Tourism is about far more than attracting visitors. It’s about building stronger communities, creating opportunity, protecting places, and empowering people to connect through meaningful experiences.
In this episode of Business Class, Stephen Ekstrom sits down with Scott Larson, Executive Director of Visit Central Oregon, for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, destination stewardship, tourism economics, and personal growth. Scott shares his unexpected journey into tourism, why travel serves as the “front door” to economic development, and how tourism organizations are evolving from pure marketing agencies into community-focused leaders.
The discussion explores everything from empowering teams and creating a culture where people are free to fail and learn, to navigating wildfire crisis communications, balancing regional stakeholder needs, and managing the realities of leadership as an introvert in a highly social industry.
Along the way, Scott reflects on lessons from his grandparents, the value of time and memory-making, and why curiosity and trust are at the heart of effective tourism leadership.
If you care about tourism marketing, destination management, tourism training, leadership development, or building stronger visitor economies, this conversation is packed with insight and authenticity.
🎧 Listen now and discover why tourism is one of the most human-centered industries in the world.
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.
