It’s back-to-school time in the spring! Join us for a tour of the University of Texas at Austin, one of the world’s leading universities, supporting more than 53,000 diverse students and 3,000 teaching faculty. After "orientation" attend class with renowned Professor John Daly, a leading expert on interpersonal relations and communications, as he reveals the five key steps to successful influence. Whether you are engaging with colleagues, community members or other stakeholders, Professor Daly will provide you with the knowledge and tools to:

• Construct effective messages
• Deliver your messages persuasively
• Differentiate your ideas
• Overcome resistance

Dr. John Daly is the Liddell Professor in the Moody College of Communication, Regents Distinguished Teaching Professor, and Texas Commerce Bancshares Professor of Management at the University of Texas at Austin. He teaches undergraduate classes on interpersonal communication and MBA classes on social influence and leadership. In addition, he teaches a course on crisis management for the LBJ School of Public Affairs and a master’s level course on leading and managing technical people for UT’s College of Engineering.

He has worked with numerous public and private organizations such as Goldman Sachs, Merck, Pfizer, Bayer, AstraZeneca, USAA, State Farm, Prudential, Union Pacific, Samsung, Kraft, Amazon, Apple, Shell, ExxonMobil, Home Depot, Texas Instruments, Boeing, Lockheed, American Airlines, Southwest, United Airlines, 3M and Frito-Lay, among others. In the government arena, Dr. Daly has worked with the White House (Executive Office of the President) designing and implementing a major customer service initiative as well as with numerous federal, state, and county and municipal government units throughout the United States.

Start your summit experience with energy and engagement! This lively, interactive icebreaker session is designed to spark connections, stimulate creativity, and set a positive tone for the days ahead. This opening session has been recreated to bring attendees together for a memorable morning of connection and collaboration. Prepare to break the ice and expand your network as we kick off with an exciting networking game for a seasoned veteran or a first-time attendee. Whether you’re reconnecting with familiar faces or meeting industry colleagues for the first time, this session will leave you energized, inspired, and ready to dive into the Summit with purpose and enthusiasm.

Two of the world’s largest soccer events are heading to North America: the 2025 Club World Cup (USA) and the 2026 World Cup for national teams (USA, Canada, Mexico). These monumental events present an unprecedented opportunity for destinations across the continent to attract international visitors, whether you're a host city or not. With the world’s eyes on soccer, how can your destination maximize this moment to drive tourism growth?  This session will provide valuable insights for destination organizations looking to tap into the global events markets, offering practical strategies on how to engage fans, promote your destination, and turn this rare moment into long-term success.

In today’s competitive landscape, many destinations are turning to Tourism Improvement Districts (TIDs) as a powerful tool to enhance marketing, sales efforts, and destination development, all aimed at driving sustained economic growth. This panel brings together leaders who have successfully implemented TIDs in their cities and counties. They will share insights on how their TIDs were established, the challenges they've faced and things they wish they knew when they started. Whether you're considering establishing a TID or optimizing an existing one, this discussion will provide valuable strategies, best practices, and real-world case studies to help you navigate the process and maximize the benefits for your destination.

Gretchen Hall, CDME (Moderator)

COO

Destinations International

Patrick Harrison

CMO

Visit Tampa Bay

Trish McClean

CMO

Visit Baltimore

Lynn Bruni

CMO

San Francisco Travel

Engage in a dynamic peer-to-peer roundtable discussion designed to foster meaningful dialogue, collaboration, and shared learning. This session offers a unique opportunity to connect with industry peers, exchange insights, and explore common challenges and innovative solutions.

Harnessing your brand narrative through the power of storytelling is an effective way to reach audiences. Using the right channels can transform brand messages into engaging narratives that inspire travelers. This session will explore how to choose the right content platforms - like podcasts, video distribution, or social media - to tell your story authentically and effectively, while emphasizing the importance of owned content. Learn how to craft compelling stories that resonate with your audience and discover new channels that can expand your content reach and deepen engagement. Whether you're new to podcasting or looking to refine your storytelling approach, this session will give you the tools to create meaningful, narrative-driven content that strengthens your brand.      

Engage in a dynamic peer-to-peer roundtable discussion designed to foster meaningful dialogue, collaboration, and shared learning. This session offers a unique opportunity to connect with industry peers, exchange insights, and explore common challenges and innovative solutions.

As trust in traditional marketing continues to decline and consumers increasingly seek authentic, meaningful connections, the old model of simply targeting audiences is becoming outdated. Today’s travelers aren’t just looking for destinations to visit—they’re looking to connect with the communities they belong to (like book-lovers, gamers, pub-trivia aficionados, Harley-Davidson riders or K-Pop enthusiasts). This shift is happening in a world where content is increasingly synthetic, making real, human connections more valuable than ever. In this session, we’ll explore the key differences between marketing to an audience and contributing to communities. While audiences passively receive messages, communities are active participants, building deeper, more personal relationships with brands and destinations. Communities offer a two-way, authentic connection that resonates with today’s consumers, who are becoming more skeptical of generic advertising and more eager to engage with like-minded individuals and trusted voices. Join us to explore how your organization can thrive in this evolving landscape by embracing community-driven marketing, fostering genuine connections, and building trust in an AI-influenced world.

News…What?! In this session, you’ll learn the art of garnering earned media for your destination by capitalizing on of-the-moment, pop culture news. That’s right, no matter the size of your destination, your PR staff or your budget, you’ll have all the tools you need to start generating even more media attention once you attend this engaging session led by industry experts.

Engage in a dynamic peer-to-peer roundtable discussion designed to foster meaningful dialogue, collaboration, and shared learning. This session offers a unique opportunity to connect with industry peers, exchange insights, and explore common challenges and innovative solutions.

This session will emphasize the importance of aligning sales and marketing functions in destination organizations to drive revenue, enhance collaboration, and build a cohesive, customer-centric strategy. It will focus on breaking down silos between teams, creating shared goals, and fostering a culture of trust and collaboration, ultimately leading to more effective campaigns, better lead generation, and increased conversions. Attendees will learn how to build aligned strategies that not only generate short-term results but also reinforce long-term destination branding.

Join your fellow PR professionals for guided roundtable discussions about the latest issues in travel and tourism crisis communications. Come prepared with questions of your own and get ready to learn from your peers in this engaging off-the-record conversation.

As AI continues to revolutionize the marketing landscape, it's crucial for destination organizations to understand both its potential benefits and ethical implications. This session will delve into the ethical considerations surrounding AI marketing in tourism, exploring the pros and cons of using AI-driven tools and strategies.

In today’s competitive tourism landscape, destination marketing organizations (DMOs) must foster local pride and brand adoption by embracing a community-shared value approach that aligns marketing efforts with the needs and aspirations of residents. This session will explore strategies to engage residents in shaping the destination’s brand, craft compelling narratives that resonate with both locals and visitors, and build impactful collaborations with local businesses, organizations, and influencers. Attendees will also gain insights into measuring the success of these efforts and tracking shifts in resident sentiment, ensuring a more authentic and sustainable destination.

Jack Johnson (Moderator)

Chief Advocacy Officer

Destinations International

Emily Zertuche

Visit Corpus Christi

Leah Chandler

CMO

Discover Puerto Rico 

Jennifer Walker

CMO

Visit Dallas

 

B2B2C marketing presents unique opportunities for destination organizations to influence not only their direct partners but also the end consumers. This session will explore the strategies and tactics behind successful B2B2C marketing, focusing on how destination organizations can collaborate with partners like travel agencies, tour operators, and meeting planners to build a seamless marketing funnel that drives consumer engagement and conversions. By strengthening B2B relationships and ensuring consistent, compelling messaging throughout the entire marketing chain, DMOs can expand their reach, build brand loyalty, and deliver better customer experiences.

While KPIs help track progress, comparing your performance to peers or industry benchmarks often feels like an uphill battle. The Communications/PR team tackled this challenge by creating a Publicity Quality Score, providing a clearer, more standardized way to represent results. Could marketing adopt a similar approach to enhance comparability and demonstrate value more effectively? Join this session to explore innovative strategies for benchmarking and raising the bar for destination organizations.

We all are focused on driving customer demand whether it be leisure visitors or meeting planners and attendees through innovative storytelling. Are we as focused or intentional  on telling how we drive that demand to our partners, stakeholders and the community? Hear from destinations that have year-long initiatives as thought starters and come prepared to share your tips and tricks on captivating key audiences with stories of impact and success.

In today’s polarized world, where cultural and societal debates seem more intense than ever, organizations are increasingly challenged to define their roles in these conversations. This session will present findings from Mower’s most recent white paper on the topic along with a discussion featuring case studies that provide actionable advice. You’ll come away from this session knowing how to better align your destination organization’s mission, vision, and values to navigate these challenges more effectively, fostering both internal cohesion and external trust without becoming entrenched in political divisions.

In today’s diverse and interconnected world, multicultural marketing is no longer optional—it's essential. However, doing it right requires more than just checking a box. It’s not about simply translating content or featuring diverse ethnicities in photos. To truly resonate with diverse audiences, the content must be relevant, authentic, and meaningful to their experiences and values.

Join us for an insightful session that delves into the strategies Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) can adopt to effectively reach and engage cross-cultural audiences. We’ll explore the unique challenges of creating campaigns that go beyond surface-level representation, and instead foster genuine connections by understanding the distinct preferences, behaviors, and needs of diverse travelers. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of the complexities of multicultural marketing and practical tools to enhance their strategies. Whether your goal is to increase visitation, foster community engagement, or boost inclusivity in your destination, this session will equip you with the knowledge to make a lasting, authentic impact.