Jenn Barbee

About Jenn Barbee

What I Actually DoI influence how the tourism industry thinks when the old answers stop working. Not by yelling, not by selling, and not by pretending complexity isn’t real. I work upstream of strategy, helping leaders see the system more clearly so decisions don’t default to fear, silence, or surface fixes.Why People Call MeI’ve spent more than three decades inside tourism. I’ve been in the rooms where decisions get made, watched smart people stall out, and learned how power, money, and good intentions collide. When conversations get stuck or stakes get weird, I’m often the person brought in to help reset the frame.How I WorkI listen for patterns. I name what’s being avoided. I translate tension into language people can actually use. Sometimes that shows up as public influence. Sometimes it’s quiet counsel behind the scenes. Either way, the goal is clarity that leads to movement.What I’m Not Here ForPerformative alignment. Trend chasing. Or pretending a communications plan can fix a design problem.My Current ObsessionRight now, I’m focused on how misalignment across destinations, hosts, platforms, and policy creates economic drift that no one budgets for. That work shows up in things like Hosts & Home Teams™ and the Host Gap framework, which inform my thinking without defining its limits.Where This GoesKeynotes, strategic influence work, and advisory roles where experience, perspective, and a steady hand matter more than hype. If you’re looking for someone to help you think, not just react, we’ll probably get along.

Experience

1. Co-founder and Head of Industry Influence

   Destination Innovate

   Jan 2017 — Present

   Jenn Barbee is Co-Founder and Head of Industry Influence at Destination Innovate, where she shapes how the tourism industry talks to itself when things start to shift or break. She tracks the conversations, tensions, and patterns emerging across destinations, hosting, housing, and community trust, then turns them into clear language and direction the firm can actually act on. Inside DI, she sets the point of view, helps decide where the work goes next, and pressure-tests ideas to make sure the firm is solving real problems, not chasing noise. Outside the firm, her visibility and credibility keep Destination Innovate connected to what’s happening on the ground, ensuring the work stays relevant, grounded, and ahead of the moment.

Education

• East Texas A&M University

  Bachelor of Arts - BA, Cultural Anthropology

  1991 — 1994

Skills

• Google Analytics
• Marketing Strategy
• Social Media
• Online Advertising
• Marketing
• Web Development
• SEO
• Customer Engagement
• Business Analysis
• Competitive Analysis
• Start-Ups
• Social Media Marketing
• Economic Development
• Business Development
• Motivational Speaking
• Digital Marketing
• Marketing Communications
• Online Marketing
• Leadership
• Public Speaking
• Strategy
• Emcee
• Strategic Planning
• Coaching
• Business-to-Business (B2b)
• Mobile Marketing
• Destination Branding
• Hospitality
• Interactive Marketing
• Change Management
• Employee Training
• Business Planning
• Ppc
• Sem
• Strategic Negotiations
• Audience Development
• Sales
• Tourism
• Digital Media
• Engaging Public Speaker