As a North Alabama native, I am proud of the region I grew up in and passionate about sharing it with others. In 2019, inspired by two tech companies on the West Coast and tour companies located in larger cities like Savannah and Raleigh, I created Touronimo.
Touronimo is an online platform for locals to share private tours and exclusive experiences. It gives those new to Huntsville and out-of-town guests the chance to take a deeper dive into our city and explore hidden gems.
Two of my favorite tours and experiences are Jeff Irons’ Distillery Tour and the Huntsville Soaring Club’s Glider Plane Experience. For the Distillery Tour, Jeff Irons shares the story of how he created a small batch of whiskey that has become a local favorite and offers a tasting from the Rickhouse. Soaring in an engineless aircraft came about by a few engineers sharing a hobby they love; flying glider planes. These have become best sellers!
After a rough start surviving a worldwide pandemic, business is now better than ever. Not only did Touronimo survive, but the birth of a new company emerged, as well. In August 2021, I launched Destination Huntsville, a destination management company (DMC). I wanted to be a resource for all of the new hotels popping up across Madison County that needed support services to serve their guests more efficiently. Now visitors can reach out to Destination Huntsville for everything from transportation coordination to VIP events and excursions.
One of the benefits of what I do is hearing what people say while in Huntsville. I recently provided guest services for visitors from Florida site checking investment properties. Once the transportation details of their visit were confirmed, I followed up by asking if they had made dinner plans. I was thrilled with their response! They couldn’t get over all of the fabulous local restaurants downtown! Because they couldn’t choose just one, they planned to try them all! They stopped at Sea Salt for appetizers, Purveyor for dinner, and The Poppy for after-dinner cocktails. I jumped at the opportunity to share one more favorite, Catacomb 435, and reached out to make reservations. Not only did they love it, but they texted the following day to say thank you for taking such great care of them, and they looked forward to visiting again, and for me, that’s what it’s all about – leaving them wanting more!
Why is what I do important? Because corporate travelers visiting Huntsville are used to a certain level of service. When hosting people from across the globe, there is something to be said for a DMC with strong ties to local suppliers, comprehensive care, and creative extras that only happen when you have on-site expertise. We look polished. Professional. Exceptional. We not only want to provide southern hospitality but a level of sophistication that other cities of our size present.
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