The Legacy We Leave: Tourism Cares' Greg Takehara on Purpose, People, and Travel

What kind of legacy are we creating through our work in tourism?

In this reflective and thought-provoking conversation, Tourism Cares CEO Greg Takehara shares lessons from more than two decades of advancing responsible tourism and building meaningful connections across the industry. From destination stewardship and sustainable travel to leadership, organizational culture, and the accelerating pace of technology, Greg explores what it takes to create lasting impact.

He reflects on the lessons the industry learned—and may have forgotten—since the pandemic, the destinations leading the way in meaningful travel, and why our greatest accomplishments are often measured not by what we achieve, but by the people we influence along the way.

Whether you're a destination leader, tourism professional, student, or advocate for responsible travel, this conversation offers a timely reminder that tourism is ultimately about people, purpose, and the legacy we leave behind.

Business Class is brought to you by Learn Tourism, the nonprofit academy - harnessing the power of science, business psychology and adult education to advance the tourism industry and build sustainable economies. Learn how to engage your community, win over stakeholders and get more visitors at learntourism.org. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:29

That looks like a very big RV. So I switched from the RAN last July into a 41-foot motor coach. It's not like Grandpa's Winnebago. I have a fireplace, I have a dishwasher and a washer and dryer. So don't feel bad for me if I'm at a campground. That's awesome. I'm actually. I am on the shore of Flathead Lake outside Glacier National Park. Oh, how beautiful. So we are actually off-grid camping on the reservation with a coup d'A and Silash Peoples. I didn't turn on my heater this morning, and it's it's about 50 degrees out. So I can I can wear a sweater. It'll warm up. Yeah. I'll be happy for it. But I'm also parenting. So I have my 14-year-old niece who's with me now full-time. Oh, how cool. Yep. So she's doing a hybrid of online school and experiential school. So she does some core classes online, she does some reading, she does book stuff, and then she has a podcast where she tells other teens about what it's like to travel full-time and explore the world. And we go out and do things. So she learned about rock formations, and then we went to the Valley of Fire in Nevada, or we learned about national parks, and we went to arches and canyon lands, and now we're going to glacier. So it's it's been a really interesting experience.

SPEAKER_01 1:56

How fascinating and how exciting too. She's probably learns a little bit about podcasting, and you guys are exploring the world together and fantastic.

SPEAKER_00 2:07

Yeah, and it's I think I've you and I have talked about this, but my aha moment was about 11 years ago when I realized as much as I love travel, as much as I love trying new restaurants and seeing new things and exploring art and culture and history and nature. And what I really loved about it was learning.

SPEAKER_01 2:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:25

And it all came down to that really common denominator that it to be able to learn is a real gift. And not everybody has that capacity, unfortunately.

SPEAKER_01 2:36

Well, and then you get to see this through the eyes of a 14-year-old too, which is even how cool is that, right?

SPEAKER_00 2:43

Those are usually rolled eyes because I've asked her to put down her tablet or device.

SPEAKER_01 2:49

But yeah. It's been great. I'm Greg Takahara. I am the CEO of Tourism Cares.

SPEAKER_00 2:57

Well, let me ask you this: who is somebody whose growth you have seen in the last five years that really sort of inspires you?

SPEAKER_01 3:06

You look at team members and you obviously focus on their development, and you're actually in charge of their development. So in some ways, you're very in tune with how far along they've come, or how much they've progressed, or how much they've surprised you. And yet there are others who could just ride a wave and just rest on their laurels, and they don't. And that is admirable as well. So I'm just gonna say the first person that came at NTA, I love her as a friend, but I think there were naysayers, and she had been with the organization forever. And in many ways, you know, that can be a strike or a plus. I always considered it a plus. But people love somebody who's gonna take the helm and take it to a new direction. And I think Catherine has stayed the course, but she has taken it in a new direction. And it's very much her own, and it's very much built upon her credibility, and her voice just keeps getting louder. And I'm just really proud to say that she's a friend. And seeing that NTA signed her on for three more years, I just think it's the very best thing for the organization. She's somebody who I think is a voice to be reckoned with and deserves all the accolades she gets.

SPEAKER_00 4:31

Fantastic. In 2021, we talked a lot about the future of tourism. Five years later, what change actually happened that gives you the most hope?

SPEAKER_01 4:42

Oh. It's sometimes reversing the question a little bit, Stephen. And I think it's sometimes what hasn't happened. And unfortunately, I think when we talked, we thought that the world had changed in such a dramatic way that we would never go back and encounter the problems that we used to have, that we kind of learned all these lessons that we could be shut down instantaneously. And that as a result, we needed to focus on the long-term sustainability of not only our industry, but our world, our planet, the people and places of travel. We need to invest more than ever in that. We have to have a contingency plan. We have to understand more about crisis management, crisis response. And here we are. We're back into the day-to-day grind, and people have suddenly forgotten that the world can shut off in a day. I think that there are many who have learned that lesson and continue to hold that message near and dear, but I'm surprised that it hasn't been more. And that's part of the reason why we exist to kind of be that reminder.

SPEAKER_00 5:56

What is something everybody who listens to this podcast can do in the next couple days that could make a positive difference? Stop. Aside from donating to Tourism Cares.

SPEAKER_01 6:11

I think mostly just stop and take the time to smell the roses. I know that you similarly deeply affected by the loss of our dear friend John Tanzella. Over the last couple days, I've realized that, yeah, I mean, we have to stop and smell the roses, but not just the red roses, the black roses, too. And it's putting everything in perspective and thinking about every action that we take, how meaningful it can be, and how much it affects others, how we all individually and the companies and organizations that we work with all have a supply chain and that we can have an effect on that supply chain. So we really just have to think about each and every individual action that we take and recognize that we have a strong impact that we can make. And we only have a certain amount of time on this planet to execute at life is short, and we learned that lesson. And I think about what John's accomplished over the 20 years at the helm of IGLTA, and it just makes me realize that it's not just a resume, it's just how many people he affected. You know, so many people who have reached out to me or messaged me, just realizing the interconnections within our industry about how six degrees of separation like comes down to two or three degrees of separation in our industry and just how beloved people are and relationships are. So we really just need to stop and take the time to reflect on that.

SPEAKER_00 7:48

Reflecting on your own tenure at Tourism Care is what are you most proud of, particularly since our last conversation?

SPEAKER_01 7:55

Well, I'm proud of the fact that we remain relevant. I think that's it's a simple statement, but it means a lot. I mean, any organization that's been around for 20 plus years has to go through different chapters and has to evolve. And I'm so glad to be part of the continual evolution of tourism cares in a deep effort to keep us relevant in front of people. And I think it's sometimes it's just the little things that, you know, when we go into a organization, a trade show, a conference, or things, we can think about five, 10 years ago when people were like, oh, tourism cares, tell me about tourism cares. I don't know anything about tourism cares. And now we're being sought out and the questions are becoming more specific. Oh, hey, I see the great work you're doing with your meaningful travel map. Can you tell me more about that map? It looks terrific. So that, albeit small, shows the relevance and it's what really drives us to do the work to know that people are taking note at a time when people have as much distraction as we've ever seen before in our lives. What distracts you? Actually, you know, I always like to say, I may have even said it the previous podcast, it's because it's the way I identify, but you know, I'm a good Libra, you know, I try to keep things in balance. So I try not to let things overaffect me and and try not to let highs be too high or lows be too too low. What distracts me or what really, you know, is just you know, is just kind of thinking long term. I think, you know, as life gets shorter, you recognize that thinking long term isn't long-term anymore, it's short term. And so when you think about your final chapter or you reflect upon a loss like John's, and you realize that time is precious, you recognize that we don't have as much time as we think we do. And so that's probably my biggest distraction is thinking about how do you maximize that time, what's really important, what are the priorities, how should you live out your last years? And I just try to be pragmatic about it. And I have an insurance background. So if you use an actuarial table, you know that males live to you know 77, 78. 50 are gonna live beyond that, and 50% aren't. And it's a median age. And so I'm now within 15 years of that median age. And so it's just remarkable to think about it in those terms, and then you recognize like, wow, 15 years, not a long time. And I want to maximize those years, and I want to get the most of it.

SPEAKER_00 10:54

What's the leadership belief that you held five years ago that you might have changed your mind about since?

SPEAKER_01 11:00

Well, I think I don't think I've necessarily changed my mind, but I've recognized that there's different ways to do it. Cultivating a strong culture within your organization is so paramount. But the ways that you do it five years ago as versus now, one very obvious example is the fact that we were a brick and mortar operation, and I got to see the teams, the team members that I work with every day and interact with them. And a lot has been said about virtual work, but it's difficult to cultivate the kind of culture that you want to cultivate, the strongest sense of culture, when you're not seeing each other, being with each other every day. You have to manifest that in different ways. It doesn't mean it's not doable, but it's different. And just very fortunate to have such a great team at Tourism Cares where even virtually the interaction is strong, the collaboration is strong, the teamwork is strong. All of those things, I'm just very fortunate that, you know, we have the pieces in place to be able to continue to exemplify a strong culture. But it's tested every day. It truly is tested every day.

SPEAKER_00 12:18

How if you could, in three words, describe that culture that you have within your team, what would it be?

SPEAKER_01 12:24

Committed is the very first thing. You just can't not put a premium on people who work in the nonprofit space. They give up a lot. And there's a lot to be said about working 24-7. But when you're working 24-7, you're getting a big bonus check at the end of the day. That's a lot different than when you're trying to make positive change in the world. You the measurements are different. You have to just have a committed group. Say the first word that comes to mind is committed, because they're indeed highly, highly committed and just so fortunate that we have that kind of team. I think fun. You know, if you can't share a good laugh with your team members, then it's kind of all for naught too. There has to be a prevailing sense of humor, a sense of humor about the work that we do, a sense of humor around the fact that people will ignore six emails before responding to us, you know, all of those types of things, you know, we have to have a good sense of humor about. Otherwise, quite frankly, I think it's easy to just shut it down and say, well, what are we doing? Why are we on this hamster wheel? So having a good sense of humor and having fun is imperative. And the third word is trust. You know, that virtual world doesn't allow for leaders to sit on top of people's shoulders and peer down and see exactly what they're doing. There has to be a knowingness, a trust that the work is being done in the manner that it needs to be done, a trust that when you give people responsibility as you should, that they're going to take it seriously and they're going to execute in a way that you can honor both their mistakes and their triumphs. And that requires trust. And so I'm fortunate that I have all three of those things in spades.

SPEAKER_00 14:34

Do you think technology could make travel more responsible, or does it risk accelerating some of the biggest challenges that we have?

SPEAKER_01 14:43

Your question incorporated a lot of the words that I'd use in the answer is that I do believe it can be a positive. It's the acceleration aspect that really is for me the aspect that I really focus on. Like, can we keep up with how fast it's accelerating? And is our learning curve really adept enough to be able to move at the pace that it's moving right now? So I do believe that technology can help the progress of travel in a positive way, but it's that acceleration of the technology right now that is a little worrisome and should be for leaders.

unknown 16:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:03

What's one emerging technology that you're paying close attention to right now?

SPEAKER_01 16:09

Well, I think, you know, AI in general, I feel that within tourism cares, we're very fortunate that we just have kind of a very pragmatic group who understands how to use technology in a way that's going to benefit us, that's going to accelerate and create efficiencies for us, not to create shortcuts, not to do somebody else's work for them. But I think it's it requires, like everything else, a commitment to professional development. And I think that when we unfortunately had to lay off three people at the end of the year last year, and that puts more on people's plates, and it doesn't allow for us to be able to commit to professional development in the way that we want to commit to professional development. So that is the concern for me.

SPEAKER_00 17:04

On the bright side, what are a couple examples of destinations or organizations that are outperforming because they embrace sustainability?

SPEAKER_01 17:14

Can we just extend the time that we have? Because, you know, again, to your point about reflecting back five years ago, I would have been sitting here going, okay, let me think about. Well, I know there's one, two, or three really great examples, because there always are. You know, there's always the cutting-edge examples, the ones who are going to truly be exemplary, like the Victoria, Paul Nursey and Greater Victoria, the work that they do, the hosting of the Impact Conference that I've had the great privilege to co-MC over the last two years. We conducted a meaningful travel summit in Victoria, and they continue to not only talk the talk, but walk the walk. I would have said that probably five years ago. I would have said they were exemplary. They continue to be exemplary. But we've just really had the great fortune of having some great partners that we've both had events at and continue to ride a wave and continue to just do more and more immersive work. So Thailand is a great example of how we started off building out our meaningful travel map, conducting one meaningful travel fam, and then they immediately said, let's move forward and do a full-blown summit. Very similarly, we've done two meaningful travel fams with the state of Hawaii. And that's very personal for me. Everybody knows there's a lot of challenges there in terms of overtourism, the Lahaina fires, the recent flooding, the fact that these are islands, these are small islands that really require a lot of effort for people to get there. And yet it's a beloved, beloved destination. People go there to interact with the local culture. The local culture is the signature. And as a result, it's a balance. It's a balance that they have to achieve. It's a difficult balance to achieve. And we're so fortunate to be able to partner with them to try to create that balance and help them to really put a spotlight on meaningful and responsible travel. We did our most recent Meaningful Travel Summit in Asheville, North Carolina. And again, another very good runway that we've had with this destination to build out a meaningful travel map, to actually do a team retreat in Asheville where we got to know the local community. Our then director of marketing and communications, Whitney Smith, came from Explore Asheville. So we had deep roots there. And as a result, I just couldn't have asked for a better event. And, you know, we just announced that uh we're going to be in Detroit next year, and that's another great destination that we've had a runway with. We've done a meaningful travel summit, a tourism cares cleanup event in Detroit many years ago. And we've worked with them to build out their meaningful travel map, and we're excited to go there next September. So those are some really great examples of destinations, but there are so many others because they are now fostering destination stewardship, destination management over destination marketing.

SPEAKER_00 20:30

That's something that we've done a lot with, too. Helping destinations teach their community members how to be better stewards, but more importantly, how those community members can teach the traveler to be a better traveler. Share in the community value as much as they share in the culture and the scenery.

SPEAKER_01 20:50

Yeah, I mean, it's putting forth some of the best community examples that now tour operators are incorporating into their itineraries, travel advisors are recommending to their clients and using the tools that are available for them to have awareness. Because the first question that inevitably comes down the pike is I believe investing in local community, how do I find these great gems? But what we're seeing is travelers' own desires to get off the beaten path, to have meaningful intersections with the local community. So the opportunity is there, and we want to direct them in the way that we can to entities that we've vetted, impact partners that we've vetted for our meaningful travel map. And then when we do a summit with a destination like Detroit, we really get to put them in the spotlight.

SPEAKER_00 21:43

What do I not ask that you wish I did?

SPEAKER_01 21:45

When am I going to see you? I knew we have some very good mutual friends, and you used to spend a little bit more time in Orlando, and it would be somewhat periodic that they would say he's got his motor coach parked in our driveway. And uh so when am I gonna see you? We'll be at MTA for their 75th anniversary in Tulsa. So that is gonna be a celebration. I think, you know, even more so as I mentioned, you know, again, hearkening back to the memory of John, like the coming out of the pandemic, the contact was the first event that I went to. And so just that opportunity to see old friends is becoming more and more meaningful. And so TA treks in Tulsa and then USTOA. You know, I have gone to this will be my 35th consecutive USTOA annual conference in San Francisco for different organisations, both both active members, active member, associate member. And of course, we had the pandemic year where it was a virtual one, but counting that it'll be 35 years consecutive.

SPEAKER_00 23:00

I am in the Pacific Northwest, which is a part of the country I haven't really explored a lot through at least July, and then I don't know where I'm gonna go. But you're mobile, you're mobile though. And and having this big bus as opposed to the van, it's much more challenging to park in a friend's driveway. So you'll probably see less driveway parking for me in the future, aside from the fact that our friends moved to a different house.

SPEAKER_01 23:26

Being fair, you've always come to Orlando, so maybe I'll need to come to the Pacific Northwest and park myself in your driveway. Anytime. Thank you for having Sarah join us in Asheville. She was a crowd pleaser and she was part of what I feel was just a really momentous event for us. We felt like everything came together. So fortunate to have Arnie Weisman, the new explorer at large for North Star Travel Media, MCR event, as I love to say. He's one of the people in the industry like Oprah that you just say his first name and everybody knows who you're talking about. Sarah Wad, the crowd, and thank you for your support of our event. We love Sarah too. So I will pass that along. Please go to our website, www.tourismcares.org. We have over 45 DMO members. We work to build out our meaningful travel map working with those destinations. We're always looking to develop partnerships with new destinations. Our overall membership is over 200 strong within the industry, and that incorporates every segment of the industry from tour operators and travel advisors who are our OG core as well, air carriers, OTAs. It spans the entirety of the industry. So we love to make connections. We love to help everyone on their sustainability journey. We are also a great legacy organization. We recently celebrated Arthur Tauk's life, 92 years, our very first chair, our first multi-generational family chairmanship in terms of having Robin also be one of our legacy chairs. There's a lot when it comes to coming together at Tourism Cares for learning, for experience, also for legacy and for keeping our industry strong. Fantastic. Thank you, Greg. Thank you.