Adam Stoker

Destination Discourse is a leading podcast and industry forum designed for professionals in the travel and tourism sector, specifically those working within Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs).

Hosted by industry veterans Stuart Butler (CMO of Visit Myrtle Beach) and Adam Stoker (CEO of Relic Agency and TourismIQ), the show serves as a "real talk" platform where marketing theory meets the honest, often messy realities of destination management.

Purpose and Mission
The show’s primary goal is to challenge the status quo of traditional tourism marketing. It is described by its creators as "part love letter to the industry, part therapy session, and part user manual." The mission is to help DMOs move beyond outdated metrics and vanity gains to focus on sustainable growth, resident stewardship, and genuine visitor engagement.

Core Themes & Topics
The discourse typically centers on the intersection of technology, human behavior, and strategy:

The AI Revolution: Deep dives into how artificial intelligence is reshaping travel planning and whether it threatens or empowers traditional DMO models.

Measurement & Ethics: Critical debates on "the death of the click," data transparency, and the move toward measuring real-world impact rather than just digital impressions.

Destination Stewardship: Shifting the focus from just "bringing in tourists" to managing a destination in a way that benefits the local community and long-term quality of life.

Future-Proofing: Exploring "cathedral thinking" and building owned ecosystems to survive shifts in social media algorithms and search engine behavior.

Format
Episodes range from unscripted, "therapy-style" conversations between the two hosts to high-level interviews with CMOs and experts from major travel brands. The show is known for its "unfiltered" approach, often tackling "uncomfortable" topics like agency transparency, hiring crises, and the potential failure of current media models.