View From Afar S2, E3: IPW 2026 | Wyoming’s Domenic Bravo on Building a Destination Beyond Its Icons

How does a state defined by wide-open spaces and authentic Western culture welcome the world, without losing what makes it Wyoming? Domenic Bravo, executive director of the Wyoming Office of Tourism, has a clear answer: open the front door wider, but invite people to explore the whole house.

In this IPW 2026 episode, recorded live from the conference floor in Fort Lauderdale, Bravo sits down with Afar deputy editor Michelle Baran less than a year into his new role. They talk about dispersing visitors beyond Yellowstone and Grand Teton, why Wyoming’s rural communities hold the same magic as its icons, and how the state is leaning into authenticity, Indigenous-led storytelling, and a new “Mavericks Wanted” campaign at a moment when travelers are craving connection and a reset more than ever.

Transcript

Michelle Baran: I’m Michelle Baran, deputy editor at Afar, and welcome to View From Afar, a podcast that spotlights the people and ideas shaping the future of travel. And in this special series, I’m coming to you live from the floor of IPW, the annual travel conference organized by the U.S. Travel Association, to share the best of America with the rest of the world.

It’s a pivotal moment right now. The U.S. is preparing to co-host the FIFA World Cup and celebrate its 250th anniversary. Even as international travel arrivals are down and global events are affecting travel across the world. But the reasons we travel haven’t changed. In fact, they’ve become more important than ever. Joy and connection. So we’re talking to industry leaders about how their destinations are pivoting in a tough world, how they’re giving travelers experiences to smile about and making visitors feel welcome.

My guest today is Domenic Bravo, who was just tapped as the new executive director of the Wyoming Office of Tourism this past fall. Dominic isn’t new to Wyoming, though he most recently served as the president and CEO of Visit Cheyenne for five years and prior to that worked at Wyoming State Parks Division. Domenic is a Parks and Rec person through and through with a master’s degree in Park and resource management. Could there be a more ideal destination to represent for someone who is passionate about public spaces? I can’t wait to talk with Domenic about what’s in store for one of the most beautiful corners of the country.

Welcome to View From Afar, Domenic. We’re so excited to have you. So I have to ask first and foremost, are you originally from Wyoming?

Domenic Bravo: No, actually, I started my career as a law enforcement park ranger in Nevada.

Michelle: Okay.

Domenic: And I moved there in 2008 to be the state park director. So I actually kind of came around about way into the industry. But that’s, uh, I think Wyoming has a way of grabbing you once you get there, and I got there as quickly as I could.

Michelle: Okay. And what brought you to. What drew you to Wyoming?

Domenic: So, I mean, obviously its authenticity, its beautifulness. Many of our state parks on any other state would be a national park, so being able to be in charge of the state park system was a big draw. So that was that’s what started it.

Michelle: It’s been about six months since you were named executive director of Wyoming Tourism. So in your new role, what’s your vision for the state’s travel and tourism industry?

Domenic: So obviously we’ll always use our iconic places, you know, Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, there are Big hook their icons across the world. But really, a lot of our rural communities have that same magic. So really trying to uplift them and help them develop their assets and really try to move, uh, the travelers around our state. You know, if you think of Yellowstone as the front door, really want to showcase the entire house to people that come to visit us. So that’s really been a prime opportunity for us.

Michelle: Yeah. And it’s interesting because, you know, when we think about overtourism, which we talk a lot about at Afar, we think of places like Amalfi Coast or Kyoto and Japan. And I think there’s this assumption that Wyoming being so vast, doesn’t have to worry about that. But I’m guessing that a national park like Yellowstone can get pretty nutty during the summer. So how are you actively working to sort of better disperse travelers around the state?

Domenic: I think it’s working with our partners at our parks, but it’s also thinking about, again, how we move people around. We’re actually trying to work on this visitor management system with technology the way it is today to really be able to grab people.

One, we’re already using some technologies for when they’re pre-planning their trips to really showcase how you can, you know, visit a whole bunch of things around Wyoming. Still see your bucket list. I mean, still make it to Yellowstone, still make it to Grand Teton, but maybe time your trip a little different. And then we’re really trying to see if we can do in-market things. So it’s kind of one of those things, you know, I notice you’re trying to enter Yellowstone at eight o’clock in the morning from the east entrance. It’ll be less busy at one o’clock. So maybe hang out a little longer in Thermopolis, Wyoming, or in Cody, Wyoming. We know that the technology exists. It’s just not packaged in a way that makes sense right now. So we’re hoping to be able to unveil that in the next year and a half or so and see how that helps. But in general, we’re already working to try to ensure tourists can find those lesser known jewels before they kind of all concentrate during certain times of the year.

Michelle: Right. And I think it’s the perfect time for that because I feel like that’s also where travel is going. People are looking for. They want those sort of hidden gems and a little more off the beaten path destinations. So it’s great that you’re using this opportunity to highlight them. I’m curious how much of your visitation is international versus domestic. And then also curious if in terms of international visitation, especially given that you have Yellowstone, are you seeing a decrease in international visitation like some other destinations are seeing in the US?

Domenic: So Wyoming is traditionally really domestic because shockingly, a lot of urban centers have still not come out to see all the national parks in the country. So getting folks to see Yellowstone and Grand Teton, we’re anywhere between 5 to 15 percent, depending on time of year, international travels. Who comes to see us? And yes, for sure, Canada has probably been our biggest drop. Yeah, I think we still feel the pressure of some of that, that change. But so far our Q1 has been great for this year, and our overall bookings throughout the summer are pretty solid.

Michelle: So and so what would you say in terms of continuing that growth? What are some of your biggest challenges? Is it airlift? Is it marketing? You mentioned like people from the cities getting them out to, to the west and experiencing the national parks? Like where are you? Where do you see those growth opportunities?

Domenic: I think we are just primed for growth across the board. So it’s keeping our brand strong. Always getting out, even in non-traditional media senses. Just was in New York on a morning show and meeting with some of the travel writers there, because now there’s actual direct flights that come into Wyoming directly from New York and Newark that definitely get you in. You could be having a bagel in the morning and literally under the stars in Wyoming that evening. So, so just getting that information out and sometimes using those non-traditional sources, it seems like in today’s day and age of media, you have to find people where they are. So we’re trying to do everything under the sun to just keep our brand strong globally. Still doing this normal trade missions for international, but also trying to do some things where we actually call the press conference for global trade and just see what that looks like. And yeah, so trying to do things that we know work and just keep our brand strong and also do non-traditional marketing where it makes sense.

Michelle: And what would you say are some, I mean, you mentioned a couple examples, but some sort of up and coming Wyoming destinations that savvy travelers should know about or experiences. I mean, I know we associate Wyoming with sort of dude ranches and rodeos. I’m sure there’s a lot of that, but are there other additional experiences that people should look to Wyoming for?

Domenic: Yeah, it’s just such a great place. We have some of our, um, you know, night sky certified areas because that big open sky, you can see the Milky Way clearer than probably any other place you can. Wyoming’s like no other place on earth. I mean, you can see so many different kind of rock features. So Grand Teton or not. Well, Grand Teton is one. It’s like the Alps. So it’s just the way the uplift happened, it comes right out of the valley floor. How the Grand Tetons formed. Devils tower is celebrating its 120th as the first National Monument. Oh, wow. And it’s a magma push out. That’s this monolith that comes right out of the Black Hills area and just is like nowhere else. You can see they just rededicated hell’s Half Acre, which is near Casper. And it was actually the scene for the Super Troopers movie where it had the alien planet. So like I said, like no other place on earth. So literally Wyoming, it looks like alien planets. It’s just cool. Um, so places where you can soak in hot springs, as you mentioned, rodeos, Western culture, but it’s just a transformative place. I think you come to Wyoming and you drive a little slower on a dusty road, and you get to see and immerse yourself in our communities. And I think you see hidden gems around every turn. I guess I should also mention, like, we have, you know, James Beard restaurants and we have an international chocolatier in Meeteetse, Wyoming on your way to Cody.

Michelle: Oh, wow.

Domenic: So stuff that just surprises you at every turn.

Michelle: I love that too, because yeah, I think it’s people always just sort of automatically assume it’s just about the outdoors. And, but it sounds like you also have a lot going on in some of the cities and towns in Wyoming as well.

Domenic: Yeah. Arts, culture, music, everything.

Michelle: So, um, you know, you have such a rich and diverse indigenous history and Wyoming as well. How is the destination sort of spotlighting indigenous people, stories and experiences in your storytelling?

Domenic: Yeah. So obviously it’s their story to tell. We have on the Wind River Reservation. We just have an amazing group of leaders really trying to highlight their areas of destination. So there’s a lot of different activities you can do. You can see where the bison have been reintroduced. A few years back, we actually highlighted one of our hoop dancers that she does just an amazing job across the state and across the world, showcasing their traditions. So yeah, I mean, we really let them tell the story and try to ensure that we just uplift that and all the things that we produce so folks can know where to find guides, how they can get on the rivers, how they can go see some really critical parts of their culture and let them tell their story on the reservation and really across the state.

Michelle: Right. I love that too, seeing just more and more tourism organizations partnering with some of the local indigenous communities. And, you know, like you said, sort of handing the mic to them. And it’s just really great to see that happening more and more. And I think it’s really resonating with visitors. I think they want to hear those stories.

So we talked a little bit about overtourism and dispersing travelers around the state. You’re co-chairing Destination International’s advocacy committee on exactly this issue. So what are you learning from other states that face the same thing? And what’s specific to Wyoming’s playbook?

Domenic: Yeah, so it’s been great to be I was co-chair last year and co-chair this year. So I’ve been involved with Destinations International. Obviously when I worked with Visit Cheyenne and now in this role, I think it’s not just overtourism. I think the biggest thing when it comes to advocacy for any destination is ensuring that we’ve built the groundwork with relationships with our decision makers, utilizing our data, utilizing our media to make sure, again, that they understand what tourism is. And that’s regardless of how you deal with overtourism or how you worry about funding issues that may come. Uh, there’s been a lot of destinations that have been trying to, you know, their funding has been reduced or taken or something. So I think that’s the biggest thing that we work on is, uh, giving destinations the tools to know and understand how to be the best advocates for their destination. And that’s been something we are learning all together. Um, because I think the biggest thing takeaway from that is you want to make your friends now before you actually have a crisis. So, you know, we’re in this industry that’s, it’s all about relationships and it’s just making sure you leverage all of those and especially be a non-traditional. So you think about the health industry, you think about the realtors tourism industry is an umbrella over that. And I think including them in the process, hopefully it keeps us out of the big political issues we deal with. And that’s really kind of what we work on in the advocacy committee at DI.

Michelle: So the idea is advocating for tourism as an economic engine, and the reason why we sort of need to promote it and encourage it to, to support communities and support economic growth?

Domenic: And it’s not even so for sure. It’s a major economic engine, but I think folks don’t realize how important it is to health, the vibrancy of main streets, uh, you know, public safety, you know, the umbrella of tourism touches a whole bunch of different things that ensure communities are successful and vibrant. And I think that’s, that’s making sure we, we give our destinations those tools to keep that information front and center with decision makers.

Michelle: And do you feel like that message is getting across?

Domenic: Definitely. But it has to be constant.

Michelle: Constant reminders.

Domenic: Everyone knows it takes like ten times before that message sinks in. And so yeah, if you just have to keep doing it over and over again.

Michelle: Right, right. You mentioned technology a little bit, showing up everywhere and travel AI is the buzzword of the moment for a state where so much of the magic is offline. How are you thinking about AI and in what ways are you actually using it, and where do you think it actively sort of works against what makes Wyoming different?

Domenic: I think we always have to see it as a tool. And I mean, just like when social media came on the scene, I think now instead of CEOs, you’re doing all the LMS to make sure that, you know, AI is searching for it. So, you know, it’s the Hey Google, hey Siri, tell me the best road trip. And they ensure that they include all the mom and pop places and the great Main Street retail and those local hoteliers. I mean, all those things that are key. But then at the same time, we want to make sure it’s authentic. So I think a lot of the times we also say, well, in some places you have no coverage, so you’re not going to get any, you’re not going to get AI in some parts of Wyoming.

So it is to, you know, put the phone down and immerse yourself in what we have. Because I think, as I mentioned when I first moved there, you just go on this, you know, turn off on this road, some scenic byway. You don’t know where it’s taking you. You, you know, get out of the car and you just overlook this place and you feel small, but at the same time, that makes you feel connected. And I think that kind of regenerates your soul. And so I think people experience that in Wyoming. And through that process, I think that balance in technology. But authenticity takes care of itself.

Michelle: Right, and it’s interesting because, you know, this idea of just connecting with people and getting out on the open road when the national conversation can be quite heavy at times. How are you thinking about the joy that a state like Wyoming can bring to travelers who, you know, in this moment that is kind of quite heavy and how the ways in which nature and this, this connection can actually help in some ways heal people when we’re going, we’re all going through a lot?

Domenic: And like I said, I think it does transform you. I mean, those, like you say, the road trips with the family and the first time your, you know, kiddo sees a bison and you’re just they’re blown away at the size and the majesty of that animal. Or they see a moose or they catch their first trout, or they go on their first, you know, hike to a waterfall, or they get to soak in the healing waters of a hot spring, or they see a beautiful mural, you know, on a water tower. And it’s just I think it’s those things that as you reset, it does change the conversation. I think everything falls away. And it’s one of those things that you realize that the world doesn’t have to be difficult in every moment. And that’s why I said, I think it resets you and it transforms you, and that makes you feel more connected to the people of the state of Wyoming and probably more connected to your family. And that’s always a great thing.

Michelle: Let’s say hypothetically, of course, a family of four, maybe based in the Bay area. We’re thinking of a summer road trip to Wyoming. Where should they go and what should they do?

Domenic: So I think you could have some fun adventures in every corner. So, I mean, as you come in before, you may want to do like the national parks last. So you actually.

Michelle: Okay.

Domenic: Maybe you come in and you go.

Michelle: I’m taking notes.

Domenic: Yeah. Well, you come in on I-80, you do a Fossil Butte National Monument. Okay, you get to see it all. It used to be a giant alkaline lake. And there’s some private areas, so outside of the national monument, that’s a federal part that you get to see this cool interpretive stuff about prehistoric fish. Then you get to actually go to a private land, and you actually can dig for your own fossils and take them with you. So you actually literally can have these cool things of fish that you could display in the kids rooms and everything.

Yeah, you continue on and there’s just amazing areas along I-80 communities that, you know, have live music and rodeos maybe hit Cheyenne Frontier days for, uh, there in Cheyenne, or maybe if you don’t get there in time for Cheyenne Frontier Days in July, you can go to a Hell on Wheels rodeo because they also have rodeos throughout that time. You know, you shoot up to Devil’s Tower again, it’s the 120th anniversary and the monolith. It’s actually sacred to the indigenous people. So they you’ll see prayer bags hung around as they do stuff. And there’s like three theories, including there was a giant prehistoric tree. The Native Americans have it sacred where a bear actually etched it, a giant bear etched it. And then, of course, the lava uplift that made the monolith. But, you know, you think about Ayers Rock in Australia, there’s not a lot of monoliths in the world.

So you get to see that come back across. You can dip it down into Thermopolis, hang out on the healing waters of there, maybe hit a dude ranch. As you come up through the Dubois area, you get to maybe wrangle some cows or do something there, which again, is a great experience. And then of course, hit the, you know, Yellowstone and Grand Teton and just finish out of man, you could probably spend at least a week and a half just doing amazing things and taking memories that will last a lifetime.

Michelle: So, um, also very important, what should this hypothetical family eat? What food is Wyoming known for?

Domenic: A little bit of everything. I mean, of course we have a lot of the wildlife. I mean, I definitely would get some elk chili. There’s Chugwater Chili, get a nice bison steak, which are just phenomenal. We have some James Beard restaurants in Sheridan. There’s this just phenomenal food and shockingly, really well priced. I guess that’s one of the things that Wyoming get to have these really authentic, amazing experiences for food retail. And we’re really quality value, which is pretty great.

But anyway, going back to food, there is a chuckwagon dinners, so they actually cook it all in Dutch oven things and cook these great like brisket and phenomenal like desserts and things. There’s also a pitchfork fondue. So they literally so it’s so big that they’ll do pitchfork things and then they dip them in fancy fondue, but they use it as a pitchfork. And I’m pretty sure it’s in Pinedale. You can just find so many unique while at the same time high end experiences. You can have the spectrum of different places to eat food.

Michelle: Right. Yeah. And I this hypothetical family loves a good deal. So I love to hear that we can get a lot for our money while we’re eating our way through Wyoming. Um, I’m glad that you also mentioned dude ranches because it feels like for someone who’s not from the state, a sort of cliche, city slicker thing to do, are they actually very authentic dude ranches that reflect sort of the history, the tradition and legacy of the region?

Domenic: Yeah. So we have probably the highest concentration. As a matter of fact, the National Dude Ranch Association is headquartered in Wyoming, so every place we go, you can have different experiences. So you can go as extreme as literally camping out under the stars as cowboys did and move, move cattle back and forth, or just have those fun experiences on and stay in the lodge area, but still go out and do trail rides and stuff on horses.

So they have every experience imaginable from the full on extreme. So you walk out of there and you’re roping cattle to, you know, more toned down ones that you still get to feel the Western experience. But you know, these folks, that’s their livelihood. They do it on a regular basis. And so for us, like usually those Friday night rodeos I told you about, the folks doing the dude ranches are probably out competing in rodeos. So they’re very authentic. Like it’s like, so.

Michelle: Locals actually do this too. It’s not just for the tourists.

Domenic: It’s not just for the tourists. They’re actually, you know, raising cattle, working on farms, and then they go do rodeo at night.

Michelle: So Wyoming sort of sits smack dab in the middle of some really amazing Western destinations. You’ve got Montana, Idaho, Denver, Utah, to name a few. Do you feel like you compete with those destinations, or are you at an advantage by being surrounded by so many sought after places? How do you work, sort of compete and work together?

Domenic: Like Wyoming is a destination in and of itself, but it does help that the entire Rocky Mountain West, as you mentioned, just has so many beautiful destinations. So when we say folks should come, I mean, we’re kind of like when you think about concentration wise, could be a great, you know, two week trip through, uh, the great American West and you really could be able to highlight a whole bunch of things.

Like if you go into, you know, South Dakota and North Dakota, you get to see Mount Rushmore and the new Theodore Roosevelt coming to Wyoming, where, like you said, we’re in the middle. You could fly into Denver and come up the other direction, you know, where you folks might be coming from, wherever it is, you know, California, you could drive right into, you know, Utah and see some of the great national parks they have. And you’re right there in Wyoming. So for us, I mean, of course, I’m sure we’re all competitors, but at the end of the day, kind of that rising tide raises all boats come see us in the West. And I think you won’t be disappointed. It’s a fun place to see in Wyoming, like you said, kind of sits in the middle of the action with a lot to offer, right?

Michelle: And the classic American road trip never gets old. Wyoming really came into the spotlight during the pandemic when we were all seeking outdoor expanses and nature based experiences. Do you feel like you’re still riding that popularity high, or do you feel like that wave has kind of crested a little bit?

Domenic: I think the outdoors, along with our Western culture, you know, shows like Yellowstone and even the spin offs where folks really want to kind of just see, you know, how Western life is lived, I think keeps us our brand strong. And so we do lean into that. I think from outdoor recreation standpoint, folks are now looking for that, you know, that reset. I think now with our busy lives, especially after the pandemic, it seems like we picked up so much speed and steam that folks do want to take a little bit of a laid back approach and not have to go, you know, maybe they do just want to go 30 miles an hour from town to town and enjoy the destination as much as the journey. And I think that’s, uh, you know, just a fun way to experience Wyoming. So for us, I would say no, I think we’re a. Highlighted destination because we have that transformative authenticity that folks are really seeking.

Michelle: Right. So looking forward now to the sort of next six months, year, what are some of the events, happenings, and development in Wyoming that you’re most excited about?

Domenic: I think, as you mentioned, we’re not, you know, letting our foot off the accelerator, really trying to highlight all the things that are coming online. The place I mentioned with the James Beard restaurant is opening up a hotel right next to the the restaurant there in Sheridan. We have some new trails coming online in almost every location. There’s one near Cheyenne, an additional mountain bike trail that’s opening up. We have a whole bunch of new museums that are at, you know, doing additions. I did forget to mention in Cody along with the rodeo, when you have to go there, we actually have the Museum of the West is five museums under one roof. It’s a Smithsonian affiliate. Oh, wow. So it’s that’s.

Michelle: In Cody?

Domenic: In Cody. So they even have a firearm museum, which you can literally see firearms for how they shape the West. Some pretty cool stuff. And then also they have like a natural resource museum that kind of kicks your trip off into Yellowstone, which is fun. Some of the things we’ll be focusing on is winter. Like we didn’t really have snow this year, so I know it’ll pick up for us, but I think our like as a winter destination. I think we surprised people, especially on the shoulder seasons, with some of the best snowmobiling, some great ski resorts, and they’re smaller than many of the other surrounding states. So you can get this experience like you feel like you have the ski resort to yourself. So I think we’re going to just kind of really lean into all those things in the next six months. And I will say, our Mavericks Wanted campaign that we just unveiled is a whole new way of thinking about how we want folks to come visit us is we want you to come. If you’re a maverick, if you’re an adventurer, we want you to create your own kind of itinerary and come enjoy Wyoming the way you want to. And so it’s kind of a little bit of a challenge as much as it is a call to action, right?

Michelle: So you would say like winter is softer, like winter is the season that you work a little bit harder to promote, like the benefits of coming to Wyoming?

Domenic: Because I think folks and even on the shoulder seasons, the weather is phenomenal. Yeah. I think folks don’t realize again, going back to crowds, you can have really similar and more in-depth experiences by coming in the shoulder season. So if you can make it work with kids out of school or something else.

Michelle: I bet. I can only imagine how beautiful Yellowstone is in the winter. And I’m guessing it’s less crowded then too, so.

Domenic: Well, and you can tour it on a snowmobile, which is pretty cool. Bison can run next to you on the road. Be kind of.

Michelle: Fun. I love that. That’s so interesting. You know, it’s interesting because this year we have America 250 and the World Cup. What are sort of the big opportunities? I mean, there aren’t World Cup matches in Wyoming, but there will be a lot of people coming to the US this year. So with the whole world watching, do you see this as an opportunity or sort of another challenge for the country, and how does Wyoming fit into a lot of these different events happening this year?

Domenic: Obviously, we’re like the 42nd state, I think. So, I mean, we weren’t around during that time, but but we shaped the entire country. As I mentioned, we were a state of first. So we had the first national park in the entire world. First National monument, first National forest. We’re 50 years ahead of the US in granting women’s suffrage. So voting rights for women. Why? It’s why we’re the equality state. All three immigrant trails run through us, so you get to see some of the history that shaped the Western expansion. So we have such a rich history of things, again, that really only exist in Wyoming. So through that piece kind of experience, how the country became a country. I think we have great things to showcase.

Michelle: So we have we’re launching a new podcast series called ‘Feel Good Friday.’ So what’s one piece of sort of feel good news you can share from your destination?

Domenic: Feel good news, I would say is that travel for us is strong. I think that’s the big thing is it’s, uh, folks want to come see us as a destination and we love to have them, so come see us.

Michelle: All right. Well, thank you so much for joining us for View From Afar.

Domenic: Thank you. Thank you for having me.

Michelle: Thanks for joining us for this episode of View from Afar. In the show notes, you’ll find links to everything we discussed today, as well as Wyoming Tourism’s social media handles and website, and be sure to follow along this week to hear more interviews with industry experts.

You can find more Views From Afar on Afar.com, and be sure to follow us on Instagram and TikTok. We’re at @AfarMedia. If you enjoyed today’s exploration, I hope you’ll come back for more great interviews. Subscribing always makes that easy, and be sure to rate and review the show on your favorite podcast platforms. It helps other travelers find it.

This has been View From Afar, a production of Afar Media. The podcast is produced by Aislyn Greene and Nikki Galteland, with assistance from Billie Cohen and me, Michelle Baran. Music composition from Epidemic Sound. This podcast is part of the Airwave Media Podcast Network. Visit AirwaveMedia.com to listen and subscribe to their other fine shows like Culture Kids and The Explorers podcast.