Connecting Tourism & Creativity

Creative Tourism unites local creators, placemakers, and global brands to create vibrant hubs of culture and innovation.

Through our flagship data tool the Community Vibe Index, we measure and codify creativity for global destinations.

By benchmarking across place-based Creative Pillars, we help cities understand, analyze, and harness their creative assets, offering insight into how these assets drive economic growth, cultural preservation, and tourism development while illuminating their unique DNA.

Our research, tools, and frameworks redefine how destinations engage, inspire, and sustain, tracking trends and communities from emerging creative cities to global cultural capitals.

Founded by passionate advocates of culture, creativity, and community, driven by a shared belief that destinations thrive when their creative pulse is nurtured and amplified.

  • Matt Heidkamp

    Builds products, projects and engagement platforms that amplify visitor and creative economies.

    Past: Skift, SkiftX Creative Studio, Travel IDEA, Meta Foundation, The Osder Group

  • Evan Tzeng

    Designs places, experiences, and businesses that unleash the human capacity for hospitality, community, and creativity

    Prev: Superfly (Bonnaroo, Google I/O), Beyond Green Travel, Preferred Travel Group

  • Greg Oates

    Designs strategic frameworks and destination development plans to optimize and future-proof the urban visitor economy.

    Prev: MMGY Destination NextFactor, Skift

For more than a decade, our team has partnered with cities, tourism boards and cultural organizations to shape sustainable development, local innovation, community-centered storytelling.

From grassroots initiatives to large-scale destination strategies, we’ve shaped environments that reflect the authentic character of communities while meeting the evolving needs of visitors and locals alike. With a footprint spanning diverse regions and countless collaborations, we continue to turn creative potential into lasting value for destinations seeking to cultivate their identity and attract a global audience.

Brand USA, Singapore Tourism Board, Visit Britain, Visit Denmark, Visit Sweden, Visit Flanders, German Convention Bureau, Colombia Travel, Destination Canada, JNTO (Japan), Jordan Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities, Jordan Tourism Board, ProColombia, Turkey Home, Visit Morocco, Visit Qatar, Visit Saudi // Discover Puerto Rico, Hawaii Tourism Authority, Destination Vancouver, Destination Greater Victoria, Destination Toronto, Tourism Richmond, Tourism Ottawa, Discover Saint John, Cape Breton Island, Visit California, Destination DC, Las Vegas CVA, Visit Orlando, Visit Denver, Greater Miami CVB, Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB, Greater Palm Springs CVB, Visit San Jose, Visit Anaheim, Visit Fort Worth, Visit Pittsburgh, Visit San Antonio, Visit Mesa, Visit Shreveport-Bossier, Visit Tucson

Airbnb, Hilton, Marriott, Four Seasons, Hyatt, MGM Resorts, Fairmont, Accor, Design Hotels, Club Med, Olympics IOC, Global Gaming League, Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, NYT Food Festival, Google I/O, Wanderlust Festivals, Intel Extreme Masters, USA Surfing, Adobe, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google, Facebook (Meta), Microsoft, IBM, Pinterest, Oracle, Visa, Mastercard, Time Magazine, Adult Swim, Nickelodeon, Woodstock 50, Outside Lands Festival, Horizons: Perspectives on Psychedelics, Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts, Intel Extreme Masters, Asus, Ben & Jerry’s, GNC, JetBlue Airways, Pabst Brewing Company, Patrón Tequila, Coalition of Festivals, Superfly, AEG Presents, CID Entertainment, Wanderlust Festivals, Diageo, Heaven Hill, Kirin, Pernod Ricard

FAQs

  • Creative Tourism Group unites local creators, placemakers, and global brands to craft vibrant cultural hubs.

    Our mission is to align tourism with local creativity to foster sustainable growth, strengthen cultural identity, and create meaningful connections. We believe thriving destinations are built on people, culture, and stories.

    Creative Tourism Group is dedicated to transforming cities, neighborhoods, and venues by connecting creative industries with global travelers. We believe that the heart of a thriving destination lies in its people, culture, and stories — and that creativity is the key to unlocking sustainable growth and community resilience.

    Our work bridges the gap between tourism, placemaking, and the creative economy, ensuring that the value of local culture extends far beyond surface-level attractions. By codifying creativity through data-driven insights, immersive experiences, and strategic frameworks, we empower destinations to stand out, engage audiences, and foster deeper connections.

    OUR MISSION

    To create, connect, and inspire vibrant destinations by aligning tourism with the creative spirit of local communities.

    We aim to:

    • Strengthen cultural identity by elevating local creators and communities.

    • Drive sustainable growth by embedding creative industries into tourism strategies.

    • Foster belonging and connection through experiences that reflect the authentic pulse of a place.

  • We partner with DMOs, tourism boards, economic development organizations and cultural institutions to co-create programs that:

    • Amplify local creators and cultural assets

    • Develop immersive experiences and storytelling initiatives

    • Measure creative vibrancy through our CommunityVibe Index

  • In an era where experiences are increasingly commoditized, a destination’s ability to differentiate lies in the richness of its cultural fabric and the creative energy of its people.

    Creative Tourism exists to ensure that this energy is not only preserved but celebrated and shared with the world.

    By investing in creativity, we shape destinations that are not just visited but felt — places that leave lasting impressions and inspire return.

    We partner to shape vibrant places to visit, live, play, host and invest in.

  • The Community Vibe Index is our flagship tool that measures the creative energy and cultural vibrancy of cities. It provides destinations with data and insights to evolve as dynamic hubs of creativity and innovation.

  • Creative Tourism Group is driven by a team of creative leaders, destination development, and the experience economy experts who believe in transforming destinations through the power of culture, community, and innovation.