72: Should DMOs Be Responsible for Visitor Safety? (Jason Holic)

A new (intentionally terrible) Stu’s News jingle makes its debut, January downloads surge, and Jason Holic of Experience Kissimmee shares how his team is stepping into water safety as part of destination stewardship.This episode moves beyond traditional demand generation and asks a bigger question: What is a DMO actually responsible for?⸻What You’ll Hear in This Episode • A brand-new Stu’s News jingle (British rapper vibes, Star Wars references, and mixed reviews). • January already surpassing December’s record downloads, with a 30-day run rate up 48% (per Stuart). • A listener comment sparks debate: Should DMOs try to own the travel decision-making cycle—even if they don’t control the transaction? • Stuart’s evolving view of the DMO as not just the “fuel,” but possibly the “mechanic” of the tourism engine. • Adam’s counterpoint: the job is to get attention and build trust—without chasing endless side quests. • Jason’s water safety initiative and what stewardship looks like in practice.⸻The Big Question: What Is a DMO’s Role?The conversation explores whether DMOs should: • Stick to demand generation. • Expand into experience and destination impact. • Take a more active role in long-term tourism vision. • Or simply focus on maximizing attention and converting it into trust.Public safety becomes the real-world test case for that debate.⸻Experience Kissimmee’s Water Safety InitiativeJason shares how the idea originated from a community conversation and evolved into a formal task force including: • Department of Health • Fire Rescue / EMS • Sheriff’s Office • School district • Vacation rental partners • A hotel partner • A water parkThe goal: address water safety proactively before it becomes a reputational crisis.The Framework: The ABCs of Pool SafetyJason references the traditional ABCs of pool safety: • A: Adult supervision • B: Barriers • C: Classes (swim lessons)The campaign focuses specifically on A and B, since swim classes aren’t realistic during a vacation stay.How They’re Delivering It • A short, simple PSA-style video. • Hosted on a landing page. • Visitors who complete the video can enter their email to receive exclusive offers from local attractions and restaurants. • Distribution primarily happens through vacation rental management companies via pre-arrival emails and text messaging.No heavy paid media. No large ad spend. Mostly partner collaboration and owned channels.⸻Myrtle Beach’s Water Safety ActivationStuart shares how Myrtle Beach approached water safety through: • Bringing in the world’s largest rubber duck during Water Safety Week. • Partnering with kid-focused creator Handyman Howe for a water safety video that generated significant viewership. • Creating a media-friendly hook to amplify the message.The takeaway: safety messaging can be serious—but it doesn’t have to be boring.⸻Other Themes from the Episode • The California Gold Rush analogy: maybe DMOs don’t “own the gold,” but they can add value along the journey. • The tension between measuring ROI and measuring impact in safety initiatives. • The importance of convening stakeholders—even if you don’t lead every initiative. • The idea that DMOs should be humble conveners rather than credit-seeking champions.