Community I Culture I Commerce
Let's Explore The Possibilities
Our Story
The U.S. Cultural & Heritage Marketing Council (USCHMC) provides specialized cultural heritage tourism consulting, strategic planning, destination development, and community engagement for destinations, tourism organizations, arts and cultural institutions, museums, attractions, and community partners.
We help communities identify, develop, and activate their unique cultural, historic, creative, and heritage assets to create authentic visitor experiences, strengthen the local economy, and build sustainable tourism opportunities.
Our work brings together cultural tourism strategy, stakeholder and community engagement, visitor experience development, tourism product development, destination stewardship, and partnership building. We place local voices at the center of the process—helping destinations create tourism experiences that reflect the people, places, stories, traditions, and cultural assets that make their communities distinctive.
From cultural heritage tourism strategic plans and destination assessments to community engagement, experience development, workshops, and tourism readiness, USCHMC provides actionable strategies designed to strengthen visitor economies while supporting cultural preservation, community priorities, and shared prosperity.
Partner with USCHMC to transform your cultural heritage assets into meaningful visitor experiences and sustainable opportunities for your community.
Alysha Guthrie, Director of Economic Development
Sitka Tribe of Alaska
" Richard’s collaboration with the Sitka Tribe of Alaska and the annual Heritage & Cultural Tourism Conference brings an important cross-sector perspective to our conversations around the future of Indigenous tourism. His ability to connect cultural stewardship, community priorities, visitor experience, economic opportunity, and tourism development helped broaden the dialogue and strengthen the exchange of ideas among participants.
The approach that Richard has to thought leadership encourages us to think beyond individual destinations and consider how collaboration can support culturally grounded, community-centered tourism across Alaska’s diverse regions. ”
Tracy Farhad, President
Visit Tri-Valley, California
" Richard and USCHMC has been a valued strategic partner to Visit Tri-Valley for several years, bringing a thoughtful and collaborative approach to how we connect tourism, culture, community, and the creative economy. His ability to engage diverse partners, identify opportunities, and translate big-picture thinking into meaningful programs has helped us strengthen our cultural tourism work and broaden the conversation around what makes a destination distinctive.
Richard understands that successful destination development begins with community, and his perspective continues to help us think creatively about how we tell our story, cultivate partnerships, and create experiences that resonate with both residents and visitors."
Matthew R. Stephens
President & CEO
Mount Auburn Cemetery, Massachusetts
" Richard brought a valuable external perspective to our work at Mount Auburn Cemetery, helping us think more expansively about our role as a historic, cultural, and community institution.
Through his facilitation and strategic insight, he helped bring staff and cross-sector partners together to identify opportunities to strengthen connections beyond our gates and expand how we engage our community, cultural partners, and visitors. Richard's collaborative approach created space for thoughtful dialogue while helping translate ideas into meaningful opportunities for Mount Auburn’s future. ”
Mount Auburn Cemetery
Richard Peterson, President I USCHMC
USCHMC is thrilled to bring our collective experiences industry expertise to our clients, empowering them to reach their unique business goals.
With a keen view into the dynamic shifts in consumer sentiments and the evolving landscape of cultural and heritage tourism, let’s connect today and become your go-to solution and partner for your organization, community, culture program, or stakeholder programs.
At USCHMC, we’re dedicated to driving measurable strategic initiatives, cultural tourism readiness and marketing, flexible planning, and ROI in collaboration with our clients.
Proudly AFFILIATED WITH:
Americans for the arts
California travel association
world heritage tourism council
American alliance of museums
California For THE ARTs
SKAL INTERNATIONAL
International gay & Lesbian Travel association
California Alliance of Museums