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

 

 

 

Tourism policy is no longer just about generating revenue; it's about shaping the future of destinations. From tourism levies and taxes that create sustainable funding models to policies that help manage visitor impacts and support responsible tourism, destination leaders are increasingly being asked to balance economic growth with community well-being. This session explores how policy can be leveraged as a strategic tool to strengthen destination organizations, fund critical initiatives, and create thriving places for both residents and visitors. Hear examples of how destinations are navigating these complex conversations and building policies that deliver long-term value. 

Sophia Hyder Hock

Chief Impact Officer

Destinations International

(Moderator)

Kathryn Davis

CEO

Visit West

Pedro Homar

Managing Director

Visit Palma

Shin Osuka

Director of Destination Support＆ Career Development Division Business Promotion Department

Japan Travel & Tourism Association

 

Destination Professionals Day will be here before you know it, and the strongest activations start well before February. In this fast-paced session, get five practical steps your organization can take now to build momentum, engage local leaders and prepare to showcase the value of destination professionals in your community. Hear inspiration from successful member activations, explore ready-to-use resources from the DPD Toolkit and learn how to bring local government, schools and other community partners into the conversation. Start now so that when Destination Professionals Day arrives, your destination is ready to make the most of it.

Andreas Weissenborn

Vice President of Advocacy & Research

Destinations International

Glenn Rudolph

Director, Destination Policy

Destinations International

 

 

 

Meaningful change rarely begins in the boardroom or at the state capitol. It begins with trust.

Join Susan Amey, Former President & CEO of Discover Durham, alongside public leaders who helped champion Durham's success, for an inside look at the months-long journey of building alignment across local government, community stakeholders, and state leadership around a shared vision for the destination.

Through intentional listening, one-on-one conversations, and a commitment to understanding diverse perspectives, Discover Durham transformed relationships into lasting partnerships that created momentum for meaningful action. Rather than focusing on a single initiative, this session explores the leadership approach behind bringing people together, navigating competing priorities, and earning support over time.

Susan Amey

Former President & CEO

Discover Durham

Mike Woodard

Former NC State Senator

 

 

 

Federal policy uncertainty, softening international arrivals, and mounting state budget pressure are converging this year, and destination organizations have weathered this kind of storm before. Drawing on three decades of past recessions, shocks, and funding crises, this session distills what separated organizations that recovered quickly from those that lost market share for a decade or more. Walk away with practical warning signs and advocacy strategies to apply in your own budget cycle. 

Glenn Rudolph

Director, Destination Policy

Destinations International

 

 

 

 

Destination development isn't complete if city planners aren't part of the conversation. While destination organizations focus on creating places people want to visit, city planners shape the infrastructure, policies and long-term growth that define a destination's future.

This session explores how stronger collaboration between destination organizations and city planners leads to more strategic, resilient communities. Gain insight into how planners think, understand their planning processes and language and discover practical ways to build partnerships that ensure destination organizations have a voice in shaping the places of tomorrow. 

Brad Beaubien, AICP

Vice President of Destination Development

Visit Indy

Carmen Lethig, AICP

Deputy Director for Planning, Preservation, and Design

City of Indianapolis 

 

 

 

Join Destinations International for the annual unveiling of the 2026 Tourism Lexicon and Social Impact Lexicon, revealing the latest research on how perceptions, priorities, and language continue to shift. Through a comparative analysis of this year's findings, we'll explore emerging trends, identify what's changing, what's gaining momentum, and what destination leaders should be paying attention to.

This interactive session will help participants translate insights into action by demonstrating how to apply the updated lexicons across real-world scenarios—from conversations with elected officials and community leaders to board meetings, media interviews, resident engagement, and stakeholder communications.

Andreas Weissenborn

Senior Vice President, Advocacy & Destination Advancement

Destinations International

Sophia Hyder Hock

Chief Impact Officer

Destinations International

 

 

 

Many destination organizations operate at the county or regional level, making county leaders important partners in strengthening communities and the visitor economy.

In this introductory session for the Destinations International audience, National Association of Counties (NACo) will provide an inside look at county governments, who they represent, how they operate, and the priorities and challenges shaping county leadership in the United States today. Explore where county and destination priorities intersect, from economic and workforce development to infrastructure, community vitality, public lands, and quality of life, and where stronger alignment can advance shared goals. 

Seamus Dowdall

Senior Legislative Director

National Association of Counties (NACo)

 

 

 

 

Explore how Chase Travel Group transforms WTTC’s Economic Impact Research into meaningful industry advocacy through partnership. Discover key 2025 trends, regional insights, and forecasts through 2036 that reveal travel and tourism’s global impact. See how data, collaboration, and policy leadership can strengthen the sector’s collective voice. 

Jennifer Wilson-Buttigieg

Executive Director

Head of Chase Travel Policy

 

 

 

 

Destination promotion has always been about more than visitors, but we do not always talk about it that way. Look at how LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram can help destination leaders tell a clearer, more human story about the value of their work: one rooted in residents, local businesses, public services, quality of life, and community pride. Borrow a few smart moves from healthcare, infrastructure, education, and other public-good sectors to show how advocacy messages can feel less like a campaign and more like common sense.

Andreas Weissenborn

Senior Vice President, Advocacy & Destination Advancement

Destinations International

 

 

 

 

For 15 years, Destinations International’s 30 Under 30 program has recognized emerging leaders who are challenging convention, making an impact, and helping shape the future of the destination sector. So, what comes next?

For this Virtual Advocacy Day, we’re bringing together a group of rising destination leaders, including voices from the 30 Under 30 community, to talk about where they see the industry going and what destination organizations should be advocating for now. What issues are most important for the next generation of destination professionals? What does meaningful advocacy look like to them? What are they seeing, questioning, or approaching differently? As they step into greater leadership roles, what do they believe destination organizations should be doing today to prepare for tomorrow?

Come hear fresh perspectives, challenge your thinking, and bring your questions for a candid conversation about the future of destination advocacy. 

Brandon Hall, CMP

Senior Consultant, Meeting Sales

Granicus Destinations

Tim Crouson, CHIA, CAHTA, CTA

Director of Research

Destination Ann Arbor

Derek Bryne

Director of Content Strategy

Visit KC

April Romero, CDME

Senior Public Relations Manager

Meet Boston

Cody Chomiak, CDME

Vice President, Marketing

Travel Manitoba

Advocacy is one of the most powerful tools a destination leader has, and the rules around it are more complicated than most job descriptions let on. Two questions come up constantly: what am I actually allowed to do, and how do I move someone who has already made up their mind? This session takes on both. We will draw the line between advocacy, lobbying, and electioneering, and show how that line shifts depending on whether your organization is a 501(c)(6), a 501(c)(3), or a government department, including what public money can and cannot support. From there we will look at a practical approach to understanding what is behind a no, and what it takes to build a healthy presence at the state level. You will leave with a clearer picture of where your organization stands and where to strengthen it.

Maya Kitt

Account Manager

Civitas Advisors

 

 

 

 

Building on spring’s Virtual Advocacy Day, this session will help destination professionals translate advocacy principles into practical response systems. Attendees will explore how to build an “Advocacy First Aid Kit” that brings together key contacts, proof points, approved messages, policy assets, operational roles, and research before an issue or opportunity arises.

Examine how to triage advocacy situations, determine the appropriate level of response, and tailor preparedness efforts to the size, structure, and capacity of different destination organizations.  

Andreas Weissenborn

Senior Vice President, Advocacy & Destination Advancement

Destinations International