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Palm Springs map
event April 3-5, 2022
location_city Palm Springs, CA, USA
location_on JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa

Be inspired. Be motivated. Push yourself beyond the horizon. Join us on this transformational journey with innovative thinkers and industry titans. You will leave this event energized, full of enthusiasm and ready to push yourself and your team to new limits.

Inspirational Conversations

Each segment of the CEO Summit is dedicated to a hot topic in today's destination organization. In 2022, attendees experienced cutting-edge content including time to network and discuss each of these topics in-depth with their peers:

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Access to CEO Summit is exclusive to members of Destinations International.

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US$1,195
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CEO22: Palm Springs Microsite

CEO22: Palm Springs Microsite > List Items

Take a look at the exciting activities taking place in Palm Springs as part of the 2022 CEO Summit.

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https://www.visitgreaterpalmsprings.com/destinations-international-ceo-summit/
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Schedule at a Glance
Saturday, April 2

Schedule subject to change.
Joshua Tree Excursion (Ticketed Event)
8:00 AM - 2:00 PM PT
Details +
Travel through two deserts and the transition zone between two ecosystems as you journey from the low to high desert. Below 3,000 feet, the Colorado Desert encompasses the eastern part of the Joshua Tree National Park and features natural gardens of creosote bush, ocotillo, and cholla cactus. The higher, moister, and slightly cooler Mojave Desert is the special habitat of the Joshua tree. The western part of the park includes some of the most interesting geologic displays found in California’s deserts. Rugged mountains of twisted rock and exposed granite monoliths testify to the tremendous earth forces that shaped and formed California’s Wild West. This tour includes multiple stops for photos, including Keys View Overlook (weather permitting) where you can see all the way to Mexico on a clear day! So don’t forget your camera, as you will want to take pictures of the gigantic boulders, Joshua trees, yuccas, and other lush plant life that thrive in this area.

The Joshua Tree Excursion is a ticketed event and proceeds will benefit the Destinations International Foundation. Tickets for the excursion can be added on to your CEO Summit registration. If you have already registered for the summit, you may search for your existing registration and then Add Session to purchase excursion tickets.

Schedule at a Glance
Sunday, April 3

Schedule subject to change.
Golf Tournament (Ticketed Event)
8:00 AM PT
Details +
The Destination International Foundation will hold a fundraiser golf tournament at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa to support the mission to invest in research, advocacy, talent development and global engagement. The tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 8 a.m., followed by the Opening Reception at 5 p.m. at the JW Marriott Desert Springs. Come early to golf on one of Greater Palm Springs’ iconic courses.

The Golf Tournament a ticketed event and proceeds will benefit the Destinations International Foundation. Tickets for the excursion can be added on to your CEO Summit registration. If you have already registered for the summit, you may search for your existing registration and then Add Session to purchase excursion tickets.

Special thanks to Simpleview for support of the Foundation golf tournament.
Board Meeting
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM PT
Opening Reception
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM PT

Schedule at a Glance
Monday, April 4

Schedule subject to change.
Networking Breakfast
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM PT
Welcome to the CEO Summit!
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM PT
Driving Recovery
9:00 AM - 9:20 AM PT
Details +
Join this fireside chat to hear about where things currently stand and where they're heading with regard to business and leisure travel.
Amir Eylon headshotAmir Eylon
President and CEO, Partner
Longwoods International
Vail Ross headshotVail Ross
Senior Vice President of Global Business Development & Marketing
STR
Steve Paganelli headshotSteve Paganelli, CDME
Head of Destination Marketing Americas
Tripadvisor
Together We Rebuild Stronger Than Before
9:20 AM - 10:00 AM PT
Details +
The events of the past few years have challenged relationships across all facets of life as we navigated new challenges personally and professionally. Destination and travel brand leaders were forced to be not only flexible and nimble in ways unimagined before, but also more empathetic. Join Expedia Group President Ariane Gorin for an intimate conversation on her experiences and learnings from 25+ years in technology sectors, including nearly 10 years in the travel industry, which among other things has consisted of overseeing a global workforce and ecosystem of travel suppliers and destinations during a pandemic, on why she believes destinations are at the heart of travel, and her perspective on how a shared commitment to both leading with empathy and helping the industry recover and rebuild will enable us to withstand future uncertainties and emerge on the other side even better.
Ariane Gorin headshotAriane Gorin
President
Expedia for Business
Networking Break
10:00 AM - 10:15 AM PT
Shopping Excursion (Guest Ticketed Event)
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM PT
Details +
Put on your comfortable shoes and hit all of the best Palm Springs shopping spots. The shopping excursion is open to summit attendees and their guests.

The shopping excursion is a ticketed event and proceeds will benefit the Destinations International Foundation. Tickets for the excursion can be added on to your CEO Summit registration. If you have already registered for the summit, you may search for your existing registration and then Add Session to purchase excursion tickets.
Embracing Change: How New Work Trends and Local Communities Are Influencing Travel
10:15 AM - 10:45 AM PT
Details +
The last two years have challenged businesses to rethink how and where their employees work, while also placing an increased emphasis on employee well-being and a healthy work-life balance that produces results. The pandemic has also caused us to reflect on the importance of local makers and small businesses, and the value they bring to local economies. Learn how destination organizations can embrace these changes and challenges to not only improve their own internal operations, but also identify strategic ways to capitalize on emerging travel trends such as authentic community experiences, wellness and flexible business travel, in order to effectively market their destination to today’s traveler.
Angela Val headshotAngela Val
Chief Operating Officer
Tempest
Melvin Tennant headshotMelvin Tennant, CAE
President and CEO
Meet Minneapolis
Annie Rummel headshotAnnette Rummel, CDME
President and CEO
Great Lakes Bay Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau
Brand USA Industry Outlook
10:45 AM - 11:00 AM PT
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Join Brand USA President & CEO, Chris Thompson as he shares updates on the reopening of the U.S. border to vaccinated international travelers, consumer sentiment, and the industry's path forward.
Chris Thompson headshotChris Thompson, CDME
President and CEO
Brand USA
Table Topics
11:00 AM - 11:45 AM PT
Details +
How have worked with your marketing and comms teams to rebuild your destination: what metrics are you currently using for destination promotion and achieving community well-being?
Finding Our Community Indicator
11:45 AM - 12:05 PM PT
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Destinations International has stated that addressing the need for destination promotion is done for the benefit and well-being of every person in a community. Therefore, it is critical to identify clear, powerful, and understandable community facing measurement(s) to determine the progress a destination organization is making towards filling the community need for destination promotion and achieving community well-being. These measurements are known as “community indicators.” They must be understood and accepted by the community, be reliable and valid, and answer three simple questions: How much did a destination organization do? How well did the destination organization do it? Are the residents of the community better off? This session introduces the effort by the Destinations International Foundation, in its role to innovate and incubate new ideas for our industry, to identify one or more key destination promotion community indicators.
Jack Johnson headshotJack Johnson
Chief Advocacy Officer
Destinations International
Matt Clement headshotMatt Clement, CDME
Managing Partner
Madden Media
Jason Fulvi headshotJason Fulvi, CDME
Chief Sales Officer
Arrivalist
Fireside Chat: Finding Our Community Indicator
12:05 PM - 12:25 PM PT
Details +
Join this discussion to understand how to identify clear, powerful, and understandable community facing measurements to determine the progress a destination organization is making towards filling the community need for destination promotion and achieving community well-being.
Jack Johnson headshotJack Johnson
Chief Advocacy Officer
Destinations International
Mya Surrency headshotMya Surrency
Co-Founder
Digital Edge
Matt Clement headshotMatt Clement
Managing Partner
Madden Media
Jason Fulvi headshotJason Fulvi
Chief Sales Officer
Arrivalist
Networking Lunch
12:25 PM - 1:30 PM PT
The Future of Work
1:30 PM - 2:15 PM PT
Details +
Join members of the 30 Under 30 Alumni Council and Class of 2021 for a candid discussion about how destination organizations should be structured for a new generation of organizational and community development. Learn how workforce development and talent retention are becoming critical drivers to maintaining the health of your organization and walk away with the key values that attract and motivate the new generation of leaders.
Cambria Jones headshotCambria Jones
Director of Marketing
Searchwide Global
Barry Draper headshotBarry Draper
Director of Partnership
Explore St. Louis
Christina Erny headshotChristina Erny, CDME
Vice President of Marketing
Visit Reno Tahoe
Mary Sayewich headshotMary Sayewich
Director, Strategy & Project Management
Ottawa Tourism
Fireside Chat: The Future of Work
2:15 PM - 2:25 PM PT
Details +
Join this discussion with Mike Gamble of SearchWide Global as he talks about the importance of workforce development across generations.
Mike Gamble headshotMike Gamble
President and CEO
Searchwide Global
Workforce Transformation
2:25 PM - 3:10 PM PT
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An engaged and motivated workforce enjoys greater job satisfaction, higher motivation, morale and retention and increased productivity and efficiency. All of these factors contribute to an organization that can stay competitive in a global marketplace. This panel of workforce development innovators will share the processes, stories and best practices that provided the transformation and results that have allowed their teams and their destinations to thrive.
Cleo Battle headshotCleo Battle, CDME
President and CEO
Louisville Tourism
Jerad Bachar headshotJerad Bachar, CDME, MBA
President and CEO
Visit Pittsburgh
Paul Nursey headshotPaul Nursey
President and CEO
Destination Greater Victoria
Take Carra Wellness Break
3:10 PM - 3:25 PM PT
Fireside Chat with Ryan George
3:25 PM - 3:45 PM PT
Details +
As CEO of Simpleview, Ryan George has a bird's eye view of the issues facing 1000+ client destinations. Join this fireside chat to gain insights into the opportunities these "unprecedented times" have provided to those destinations with the courage to reinvent themselves — and what's needed in the year ahead.
Ryan George headshotRyan George
CEO
Simpleview
Table Topics
3:45 PM - 4:25 PM PT
Details +
How have you and your team innovated in terms of engaging and motivating the team; what new tools have you used to recruit new staff?
Networking Break
4:25 PM - 4:40 PM PT
A Birdseye View of the Industry
4:40 PM - 5:05 PM PT
Details +
Join this intimate conversation with Roger Dow as he shares his career highlights and his views on where the industry stands today.
Roger Dow headshotRoger Dow
President and CEO
US Travel Association
Happy Hour Celebration
5:05 PM - 6:00 PM PT

Schedule at a Glance
Tuesday, April 5

Schedule subject to change. Individual sessions within each super session will be announced soon.
Networking Breakfast
7:45 AM - 8:45 AM PT
Values Based Marketing and DNEXT Update
8:45 AM - 9:05 AM PT
Details +
Join the discussion with Paul Ouimet to hear about key findings from DestinationNEXT assessments and strategic planning work during the past year. He will review various initiatives to address the third transformational opportunity in the 2021 Futures Study - Values Based Marketing.
Paul Ouimet headshotPaul Ouimet
Executive Director, DestinationNEXT
MMGY NextFactor
Fireside Chat: Industry Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives
9:05 AM - 9:30 AM PT
Details +
Join this discussion to hear about the key industry initiatives to ensure continued focus on moving EDI forward in the travel and tourism industry.
Andreas Weissenborn headshotAndreas Weissenborn
VP, Research and Advocacy
Destinations International
Melissa Cherry headshotMelissa Cherry
Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, SVP
Miles Partnership
Julie Hart headshotJulie Hart
President
CFObyDesign
Craig Compagnone headshotCraig Compagnone
COO
MMGY Global
Fireside Chat With Sophia Hyder Hock
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM PT
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Join Tanya Ladipo and Destination International’s new Chief Diversity Officer, Sophia Hyder Hock, as they discuss Sophia’s philosophy and approach to EDI, what EDI means to Destinations International and what it can and should mean to destinations around the globe.
Tonya Ladipo headshotTonya Ladipo
Founder
The Ladipo Group
Sophia Hyder Hock headshotSophia Hyder Hock
Chief Diversity Officer
Destinations International
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion as Integral for Industry Recovery
10:00 AM - 10:20 AM PT
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During this session, we will discuss the importance of making a business case for EDI and telling the stories and histories of people and places in order to expand a destination’s focus to attract new business and/or leisure visitors. This session will also provide crucial insight and information on CEO succession planning.
Tonya Ladipo headshotTonya Ladipo
Founder
The Ladipo Group
Emotional Intelligence
10:35 AM - 11:20 AM PT
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Join this facilitated table discussion with your peers around the EQ skills needed for conversations about race, gender, sexuality, and other topics we avoid.
Ghynecee Temple headshotGhynecee Temple, Ph.D.
The Ladipo Group
Nicole Blackson headshotNicole Blackson
Lead Trainer, Co-facilitator
The Ladipo Group
Networking Break
11:20 AM - 11:35 AM PT
Strategies to Reduce Unconscious Bias
11:35 AM - 12:20 PM PT
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Join this facilitated table discussion with your peers to talk about the strategies we can use to reduce our own unconscious biases.
Ghynecee Temple headshotGhynecee Temple, Ph.D.
The Ladipo Group
Nicole Blackson headshotNicole Blackson
Lead Trainer, Co-facilitator
The Ladipo Group
EDI Case Studies
12:20 PM - 1:00 PM PT
Details +
Join this facilitated table discussion with your peers to discuss a case study to which each group can apply their EQ, bias awareness and bias management skills to produce different outcomes.
Ghynecee Temple headshotGhynecee Temple, Ph.D.
The Ladipo Group
Nicole Blackson headshotNicole Blackson
Lead Trainer, Co-facilitator
The Ladipo Group
Wrap Up
1:00 PM - 1:15 PM PT
Grab & Go Lunch
1:15 PM PT
The agenda will end on Tuesday afternoon allowing attendees time to travel to Washington, D.C. for Brand USA and Destination Capitol Hill meetings. Click here for flight options from Palm Springs to DCA.

Summit Excursions

Save the date and join us for an optional excursion to experience the wonder of Greater Palm Springs. Proceeds from all excursions will benefit the Destinations International Foundation. Registration for the excursions can be added on to your new or existing CEO Summit registration as an additional session.

CEO22: CDME Recertification

The summit is eligible for up to 12 CDME CE credits

The 2022 CEO Summit is eligible for up to twelve (12) CDME CE credits. Learn about CDME recertification.


Hotel Information

JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa
74-855 Country Club Dr
Palm Desert, CA, USA
+1 760-341-2211

The hotel block is now closed. Additional hotel options are available nearby:

CEO22: Summit Moderator

SUMMIT MODERATOR

Mark Jeffries headshot

Mark Jeffries
Chief Content Navigator

Mark returns for the third year to engage attendees in inspiring conversations. He is a former stockbroker turned author and keynote speaker and will lead you through a journey of thought provoking and critical discussions.

2022 Events Safety Promo

2022 Events Safety Promo > List Items

We have developed comprehensive guidelines to ensure the safety of all attendees to our 2022 events. We are continually monitoring the evolving situation; event details and safety guidance are subject to change at any time.

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https://destinationsinternational.org/2022-person-safety-guidelines
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