54: Is It Time for Agencies to Get Paid for How They Think, Not What They Do?

This week on Destination Discourse, Stuart and Adam dive into one of their most candid conversations yet, a real-time therapy session about the changing relationship between DMOs and agencies in the age of AI.

The episode kicks off with Stu’s News and a jaw-dropping update: OpenAI now allows users to shop and pay for products directly inside ChatGPT. No clicks. No websites. Just conversation. Stuart calls it “the moment everything changes,” and Adam agrees this isn’t just about travel; it’s about everything.

From there, Adam flips the script. For once, he brings the topic, and it’s personal. He opens up about the existential crisis facing agencies as automation erodes the tactical work they’ve always been paid for. If AI can plan, buy, and optimize campaigns in seconds, where does that leave human creativity?

Together, Stuart and Adam explore:
 • Why the traditional agency model is breaking under the weight of AI.
 • How DMOs and vendors are now in the same fight for relevance.
 • The shrinking gap between in-house and agency talent.
 • What it looks like to rebuild relationships around ideation, not execution.
 • Why radical collaboration may be the only way forward.
 • And how to measure value when what you’re selling is thinking.

Stuart challenges agencies to prove their worth through ideas instead of deliverables, and Adam asks how destinations can structure partnerships and RFPs that reward innovation instead of commoditization.

It’s raw, honest, and maybe a little uncomfortable, but it’s exactly the kind of conversation the industry needs right now.

Key Quote:

“Agencies have always been paid for what they do. The future belongs to those who get paid for how they think.” — Adam Stoker