States & Provinces
Hawaii
As manager of the Hawaii State Tourism Office, John Kelsh created a ten-year tourism development plan for the State with a focus on new resort development, and maximizing visitor expenditures throughout the islands. As an advertising consultant, John helped develop a 1982 cooperative tourism campaign that generated four times cash value in exposure, established a new tag line "Isles of Smiles", and increased tourism the following year by ten percent.


Alaska
Both John and Mary have extensive experience developing Alaska as a tourism destination.  In the early years of Alaska's tourism development, John and Mary were instrumental in the development of the Alaska brand and marketing programs, which included all forms of media (broadcast, print, etc.), extensive public relations, and development of collateral materials.   As Alaska matured as a destination, both GDS principals continued involvement with the destination, with John directing the first statewide tourism development plan for Alaska, and Mary working on the update of this development plan.  Both John and Mary continue to be involved with a variety of Alaska destinations on branding, product development, and marketing programs.

Coastal British Columbia, Canada
In the early years of this decade, port communities of coastal British Columbia banded together to form a cooperative regional organization to develop British Columbia as a cruise destination.  Now called Cruise BC, Mary has worked as a consultant since their first meetings as an ad-hoc group, and guided their development as an industry organization that markets the region and provides community development assistance.  Over the past six years Mary has provided market research, brand development, marketing development and implemented a number of marketing activities, including the development of a DVD presentation to cruise lines. DVD Presentation

North Dakota
Working with a consortium of researchers, master planners and marketers, John Kelsh managed the development of a North Dakota statewide tourism development plan that included several legislative bills designed to increase bed & breakfast sites, improve tax revenue and set policy for tourism marketing.

Oregon
GDS has worked with TRAVEL OREGON's Rural Tourism Studio to develop and present community-based marketing workshops that assist local efforts in organizing, developing and marketing local visitor destinations.