Samuel L. Thompson just jumped from owning his own event management agency to a position with Visit Greater Palm Springs.
Samuel L. Thompson III has covered a lot of ground in his career, from hotelier to owning a full-service event management agency, called Sync Meeting Management. And now he completes the hospitality circle with his new position with Visit Greater Palm Springs, where he was recently named the new Director of Indian Wells Tourism. In between his professional commitments, Thompson dedicated his time to community service, including Coachella Valley nonprofits such as The Well in the Desert, Building Resilient African American Families (BRAAF) and Family Health Support Network (FHSN), where he advocated for the homeless, young people, and the disenfranchised as a board member and elder.
“We are thrilled to welcome Samuel to the team,” said Colleen Pace, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer at Visit Greater Palm Springs, on making the announcement. “His extensive experience and passion for community service make him a valuable asset to our organization.”
Prevue recently caught up with Thompson to learn more about his passion for his profession will play out in his newest role.
Prevue: What inspired you to make the move from event management to the bureau side?
Thompson: I truly enjoyed assisting my clients from start to finish. Sometimes, it became difficult to show the customer value when they wouldn’t consider second- and third-tier cities or unique destinations. Being on the DMO [destination marketing organization] side will allow me to align with one destination to drive better community engagement while challenging our partners to get creative with our offerings.
Prevue: What are you most intrigued about when it comes to your new position?
Thompson: I’m excited about the singular focus on the city of Indian Wells. This position is not new, but the role will continue to evolve. I’m mostly excited about collaborating with the city while aligning with all the hotel goals to promote city growth. This role will allow me to be creative and explore new opportunities to bring to the city of Indian Wells.
Prevue: As someone who has been also been on the hotel side, how will this background of roles on every side of the business prove useful in this new position?
Thompson: With my journey in this industry, my past experiences will allow me to be fluid in discussions and collaboration. My background in event logistics will help align the city with the right opportunities while partnering more intimately with the sales teams of each property. Speaking the same language promotes better understanding of everyone’s individual agenda and goals.
Prevue: Any thoughts on how event organizers and DMOs can bring more value to each other as we continue moving forward in this ever-changing environment?
Thompson: We must find individuals in our backyards who are open to collaboration, not competition. Each city has offerings that may not be available across all destinations. That’s your opportunity to get everyone on the same page to help promote the unique experiences and enhance value for the customer.
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