How to Get Leadership to Say “Yes” to Tourism Education

Convincing leadership to invest in meaningful tourism education for stakeholders can feel like climbing a mountain in flip-flops. But whether you’re a destination marketer, tourism champion, or frontline workforce advocate, getting to "yes" is absolutely within reach—if you approach it strategically.

Drawing insights from ATD’s article on influencing decision-makers and from years of success at Learn Tourism—the nonprofit academy delivering game-changing training to destinations worldwide—here's how to rally your leaders and influencers behind the training your community deserves.

Start With Their “Why”

Executive buy-in begins with understanding their priorities. What keeps them up at night? For some, it’s economic development. For others, workforce retention, visitor satisfaction, or stakeholder alignment.

Translate your education proposal into a language that reflects their goals. Instead of saying, “We want to teach locals about tourism,” try, “This program equips our team and residents to deliver better guest experiences, increasing visitor spend and satisfaction.”

🎯 Tip: Customize the pitch. For CFOs, highlight financial ROI. For marketing leaders, focus on brand consistency and visibility. For HR and workforce partners, stress employee empowerment and training scalability.

Back It Up With Data

Stakeholders say yes faster when they see proof. That’s why programs like the Poconos Ambassador Course and Destination LEXpert work—they’re measurable.

💡 According to adult learning research, organizations that invest in learning and development see a 24% higher profit margin than those who don’t (Association for Talent Development). And e-learning increases knowledge retention rates by 25-60% (Forbes).

Learn Tourism’s clients, like Visit Detroit, Baltimore, and the Pocono Mountains, track completion rates, engagement, and satisfaction in real time. That’s tangible ROI your leaders can rally behind.

RESOURCE: Learn Tourism Case Studies

Frame Education as a Strategic Advantage

Tourism is more than marketing; it's community alignment. From taxi drivers to tour operators, every touchpoint matters. Training creates unified messaging, stronger storytelling, and authentic welcomes.

🔍 For example, when Western Montana’s Glacier Country launched training with Learn Tourism, they improved marketing strategy clarity and team cohesion. When Visit Baltimore launched a program, frontline staff gained confidence and context to represent the city honestly and inclusively.

You’re not just building skills—you’re building ambassadors, champions, and advocates.

Make the Decision Easy

One reason stakeholders say “no” is fear—fear of complexity, cost, or change. Ease their concerns by showing how simple the implementation can be.

✅ Learn Tourism’s programs are:

• Modular and customizable

• Available in dozens of languages

• Accessible 24/7

• Easy to update with no coding

• Fully trackable, with built-in analytics

It’s common sense. As one partner said, “Without Learn Tourism’s online training, there’s no way we could reach everyone in our community and build the support we need”.

Recruit Internal Champions

You don’t have to do this alone. Bring key influencers into the fold early—maybe it’s the head of economic development, a local hotelier, or a passionate city council member.

Give them early access. Share wins from other destinations. Encourage them to become advocates and share their success stories, just like Redding, CA and Elizabethtown, KY have done.

👥 Testimonials from peers go further than proposals from you. Make it social proof, not a solo pitch.

The Bottom Line

If you're serious about delivering meaningful tourism education to your stakeholders, remember that getting to “yes” is not about pushing harder—it’s about presenting smarter.

Align with leadership goals. Show the ROI. Simplify the ask. And let your community's success stories speak louder than any PowerPoint ever could.

As we say at Learn Tourism: education isn't an expense—it's an investment in your destination's future.

About Learn Tourism the nonprofit academy...
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.