Marketing & Communications Summit

Destination storytelling is a team sport — and this immersive workshop proves it. Hosted at The Foundry, a state-of-the-art indoor rowing facility repurposed from a historic Cleveland foundry, this half-day experience blends movement, strategy and real-world dialogue to explore how alignment — both physical and strategic — powers collective impact.

Attendees will rotate between two unique components: a hands-on rowing session led by expert coaches in The Foundry’s indoor tanks and a behind-the-scenes tour of the venue’s innovative facilities. Then, everyone will come together for a high-energy panel featuring local leaders from destination organizations, cultural institutions, philanthropic partners and the sports community — all sharing how collaboration and shared storytelling can amplify impact and strengthen communities.

Leave with a unique perspective, practical insights and a deeper understanding of how to foster collective impact — within your team, across your partnerships and throughout your destination.

Rowing optional, insights guaranteed.

Key Learnings:

• How teamwork principles from The Foundry’s rowing experience can strengthen collaboration and communication across your team and partner organizations
• Ways to leverage cross-sector collaboration to expand reach and engagement
• Best practices for co-creating content and campaigns that elevate the entire destination
• Approaches to translating marketing success into community and economic impact
• How to align unified messaging across diverse community partners to tell your destination story 

NOTE: Comfortable, athletic clothing and shoes are recommended. Space to store outerwear and a locker room will be available. Transportation provided.

Additional registration for this pre-summit workshop is required. Member Price: $295 | Destination Non-Member Price: $395

Come ready to rock as we kick off the 2026 Marketing & Communications Summit with an unforgettable evening at Cleveland’s iconic Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!

You’ll mix and mingle among legendary memorabilia—from John Lennon’s guitar to Beyoncé’s stage outfits—as you enjoy locally inspired food and drinks, interactive exhibits and high-energy entertainment. Whether you're a die-hard for Pearl Jam or pledge loyalty to Journey, one thing’s for sure: you’ll have plenty to debate, discover and dance about.

This isn’t just a reception—it’s a full-on Cleveland welcome, set against the backdrop of one of music’s most hallowed halls. Let the destination storytelling begin.

Destination Cleveland is hosting “The Land Lounge” for all attendees of the Summit at the Huntington Convention Center.  The lounge will provide a space to catch up on work, network with fellow attendees and the Destination Cleveland team and you’ll find plenty of locally-inspired snacks, beverages and complimentary experiences from local makers.

Join Destinations International leadership for a brief introduction to EXPLORE, the overarching theme guiding all DI events in 2026. More than a creative concept, EXPLORE represents a mindset—one centered on curiosity, growth and shared progress. Attendees will learn the thinking behind the theme, why DI chose it and how it reflects the evolving needs of destination professionals today, setting the stage for a year of learning, connection and impact.

Join Allison Howard, President of Business Operations for Cleveland WNBA and Chief Commercial Officer of Rock Entertainment Group, for an inspiring keynote conversation on human-centered, people-first leadership and the evolving role of sports in community and global engagement. As she leads the launch of the WNBA’s 16th expansion team—tipping off in Cleveland at Rocket Arena in 2028—Howard will share insights on building a brand grounded in purpose and connection. Discover how a “For More than Profit” approach can redefine destination success and how sports can serve as a powerful platform to unite communities, amplify inclusion and capture worldwide attention.

Allison Howard

President of Business Operations for Cleveland WNBA and Chief Commercial Officer of Rock Entertainment Group

Emily Lauer (Moderator)

Vice President of PR & Communications

Destination Cleveland

 

 

Societal issues are increasingly shaping how destinations are perceived and selected. This session highlights key findings from Destinations International’s Destination Reputation research and explores what they mean for marketing and communications leaders responsible for building trust, shaping narrative and protecting brand reputation.

Andreas Weissenborn

VP of Research & Advocacy

Destinations International

 

 

 

 

A compelling story can inspire, evoke emotion and build connection in ways that statistics alone cannot. But not all stories stick. The most powerful stories are simple, attention-grabbing, emotionally resonant and make people care. Cities like Chicago and Washington, D.C. have shown how stories can unite communities even in challenging times. When the National Guard was deployed, Chicago launched the “All for the Love of Chicago” campaign, inviting residents and visitors to share photos, videos, and personal stories about what they love most about the city. This session explores how you too can harness the stories of your key stakeholders to foster civic pride, strengthen engagement and effectively market your destination.

Andrea Doyle

Executive Editor

Skift Meetings

 

 

 

 

Wahn Yoon, co-founder of unique consultancy L'Institut, will present findings from a fascinating futurism project where his company used their renowned proprietary technique, the Structural Mapping Process (SMP) to reveal the key emotional drivers for travelers in the next decade. What emotional benefits will a new era of travelers be looking for when it comes to choosing where and how they travel? What should travel destinations be prepared to offer in the future and why? Themes such as "inclusive travel" and "24-hour mystique" are among the themes they discovered, and these findings form an essential blueprint for destinations as they prepare for the future.

Wahn Yoon

Co-Founder

L'Institut Idée

 

 

 

 

Disruption Lab Case Study: From Setback to Strength

In this 45-minute session, destination professionals share how they navigated two major disruptions, one challenging and one unexpectedly positive, and emerged stronger. Travel Portland examines how recent political and civil disruptions affected community trust, visitor perception, and stakeholder alignment, and how transparent, values-driven, and community-centered responses can help destinations move forward. Visit Tallahassee then shares how an unlikely local celebrity, Chip the Armadillo, became a positive disruptor that reshaped place-based storytelling and visitor engagement. Attendees will learn how to identify different types of disruptors, respond with intention, collaborate across departments and agencies, and begin building a practical disruption toolkit for their own destination.

Marcus Hibdon

Vice President of Communications and International Tourism

Travel Portland

Genesis Leggett

Director of Marketing Communications

Visit Tallahassee

 

 

 

Disruption Lab Work Session: Build Your Destination’s Response Playbook

After absorbing real case studies, it’s your turn to step into the hot seat. This highly interactive session pairs marketing and PR professionals at each table to work through real-life disruption scenarios—from sudden safety concerns to cultural flare-ups to viral “positive disruptors” that shift public attention.

Guided by facilitators, teams will practice rapid assessment, message development, stakeholder alignment, and community-centered storytelling. The exercises simulate real-world urgency and encourage cross-functional thinking, helping participants build confidence in navigating sudden shifts in tourism and reputation.

Attendees will leave with tangible skills, a draft disruption tool kit, and a tested framework for turning any disruption—good or bad—into an opportunity for clarity, connection, and destination resilience.

Join the Simpleview team and Experience Grand Rapids for an inside look at how data and creativity work together to elevate meetings marketing. Brandon Hall, JenAnn Haggerty, and Andrea Robyns will share how Grand Rapids blends strategic insights with imaginative storytelling to reach planners, personalize engagement, and drive measurable results. Attendees will walk away with practical ideas for using analytics and creative thinking to strengthen their own destination marketing efforts.

Brandon Hall

Senior Consultant, Meeting Sales

Simpleview, a Granicus company

JenAnn Haggerty

Digital Strategist

Simpleview, a Granicus company

Andrea Robyns

Marketing Technology Director

Experience Grand Rapids

 

 

AI is changing how destinations market, communicate, and operate faster than most teams are ready for. In this fast-paced, example-driven keynote, Todd Brook explores where AI is headed, what is already working inside destination organizations, and why authenticity will matter more than ever. Expect real use cases, honest truths about shifting agency dependency, and tools you can put to work immediately.

Todd Brook

CEO

UNCHAINED AI

 

 

 

 

Hosted by Cleveland – local Soul Yoga, an inclusive and welcoming studio, this all-levels flow class builds gentle heat through mindful movement, followed by an extended floor-based stretch series to restore and rejuvenate the body. The experience concludes with a 5–10 minute soundbath, offering deep relaxation and calm for the mind and nervous system.

Destination Cleveland is hosting “The Land Lounge” for all attendees of the Summit at the Huntington Convention Center.  The lounge will provide a space to catch up on work, network with fellow attendees and the Destination Cleveland team and you’ll find plenty of locally-inspired snacks, beverages and complimentary experiences from local makers.

Stop Guessing. Start Proving. Why Most Marketing Metrics Miss Real Influence - Atrium Ballroom

Clicks, impressions, engagement, and even bookings can look impressive, but in today’s environment, they are no longer enough to prove real marketing influence or guide smart tactical decisions. CMOs and CEOs are being asked harder questions by boards and elected officials who want to know not what happened, but what changed because of marketing. When destinations rely on exposure-based attribution, credit card spend, or self-reported performance, the result is often inflated confidence, inconsistent answers, and growing skepticism at the leadership level. In this in-your-face session, we will cut through the noise to show what real marketing influence actually looks like, and why most measurement approaches miss it. The conversation comes to life through a case study of Florida’s Winter Impulse campaign, designed to drive short-notice travel and create winter demand. Using independent, third-party attribution, the case study demonstrates how marketing efforts can be isolated, validated, and used to inform real decisions, including campaign optimization and potential extension. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how to stop guessing, start proving, and defend marketing results with confidence when scrutiny is highest.

• Chuck Davison, Vice President, Commercial Strategy & Partnerships, Tourism Economics
• Laura Speicher, Senior Solutions Engineer, Attribution, Tourism Economics

Navigating Today’s Shifting US Travel Sentiment - Room 205 A-B

Sentiment towards travel is shifting quickly - are you keeping up? New Longwoods International data reveals how Americans are rethinking where they go, why they travel and what they expect from brands and destinations. This session unpacks the latest findings on evolving values, motivations and planning habits, traveler behaviors across various US destinations - and how to turn those findings into competitive advantages in a dynamic market. Walk away with real-world insights and actionable strategies to stay ahead of what’s next.

• Kelsey Waite, Senior Director, Client Engagement, Longwoods International

The Strategy Level Up: How to Align Business Logic with Brand Magic - Room 203

We all know the problem: the dusty destination master plan that sits forgotten on a shelf, disconnected from the creative work your team does every day. But true strategy isn't a document or a plan—it is a rigorous set of choices that empowers your brand to win. In this session, Camille and Matt share how their teams approach strategy from different but complementary angles—Madden through business and planning shifts, and Karsh Hagan through brand-led, everyday creative decision-making. Together, they’ll discuss how these perspectives come together, including: Key Takeaways: The Choice Cascade: How to use strategic frameworks to define what you will not do, so your brand can focus on what matters. Make the Connections: How to connect brand, media, data, and creativity to help destinations move faster and smarter The Living Workflow: Practical steps to turn your strategy from a static PDF into a daily operating system that leverages research, social listening, and AI to genuinely add value. This session prioritizes application over theory and offers a clear look at how a more integrated model helps destinations make better choices and navigate what’s next.

• Camille Ziccardi, VP, Growth & Strategy, Karsh Hagan
• Matt Clement, EVP, Madden Media

How Experiential Marketing Is Changing the DMO Playbook - Atrium Ballroom

The most compelling destination marketing today creates moments people can step into and be part of. Unexpected pop-ups, immersive brand moments and hands-on activations are helping destinations connect in more meaningful, memorable ways while pushing beyond traditional tactics. This session explores how destinations are designing experiential initiatives that spark emotion, earn attention and strengthen connection. Through real-world examples and candid takeaways, we’ll examine how teams balanced creativity with strategy and approached measurement along the way. Attendees will leave with practical inspiration, clearer decision-making frameworks and adaptable ideas they can bring back to their own market.

• Erin Marvin, Director of Communications, Miles Partnership
• Katie Rose, Communications Specialist, Miles Partnership

How DMOs Are Modernizing Content Workflows for 2026 - Room 205 A-B

Still juggling spreadsheets, scattered approvals, and last-minute content scrambles? Join us for How DMOs Are Modernizing Content Workflows for 2026 to see what a smarter system looks like in action. In this session, CrowdRiff CEO Dan Holowack sits down with Ashley Pettay, Content Manager at Destination Madison, to break down where content planning typically falls apart and how leading DMOs are fixing it. From the “tab jungle” of disconnected tools to manual reporting and unclear handoffs, we’ll unpack the real friction slowing teams down and show how centralized workflows change the game. You’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at how Destination Madison moved from reactive, scattered processes to planning 100+ days ahead, activating more partners, and proving impact with reporting built into the workflow. If your team feels stretched, stuck in spreadsheets, or scrambling to show stakeholders results, this session will give you practical insights and a clear path forward. In 2026, great ideas deserve great workflows. Come see how to build yours.

• Dan Holowack, Co-Founder & CEO CrowdRiff
• Ashley Pettay, Content Manager, Destination Madison

How Baby-Boomers and Travelers with Disabilities Are Reshaping Travel Demand. And Elevating Destinations That Lead - Room 202

Accessibility is no longer a niche—it’s a global driver of travel demand. As the senior segment grows and more travelers expect inclusive experiences, destinations that make accessibility visible, verified, and easy to act on are gaining trust faster and converting new audiences earlier. In this session, Wheel the World shares a practical, repeatable approach for DMOs to turn accessibility into a measurable growth advantage. We’ll explore how the “Accessibility Verified” standard helps destinations continuously assess, promote, and improve accessibility—reducing planning friction and increasing traveler confidence. We’ll also break down a real statewide campaign example that shows how combining verified supply with the right narrative can shift perception, boost visibility, and generate real demand—ultimately helping one state become the first “Accessibility Verified” destination in the U.S. 

• Andres Villagran, Chief Marketing Officer, Wheel the World

Tripadvisor Trendcast 2026: The Forces Shaping the Future of Travel - Room 203

Travel never stands still—and neither can we if we want to understand where it’s headed. In this session, we’ll unveil Tripadvisor Trendcast 2026, our latest deep dive into the forces shaping how and why people explore the world. Drawing on decades of traveler insights, this report highlights 10 emerging trends that reveal what’s gaining traction, what’s shifting, and what’s set to guide future travel decisions. We’ll touch on each trend —why it matters today, and how it’s already transforming real travel experiences.

• Mallory Smith, Senior Client Partner, TripAdvisor
• Scott Caufield, Senior Principal Client Partner, TripAdvisor

Stop Making Collateral. Start Winning Meetings: Rethinking B2B Marketing for DMOs - Atrium Ballroom

We’re challenging DMOs to rethink meetings marketing in today’s marketing landscape. As meeting planners face information overload, AI-driven search, and endless destination content, creating new collateral for sales teams is no longer enough to influence decisions or support the buying journey. In this fast-paced session, we’ll talk about important shifts to move your marketing to an audience-first, trust-driven model that empowers sales teams, builds credibility with planners, leads your destination community and ensures destinations remain visible and relevant in an AI-influenced search environment. Grounded in data and tourism, meetings, and digital marketing expertise, the session delivers practical frameworks and actionable insights to strengthen B2B performance and improve meetings marketing outcomes. Key Takeaways: Planner Pain Points: Gain insights into what planners want today, and how DMOs can influence their buying journey. AI-Driven Visibility: How is AI changing destination discovery—and what that means for B2B Tourism Marketing. Strategy shift: Move from a collateral and media buy led strategy to a fully integrated approach.

• Jaimie Hart, VP Marketing Strategy, Digital Edge

Selling the Story: Applying the Laws of Sales to Destination Storytelling - Room 205 A-B

Destination storytelling has never mattered more, and neither has belief. Travelers today aren’t choosing destinations based on features or familiarity; they’re choosing places that solve something missing in their lives and deliver experiences that feel meaningful, personal, and worth the investment. In Selling the Story: Applying the Laws of Sales to Destination Storytelling, Seth Lawson translates proven sales principles into a practical framework for destination marketing and PR leaders. Rather than focusing on tactics or tools, this session explores the human truths that govern how people make decisions: listening before speaking, leading with authenticity, connecting emotionally before justifying logically, and delivering experiences that fulfill the promise set by the story. Attendees will learn how these laws apply not only to influencing travelers but also to building trust internally, aligning stakeholders, and creating stories that travel beyond a single campaign. The session concludes with a powerful reminder: when destination organizations are truly obsessed with the customer experience, storytelling becomes easier, belief comes naturally, and advocacy follows. This session is designed for marketers and communicators who want their stories to resonate, endure, and convert belief into lasting impact.

• Seth Lawson, Sales Director, Epsilon

Do More With Less: Driving Demand in a Low-Traffic Era - Room 202

With website traffic declining as AI-driven answers and shifting search behavior change how travelers engage, even when your marketing still influences decisions. In this session, we’ll share a demand-first playbook for DMOs, focused on guaranteed human attention, smarter targeting and quality-first programmatic guardrails that reduce wasted spend.

• Zeek Coleman, President at Adgenuity

YouTube is Different: How to Launch a Creator-led Growth Strategy on the World's Most Important Platform - Atrium Ballroom

YouTube is different from other platforms, and understanding what makes it the single most important platform for DMOs is essential for building an effective growth approach. This session will explore why YouTube stands apart, share five checklist items for developing a sound YouTube growth strategy, and highlight key strategies for working with YouTube creators to drive growth of your DMO’s brand.

• Ross Borden, CEO, Matador Network

Destination Marketing Without the Map: Leading Communities Through AI Disruption - Room 205 A-B

As AI reshapes how travelers discover, evaluate, and choose destinations, the metrics DMOs have relied on for decades are quietly breaking. Clicks are disappearing, journeys are compressing, and influence is happening long before a website visit, often without one at all. In this session, Jennifer Walker, SVP & CMO of Visit Dallas, and Leticia Engel, Sr. Marketing Manager at Visit Montgomery, join Tiki to unpack how leading destinations are redefining success in a Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) world.

• Rich Bryant, SVP, Destination Strategy, Tiki
• Jennifer Walker, SVP & CMO, Visit Dallas
• Leticia Engel, Sr Marketing Manager, Visit Montgomery

Attribution Unplugged: Turning PR Coverage into Website Influence - Room 202

With the rapid advancement of AI, social platforms, and third-party travel marketplaces, some are beginning to question whether destination websites are still necessary, or whether they’ve become just another stop along the way. The reality is the opposite. A DMO’s website remains one of its most valuable owned assets, serving as the central place where messaging, credibility, intent, and conversion intersect. The challenge is no longer whether websites matter, but whether DMOs can clearly and credibly prove the role their websites play in influencing travel decisions. In this session, Tourism Economics will explore how attribution can connect earned media exposure, including PR coverage and brand storytelling, to measurable website engagement and downstream visitor behavior. Using a real-world case study powered by the Website Impact Calculator, attendees will see how independent, influence-based measurement reveals what happens after the headline: how PR drives qualified website visits, how those visits signal travel intent, and how they translate into in-market spending. The session will share practical guidance for turning attribution insights into clear, defensible stories that marketing and communications teams can use to make smarter decisions, optimize earned media strategies, and confidently articulate the value of their website as a core driver of the DMO’s advocacy narrative.

• Laura Speicher, Senior Solutions Engineer, Attribution Solutions, Tourism Economics

The Lightning Round: Marketing Edition - Room 203

Learn from 6 of the tourism industry's best marketers in this rapid fire, single question format. The goal is simple: give attendees a tangible takeaway to inspire future marketing efforts thanks to well-established DMO marketers. Show up curious, leave inspired.

• Leroy Bridges, SVP, Tourism, Adara
• Patrick Harrison, CMO, Visit Tampa Bay
• Nicole Stacey, VP, Destination Development, Visit Pensacola
• Cody Chomiak, VP of Marketing, Travel Manitoba
• Jennifer Walker, SVP & Chief Marketing Officer, Visit Dallas
• Camila Clark, SVP, Strategic Communications, Visit Lauderdale
• Josh Albrecht, CMO, Visit Milwaukee

Stewardship-Driven Marketing: Using Tech to Build Brands That Last - Atrium Ballroom

Branding and communications will always matter in destination marketing, but today’s challenges demand more. The field is evolving toward purpose, values, and local impact, reshaping how destinations stay relevant and competitive. In this session, we explore the connection between destination marketing, stewardship and technology, showing how community-centered storytelling and data-driven branding can future-proof destinations and deliver on a more authentic visitor experience. Attendees will walk away with new insights, tips and best practices for how to integrate stewardship principles into branding, marketing and communications, not just to promote responsibly, but to differentiate, build trust and drive more meaningful engagement with travelers and residents alike. We’ll also showcase how Destination Wayfinder provides a collaborative platform to help destination leaders build capability for stewardship-driven marketing.

• Rachel Brown, Destination Stewardship Director, Destination Wayfinder

Driving Visibility: How Layered OOH Wins Feeder Markets - Room 202

Join Jessica Spindler, Director of Tourism Partnerships at Carvertise, alongside Lindsey Norment, Managing Director, Brand and Creative of the Virginia Tourism Corporation, for an in-depth look at how Virginia Tourism executed a bold, market-dominating out-of-home campaign in Philadelphia. This session will explore how Virginia Tourism moved beyond a single-channel approach to deliver a fully integrated OOH takeover—layering wrapped vehicles, stadium takeovers and public transit placements to create sustained visibility and repeated exposure into a complete Philly takeover. Jessica and Lindsey will walk attendees through the strategic thinking behind the campaign, including market selection, audience targeting, and how each OOH format played a distinct role within the broader media mix. The discussion will also highlight how aligning campaigns with key cultural and sporting moments helped Virginia Tourism break through a competitive advertising landscape and drive meaningful engagement. Attendees will leave with actionable insights on how to plan and execute cohesive, high-impact OOH strategies, evaluate performance across multiple formats, and apply these learnings to their own destination marketing efforts, especially in high-value drive markets.

• Jessica Spindler, Director of Tourism Partnerships, Carvertise, Inc.
• Lindsey Norment, Managing Director, Brand and Creative, Virginia Tourism Corporation

Mapping the Match: Navigating the Travel Trends of 2026 Soccer Tournaments - Room 203

With a global tournament approaching this summer, soccer is set to have an unprecedented influence on global travel behaviors in the U.S. In this session, Sojern will share timely insights from our Soccer Insights Dashboard, highlighting how this major sporting event is shaping travel intent, booking patterns and destination choices. This presentation will focus on key trends we are seeing across markets and demographics, offering attendees a data-driven look into how the most anticipated soccer events will impact travel planning at scale. We will provide actionable takeaways that showcase the power of timely, real-time event-driven insights.

• Angie Kimmel, Sales Director, Sojern
• Brenda Armstrong, Senior Director, Co-Op Development, Sojern

The DMO world is evolving, and marketing leaders are being asked to do far more than drive visitation. Today’s CMOs and CEOs must engage elected officials, collaborate with community partners, defend funding, and prove value beyond hotel stays. Yet many destinations still rely on outdated strategies and hollow metrics that fail to reflect real impact or build trust.

In this live session, Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker bring the Destination Discourse podcast format to the stage for a candid, highly interactive conversation about the most pressing issues facing DMOs today. Topics include inflated KPIs, the shift from awareness to attention, and what it takes to remain relevant, accountable, and supported by communities. Guided by live audience polling and input, attendees will hear bold perspectives and help shape the discussion in real time through polling and open Q&A.

Stuart Butler

Visit Myrtle Beach

Adam Stoker

Brand Revolt

 

 

 

Hear from destination organization communications leaders who have experienced a crisis – from natural disaster to violent acts and civil disturbances – to hear how they supported their organization and community through communications and engagement. Get tips on what you need to do now to be prepared, elements of a crisis situation that will surprise you and the sometimes-conflicting needs of stakeholders and how to address them.

Julie Freeman

Executive VP, Public Relations, Americas

MMGY Global

(Moderator)

Christine Susa

Director of Marketing & Communications

Visit Pasadena

Sarajane Case

Director of Marketing

Explore Asheville

Jordoun Eatman

VP of Engagement and Inclusion

Experience Grand Rapids

 

Led by Tourism Kingston CEO Megan Knott, this presentation and workshop will outline how – in 10 short years – Tourism Kingston shifted their destination from traditional to authentic by leveraging the city’s creative community and hip vibe, and how this informs everything from the organization’s mission to its sales and marketing activities. She’ll speak to the evolution of the Kingston brand from tourism-focused to a shared place brand, which has resulted in numerous awards.  She will also reflect on the importance of partnerships and collaborations, while outlining successful initiatives that are loved by residents and in demand by visitors.  This session will wrap with a workshop component, where delegates will work through their own destination assets and opportunities inspired by 10 years of learnings from Tourism Kingston’s team.

Megan Knott

Chief Executive Officer

Tourism Kingston 

Cathy Kirkpatrick

Senior Advisor, Tourism & Place Branding

Alphabet Creative

 

 

 

From AVE to the Barcelona Principles, there are many different approaches to measuring the impact of public relations and communications. Hear the latest on best practice, from media stories to social media engagement, as well as how to make the case to leadership for moving away from impressions and ad value equivalency. The session will explore LLM tracking with a focus on best practices for using it and why it’s an important metric to track/show. 

Brianna Francis

Director of Public Relations

Madden Media

(Moderator)

Claire Koenig

VP of Communications

Visit Milwaukee

Matt Maxey

Senior Director of Public Relations

Visit Franklin

Joyce Kiehl

Director of Communications

Visit Greater Palm Springs

 

Why does traffic feel softer? Why are bots distorting performance? And what actually keeps your message in front of real, in-market travelers?

In this conversation with United Airlines, we’ll explore how premium data partnerships, airline insights and high-quality inventory work together to cut through noise, protect performance and drive measurable demand in an AI-shaped landscape.

Steph Dunford

SVP of Sales & Marketing

Adgenuity

Katy Gallagher Gill

Agency and Brand Partnerships East

United Airlines

 

 

 

Turning Cultural Moments into Destination Momentum examines how Discover Puerto Rico transformed the global buzz around Bad Bunny’s residency into measurable destination impact. In this case-study session, the CMO breaks down the strategy behind leveraging a cultural moment to educate travelers, activate new markets, and drive demand across both leisure and MICE segments. Attendees will see industry metrics, a testimonial video, economic outcomes and the “missing markets” framework that guided the campaign—and will walk away with a blueprint for turning major cultural events into long-tail destination value.

Storm Tussey

Chief Marketing Officer

Discover Puerto Rico

 

 

 

 

Today, destination marketing plays an essential role in the future of the communities we serve. We know this: demand generation, brand support, Halo Effect etc. Yet, the attacks on our budgets have increased to historic highs. How do we manage this new tension to maintain our valuable impact? The rise of advocacy actions and destination stewardship are the response to this growing reality and will require our best marketing minds to craft the messaging and campaigns locally. Learn the mindsets, frameworks and top case studies of how we will protect our marketing budgets and organizational relevancy into the future.

Josiah Brown

National Advocacy Liaison