Dana Communications has been honored as the 2025 Travel Marketing Agency of the Year. This recognition celebrates more than innovative campaigns or impressive metrics. It shines a spotlight on the agency’s legacy of strategic transformations, deep client relationships, and forward-thinking leadership guided by the President and Owner, Lynn Kaniper.
Achieving with Vision: Reinvention as a Core Value
Dana’s success story is not one about following trends. It’s about staying ahead of them. Since its inception, the agency has excelled at the intersection of creativity and strategy, continually reinventing its approach to meet the evolving tourism climate, the needs of travelers and the brands that serve them.
The agency anticipates shifts in traveler behavior and helps clients harness those changes to stay relevant and grow. Dana’s early embrace of digital marketing, integration of sustainability into brand narratives, and foresight into trends like experiential travel and influencer marketing has positioned the agency as a strategic guide for travel brands navigating a competitive landscape.
We are always thinking about what’s next—not just in terms of platforms, but in terms of purpose. We’re growing with intention, because we know our clients—and our team—deserve nothing less
“From day one, we understood that travel marketing couldn’t, and shouldn’t, just be beautiful—it had to be meaningful,” says Kaniper. “You have to connect emotionally, evolve intelligently, and guide your clients with both heart and insight.”
The agency’s long-term client relationships—many spanning a decade or more—are a testament to that evolution. Dana’s goal is not to merely help brands keep pace with the market—it’s to help them lead it.
Why Brands Choose Dana
Dana delivers more than award-winning campaigns—they deliver insight, instinct and industry fluency. Travel brands turn to Dana to untangle complex marketing challenges and create holistic, integrated solutions. The Dana team doesn’t just execute. They listen, analyze and build smart, agile strategies that are aligned with business objectives.
“Our clients know they’re not just getting a vendor—they’re getting a partner who’s deeply invested in their growth,” Kaniper shares. “We ask the right questions, push past the obvious, and stay focused on delivering real outcomes—not just vanity metrics.”
At Dana, success is not measured just by clicks or conversions alone, but by the depth of relationships built and business outcomes attained. The agency becomes a true extension of their clients’ teams, offering dependability, proactive thinking, and the confidence that their brand is in the hands of people who genuinely understand—and love—this industry.
As Carol Smith, General Manager at Lansdowne Resort, shared, “Working with Dana is like having a strategic compass. They understand not just the hospitality industry, but the dynamics of our specific market. They’re creative, collaborative, and consistently deliver solutions that drive real business results. Dana doesn’t just execute—they elevate.”
Dana’s full-spectrum capabilities—from brand strategy to creative execution, media buying, digital transformation, and CRM—ensure seamless support from ideation to implementation.
Elevating Experience through Lifestyle Marketing
Dana’s commitment to experiential lifestyle marketing is rooted in the belief that travel is transformative. Campaigns crafted by Dana do more than advertise; they help travelers transcend the ordinary and embark on something unforgettable. From immersive storytelling to influencer collaborations, every touchpoint is designed to evoke emotion and inspire action.
This approach is anchored in a full understanding of the customer journey—from the first spark of wanderlust to long after the trip ends. From global hospitality grounds to niche lifestyle properties, Dana prides itself on the ability to shape experiences that resonate deeply with their client’s audiences.
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From day one, we understood that travel marketing couldn’t, and shouldn’t, just be beautiful—it had to be meaningful. You have to connect emotionally, evolve intelligently, and guide your clients with both heart and insight
Results that Speak Volumes
Dana’s impact is best illustrated through its results. For a luxury resort brand seeking relevance with a new demographic, Dana revamped the brand’s voice and engagement strategies, increasing its database by 60 percent and mid-week bookings by 34 percent. In another instance, a state tourism board partnered with Dana to re-ignite visitation, leading to a 5.1 percent YOY increase through a compelling combination of digital strategy, grassroots activations, and brand storytelling.
“What makes these successes possible is our ability to see the entire landscape—not just the creative execution or the media buy, but the emotion behind every traveler’s decision,” Kaniper explains.
Karen Paton, Senior Vice President of Media, also shares, “At Dana, media isn’t an afterthought—it’s a growth engine. Every plan we build is rooted in intelligence, not guesswork. We architect bold, insight-driven campaigns that deliver measurable ROI—not just impressions. Our clients don’t come to us for safe bets—they come to outperform. This is where creativity meets accountability, and that’s where Dana thrives.”
Dana as a Woman-Owned Business: Succeeding with Purpose
As a woman-owned business, Dana Communications not only champions industry innovation—it champions leadership, inspiration, and opportunity for the next generation of women in travel and hospitality.
“As a woman in travel and hospitality marketing, the challenges came from the start,” says Kaniper. “Over thirty years ago, I started out in what was very much a man’s world. It wasn’t easy—I was told no, a lot. But I never let that stop me. I believed in myself, stayed positive, and committed to learning everything I could.”
She credits her drive to a strong work ethic instilled by her parents, a desire to make them proud, and a commitment to building something meaningful for her own family and the Dana team.
“I never saw my path clearly, but every obstacle that could have made the journey harder turned out to be the very thing that made me stronger. Those challenges gave me insight, resilience, and ultimately shaped the leader I am today.”
Kaniper is proud of the company Dana has become—and deeply committed to creating opportunities for others.
“At Dana, we don’t put limits on anyone’s abilities. We share with our team that every challenge is an opportunity. You can choose to stay in your comfort zone, or you can choose to grow—just like the koi fish that grows to the size of its pond. If you’re willing to swim in deeper waters, you’ll discover growth and who you can truly become.”
Dana fosters a culture where entrepreneurial spirits thrive. It’s a place where emerging leaders are empowered to stretch, take risks, and redefine their path.
“Your journey won’t always be clear,” Kaniper reflects. “But walk the path anyway. Take the chance. Create the opportunity. If you do, you’ll be amazed by how much you can learn, contribute, and accomplish—not just for yourself, but for the greater good of our clients and this incredible industry we love.”
Looking Ahead: Growth Fueled by Innovation and Inclusion
Dana Communications is continuing to grow its capabilities and geographic footprint—strategically and purposefully. That includes deeper investment in AI-assisted personalization, MarTech integration, and real-time analytics tools that empower smarter, faster marketing decisions.
Dana is also enhancing its presence in emerging travel markets and building teams with multicultural fluency to better connect with and serve diverse audiences across channels and borders.
At the heart of this evolution is a strong focus on client-centric innovation. Dana combines client data—bookings, performance metrics and forecasting—with proprietary tools and methodologies to deliver clear, measurable results. Its custom-built dashboards not only showcase real-time performance but also provide the insight needed to look ahead, plan proactively, and pivot swiftly as market conditions shift.
This commitment to agility and impact is matched by a passion for giving back. Dana’s professional affiliations and partnerships offer meaningful opportunities to contribute to the industry it helped shape—through board service, thought leadership, speaking engagements, and strategic consultation.
“We are always thinking about what’s next—not just in terms of platforms, but in terms of purpose,” says Kaniper. “We’re growing with intention, because we know our clients— and our team—deserve nothing less.”
As Dana continues to lead at the intersection of strategy, creativity, and innovation, one thing remains constant: a commitment to making every move meaningful—for its clients, for the industry, and for the future of travel.
A Culture Built to Last
What makes Dana truly exceptional isn’t just the work—it’s the people behind it and the enduring partnerships they cultivate. Many of Dana’s clients have remained with the agency for more than a decade, while numerous employees have built their entire careers here, growing from junior talent into respected leaders across departments.
“That kind of longevity is rare in this industry, and we’re proud of it,” says Kaniper. “It shows that we’re doing more than good work—we’re building a place where people trust each other, grow together, and stay invested.”
That investment pays off in creativity, continuity, and performance. With low turnover and deep institutional knowledge, Dana delivers not just faster ramp-ups and seamless collaboration, but the kind of intuition that only comes from long-term experience. The agency fosters a culture of mentorship, curiosity, and adaptability—where innovation isn’t a buzzword, but a daily practice.
Dana Communications isn’t just a top travel marketing agency. It’s a vibrant, values-driven company where strategy meets soul—helping brands lead with vision, grow with purpose, and inspire travelers and guests to do more, see more, and feel more.
