Destination Roadmapping

Vicky Soderberg
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Places & Travel

A 10-minute spark of inspiration with a side of tough love—helping small towns create big impact through tourism, events, and unforgettable visitor experiences.

  1. The Expectation Escalation Problem

    2d ago

    The Expectation Escalation Problem

    Send us Fan Mail Every successful event eventually faces the same dangerous question: “What should we add next year?” In this episode of Destination Roadmapping, Vicky dives into the Expectation Escalation Problem, when communities stop focusing on creating a great experience and start chasing bigger, busier, and more complicated. From overcrowded layouts and volunteer burnout to events losing their identity entirely, this episode explores why growth is not always improvement and why some festivals quietly collapse under the weight of their own success. Importantly, Vicky doesn't just identify the problem she breaks down practical ways communities can avoid and mitigate the escalation trap by: improving comfort before complexityediting aggressively instead of endlessly expandingprotecting the personality of the eventbuilding around realistic volunteer capacityand redefining what sustainable success actually looks likeBecause sometimes the smartest thing an event can do is stop trying to outdo itself every single year. Thanks for listening! Look for new episodes each Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts, and in the meantime... Connect with Vicky on LinkedIn

    11 min
  2. What if Your Downtown isn't the Main Draw?

    May 21

    What if Your Downtown isn't the Main Draw?

    Send us Fan Mail Some communities spend years trying to turn downtown into the star attraction while visitors are actually coming for the lake, the sports complex, the trails, the rodeo, or the hospital In this episode of Destination Roadmapping, Vicky Soderberg digs into one of the hardest truths in tourism strategy: just because downtown matters emotionally to residents doesn’t mean it’s what drives visitor behavior. This episode explores: Why communities misidentify their true visitor anchorThe difference between community identity and visitor flowWhy downtown may work better as an “enhancer” instead of the primary drawHow to connect downtown naturally into the visitor experiencePractical ways to capture spending from sports tourism, outdoor recreation, and other visitor marketsBecause tourism success isn’t about forcing visitors to care about downtown. It’s about making the entire experience flow naturally enough that people stay longer, spend more, and actually want to come back. Thanks for listening! Look for new episodes each Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts, and in the meantime... Connect with Vicky on LinkedIn

    11 min
  3. When Your Visitor Experience is Built Around Assumptions

    May 13

    When Your Visitor Experience is Built Around Assumptions

    Send us Fan Mail Some communities are building tourism experiences for visitors they WISH they had instead of the visitors already showing up. And that disconnect creates problems fast. In this episode of Destination Roadmapping, we’re unpacking what happens when tourism planning becomes too aspirational:  designing for “ideal” travelers instead of actual visitors overlooking practical visitor needs  chasing upscale branding while basics are still broken, and ignoring the opportunities already sitting right in front of you Because visitor behavior tells the truth. If your destination struggles with short stays, low exploration, weak downtown engagement, or visitors who never quite connect with the community, this episode is for you. Small towns do not need to become someone else to build stronger tourism. They need to understand who they already serve and build from there. Thanks for listening! Look for new episodes each Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts, and in the meantime... Connect with Vicky on LinkedIn

    10 min
  4. Shade, Seating, and Snacks

    May 7

    Shade, Seating, and Snacks

    Send us Fan Mail What makes visitors stay longer in a community? It may not be your attractions, your branding, or your event calendar. It might be something much simpler: Shade. Seating. Snacks. In this episode of Destination Roadmapping, Vicky breaks down one of the most overlooked parts of visitor experience design, the comfort needs that quietly determine whether people linger, explore, spend money, or leave. Because visitors don’t only leave when they’re finished. They often leave because they’re hot, tired, and hungry. This episode explores: Why comfort drives visitor behavior How communities accidentally create “exit points” The hidden role seating plays in making people feel welcome Why snack and drink options matter more than many towns realize Practical ways to turn pass-through traffic into longer stays If your downtown struggles to keep visitors engaged, this episode may explain why. Thanks for listening! Look for new episodes each Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts, and in the meantime... Connect with Vicky on LinkedIn

    11 min
  5. The Booth Maze: Why Attendees Miss Half of Your Vendors

    Apr 22

    The Booth Maze: Why Attendees Miss Half of Your Vendors

    Send us Fan Mail If your vendors are complaining about low traffic, but your event felt busy, you don’t have an attendance problem. You have a layout problem. In this episode of Destination Roadmapping, we’re digging into The Booth Maze. The all-too-common setup where attendees walk your event and somehow miss half your vendors. Not because they didn’t want to see them. Because your layout made it easy to miss them. We break down:  Why booth placement alone isn’t the issue, movement is  How food vendors can accidentally stop traffic instead of driving it  What happens when food lines and seating aren’t planned properly  Why some vendors get all the exposure and others get skipped  Practical ways to design booth flow so attendees naturally see more Because when your layout makes people guess where to go next, they stop exploring and that decision quietly impacts your vendors, your sales, and your overall event success. Thanks for listening! Look for new episodes each Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts, and in the meantime... Connect with Vicky on LinkedIn

    9 min
  6. Are You a Pass-Through Town?

    Apr 16

    Are You a Pass-Through Town?

    Send us Fan Mail Are people visiting your town or just passing through it? Many communities see constant traffic and assume that means tourism is healthy. Cars are moving. Gas stations are busy. Drive-thrus stay packed. But pass-through traffic and visitor engagement are not the same thing. In this episode of Destination Roadmapping, we’re unpacking the difference between being on the route and being part of the trip, and why so many communities mistake convenience stops for tourism success. We cover:  How to tell if your town is functioning as a pass-through stop  Why pass-through traffic can create a false sense of tourism performance  The difference between serving travelers and attracting visitors  Why local pride does not always equal visitor appeal  How better experience design can turn quick stops into meaningful stays If your town gets traffic but not traction, this episode is for you. Thanks for listening! Look for new episodes each Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts, and in the meantime... Connect with Vicky on LinkedIn

    10 min
  7. The Kids Zone Dilemma

    Apr 8

    The Kids Zone Dilemma

    Send us Fan Mail What if the thing you think makes your event “family-friendly" is actually holding it back? In this episode of Destination Roadmapping, we’re challenging one of the most automatic decisions in event planning: The Kids Zone. Most events have one.  Most planners feel like they should. But what if removing it actually improves the experience for families, vendors, and your overall event flow? This episode breaks down:  Why kids zones often create separation instead of connection  What parents are actually experiencing (and why it affects spending)  How one design decision shapes movement, engagement, and energy  A practical, step-by-step way to redesign your event without a kids zone You’ll walk away with a completely different lens: Not “What do we have for kids?”  But “How does a family experience this event as a family?” Because when you get that right, everything works better. Thanks for listening! Look for new episodes each Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts, and in the meantime... Connect with Vicky on LinkedIn

    12 min
  8. The "Locals Only' Vibe

    Mar 30

    The "Locals Only' Vibe

    Send us Fan Mail Some of the best experiences in your community might be the hardest for visitors to step into. Not because they’re bad.  Because they’re built on familiarity. In this episode, we’re unpacking the “locals only” vibe. The feeling visitors get when everything works, as long as they already know how it works. And here’s the twist:  That local feel? It’s not the problem. It’s actually what people want. The problem is when visitors can see it, but can’t step into it. We break down:  • What the “locals only” vibe really is (and why it’s not always a bad thing)  • How to recognize when visitors are hovering on the outside instead of engaging  • Why people don’t come back, even when they say they liked it  • Simple ways to make your experience easier to step into without losing what makes it feel local Because the goal isn’t to make your town less authentic. It’s to make it easier for someone new to feel like they belong in it. Thanks for listening! Look for new episodes each Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts, and in the meantime... Connect with Vicky on LinkedIn

    8 min
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About

A 10-minute spark of inspiration with a side of tough love—helping small towns create big impact through tourism, events, and unforgettable visitor experiences.

Information

  • Creator
    Vicky Soderberg
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    44
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Destination Roadmapping
  • Show Website
    Destination Roadmapping