Control the Controllables: Leadership, Accessibility, and Strategic Focus in Central Oregon
Failed to add items
Add to cart failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Control the Controllables: Leadership, Accessibility, and Strategic Focus in Central Oregon
-
Narrated by:
-
Written by:
In this episode, Eric sits down with Scott Larson, President & CEO of Visit Central Oregon, to unpack how destination leaders navigate uncertainty, prioritize what matters, and make long-term bets in a short-term world.
From accessibility as both a moral and market imperative to using the World Cup not as a campaign—but as a test, this conversation is a masterclass in disciplined thinking.
This isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing the right things—on purpose.
🔑 What You’ll Learn1. Why most conference energy dies—and how to keep it alive The move: don’t bring back 15 ideas. Bring back 1–2 and actually build around them.
Momentum isn’t about inspiration. It’s about constraint.
2. Accessibility isn’t a feature—it’s a system Central Oregon’s approach to working with accessibility platforms:
- Overcoming business fear (“is this a liability?”)
- Moving beyond compliance → toward usability
- Building toward a filtered, personalized experience layer (not just blogs)
The real insight: Most destinations say they’re accessible. Very few make it discoverable.
3. The missed opportunity in travel UX Current state:
“Here are 5 trails… one of them works for you.”
Future state:
“Tell us your needs → we’ll show you only what works.”