Nichols Tourism Group, Inc. is headed by Mitch Nichols, who as President leads the firm’s strategic planning and product development activities. Mitch’s experience ranges from broad strategy planning efforts in beach destinations like Sarasota, Florida, to unique mountain destinations such as Oregon’s Mt. Hood region and Asheville, North Carolina. Many assignments are statewide in scope, including work for Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Delaware, Kansas, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Washington. Mitch’s strategy work includes unique heritage destinations like Montana’s historic gold mining towns of Virginia City and Nevada City, as well as the powerful living history experiences in Virginia’s Historic Triangle regions, including Jamestown, Yorktown, and Williamsburg.

Much of Mitch’s work has focused on assisting destinations in applying sustainability related approaches within sensitive destinations. As a longtime advisor to Sedona, the firm helped them craft one of the most extensive Tourism Sustainability Plans in the nation. They are also assisting Visit Ogden in the development of a sustainability plan, working to integrate the unique combination of an urban city with multiple ski areas and summer water recreational areas.

Recognizing the critical role proactive product development plays in successful destination attraction, Mitch is often involved in analyzing and recommending project-specific components for destinations in both the United States and Mexico. He has served as the primary consultant to the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service, analyzing the demand potential and prospective impacts of a $600 million mixed-use, resort development planned as the gateway to Grand Canyon National Park. His experience has also included recommendations for downtown destinations, like Austin’s Historic Sixth Street District. Mitch’s wide portfolio of product development experience led Destinations International, a leading tourism trade organization, to engage Mitch in teaching its Destination Product Development course in their Certified Destination Management Executive program.