Field Notes

Field Notes

The travel industry is evolving fast—how are you keeping up? Field Notes: Insights and Strategies for the Travel Marketer is your go-to podcast for expert insights, real-world strategies, and candid conversations with the people shaping the future of travel marketing. What You’ll Discover 🚀 Actionable Strategies – Learn from top industry experts, marketing leaders, and travel professionals as they share what’s working now. 🌍 Industry Trends – Stay ahead of emerging trends in digital marketing, destination branding, customer engagement, and more. 🎙️ Exclusive Interviews – Hear the voices behind successful campaigns, innovative tourism strategies, and game-changing marketing approaches. 📈 Real-World Insights – Get firsthand experiences, case studies, and behind-the-scenes knowledge from those who know the travel marketing landscape best.

Episodes

August 15, 2025 19 mins

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 Perpl...

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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 marke...

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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 acceler...

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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)  ...

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In this episode of "Field Notes: Insights and Observations for the Travel Marketer," hosts Eric Hultgren and Sara Dyer discuss a new study breaking down travel trends for 2025 into four distinct categories and share strategies for travel marketers to connect with potential travelers.

Key points covered:

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🎙️ Welcome to Field Notes: Insights and Observations for the Travel Marketer In this episode, host Eric Hultgren sits down with Bennie F Johnson, CEO of the American Marketing Association (AMA), for a wide-ranging conversation that blends culture, curiosity, and the ever-evolving world of marketing. From walkout songs to why travel marketers need a fresh perspective, Bennie shares his unique take on what makes marketing magical—an...

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In this episode of Field Notes: Insights and Observations for the Travel Marketer, we explore the hidden power of typography with Terrence Weinzierl, Executive Creative Director at Monotype.

From cereal boxes to city branding, and from thumbnails to travel brochures, Terrence explains how fonts shape perception, evoke emotion, and help tell a brand’s story—sometimes without using a single full word. We talk about what McDonald's an...

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On this episode of Field Notes: Insights and Strategies for the Travel Marketer, host Eric Hultgren sits down with Holly Laurencelle, Senior Sales Manager for the Midwest at Advance Travel and Tourism. They dive into the importance of branding in the travel space and explore how DMOs can adapt when the weather doesn’t cooperate—including real-world examples like Munising’s pivot from snowmobiling to UTV adventures.

The conversation...

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Join host Eric as he sits down with Kyle Stichtenoth, Senior Director of Digital Sales and Strategy at Advanced Travel and Tourism, for an insightful discussion on the evolving travel industry landscape. With 15 years of industry experience, Kyle shares valuable insights on:

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In this episode of Field Notes, host Eric Hultgren sits down with Mike Yates, Senior Product Designer at Teach for America’s Innovation Lab, to explore the evolving role of AI in marketing—specifically in the travel industry. Mike shares his perspective on "dexterity over literacy", emphasizing the importance of hands-on experimentation with AI over theoretical knowledge.

The conversation dives into key topics such as:

  • How A...
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