When Kristen Moore came on board back in 2009, the landscape of the travel industry was drastically different. Instagram wasn’t even a thing yet, so most of the sales & marketing strategies employed were traditional face-to-face initiatives. So much of what the company did was focused solely on in-person agency relations and how often they could get into their retail store-front locations to speak with their advisors. But, as time changed, so did Kristen, and armed with a resilient ideology to enhance the business, she incorporated the best in technology to take her company to new heights. “I knew that to continue delivering award-winning sales achievements for our clients, I had to change the landscape of how we offered our services,” she says.

Travel & hospitality is seeing a boom, and Destinations of Distinction are here for it. Investing in Hospitality Representation to stimulate growth is key. When a hotel or destination stops looking at the travel agency business transactionally and starts looking at the holistic value of an agency account, great things start to happen. “These past 2+ years have seen new pressures. From navigating hybrid work to staff shortages, to supply chain issues. We have been able to evolve our brand and services to meet the needs of today’s luxury travelers. So much of the selling process is now done virtually,” explains Kristen. “We’ve adapted powerful tools to continue driving our storytelling across all channels; allowing the customer to decide how they want to receive the information. Travel also looks and feels completely different than it did pre-pandemic. It’s important that we stay “in the know” on everything happening in tourism.” As tourism continues its robust return, the company has seen a renewed interest in hospitality representation from all corners of the world. Hoteliers and trade partners are ready to re-engage with key A-list luxury travel advisors, tourism partners, influencers, and wholesalers.

The CEO of Destinations of Distinction says, “We offer bespoke hospitality representation & digital marketing channel management to luxury travel brands, successfully driving much deserved revenue to their doorsteps. We work behind the scenes and on the front lines, cultivating relationships and building brand loyalty.” She adds, “Since I have been on board these past 13+ years, I’ve watched our business model amalgamate into a full-service sales & marketing firm that now offers so much more than agency sales calls and in-house educational trainings. I’m proud to be at the helm of our brand evolution into a bustling full-service firm that went far and above product, price, place, and promotion.”

It is pertinent to mention that Kristen is keenly aware that female entrepreneurs need a mentor and support system. “I know I did. Being a business owner means that you are responsible for not only your success but the success of your team. You are every department of your brand and every decision you make not only affects the clients you serve but your reputation,” she adds. “Most of what I have learned has come from years of experience and lessons learned. The old saying of, “I wish I knew then what I know now,” reigns true. While experience is invaluable, the guidance & insight that I have offered to other female business owners comes from a genuine place of wanting them all to succeed. We need to support each other in every way possible. And everyone should be able to ask for help when needed. Advocate for yourself, no one will speak louder on your behalf than yourself.”

Being a steadfast leader, Kristen has always operated on a flat hierarchy within her team. “No one works “for” me, they work “with” me, and we continue to grow together from strength to strength. I always tell my team that I’m here to empower them, not to employ them simply. I want my team to feel confident in what they do & I hope I can inspire them to achieve greatness. That glass ceiling? Together, we walk over that crushed glass all day long.” Kristen has been spearheading her team towards success and has set numerous goals yet to achieve.

“My initial goal was to establish myself and my brand as a leading hospitality representation company in my industry. When I took over the company as CEO in 2013, I wrote this goal down and each year I’ve continued to position myself in that category,” elucidates Kristen. “If someone tells you the journey is easy, they clearly haven’t experienced it themselves. It’s a very rewarding process when you achieve milestones which were the goals/dreams you started out with. If you start your journey with a clear vision that should guide you as you build the foundation of our brand.”

According to Kristen, being a woman leader, one must be empathetic and sympathetic to the work involving them, including the team. “I want to be a transformational leader as opposed to a transactional leader. I’m about the results but also about personal development. Rather than delegating work based on time or workload, I learn what each member of my team is naturally good at & enjoys,” she says. “Our success is our client’s success. Each day, week, quarter, and year, we continue to break records on behalf of our clients. Whether it’s achieving enhanced marketplace presence, increasing revenues or grabbing market share from the competition. We have successfully navigated through a pre and post pandemic world. I strongly believe we have come out better and stronger.”

A continued goal of steadfast leaders is to be open to taking on new opportunities and challenges. “Often times, we shy away from things out of fear of the unknown. I consistently look for opportunities that will be impactful for our brand and our clients,” she adds. “Complacency isn’t an option so I will continue to strive each year to be a leader amongst my peers. I will forever work towards bringing my clients unmatched levels of representation and mutually successful partnerships.” In the days to come, Destinations of Distinction has exciting things coming in 2023.