2021 Advocacy Summit | Destinations International

AS21: Date & Location

Houston map

October 26-28, 2021

Houston, TX, USA

Marriott Marquis Houston

Destination organizations are doomed to a life of periodic political attacks, unstable budget resources and potential failure unless they turn and focus on their ultimate customer - their residents. We believe that becoming a community shared value is the direction that the industry must move toward.

It is time to stop being in a defensive posture and instead proactively pursue your leadership role in your community. It is time to be visible, to be purposeful and to lead.

2021 Advocacy Summit wordcloud

The 2021 Advocacy Summit will concentrate less on big ideas and instead focus on completing the transition to a community shared value. You will walk away with the strategies and tactics for successfully embracing your civic role within your community.

Join us for an optional, in-depth funding conversation presented in partnership with Civitas. We will tackle the current state of destination organization funding as well as the future of funding in the era of crisis response and recovery research. Embark on strategies to identify public and private funding sources and learn how to create a tourism improvement district in your destination from idea to passage.
Tuesday, October 26 | 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM CT
Add the Forum on to your Summit registration during the checkout process

Register Now

	Member Rate	Non-Member Rate
Advocacy Summit Only	US$795	US$1195
Funding Forum Only	US$295	US$445
Advocacy Summit + Funding Forum	US$895	US$1345

Use your Destinations International member login to register. When registering, you must select ONE of the session options and pay the registration fee.

Agenda Recap
Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Health Screening & Badge Pick-Up

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM CT

Location: Texas Foyer

Please complete your mobile health screening on your phone using the Clear to Go app (iPhone | Android), present your results and conduct a temperature check to secure your wristband.

Welcome and Overview

1:00 PM - 1:05 PM CT

Don Welsh
President & CEO
Destinations International

The State of Destination Organization Funding

1:05 PM - 1:15 PM CT

Jack Johnson
Chief Advocacy Officer
Destinations International

Funding Futures: Crisis Response & Recovery Funding

1:15 PM - 1:45 PM CT

John Lambeth
President & CEO
Civitas

Chris Adams
Head of Research & Insights
Miles Partnership

Unusual and Unusual Suspects: A Comprehensive List of Potential of Public and Private Funding Sources

1:50 PM - 2:00 PM CT

Jack Johnson
Chief Advocacy Officer
Destinations International

TIDs On the Move

2:00 PM - 2:10 PM CT

John Lambeth
President & CEO
Civitas

Sustainable and Regenerative Funding: Options & Opportunities

2:10 PM - 2:40 PM CT

Chris Adams
Head of Research & Insights
Miles Partnership

Cathy Ritter
Founder & CEO
Better Destinations, LLC

Building Capital Improvements: Sacramento Case Study

2:45 PM - 3:10 PM CT

John Lambeth
President & CEO
Civitas

Sonya Bradley
Chief of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Visit Sacramento

Tourism Improvement Districts: Do They Make Economic Sense?

3:15 PM - 3:30 PM CT

Adam Sacks
Founder & President
Tourism Economics

Strategies on How to Create a TID – From Idea to Passage

3:30 PM - 3:40 PM CT

John Lambeth
President & CEO
Civitas

10 Other Urgent, Practical Steps Every Destination Organization Should be Taking

3:40 PM - 3:55 PM CT

Jack Johnson
Chief Advocacy Officer
Destinations International

John Lambeth
President & CEO
Civitas

Chris Adams
Head of Research & Insights
Miles Partnership

Funding Forum Takeaways

3:55 PM - 4:00 PM CT

A Conversation with the Honorable Sylvester Turner, Mayor of Houston and Michael Heckman, President and CEO, Houston First

4:30 PM - 5:00 PM CT

Jack Johnson
Chief Advocacy Officer
Destinations International

Opening Reception

5:15 PM - 7:00 PM CT

Location: Marriott Marquis 6th Floor Pool Deck

Agenda Recap
Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Health Screening & Badge Pick-Up

2:00 PM - 6:00 PM CT

Location: Texas Foyer

Please complete your mobile health screening on your phone using the Clear to Go app (iPhone | Android), present your results and conduct a temperature check to secure your wristband.

A Conversation with the Honorable Sylvester Turner, Mayor of Houston and Michael Heckman, President and CEO, Houston First

4:30 PM - 5:00 PM CT

Jack Johnson
Chief Advocacy Officer
Destinations International

Opening Reception

5:15 PM - 7:00 PM CT

Location: Marriott Marquis 6th Floor Pool Deck

Wednesday, October 27, 2021

Health Screening & Badge Pick-Up

7:30 AM - 12:00 PM CT

Location: Texas Foyer

Please complete your mobile health screening on your phone using the Clear to Go app (iPhone | Android), present your results and conduct a temperature check to secure your wristband.

Networking Breakfast

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM CT

Welcome and Overview

9:00 AM - 9:15 AM CT

A welcome from the co-chairs of the Destinations International Advocacy Committee followed by an overview of the event by Destinations International President and CEO Don Welsh.

Cassandra McAuley, CDME
Vice President of Communications & Stakeholder Engagement
Tourism Calgary

Katherine O'Donnell, CDME
Executive Vice President
Richmond Region Tourism

Don Welsh
President & CEO
Destinations International

Moving Forward with Intent: Owning Our Future

9:20 AM - 9:55 AM CT

Being a Community Shared Value requires destination organizations to be in a civic leadership role, proactively reporting out your mission, accomplishments, how you operate and the service that you provide. As civic leaders, you have an equity stake in the development of your community economic structures, culture and arts and physical environment. You also have the information, knowledge, connections, and the tools to build a community. Join Jack Johnson as he speaks to the need to embrace this role, to move forward with intent and to own your future.

Jack Johnson
Chief Advocacy Officer
Destinations International

Using Data for Advocacy: A Symphony Approach (Part One)

10:00 AM - 10:40 AM CT

More data is available to destination organizations than ever before, and a myriad of sources, updated frequencies, and concepts can produce a cacophony of information. Those who know Adam Sacks knows he loves music as much as economics so in this session Adam applies his talents from both of those interests to assist you in processing the data available to destination organizations. Working with a “band” of other data providers, this session will address current and future economic conditions from various vantage points in the industry and showcase the type of information available for you to share with both internal and external stakeholders, the importance of what destination organizations do.

Adam Sacks
Founder & President
Tourism Economics

Zeek Coleman
Senior Director of Product Marketing
ADARA

Greg Oates
Moderator & SVP of Innovation
MMGY NextFactor

Jenny Rose
Vice President of Integrated Marketing Services
Tempest

Networking Break

10:40 AM - 11:00 AM CT

Using Data for Advocacy: A Symphony Approach (Part Two)

11:00 AM - 11:40 AM CT

In a sequel to the previous session, Adam continues to applies his talents to assist you in processing the data available to destination organizations. Working with a second “band” of data providers, this session will address current and future economic conditions from various vantage points in the industry and showcase the type of information available for you to share with both internal and external stakeholders, the importance of what destination organizations do.

Adam Sacks
Founder & President
Tourism Economics

Vail Ross
SVP, Global Business Development & Marketing
STR

Andria Godfrey
Vice President
Longwoods International

Ryan George
President & CEO
Simpleview

Using Your Website for Community Engagement and Advocacy

11:45 AM - 12:15 PM CT

Successful destination organizations are extending beyond traditional marketing roles to become valuable assets for their communities. This session will provide real-world examples of how destinations are using their websites to connect with their communities, as well as actionable ideas for leveraging your digital platforms to better support and communicate with residents, local businesses, and stakeholders.

Gregg Shapiro
President & Chief Creative Officer
Tempest Interactive Media

Jenny Rose
Vice President of Integrated Marketing Services
Tempest

Networking Lunch

12:15 PM - 1:30 PM CT

Advocacy From a Newer Perspective: A 30 Under 30 Produced Session

1:30 PM - 2:10 PM CT

Join members of the 30 Under 30 Alumni Council for a candid discussion about how destination organizations should be structured for a new generation of advocacy 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.

Greg Oates
Moderator & SVP of Innovation
MMGY NextFactor

Zeek Coleman
Senior Director of Product Marketing
ADARA

Amanda Eckelbarger
Director of Destination Brand & Creative
Elkhart County CVB

Liz Mabe
Digital Marketing Director
Discover Puerto Rico

Jeremiah Cook, CMP
Senior National Sales Manager
Experience Rochester MN

Destination Case Studies: Being A Strong Leader with Your Current Stakeholders and Embracing New Ones

2:10 PM - 2:35 PM CT

"What have you done for us lately?" is a common question many destination organizations hear - from business owners to hoteliers to locals. Everybody wants in on the action, so how can destination organizations possibly please everyone? This session isn't just about Bandwango technology - it's about how destination organizations across the United States work with both emerging and traditional stakeholders in their destinations. Join us as we share several case studies and provide useful insight that destination organizations of all shapes and sizes can learn from.

Cody Chomiak, CDME
VP of Industry Engagement
Bandwango

Emilie Harris
Director of Marketing Operations
Bandwango

Shirtsleeve Session

2:40 PM - 3:25 PM CT

Convene with your peers to discuss industry hot topics and points of interest. Following the small group conversations, we will join together for a moderated report-out of key takeaways from the discussions.

Take Carra Wellness Break

3:25 PM - 3:40 PM CT

Location: Texas Foyer
Presented by: SearchWide Global

DNEXT Transformational Opportunities

3:40 PM - 4:20 PM CT

The 2021 update to the DestinationNEXT Futures Study, built on the learnings from the 2014, 2017 and 2019 Futures Studies, helps determine updated trends and strategies that will keep the thousands of destination organizations around the world thriving and relevant. The 2021 Futures Study focuses on three transformational opportunities - destination alignment, sustainable development and values-based marketing - to help destination leaders formulate strategic decisions for the future. This session will focus on how destination organizations should leverage all three of these opportunities collectively to effectively lean into the future.

Paul Ouimet
Executive Director, DestinationNEXT
MMGY NextFactor

Day One Wrap Up

4:20 PM - 4:30 PM CT

Jack wraps the day with a list of key take-aways from the day’s sessions, collected from selected attendees.

Jack Johnson
Chief Advocacy Officer
Destinations International

Foundation Dinner / Open Night

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM CT

Thursday, October 28, 2021

Health Screening & Badge Pick-Up

7:30 AM - 12:00 PM CT

Location: Texas Foyer

Please complete your mobile health screening on your phone using the Clear to Go app (iPhone | Android), present your results and conduct a temperature check to secure your wristband.

Networking Breakfast

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM CT

Location: Texas A-C

Day Two Overview

9:00 AM - 9:05 AM CT

Kick off the day with an overview by Destinations International’s Chief Advocacy Officer Jack Johnson.

Jack Johnson
Chief Advocacy Officer
Destinations International

National Public Policy Agendas: Canada & United States

9:05 AM - 9:30 AM CT

Representatives from Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC-AITC), Cruise Line Industry Association (CLIA), and US Travel Association look back at the wins and defeats in 2021, discuss policy priorities for the upcoming year and provide thoughts about what to expect from the province/state and local elections scheduled throughout 2022.

Bill Geist
Moderator & Chief Instigator
DMOproz

Bari Golin-Blaugrund
Vice President, Strategic Communications and Public Affairs
Cruise Line Industry Association

Nan Marchand
Senior Vice President, Membership and Industry Relations
US Travel Association

Beth Potter
President & CEO
Tourism Industry Association of Canada

Community Awareness: New Resident Sentiment Data in Canada and the United States

9:35 AM - 10:00 AM CT

Destination organizations have begun to embrace the concept that the local resident is the industry’s most important customer – a vital partner in the development and prosperity of this industry. As such, resident sentiment has become the new “essential KPI.” The resident will be the partner at the table to advocate for funding and building new tourism product, the trusted source of important word of mouth to friends and relatives, and the beneficiary of the financial gains from this vital economic engine. This session will make available for the first time, the results from the 2021 National Resident Sentiment Study Towards Tourism for both Canada and the United States.

Amir Eylon
President & CEO
Longwoods International

Incorporating Podcasts into the Mix

10:05 AM - 10:30 AM CT

Podcasts are a growing medium shifting the way media and information are consumed. They are also a great way to engage stakeholders and become a community shared value, as listeners can be residents, stakeholders and visitors. Hear about several destination organizations that have successfully incorporated podcasts into their marketing efforts and their membership benefits.

Camden Bernatz
Brand Strategist
Relic Advertising

Networking Break

10:30 AM - 10:45 AM CT

Insights into the Meetings Market - Opportunities for Today and Tomorrow

10:45 AM - 11:20 AM CT

There are many opportunities for our industry professionals to become more data literate and it goes way beyond what might be nice to know. Whether available today or on the horizon, learn about four opportunities in our sales data that will enhance stakeholder alignment, communications and strategy development.

Jack Johnson
Chief Advocacy Officer
Destinations International

Ryan George
CEO
Simpleview

Cara Frank
Chief of Staff
Simpleview

Alyssa Poulin
Senior Manager of Advocacy & Research Content
Destinations International

Shirtsleeve Session

11:25 AM - 12:25 PM CT

Convene with your peers to discuss industry hot topics and points of interest. Following the small group conversations, we will join together for a moderated report-out of key takeaways from the discussions.

Networking Lunch

12:25 PM - 1:40 PM CT

What's Keeping Us Up at Night

1:40 PM - 2:10 PM CT

Join us for this always popular annual session, where we will examine how the trends identified last year panned out during this next normal – did our sector change because of them, adapt to them, or move forward without them? We will also take a deep dive into current looming issues and potential hot topics to be addressed in the short term.

Andreas Weissenborn
Vice President of Research & Advocacy
Destinations International

Alyssa Poulin
Senior Manager of Advocacy & Research Content
Destinations International

Tapping Community Shared Value to Transform a Destination

2:15 PM - 2:40 PM CT

It’s no longer just about the beaches. But then again, perhaps it is... When a community transforms from being primarily a leisure experience into a vibrantly livable destination, the appreciation and understanding of the true impact of visitor marketing and guest services becomes a real community shared value. Hear the stories of how destinations are crafting stronger connections with their community through planning, hard work, and committed relationships.

Tina Valdecanas
President & Chief Operating Officer
Clarity of Place

David Holder, CDME
CEO
Clarity of Place

Where Are We Now? Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for Our Sector in 2021

2:45 PM - 3:20 PM CT

Members of Destinations International's Advocacy and Research team will unpack the state of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion in our sector and unveil the findings of our 2021 EDI Survey. Discussion will include the highlights of what has changed from last year and where destination organizations still need to improve. Stay tuned for a sneak peak of what to anticipate in 2022 with our upcoming EDI assessment tool for destination organizations.

Andreas Weissenborn
Vice President of Research & Advocacy
Destinations International

Networking Break

3:20 PM - 3:35 PM CT

Your Community Relevance and Destinations International's Campaign to Support It

3:35 PM - 4:00 PM CT

Destinations International is developing campaigns for members to launch locally. This session will provide information on messaging for these campaigns, including the focus on the community need that destination organizations fill, the link between destination organizations and results in the travel and tourism arena, and provide a basic understanding of the workings of a destination organization, including quantifying their impact, showing their foundational role in economic and cultural development efforts and the link to quality of place. Miles Partnership will share insights about how to use social media effectively in advocacy campaigns.

Gabe Seder
Vice President of Global Programs
Destinations International

Laura Libby
Senior Vice President
Miles Partnership

What Keeps the Team in Puerto Rico Up at Night?

4:05 PM - 4:30 PM CT

Join us for this candid conversation with Brad Dean, CEO of Discover Puerto Rico. Brad will enlighten us with the challenges and opportunities Puerto Rico has faced recently and talk about his plans to move recovery forward.

Brad Dean
President & CEO
Discover Puerto Rico

Steve Paganelli, CDME
Head of Destination Marketing, Americas
Tripadvisor

Day Two Wrap Up

4:30 PM - 4:40 PM CT

AS21: CDME

AS21: CDME > List Items

Join us on October 23-26 in Houston for CDME courses presented in conjunction with the summit.

CTA

https://destinationsinternational.org/upcoming-cdme-courses

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Your safety is our top priority. We have developed guidelines in consultation with Visit Houston, and we will require that attendees strictly adhere to all guidance in order to make our events safe, secure and enjoyable for all.

Hotel & Travel Information

Marriott Marquis Houston
1777 Walker Street
Houston, TX, USA
+1 713-654-1777

The hotel block is now closed. Please contact the hotel directly to book your room.

IAH AIRPORT TRAFFIC ALERT
Due to ongoing roadway construction projects at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), we recommend that travelers transiting through IAH allow an extra hour to time to arrive and depart.