. The culture she fought to protect through growth, change, and one of the most significant mergers our industry has seen. When CSI DMC and 360 Destination Group came together, Shelly didn’t just help build a new company. She helped build the trust that allowed two organizations to become one. She reminded us that the strongest companies aren’t built on logos or org charts. They’re built on people who choose to move forward together. That philosophy became part of Cohera’s foundation. As Shelly transitions from President to our Board of Directors, we’re filled with gratitude. This next chapter may come with a new title, but her leadership, perspective, and unwavering belief in this company will continue helping shape what’s next. Thank you, Shelly, for every conversation, every challenge, every lesson, and every opportunity you’ve created for so many of us. The next chapter looks a little different, but we’re grateful you’ll still be helping write the story. #MeetCohera

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What does purpose-driven leadership look like after more than three decades in the travel industry? This week, we're featuring Katie Brown, Vice President of Brand and Resort Strategy at Steamboat Resort, whose career journey is rooted in resilience, reinvention and a deep commitment to building community. In our latest Member Spotlight, Katie shares the lessons that have shaped her career, the ideas inspiring her today and why creating meaningful connections remains at the heart of everything she does. Read her story and get to know one of the incredible leaders in the Women Leading Travel community: https://hubs.li/Q04s9-Bk0 #WomenLeadingTravel #WLTMemberSpotlight #SteamboatResort

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Attention is volatile. Trust compounds. The strongest IP systems don’t monetize attention. They monetize trust, repeat behavior, and emotional reliability. Most IP strategies are built to win moments: • launches • spikes • hits • headlines But enduring IP is built to win patterns: • repeat choice • emotional consistency • permission to return That’s why so many promising properties don’t fail creatively — they fail systemically. They’re scaled before the audience relationship has stabilized. You can buy reach. You can’t buy emotional reliability. And until trust becomes the primary asset being designed for, scale is just acceleration toward fragility. Strong IP doesn’t grow faster. It grows steadier. #IPStrategy #WorldBuilding #TrustEconomy #BrandSystems

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In early 2020 I became CEO of Visit Corpus Christi. One of the first people I met was Meredith Darden, CDME, our Visitor Services Manager. I came in dead set on building an industry-leading visitor experience program. Over five years, the Gulf Coasters and the Gulf Coast Capital Store became a case study in how visitor operations are supposed to work and Meredith was right in the middle of it making the ideas, some crazier than others, an operational reality. I watched Meredith grow over those years. From visitor services to VP of Experience, to Chief of Staff, to Chief Operating Officer. Her growth made me a better leader. I have never trusted an employee the way I trust Meredith. Not because we are the same person. Because we are not. We are actually the exact opposite humans. But we were radically candid with each other and took time to learn about each other. We complement each other's strengths and weaknesses. We trust each other's intentions so completely that we are not afraid to push each other past our level of comfort when that is required. The trust got deep enough that it became a bit of a legend. A few people still remember the story of her shouting at me in front of a room right before one of our biggest events. So I could not be more excited to share that Meredith is joining me at Oetting Alchemy as Director of Operational Excellence. She is the best operator I have worked with living in the gray areas of traditional execution and organization. She happily gets dirty in the details and takes what may appear to be impossible operational scenarios as a challenge. The proof is out there for everyone to see. Meredith led VCC to not only DMAP Accreditation with Distinction but the highest "with Distinction" in the programs history. Now, she will do that for our clients, building operational strategies based in reality and not theory. It's the whole reason OA exists. To make our partners more efficient so they can be more strategic. I couldn't be happier the band is back together. Make sure to follow Meredith Darden, CDME for her operational insights. Also, take a moment and see how OA can help you and your organization at www.oettingalchemy.com

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Jasper is one of the most extraordinary places on earth. The people who live and work here are what make it that way. Today, we're announcing a $400,000 contribution to expand childcare and community space at the Jasper Activity Centre. The project adds 22 new licensed childcare spaces to the Wildflowers Childcare and a new community space, drawn from our $3 million commitment through the Jasper Tourism Recovery and Prosperity Fund. Childcare might not be the most obvious investment for a hospitality and attractions company. But for us it's straightforward. Our team members live here, raise their families here, and care deeply about Jasper's future. When the community they depend on works, Jasper works. That's what Promise to Place means in practice. Investing in the people and infrastructure that make these places possible. The new spaces open in 2027. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/epAHJMPi

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This time of year, leaders are quick to say “I’m grateful for my team.” But I keep thinking: how often do we actually show that gratitude… individually, specifically, and all year long? In fast-moving organizations, it’s so easy to: 🚫 Close a big renewal and immediately ask, “Okay, what’s next?” 🚫 Ship a product and jump straight into the next sprint. 🚫 Hit a quarterly target and start raising the bar before we’ve even exhaled. Short term, that can look like drive and ambition. Long term, it can feel like: “nothing is ever enough.” The best leaders I’ve worked with (and tried to be) do something different: ✅ They pause the treadmill long enough to call out specific contributions by name. ✅ They make “thank you” just as routine as pipeline reviews. ✅ They don’t save appreciation for performance reviews or holidays, it’s baked into the operating cadence. As we head into Thanksgiving, keep these in mind: Hitting milestones is how the business grows. Regularly recognizing the humans who made them possible is how the culture grows. 🥰

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Guests do not experience cultural attractions in service lines. They experience one connected day. Planning. Purchasing. Arriving. Entering. Dining. Shopping. Exploring. Remembering. Deciding whether to return. When those moments are disconnected, cultural attractions can lose revenue, loyalty, and mission engagement without realizing it. But when admissions, culinary, retail, events, membership, technology, and hospitality work together, every touchpoint has the potential to strengthen the next. That is the idea behind SSA Group’s One Revenue Strategy: aligning the full Hospitality Experience Journey to create seamless guest experiences, stronger revenue opportunities, and more sustainable growth for cultural attractions and iconic destinations. The opportunity is to make every moment feel intentional, connected, and worth returning to. Read more on our blog: https://lnkd.in/gjanAhh8 #CulturalAttractions #GuestExperience #452Hospitality #OneRevenueStrategy #MissionImpact

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Hear all about the Destination Journey of Lauren Bruggemans, Director of Sustainability and Community Engagement at Visit Greater Palm Springs! After growing up with her father in the hospitality industry, Lauren has always felt the tourism industry was a natural fit. She urges those entering the industry to find their own path and take every opportunity to explore the world around them. 🎥✨ Watch all Destination Journeys videos here: https://bit.ly/4vcPBny

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Scottsdale is reaching audiences across the pond 🇮🇪✈️ Last week, our Tourism team had the opportunity to connect with 32 Irish travel professionals during a virtual training hosted in partnership with Visit USA Committee Ireland. As part of a webinar highlighting travel throughout the Western U.S., our team shared what makes Scottsdale a must-visit destination - from the energy and charm of Old Town to the luxury and natural beauty of Scottsdale and Paradise Valley. Thank you to Visit USA Ireland for the opportunity to showcase Scottsdale to this important international audience.

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