2026 Virtual Advocacy Day

Set the tone for the day with a guided orientation to the virtual environment. Attendees will be introduced to the day's agenda, platform navigation, and key themes. This opening session frames expectations for all stakeholder types and establishes the shared mission driving advocacy efforts worldwide. 

 

Sophia Hyder Hock

Chief Impact Officer

Destinations International

Andreas Weissenborn

Senior Vice President, Advocacy & Destination Advancement

Destinations International

 

 

 

A global panel explores how destination leadership roles are transforming in an era of heightened accountability, shifting funding landscapes, and growing community expectations. Panelists will address governance models, fiduciary responsibility, and what stakeholders across sectors are demanding from modern DMO leadership. 

Sophia Hyder Hock

Chief Impact Officer

Destinations International

Christine Schönhuber

CEO

Tourismus Marketing Baden-Württemberg 

Johan Menso

Director

 Malmö Convention Bureau

Jonathan Gómez 

Director

Malaga Tourism Board

Sam Johnston 

Director

Dublin Convention Bureau

This session introduces the newly launched Beyond Tourism Impact Stars recognition program from the World Economic Forum, highlighting how it will identify and amplify proven, private-sector-led initiatives that address critical sector challenges while delivering measurable economic, social and environmental impact. It will also explore how destinations and businesses can use this opportunity to showcase their contributions, strengthen their voice in the broader ecosystem, and advocate for tourism’s role as a driver of inclusive and sustainable growth. 

Maksim Soshkin

Insights Lead, Travel & Tourism

World Economic Forum

 

 

 

 

 

May 13 is shaping up to be a big day for both Rockford and Albany. With a key TID meeting in Rockford at 10:30 a.m. and Discover Albany’s Annual General Meeting happening the same day, it’s a packed schedule on both sides.

Yet even in the middle of it all, John Groh, CEO of Rockford, and Jill Delaney, CEO of Discover Albany, are making time to join host David Peacock, Senior Advisor at Future Tourism Group at Granicus Destinations, for a live broadcast.

That’s what modern advocacy leadership looks like—always on, always engaged, and always showing up when it matters.

Join us live and bring your best questions for the chat. 

Jill Delany, CDME

President & CEO

Discovery Albany

David Peacock

Senior Advisor

Future Tourism Group - Granicus Destinations  

John Groh, CDME 

President/CEO

Go Rockford 

 

 

AI isn’t a future consideration for advocacy work, it’s already reshaping how the work gets done. This session moves past theory to show how organizations are using AI to track legislation, build talking points, generate community impact narratives, and arm stakeholders with the case for support. Todd Brook covers the tools, the tactics, and the trajectory over the next 18 to 36 months, including where AI is creating real leverage and where leaders are getting it wrong. You’ll leave with a sharper view of what to deploy now, what to watch, and how to keep your advocacy work both faster and more human.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 

Todd Brook

CEO

UNCHAINED

 

 

 

 

 

Destination positioning is often treated as a marketing exercise, but Ottawa Tourism approaches it as a signal shaped by how a city aligns public mandates, private capital, and on‑the‑ground decision‑making. This session explores how breaking down silos and coordinating public–private action sends clearer signals to investors, partners, and visitors alike—strengthening credibility, competitiveness, and the shared narrative that underpins effective destination advocacy. 

Catherine Callary, CDME

Vice President, Destination Development

Ottawa Tourism  

Michael Crockatt

President & CEO

Ottawa Tourism 

 

 

 

Advocacy is a shared leadership responsibility that connects governance, strategy, and community impact.

In this interactive working session, destination organization staff, board members, and partners will work together to begin developing a practical advocacy plan. Guided by three focused questions, you will map key stakeholders, identify priority issues, and define clear roles for board and staff in advancing your efforts.

The session will highlight core elements of an effective advocacy plan, including stakeholder alignment, consistent messaging, and preparation for moments of urgency. You’ll leave with a clear framework, stronger alignment, and actionable next steps you can implement immediately.

Designed as a “working lunch,” this session is an ideal opportunity to invite board members and key stakeholders to join you in person for a simple, facilitated lunch-and-learn that creates space for real-time discussion and local application. 

Travel and tourism are a major driver of U.S. economic growth, powering local businesses, supporting millions of jobs, and strengthening communities. In this Chase Travel Group session, our team will discuss the potential implications of proposed legislation, including how policy changes could affect the travel ecosystem and the communities and jobs that rely on it. The conversation concludes with practical advocacy principles and actionable ways stakeholders can engage to ensure their perspective is heard. 

Jennifer Wilson-Buttigieg

Executive Director, Head of Travel Policy

Chase Travel

Eben Peck

Vice President, Federal Government Relations

JP Morgan Chase 

 

 

 

What happens when destination organizations and economic development leaders align around shared community goals?

In this fast-paced conversation, Cynthia Eichler, CDME, President & CEO of Visit Fort Collins, and Richard Werner, President & CEO of Upstate Colorado Economic Development, share distinct but connected perspectives on the value destination organizations bring to economic vitality, workforce attraction, business growth, and community perception. We'll explore why supporting destination organizations matters far beyond tourism promotion—and why cross-sector collaboration is increasingly essential to destination success.

Participants will leave with fresh language, broader context, and practical perspectives they can use to strengthen stakeholder understanding and community alignment.

Advocacy is one of the most powerful tools a DMO leader has, yet it is often one of the most underutilized. For this session, we will offer a practical overview of the funding landscape and what effective advocacy looks like. We'll cover where destinations get their funding, and what unique funding mechanisms are available, such as TIDs, STIF, and voluntary districts.

From there, we'll walk through the different stages and best practices of funding advocacy. Building relationships, engaging your board, and navigating the different relationships and messaging needed to bring the funding to life. You'll leave with a clearer picture of the landscape and a practical framework to advance your funding advocacy.

Tiffany Gallagher

Vice President & Deputy Executive Officer

Civitas

 

 

 

 

Advocacy doesn’t sit with one team; it spans the entire destination ecosystem, from staff and boards to partners, policymakers and the community.

In this closing conversation, Destinations International leaders Andreas Weissenborn and Sophia Hyder Hock will connect key insights from the day and explore how organizations can build a culture of advocacy, trust and shared ownership.

Drawing on DI frameworks such as DestinationNEXT, Destination Effect, and Advocacy and Action, they will highlight how advocacy shows up in practice—through board members opening doors, sales and services teams reinforcing the value of meetings, marketing shaping community narratives, public affairs leading policy conversations and partners validating impact.

Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how to activate advocacy across roles and relationships to strengthen their destination’s long-term success. 

Sophia Hyder Hock

Chief Impact Officer

Destinations International

Andreas Weissenborn

Senior Vice President, Advocacy & Destination Advancement

Destinations International