Dec 2, 2020
Brian Applegarth is the founder of the California Cannabis Tourism Association, as well as an advisor to MMGY Global and MMGY Travel Intelligence, an integrated travel and hospitality marketing agency. Additionally, he is a co-owner of Enlighten Strategies, a company that develops and implements data-driven plans for destinations and hotels seeking to capitalize on cannabis, CBD, and hemp related opportunities. On this week’s show, Brian explains what cannabis tourism is, and talks about the businesses that help accommodate a growing market of cannabis-motivated travelers - such as cannabis tour operators and cannabis-forward hotels. He also shares how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted cannabis tourism, as well as what it reveals about the cannabis industry’s resilience in the face of economic recessions. Lastly, Brian gives his thoughts on the promising future of cannabis tourism given the ever-increasing inevitability of federal cannabis legalization.