Claire Fisher of Tualatin Valley on the Evolution of the CMO in a DMO

Eric Hultgren sits down with Claire Fisher, CMO of Explore Tualatin Valley at the Oregon Governor's Conference for Tourism. Claire brings an agency background and broad DMO experience beyond Oregon and the US, and she shares how the CMO role has evolved, how her team is navigating AI and social media, and what's on the horizon for Tualatin Valley in 2026.   Key Topics & Takeaways The Evolving CMO Role at a DMO • Claire frames the CMO role today as fundamentally about alignment — breaking down organizational silos. • Constantly returning to the "why" behind strategy is critical as the marketing landscape shifts. • Favors a "compass, not a map" mindset: direction is set, but the route to get there must stay flexible. • Structure with flexibility — experiments should be allowed to guide the team down unexpected paths.   Social Media & Channel Strategy • TikTok: A priority growth channel — grew from ~300 followers to 5,000+ in about 18 months. • Younger audiences are increasingly using TikTok as a search tool; presence is non-negotiable. • Viral moments are meaningful for top-of-funnel awareness but shouldn't be confused with conversion. • Instagram is outperforming Facebook within their Meta investment. • Pinterest is on the radar as a pre-planning/inspirational tool, but KPIs and engagement benchmarks must be defined per channel before scaling. • Guiding principle: expand channels with purpose, not for the sake of presence. AI — "Know Thy Frenemy" • AI is directly impacting DMO website traffic — AI-generated search overviews are reducing click-throughs. • The team is working to understand how their site is being referenced in AI summaries and ensure discoverability. • Uses a 28-day AI challenge program (one new AI tool per day, 10–20 min each) to build team fluency. • Explored tools across image generation, music, video, voiceovers (mentioned 11 Labs as notable), and content strategy. • Team-first philosophy: prefers directing feedback to human designers and writers over replacing them with tools — but acknowledges AI's value for under-resourced DMOs. • Sees parallels to early social media: the landscape is moving so fast that we won't know which tools survive until years from now. • Called for more regulatory structure around AI, drawing a direct comparison to how social media was left to grow unchecked. 2026 Priorities & World Cup • Excited for the 2026 FIFA World Cup — Tualatin Valley is positioned as a stopover between World Cup host cities San Francisco and Seattle. • Potential for international soccer teams to train in the region. • Internally focused on building a culture of "test and learn" and being data-forward. • Annual planning focus: fewer priorities, deeper impact — "a mile wide and an inch deep doesn't help you." Destination Development & Partnerships • Strong existing relationships in wine, brewery/tap room, and cidery segments — these partners are becoming brand ambassadors. • Growth segments: agritourism, culinary, and outdoor — working to bring partnership trust up to the level of their beverage industry relationships. • Long-game thinking is essential, even when the instinct is to want results today. Accessibility • Explore Tualatin Valley is a Wheel the World verified destination. • Completed Cohort 1 of Wheel the World assessments (10–20 locations: attractions, hotels, wineries, etc.). • Cohort 2 underway — expanding variety and geographic coverage within the destination. • Accessibility lens is broad: inclusive playgrounds, sensory rooms, and movie theater times for neurodivergent families. • Oregon is the #1 state in the nation for accessibility — a key point of distinction and storytelling. • Philosophy: accessibility isn't just a box to check — there are real stories to tell.