Travel & Tourism
Jump to the Work
I spent seven years at the world's largest independently owned agency dedicated to travel and tourism, including six as Associate Creative Director. My work helped move people—literally—for brands like Discover The Palm Beaches, the Honduras Institute of Tourism, and St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches.
Travel writing isn’t just about selling a destination. It’s about telling a story that sparks curiosity, fuels wanderlust, and turns interest into action. Whether the goal is driving attendance or filling rooms, one lesson stuck with me. No matter how beautiful the work, how clever the line, or how stunning the execution, if it doesn’t deliver results, it doesn’t matter.
The work has to work.
Friends Trust Friends.
Not Ads.
Discover needed to shift perceptions—people saw it as exclusive rather than welcoming. Research confirmed that when peers made recommendations, they would outshine traditional ads, leading to the "Friends Trust Friends. Not Ads." campaign. Using visitor photos and handles, we let real travelers tell the story, adding authenticity and credibility to The Palm Beaches.
To bring the campaign to an even bigger stage, we took it to Times Square, where millions saw real travelers showcasing The Palm Beaches.
The campaign’s authenticity resonated, driving a 22% increase in website visits and a 15% boost in social engagement.
THE MAIN THING ABOUT CLIFF HOUSE MAINE.
Cliff House Maine is a coastal retreat that blends luxury with the rugged beauty of New England. I developed campaigns that positioned the resort as the ultimate escape, from launching new suites to elevating its wedding and spa offerings. “A Picture’s Worth a Thousand Summers” captured the essence of a Maine summer, while “You’d Need a Captain for a Suite Any Closer” highlighted the resort’s unmatched oceanfront location. The work drove engagement, increased bookings, and reinforced Cliff House as a must-visit destination.
cliff house PRINT
Cliff House Maine’s summer campaign needed to capture the magic of a perfect coastal escape. With lines like “A Picture’s Worth a Thousand Summers,” the work positioned the resort as the ultimate Maine destination. The results? A surge in bookings, a spike in social engagement, and a lasting boost in brand recognition.
cliff house wedding flyer
Crafting a wedding piece for Cliff House meant finding a way to spark excitement the moment couples walked through the door. I always put myself in the audience’s shoes—imagining what they see, feel, and need in that moment. This flyer wasn’t just about showcasing a venue; it was about helping couples picture themselves in the perfect setting, standing at the edge of the ocean, making memories that would last a lifetime. Hotel wedding planners credited this piece with driving leads, proving that the right words and visuals can turn a dream into a booking.
the red couch chronicles
History isn’t just about the past—it’s about the stories we carry forward. That idea inspired The Red Couch Chronicles, a campaign celebrating 450 years of St. Augustine, where visitors shared their experiences mid-thought, seamlessly woven into a collective narrative.
The campaign brought history to life in a way that felt intimate and modern, reinforcing the tagline I created—"Our history is not the same old story", which remains in use today. The result? A measurable boost in engagement, with visitors spending 32% more time on campaign-related content and a 15% increase in tourism inquiries, proving that when history is told through personal experiences, people lean in to listen.
Amelia Island.
A Story Told in Elevation.
Some destinations promise escape. Amelia Island delivers transcendence. In a travel landscape saturated with sameness, this campaign set out to elevate—not just the island’s positioning, but the very essence of how people experience it.
Instead of the typical beachside clichés, we leaned into the ethereal. A place where time slows, nature embraces, and luxury feels weightless. We crafted a campaign that played with height, metaphor, and whimsy—lifting visitors, literally and figuratively, into a world apart.
Through surreal imagery and poetic copy, we positioned Amelia Island as Florida’s most enchanting retreat, where marshlands, maritime forests, and historic Southern charm merge into an experience that is as unforgettable as it is untethered. A reminder that in a world full of getaways, only one Florida island truly rises above the rest.
amelia island print
Barceló Resorts needed a way to make their "Book Early & Save Up to 35%" offer stand out.
So, we introduced Earl Lee, a man who gets over-the-top perks at the resort—not because he's special, but because he booked early. Played by comedian Henry Cho, Earl Lee lounges in luxury, sipping cocktails, enjoying VIP treatment, and getting a little too comfortable with his five-star privileges.
The campaign extended beyond TV, rolling into print and social, using Earl Lee’s laid-back, quirky persona to reinforce the message. Whether it was a print ad featuring Earl Lee basking in the perks of early booking or a social post with his signature Southern charm, every piece made it clear: The earlier you book, the more you save—up to 35%. You don’t have to be Earl Lee to get all this fancy stuff. You just have to book early.
television/social
Barceló Resorts.
The Benefits of Booking Earl-Lee.
Who better to showcase the perks of booking early than Earl Lee? And who better to bring him to life than Henry Cho, the longtime comedian and actor known for his unexpected blend of cultures—an Asian American with a Texas drawl. His delivery makes the punchline land effortlessly: “You don’t have to be Earl Lee to get all this fancy stuff. You just have to book early.”
This spot leans into playful, unexpected contrasts—the kind that make people stop, smile, and remember the message. The sophisticated luxury of Barceló Resorts meets the folksy charm of Earl Lee, creating something delightfully offbeat yet completely natural. It’s a reminder that great travel deals aren’t about who you are, they’re about when you book.
banner ADS
Don’t just visit. take over.
Visit Tampa Bay needed a campaign that set it apart from every other Florida destination. I wrote “Don’t just visit. Take over.” to position Tampa as a city that isn’t just experienced—it’s conquered. The work spanned video, display ads, and banners, all driving home the city’s bold, adventurous spirit and deep Buccaneer roots. Beyond boosting tourism, the campaign gave locals something to rally behind. The message resonated so well that the pirate flag logo—though not my creation—has been fully embraced as a symbol of Tampa pride.
visit tampa bay: “Tampa. was i right?”
This spot was about capturing the feeling of a kid so overwhelmed by an amazing day in Tampa that he can barely put it into words. I wanted viewers to feel the magic of those moments and see Tampa as more than a place to visit. "Don’t just visit. Take over." wasn’t just a tagline. It was a call to dive in and make the city theirs. I also wrote the music, ensuring it supported the bold invitation to visitors to take over and enjoy our attractions to the fullest. The result? A 12% increase in family travel bookings, a 20% jump in social engagement, and a notable uptick in website traffic from key markets.
ART & CULTURE TV
This was a commercial we wrote for the “Take over” campaign that featured Arts and Culture. We relied on existing footage cobbled from other work. I created the score which is based on the musical tag I created forthe “Tampa. Was I right?” commercial.
Banner
These banner ads extended the "Don’t just visit. Take over." campaign, reinforcing the high-energy video with bold messaging and visuals. Designed to drive engagement, they boosted click-through rates and conversions, turning interest into action by inviting travelers to fully immerse themselves in Tampa Bay.