Building a Destination from Scratch: Lessons from Travel Santa Ana's Wendy Haase-Roberts

Some destination leaders inherit established brands, large teams, and decades of organizational history.

Others start with a mailing address.

That was the reality facing Wendy Haase-Roberts when she became the first President & CEO of Travel Santa Ana.

In the latest episode of Business Class, Wendy shares the remarkable story of building a destination marketing organization from the ground up and the lessons she's learned along the way.

Tourism Is Ultimately About Connections

One of Wendy's favorite accomplishments isn't a marketing campaign or a visitor metric.

It's watching relationships form.

Before Travel Santa Ana existed, many businesses, attractions, and organizations operated independently. Today, collaborations between museums, restaurants, arts organizations, hotels, and community groups are creating new experiences for visitors and residents alike.

That role of connector is one of the most valuable functions a destination organization can serve.

Tourism isn't simply about attracting visitors. It's about bringing people together around a shared vision for community success.

Building the Foundation Before Scaling

Travel Santa Ana was launched with no historical visitor data, no established playbook, and limited resources.

Like many startup organizations, the team spent years testing ideas, learning what worked, and refining their approach.

As Wendy explains in the conversation, much of the early work involved "throwing spaghetti against the wall and seeing what stuck."

Now, nearly five years later, she feels the organization has established a strong foundation and is ready to build upon it.

It's a reminder that sustainable growth requires patience. Great destinations aren't built overnight. They are built through consistent effort, learning, experimentation, and adaptation.

Small Teams Can Create Big Impact

Travel Santa Ana operates with a remarkably lean team.

Despite being one of the smallest destination organizations in Orange County, the team has built an impressive destination brand, launched community programs, created marketing initiatives, and fostered industry partnerships.

Their secret?

Focus.

As Wendy notes, she'd rather do five things exceptionally well than ten things halfway.

That philosophy applies to destination marketing, leadership, and tourism training alike.

Organizations often underestimate the power of clarity and prioritization.

Creating Community Pride Through Learning

One of the highlights of the conversation is Wendy's discussion of the Santa Ana Enthusiast Program.

Originally developed to help hotel employees better understand their destination, the program has grown to engage residents and community members as well.

Participants learn:

• The impact of tourism on the local economy
• The role of Travel Santa Ana
• What makes Santa Ana unique
• How to connect visitors with experiences that align with their interests

Perhaps most importantly, the feedback has reinforced something every destination hopes to achieve:

People are repeating the same themes and stories that the destination brand is communicating.

That's what happens when tourism education focuses on understanding, pride, and storytelling rather than memorization.

Lessons in Leadership

The conversation also explores Wendy's leadership journey.

One of the most insightful moments comes when she reflects on learning how to be a good leader from bad leaders.

Many of us have experienced workplaces that taught us exactly what not to do.

Those experiences can become powerful teachers if we're willing to learn from them.

Wendy's advice to her younger self is equally powerful:

Trust the journey. Stay true to your path.

For anyone navigating career uncertainty, organizational challenges, or periods of growth, it's a message worth remembering.

Listen to the Full Episode

Whether you're leading a destination organization, launching a new initiative, building a tourism ambassador program, or simply looking for inspiration from a leader who has built something meaningful from scratch, this conversation delivers valuable insights.

Listen to the latest episode of Business Class featuring Wendy Haase-Roberts, President & CEO of Travel Santa Ana, and discover how community pride, collaboration, and perseverance can transform a destination.

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Learn Tourism is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the tourism industry through innovative educational practices and professional development initiatives. Our mission is to harness the power of science, business psychology, and adult education to build sustainable economies and enrich the tourism landscape.