My Town Travels My Town Travels

In this episode, I have the absolute
pleasure of talking with Matt Groves.

Matt serves as Regional Sales Director for the Augusta Distillery, covering states across the Midwest and beyond. Matt's career journey at the Augusta Distillery is heavily influenced by his upbringing in the small Kentucky town that the distillery is named for and is located. Matt credits his hometown of Augusta with influencing the man he is today and is his "why" for joining the Augusta Distillery team in October 2022. 

 I invite you to learn more about The Small
Town Augusta, The Augusta Distillery, and the Episode Content below.

 In addition, you will hear:

 *Matt’s description and Highlights of Downtown Augusta, KY.

*Matt’s recommendations of what you must order at the
Beehive Augusta Tavern.

*Augusta’s founding history.

*How the Augusta Distillery harnesses the power of the Ohio River and Small Town Charm to create what they call “ Bourbon And....”

*How Augusta’s history, location, and celebrity residents
are creating authentic experiences for visitors.

*Hear Matt’s detailed description of the Augusta
Distillery’s Guest Experience and how to get on “Augusta Time.”

*How the Augusta Distillery’s 13-year-old Kentucky Bourbon was named “World’s Best Bourbon” at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition- And What is Coming Next!

 

About The Augusta Distillery: 

https://augustakydistillery.com/

When you live in the one small corner of the world God graciously anointed to be bourbon country, life revolvesaround it. People prioritize socializing and schedule events around their next
sip. It is what we call being “bourbon-centric.”

Augusta Distillery was created to
extend this elevated existence to all who are willing to downshift, kickback
and linger a little longer.

Guest Social Pages & Websites:

 Facebook: facebook.com/augustakydistillery
 Instagram: @augustadistillery

Visit Downtown Augusta: www.augustaky.gov

 

 









































































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In this episode, I have the pleasure of talking with Jonett Haberfield (Executive Director of Visit Fairfield County/Escape to Buckeye Lake), Amanda Everitt (Executive Director of Destination Downtown Lancaster), and David Annecy (Owner of Gay Fad Studios and Event Host of “Bottoms Up- A Midcentury Barware Show”).

Listen as Amanda, Jonett, and David describe why Lancaster, Ohio, is “everything a small-town traveler wants to find”(Amanda Everitt). Learn about favorite downtown locations from these Lancastrian Experts, and hear about the exciting National Event highlighting Lancaster’s Glass Heritage- "Bottoms Up - A Midcentury Barware Show." This is the first event of its kind in the US that celebrates 1950's-1960's barware culture. 

Lancaster is Ohio Magazine’s 2023-2024 Best Hometown!

I invite you to learn more about Destination Downtown Lancaster, Visit Fairfield County, "Bottoms Up—A Midcentury Barware Show," and the Episode Content below.

In addition, you will hear:

*Highlights and Unique Features of Downtown Lancaster, OH

*All Event Information for "Bottoms Up - A Midcentury Barware Show"

*How to Have The Glass Town Experience

*How Community Collaboration Turns into Authentic Experiences

*How to Utilize The Visit Fairfield County and Destination Downtown Lancaster Websites, Apps,  and Physical Location to make the Very Best Use of Your Time in Lancaster, OH

*How Downtown Lancaster is Reintroducing People to the Community Built on Glassware

*Featured & Mentioned Towns and Regions:

Lancaster, OH  – The Hocking Hills Region – Buckeye Lake, OH

 

**About "Bottoms Up - A Midcentury Barware Show"

Landing Page: Gay Fad Studios — Bottoms Up Event

Event Calendar & Tickets: Bottoms Up - Visit Fairfield County

FB Event: Bottoms Up— A Midcentury Barware Show by Gay Fad Studios | Facebook

Guest Websites:

Visit Fairfield County Website: visitfairfieldcounty.org

Destination Downtown Lancaster Website: destinationdowntownlancaster.com






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In this episode, I have the absolute pleasure of talking with Kyle Barger, the founder of Barger Property Ventures. You will love listening to Kyle’s philosophy on hospitality & the guest experience, as well as his love for the Hocking Hills Region and what it’s like to be an entrepreneur in this area.

Barger Property Ventures current projects include the Oasis at Hocking Hills, The Hocking Hills Family Fun Center (redevelopment May 2024), The Hocking Hills Treehouse Village (coming soon), and others. Kyle is also the Founder of The Champion Trading Group, “CTG,” a third-party purchasing and sales agency in the Steel and  Metals Recycling Industry, and the  Co-Founder of Vohnt, an on-demand valet car care company.

Each of these for-profit endeavors works to support giving and community building through The Make A Day Foundation (of which Kyle is a co-founder), aimed to build sustainable support to end homelessness in Central Ohio.

I invite you to learn more about The Oasis Hocking Hills and the Episode Content below.

In addition, you will hear:

-What is a Luxury Micro Resort in the Hocking Hills?

-What you can expect from a stay at The Oasis Hocking Hills.

-Kyle’s Favorite Small Town Destinations and Stories

-How to Create Authentic Experiences for Families

 -Entrepreneurial Business Advice from someone who has been there, done that, and has been very successful.  

 -Featured Small Towns:

Logan, OH – Rockbridge, OH – The Hocking Hills Region

 

About The Oasis Hocking Hills:

A micro resort designed right in the heart of Hocking Hills on Lake Logan. Come enjoy one of our treehouses. Play pickleball on our professional-grade court. Share memories with up to 15 guests in the modern A-Frame cabin, or 25 guests in a luxurious Lakeview Lodge equipped with a sports bar and commercial golf simulator. Want to take your trip to another level? Book one of our private chefs for a gourmet meal or order spa services to massage and pamper your party at your convenience - all with a 24/7 Luxury Concierge who can plan every detail.

Voted #1 Best Ohio Vacation Destination and #1 Best Weekend Getaway in the 2023 Best of the Bus. Come experience Luxury Lodging in Hocking Hills! (https://www.oasishh.com/)



Follow Our Guest: Facebook: The Oasis Hocking Hills

Instagram: @oasishockinghills

Website. https://www.oasishh.com/









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In this episode, I have the absolute pleasure of talking with Bill Clevlen From Bill On The Road And Around The World! Bill’s knowledge and stories as a Travel Writer, Broadcaster, Author, and Journalist are incredibly insightful and a ton of fun. Plus, he is among the nicest and most sincere humans I have encountered! You're going to love this one!

I invite you to learn more about Bill and the Content of the Episode below.

Meet Bill On The Road:

“Bill On The Road” was born in 2013 after long time St. Louis radio broadcaster Bill Clevlen became fed up with reading negative travel stories. Bill decided to launch a website to focus on road trips and highlight only the positives.

Clevlen’s Bill On The Road stories can be heard on popular syndicated radio programs like RMWorld Travel and The Travel Planners Radio Show as well as television stations and traditional media outlets across the U.S. Bill is also a regular contributor to a national audience on SiriusXM satellite radio. He is the author of five travel books, including The Ultimate American Music Bucket List. He’s a frequent guest speaker for conferences and a lecturer on travel topics for The Smithsonian.

Bill regularly produces digital video content for major tourism organizations and has worked with hundreds of destinations across the country. From Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco and everywhere in-between, Bill On The Road has helped roadtrippers find unique and interesting things to do while driving across America. (https://billontheroad.com/about-bill-clevlen/).

In addition, you will hear:

*Bill’s Favorite Small Town Destinations and Stories

*A Little Small Town Economic Development Insight & Why Small Towns are GREAT for Content Creators

*Have You Heard of The Way of American Genius? You Will Today!

*Featured Small Towns: Bay St. Louis, MS -  Winterset, IA - Hamilton, MO.

*Bill’s Truth About Travel- Story. A Throw Back from Season 3 when we recorded.

 *As always, We Highlight Advice from our Guest Experts if this is an Area of Interest!

Follow Bill On The Road:

Facebook: @billontheroad Instagram: @billaroundtheglobe




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Recently, I have been spending a lot of time with several other travel professionals who, frankly, are fed up! With what? Well, there are a number of individuals claiming to have some sort of experience in the travel industry, with absolutely nothing to back it up. These are people who range from accounts with fake followers - to absolutely no long-term website presence - to now having to compete with AI for traffic numbers. But, with all the fast changes in the industry, I believe that true one-on-one experiences are still the best in the tourism space and cannot be manufactured. Of course, these individuals are not everyone, as there are amazing creators in the space of travel & tourism, and I also have a belief that there are many who have talent but have no idea where to begin or how to communicate.

So, I have decided instead of fighting the battle or simply just being angry about it, that I would help. I will share my travel experiences- not just the locations, but the “How To” with those who want to hear and learn. Learning is a lifelong journey, and I am always gathering and processing new information. It makes me sad how many friends I have made in tourism positions who, as I said, are frankly fed up with individuals who are giving Travel Writers, Content Creators, and Influencers a bad name.  So, if you’re willing to learn, I am going to start sprinkling in the “How To” for those of you out there having trouble connecting in the tourism space into episodes of the My Town Travels Podcast, equipping you with practical knowledge to navigate the industry more effectively.

So, where to begin? The travelpreneur side of My Town is always asked the big broad question: “How do you do what you do?” And the broad answer is always… “with a lot of work.” Like any profession, there is a lot of behind-the-scenes real work that goes into the end product. With Travel & Tourism, I would venture to say that 80% of what goes into the finished product is on the back end. Content Gathering, Content Creation/Writing, Editing, Website and Social Presence and Maintenance, and Coordinating Visits with Destinations all go into making a simple post where the end user gets to see the pretty pictures, captions, and stories.  So, whether you’re new to how this works and want to learn, you’re in the industry and want to hear a refresher, or you’re just genuinely curious, we invite you to listen in as we start this conversation, making sure everyone feels included and part of the journey!

In addition, you will hear:

 *Background on Host, Kristy Burns

* How To set your Purpose & Intention Regarding *Becoming a Travelpreneur

 *Intro to Engagement, Mission & Vision








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In this episode, we have the pleasure of talking with Emily Dark and Anna Grace Agnini with Explore Natural Martin. Today’s Podcast is in 2 parts: Part 1- Information on Explore Natural Martin and Ecotourism Part 2- The
Best Small Town Places in Martin County, FL, which is “an under-the-radar slice of paradise” and tips you don’t want to miss if you are looking to get into Ecotourism or do Voluntourism Projects.

In addition, you will hear:🎧
✔️Information about Big Conservation Efforts in a Small Town✔️Why the Destination of Martin County is such a  Special & Unique Small Town Haven

 ✔️All the Amazing things you can do in Martin County for FREE!

 ✔️Where to Find that Perfect Photo Spot

 ✔️ As always, We Highlight Advice from our Guest Experts if this is an Area of Interest!

✔️Small Towns & Activities Highlighted in this Episode from Martin County, FL: Jensen Beach, Historic Stuart, Port Salerno, Hobe Sound,
Jonathan Dickinson State Park, Halpatiokee Regional Park, The Dolphin Bar, The Elliott Museum, The House of Refuge, The Florida Bird Trail, Uncrowded Surf
Spots, Florida Scrub Hikes

 

Guest Bios: Emily Dark & Anna- Grace Agnini:

 

Emily Dark:

Emily is the Environmental Resource and Ecotourism Coordinator for Martin County, working for the Public Works Environmental Resource Division and the Office of Tourism and Marketing. Before Martin County, Emily worked for the State of Florida in the Indian River Lagoon Aquatic Preserves Office for seven years, focusing
on natural resource management, research, and sustainable public use.
Emily is a proud rescue dog and cat owner, surfer, SCUBA diver and outdoor enthusiast.

Anna-Grace Agnini:

Anna-Grace works for the Martin County Office of Tourism and Marketing as the Environmental Resource and Ecotourism Specialist. Before moving to Florida in
January 2023, she attended NC State University and earned her bachelor’s in environmental science and sustainable tourism. Motivated by a love for nature,
travel, and sustainability, Anna-Grace has been able to gain knowledge in the environmental field through a variety of experiences, from leading kayak tours
to building trails on public lands. In her free time, Anna-Grace enjoys hiking, photography, and reading!

 

Explore Natural Martin Summary:

Explore Natural Martin is an award-winning ecotourism program that connects visitors and residents to
unforgettable outdoor experiences throughout Martin County. With over 100,000 acres of parks and conservation lands, 22 miles of beaches, 5 state
parks, and 2 aquatic preserves, there is no shortage of outdoor adventures.
Proudly developed in partnership with Leave No Trace, this experiential ecotourism program was designed as a way to foster environmental stewardship and promote responsible recreation.



Guest Website: https://discovermartin.com/ecotourism/















































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