Stephen Ekstrom

Advisory Panel Chair and Chief Strategist at Learn Tourism - the nonprofit academy at learntourism.org is Stephen Ekstrom. Ekstrom began his career in the 1990’s on college radio at Quinnipiac University. He went on to create and deliver successful tourism development strategies for now thriving destinations, theme restaurants, cultural institutions, theatrical management companies, and some of the world’s most recognized attractions. He’s called upon to speak at colleges and universities, conferences and countless panel discussions each year. He hosts Learn Tourism's Business Class podcast and is a featured writer for several travel magazines. He’s also been profiled by media giants like the New York Times, NBC, ABC, CBS Morning, and NY1.

Education that Takes you places

2 minute read
How to Get Partners to Buy In to Destination, Front-Line, and Tourism Ambassador Training
How to Get Partners to Buy In to Destination, Front-Line, and Tourism Ambassador Training
3 minute read
Tourism Destination Stewardship Training: Building Places People Respect, Not Just Visit
Tourism Destination Stewardship Training: Building Places People Respect, Not Just Visit Tourism...
2 minute read
Why Destination Training Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage for Communities
Why Destination Training Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage for Communities Destination...
2 minute read
Why Learning-oriented Organizations Are Better To Work With
Learning-oriented organizations behave differently—and people feel it immediately.
2 minute read
What Tourism Stakeholders Really Want From Destination Education Programs
What Tourism Stakeholders Really Want From Destination Education Programs Tourism stakeholders are...
3 minute read
Tourism Ambassador Training That Actually Changes Frontline Behavior
Online Destination Training That Actually Changes Frontline Behavior Online destination training...
2 minute read
Does Online Destination Training Actually Work?
Does Online Destination Training Actually Work? Online learning has matured past the point of...
1 minute read
We Collect Nerds (and We’re Better for It)
We Collect Nerds (and We’re Better for It) At Learn Tourism, we have a quiet philosophy that guides...
3 minute read
The Sunk Cost Trap: When Sticking With the Same Program Costs You More Than Leaving
The Sunk Cost Trap: When Sticking With the Same Program Costs You More Than Leaving Human brains...
3 minute read
What Is Learn Tourism’s Reputation—Really?
What I’ve Learned About Reputation While Building Learn Tourism Reputation is one of those things...

Where Will Knowledge Take You?

Curiosity and a passion for lifelong learning fuel both the traveler and those who make experiences worth having. Join us.