Tourism Talk: Daniel Horsch and #SoMeT12

If you’re interested in social media and the tourism industry, you’ve probably heard of SoMeT. The conference is happening this week in El Paso.

That’s right. El Paso.

Seems a little random, right? Wrong. Daniel Horsch and the El Paso CVB had a great team working with a solid strategy to bring the social media tourism conference to west Texas.

Here’s what Daniel had to say about SoMeT, social media and living the life of a Tourism Geek.

What was your role with the CVB? How long did you work there and how long have you worked in the tourism industry?

I served as the Social Media Coordinator with the El Paso CVB from August of 2010 through May of 2012. Before I broke into the tourism industry, I was a television reporter in the local news biz.

Besides winning SoMeT, what were some of your previous social media successes?

Before SoMeT, my biggest success was getting the opportunity to build Visit El Paso’s social media presence. I was fortunate enough to have a great support staff and a community that understood the importance of social media. In less than two years, we had become THE source for information about what’s going on in the city of El Paso.

How do you see social media further changing in the tourism industry?…

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Things I learned this week: Nov 5

Do you know what happens this week? The ULTIMATE Geek Fest. SoMeT! It seems like I say this every week but there is just never enough time in the day. I added over 60 CVBs to my Pinterest list this weekend and will be creating a November update for CVBs on Pinterest soon. I’m incredibly…

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Things I learned this week: Oct 27

Somehow I forgot to write last weekend… Being crazy busy is not sustainable in the long-term. I did a tiny analysis of State DMOs on Pinterest. I’ll also be speaking about Pinterest at SoMeT. Let’s me know if you’re attending the conference! My favorite part about SoMeT is geeking out with feel Tourism Geeks. It…

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Promote Tourism. Vote Milwaukee.

There’s a really good chance to bring #SoMeT to the Midwest! And you can help!

What: #SoMeT is the Social Media Tourism Symposium and, quite frankly, it’s the BEST tourism conference I’ve ever attended. There’s great educational content, outstanding networking and all around fun.

Why do you need to vote? This conference is like no other. YOU get to decide where the location will be.

When? Today, starting at 11am CST. You have until 11pm CST and you get one vote per network ID so vote at work and then again at home tonight.

How? Go to the Milwaukee voting page: t.co/OAUg6A11. VOTE MILWAUKEE!

Where? That, my friends, is up to you. VOTE MILWAUKEE today and then again on Monday (April 2-3) when it’s paired against St. Louis. And hopefully we’ll have another chance to VOTE MILWAUKEE on April 11-12, selecting Milwaukee as the top choice for #SoMeT.

Thanks for you help! Promote Tourism. VOTE MILWAUKEE.…

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Want to host #SoMeT?

The 2010 Social Media Tourism Symposium (#SoMeT) was a huge success and now Dave Serino, Gammet Interactive and founder of SoMeT, is accepting RFPs for the 2011 SoMeT. The Social Media Tourism Symposium ‐ #SoMeT – is a combination of travel, tourism, hospitality and meeting industry professionals sharing ideas and learning more about how social…

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#SoMeT or Bust!

To say I’m excited about SoMeT is an understatement. I’ve been waiting an entire YEAR for next week to come. Last November I attended #dmmi09 (DMAI’s Destination Management & Marketing Institute) in Indianapolis and as soon as it was over, there was talk and anticipation of #dmmi10. For whatever reasons, DMMI is no more but in its place, the incredible Dave Serino created #SoMeT (Social Media Tourism Symposium).

A case study for social conferences

The conference hasn’t even started and yet the hashtag is not only well-known but being actively used. And it’s been active for MONTHS. How did that happen? Social branding, my friends. I don’t remember exactly when Dave chose the hashtag but I know it was before February = over 9 months. Yes, that long ago.

SoMeT is special because the public was involved from the beginning. The SoMeT Facebook page has been the hub for this conference. Destinations were asked to submit RFPs and then WE had a chance to vote for our favorites in the form of a Facebook contest. In the next step we were asked to provide suggestions of who WE wanted to hear speak at SoMeT.

And then there was the tattoo.…

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Tourism Talk: Dave Serino and #SoMeT

Welcome to my new series of blog interviews with outstanding tourism professionals. I hope for this to become a way of connecting you to those who “get” social media in the tourism industry.

Dave Serino is the Founder and e-Strategist at Gammet Interactive. He’s also the man behind #SoMeT, the Symposium on the Use of Social Media in the Tourism Industry, which will be held November 17-19 in Ashburn (Loudoun County), VA, and the How Social is Your DMO rankings.

I first met Dave in person at an Illinois Tourism Alliance event on an evening cruise along Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. I was working for Chicago Plus at the time. I don’t remember all our conversations but I know we talked about our dogs. Since then, we’ve become good friends and even have a favorite meet-up place when he’s in town — O’Callaghan’s Pub.

Here’s a little insight on Gammet Interactive, #SoMeT and @GammetGuy himself.…

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