23: Are You Ignoring Your Most Valuable Destination Marketing Asset? (Kyle Edminston)

Welcome back to Destination Discourse! In this episode, Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker are joined by Kyle Edmiston, President & CEO of Visit Lake Charles, to discuss one of the most critical yet often overlooked aspects of destination marketing—employee engagement and culture.

🔹 Key Topics Covered:
✅ Why your team is the most valuable asset in your organization
✅ The power of employee surveys and how Visit Lake Charles uses Gallup Q12
✅ Common blind spots in leadership and how to address workplace challenges
✅ The role of culture in a hybrid and remote work environment
✅ How to encourage time off to avoid burnout and increase productivity
✅ Why DMOs should be measuring employee sentiment just like visitor sentiment

💡 Big Takeaways:
💬 “If you’re asking your employees for feedback, you have to act on it. Otherwise, you’re doing more harm than good.”
💬 “Culture isn’t just pizza parties and happy hours—it’s the sum of all interactions between team members.”
💬 “Your vacation time is part of your compensation—if you’re not using it, it’s like not taking your full paycheck.”