March 2025 Conference Schedule
Monday Schedule
8:00 am Registration, Networking, & Breakfast – Main Ballroom
9:00 am Welcome – Main Ballroom
9:15 am Behavioral Trends in Tourism & Destination Marketing – Main Ballroom
Keynote Presentation, Sarah Benoit
KEYNOTE: Behavioral Trends in Tourism and Travel - Main Ballroom
Every year, Sarah Benoit, a digital marketing speaker, teacher, strategist, and co-founder of the DIY Tourism Marketing Conference, presents a different keynote on travel and tourism trends and best practices. This year, she will focus on behavioral changes in the marketplace and what we can expect to see in the future.
In the last five years, we have seen more than one major shift in visitor and consumer behavior. Whether it was inspired by the pandemic, elections, natural disasters, artificial intelligence, wars, or economics behaviors, these behaviors are reactionary and unpredictable in many cases.
Find out what you need to know going into 2025 and explore how we can all use our emotional intelligence to better connect with existing and potential customers, visitors, donors, and fans. Learn how you can help prepare your community and brand for the continued changes we will experience going forward.
10:15 am Break
10:30 am Concurrent Breakout Sessions
Things You Probably Aren’t Promoting But Should Be - Main Ballroom
Everyone regularly claims their destination is different, yet we’re often shouting about the exact same things to our target audience. Outdoor activities. Historic sites. Restaurants. Yet there are ways of distinguishing your community by promoting lesser-known, yet popular activities, that may be less glamorous, but are in your own backyard.
Join Chris Cavanaugh of Magellan Strategy Group to discuss better ways to serve your visitors by promoting assets and benefits that will help them decide to visit your destination and increase their satisfaction and spending. Learn some alternative promotional ideas and discuss how they might work for your community.
The Foundations of Digital Marketing For DMOs - Breakout Room 1
There are so many digital content and advertising strategies to choose from in 2024 that it can feel confusing to identify the best opportunities for your destination or brand. Join Jay Bellamy and Paul Brannock from VistaDigital Agency for a review of the digital marketing strategies found to be most effective for travel marketing and explore how these strategies can impact your marketing plans for 2025.
Together, we’ll lay out the foundations for specific strategies like Device ID targeting, programmatic solutions including video and OTT, Targeted Email, Web ID, Mobil Ad Messenger, and more. In addition, we’ll provide an overview of each strategy that includes best practices, associated terminology, targeting capabilities, and reporting capabilities. Our goal is for you to leave with a better understanding of what tools are available and the confidence to make choices that will help you reach your target audiences.
How to Build an Effective Social Media Content Calendar That Works [Lab] - Breakout Room 2
Social media is more important than ever for destinations and tourism businesses, but how do you know what to post and when?
During this lab breakout session, Olivia Ward, principal travel marketing consultant at OnWard Digital Media, will help you create a social media content calendar for the year and break down content by month.
You’ll also uncover high-level tips for finding and generating user-generated content (UGC), to increase engagement and brand authenticity.
11:45 am Lunch – Main Ballroom
12:00 pm Tourism Stewardship Panel – Main Ballroom
Featuring Amy Overbay with Miles Partnership, Dodie Stephens of Explore Asheville, and John Peahl of Kilohana Collective. Moderated by Stephen Ekstrom of Learn Tourism.
1:15 pm Concurrent Breakout Sessions
The Empathy Upgrade: Rethinking the Golden Rule in Tourism Marketing - Main Ballroom
AI Chatbots for Tourism: How to Engage Visitors, Automate Bookings & Increase Conversions - Breakout Room 1
AI-powered chatbots are changing the way tourism organizations, destinations, and small businesses connect with visitors. But where do you start, and how do you make sure you’re using the right chatbot for your needs?
In this hands-on session, MIT Certified AI Strategist Jim West of WorkWonders.ai will break down chatbot technology in a way that’s practical, approachable, and directly relevant to your organization.
You’ll discover how chatbots can answer visitor questions 24/7, assist with trip planning, drive more bookings, and even follow up with past guests to encourage repeat visits.
We’ll explore the differences between DIY and custom chatbot solutions, what to expect in terms of cost, and how to choose a platform that fits your budget and goals.
The best part? You won’t just learn about chatbots—you’ll build one in minutes and test it from a visitor’s perspective.
Plus, you’ll use an AI-powered tool to map out a chatbot strategy for your destination or business, so you leave with a clear plan to move forward.
Whether you’re new to AI or already considering chatbots, this session will give you actionable insights to create a seamless, engaging experience for your visitors while saving time and resources for your team.
Adobe Updates and Practical Use [Lab] - Breakout Room 2
Join graphic designer and brand strategist John Hornsby, founder of Hornsby Creative, for an engaging and informative learning lab about Adobe. This session will dive into the latest updates and features in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, with a special focus on new AI capabilities that are revolutionizing the design process.
Through the lens of a recent TDA county wayfinding signage program, we will demonstrate the practical application of these powerful tools. Whether you are a seasoned designer, a marketing professional, or someone working closely with design teams, this session will equip you with valuable insights and hands-on experience to enhance your design workflow and collaborate effectively.
Participants will have the chance to complete a signage (or other) design, applying the tools and techniques demonstrated during the session. This hands-on experience will solidify their understanding of the latest Adobe features and their practical applications in real-world projects, enhancing their ability to collaborate with designers and contribute to effective marketing strategies.
(Adobe Creative Cloud Subscription is required if you want to use those tools hands-on.)
2:30 pm Break
2:45 pm Concurrent Breakout Sessions
“Trail” Blazing: Building and Marketing Pathways that Unite Your Assets - Main Ballroom
Themed trails have become a popular way of tying together related assets in destinations around the world. They can be found in neighborhoods, cities, states, and regions. Some trails have even become standalone destinations themselves.
Chris Cavanaugh, owner of Magellan Strategy Group, has helped destinations use a wide variety of strategies and tactics to market their trails, and he’ll share what makes them successful beginning with their formation and how your marketing can support their growth and impact.
Targeting Niche Audiences with Short-Form Video - Breakout Room 1
This session led by videographer and filmmaker Bob Peck, owner of Mountainwater Films, is designed for community leaders, tourism professionals, local stakeholders, and entrepreneurs eager to explore the power of short-form documentary-style video in reaching and engaging niche audiences.
This presentation will explore the nuances of short-form documentary as a tool for precision storytelling, highlighting methods for targeting niche markets, and creating content that drives engagement and visitation. Bob will emphasize how video can amplify the voice of underrepresented communities, support emerging markets, responsibly promote the outdoors, and create meaningful connections between destinations, stakeholders, and travelers.
Participants will gain insight into collaborative opportunities among local businesses, destination marketing organizations, and community stakeholders to develop authentic narratives that reflect their destination’s unique character and identity.
Get inspired to think creatively about your audiences and explore actionable strategies to connect with those audiences through video. Whether the goal is to promote sustainable tourism, support segments of a community, or create a cohesive video marketing strategy, this session will connect the pieces of a destination’s marketing puzzle.
Participants will leave with:
- A clear understanding of how to identify and define niche audiences for short-form video campaigns.
- Strategies for creating compelling, authentic video narratives tailored to specific communities or interests.
- Practical tips on planning, shooting, and editing short-form videos with a focus on engagement.
- Ideas for collaboration between DMOs and community stakeholders to ensure video content aligns with shared values and goals.
Gain insights from a destination marketing perspective and a community standpoint.
Learn the value of targeting specific traveler profiles—such as adventure seekers, history enthusiasts, or eco-tourists—with curated video content. By highlighting local attractions and unique experiences, destinations can authentically attract visitors who align with their offerings and values.
Discover how short-form video campaigns can bring attention to community priorities, such as preserving natural resources, celebrating cultural heritage, or promoting unique local events. This is particularly vital for regions transitioning from traditional industries to more sustainable economic models.
The Top 5 Ways to use GA4 [Lab] - Breakout Room 2
Google Analytics 4 was one of the biggest changes made to website tracking in 25 years. It has created a steep learning curve that many marketers do not have time for and a series of data inaccuracies and dysfunctional tools that can cause marketing and sales frustration.
Join Sarah Benoit, lead instructor of the JB Media Institute, and explore the top 5 ways businesses and organizations are using GA4. Learn to prioritize which tools matter and be aware of common issues faced by brands and destinations using GA4. Find out what website tracking alternatives to consider if GA4 is wasting too much of your time and resources.
Come prepared to look at your own GA4 account, ask questions, share challenges, and problem-solve with your fellow attendees.
4:05 pm Closing Remarks – Main Ballroom
4:15 pm Adjourn
4:30 – 6:00 pm DIY Awards & Cocktail Hour sponsored by Magellan Strategy Group
Top of the Plaza 12th Floor
Tuesday Schedule
8:00 am Networking & Breakfast – Main Ballroom
9:00 am Concurrent Breakout Sessions
The Five Pillars of Successful Tourism Marketing - Main Ballroom
Are you a destination, attraction, or hospitality marketer who wants to understand the latest trends in tourism marketing? Are you looking for actionable strategies to achieve your goals? Hosted by digital marketing strategist and owner of Romantic Asheville Justin Belleme, this session will focus on helping destinations, attractions, and hospitality marketers understand the latest trends and most efficient strategies that will empower them to compete with other similar-sized organizations.
Justin will review these five pillars, which cover the topics of:
- ethical AI,
- audience growth,
- paid vs organic search marketing,
- video marketing, and
- the best practices for maximizing resources and budgets.
Pillar five will help you make the most out of human resources by leveraging hybrid work teams and efficient outsourcing of niche, strategic, and technical marketing needs.
Get actionable takeaways regarding the following:
- Using AI ethically to improve efficiency
- Efficient strategies for audience growth, including ways to email lists and social media following
- Aligning paid and organic search strategies to maximize qualified website traffic
- Leveraging video marketing to expand your reach and awareness
- Creating flexible, hybrid work teams to maximize resources
Creating Impact With Thoughtful Photography: Expert Tips for Taking Great Photos [Lab] - Breakout Room 1
There will always be value in hiring a professional photographer to represent your destination or brand, but in this fast-paced world of content marketing, DIY photography on phones, tablets, and other mobile devices is a necessity.
So, how can DIY marketers and content creators take their photography skills to the next level so you attract the right customers and visitors, PLUS tell your community’s story in the most powerful way possible?
The key to more impactful content is to understand the tips and best practices photography experts and pros follow to get the most out of their shoots.
In this session, professional photographer and graphic designer Ricardo Tejeda, owner of Show and Tale Creative, will walk you through:
- How to shoot eye-catching images on your phone or camera of your landscape, community members, local businesses etc.
- How to make creative choices that look more professional and tell a compelling story.
- The best practices pros use to edit their photographs
- How to work with local photographers to get the most out of your time and investment with them.
- How to communicate your photography needs and budget, but still give your photographer creative freedom.
- How to clearly request the different types of images you need for different marketing, sales, and communications purposes.
Come prepared to interact and ask questions about your organization or brand’s content and photography assets.
What is Google Tag Manager and How Does It Work? [Lab]- Breakout Room 2
Google Tag Manager is a powerful tool that allows marketers without coding skills to add important tracking tags to a website so they can see leads and conversions more clearly and understand what important calls to action are being completed.
Google Tag Manager works well with GA4 and Google Ads especially and is an essential tool if you want to collect and evaluate accurate data about what people do on your website.
Join lead instructor of Learn Tourism Sarah Benoit as she shares:
- A clear definition of the role Google Tag Manager plays in marketing
- The basics of installing Google Tag Manager on your website
- An overview of steps you need to take to create a tag for GA4
- Common ways Google Tag Manager is used to track results
Come prepared to ask questions and explore Google Tag Manager live if you have an account.
10:15 am Break
10:30 am Presentations
Be a Local Superhero: Cause Marketing Strategies - Main Ballroom
The results are in, they’re pretty overwhelming and wise not to ignore!
- 93% of consumers want to know what charities a company supports,
- 89% would switch brands because of a company’s charity commitment, and
- 42% would pay more for products and services from a company with a Cause they support.
But within all that “good-ness” – there’s an awkward disconnect: 70% of consumers are confused about a company’s messaging when it comes to Cause Marketing.
Joe Waters defined Cause Marketing as a “partnership between a nonprofit and a for-profit for mutual profit.” So let’s make our marketing a win/win and do better by doing good!
Join Sheila Neisler, founder of Catalyst for Small Biz and a cause marketing expert, for a hands-on DIY discussion on how destinations, non-profits, and businesses can “expand their brand” by leveraging their existing charity relationships and developing new ones.
Good Cause Marketing is NOT about showboating how wonderful your company is, but responding to your customer’s question: what’s your ‘Brand Stand.’ In this hyper-competitive and commoditized world, people are looking for the difference between your product and/or service and another firm’s. Cause Marketing can be a powerful way to set your company apart.”
Learn to leverage your relationships and brand values to authentically grow Reach and Engagement.
From Manual to Magical: Unlocking the Power of Marketing Automation - Breakout Room 1
In this session, Main Street Mentor founder Josh Collins will introduce marketing automation, focusing on practical strategies and tools that small teams can leverage to streamline their promotional efforts and engage with visitors more effectively. Participants will learn how to automate repetitive tasks, nurture leads through personalized email campaigns, and analyze performance metrics to optimize their marketing initiatives.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the basics of marketing automation and its benefits
- Identify key automation tools for email marketing, social media, and lead nurturing
- Learn to create automated email sequences and drip campaigns
- Discover ways to personalize content and segment audiences
- Explore techniques for tracking and analyzing campaign performance
By the end of this workshop, attendees will have a solid foundation in marketing automation and actionable insights to implement cost-effective strategies that can amplify their reach and drive more visitors to their small-town destinations.
Build Your Confidence in the Meta Ads Manager [Lab] - Breakout Room 2
Meta Advertising is a valuable tool and strategy for increasing your Facebook and Instagram Reach and Engagement, website traffic, Video Views, Followers, Likes, leads, and sales. However, Meta Advertising can be confusing, frustrating, time-consuming, and overwhelming.
Even though you can often get access to an ad representative they are reading a script and not fully equipped to provide personalized support. To get results you must have a firm grasp on how the Meta Ads Manager works and make sure your account is set up correctly.
In this session, JB Media Institute Co-founder and Lead instructor Sarah Benoit will share the following:
- Best practices for setting up your Meta Business Account
- Tips for safeguarding your account from hackers and speaking with Meta support
- Tips and best practices for creating a campaign
- The power of building a campaign map before you create your campaign on the platform
- How to build Custom and Lookalike Audiences to increase conversions
Come prepared to log in to your own Meta Business Suite or Meta Ads Manager and explore the tools while we ask questions and solve problems.
11:45 am Lunch – Main Ballroom
12:00 pm Marketing Expert Panel – Main Ballroom
Featuring Jay Bellamy with Vista Graphics, Inc., Barbara Karasek of Paradise Advertising, and Rachel Normasell with Yodel Event Calendar. Moderated by Justin Belleme with Romantic Asheville.
1:15 pm Concurrent Breakout Sessions
AI Policy & Governance for Destination Organizations: Responsible Innovation in Tourism - Main Ballroom
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the tourism industry, but responsible adoption requires strategic policies that balance innovation, ethics, and sustainability. Presented by Stephen Ekstrom of Learn Tourism, this interactive workshop will equip destination marketing and management professionals with the knowledge and tools to develop AI policies that align with community values, enhance visitor experiences, and ensure data privacy and security.
Participants will explore real-world case studies from leading destinations, engage in hands-on exercises to assess AI implementation strategies and develop actionable frameworks tailored to their organization’s needs.
Key Learning Outcomes:
Understand the ethical and strategic implications of AI in destination marketing and management. Learn best practices for AI-driven community alignment, data governance, and workforce development. Explore AI tools that enhance accessibility, sustainability, and visitor engagement. Develop a roadmap for implementing AI policies that align with Destinations International’s strategic priorities.
Who Should Attend:
- Destination marketing and management professionals
- Economic development and tourism leaders
- Digital marketing and technology strategists
- Public officials and community stakeholders
This workshop will provide a structured approach to leveraging AI responsibly while maintaining transparency and trust. Attendees will leave with a practical AI policy framework to guide their organization’s AI-driven initiatives.
How to Vet Influencers, Partners, and Content Creators: Choose the Right Voices for Your Brand - Breakout Room 1
The Future of Google and Online Search - Breakout Room 2
Google is preparing for a slow launch of its latest version of Google Search – SGE (the Search Generative Experience). SGE and the integration of Google Gemini with the search experience will shift how people use Google and how search results are displayed.
Every brand that relies on organic search traffic to drive locals and visitors to its website will be affected. It will cause all of us to reevaluate our approach to SEO, user experience, and content marketing strategy.
In addition to the Google changes, Meta and OpenAI (the creators of ChatGPT) are also making a play for the search engine market. Will more than 90% of people use Google to find what they need online in the future? Is your organization or business ready for the new search revolution?
Join SEO expert and JB Media Institute Lead instructor Sarah Benoit to learn how your organization or destination can:
- Be prepared for this new era of SEO
- Monitor your current SEO authority and Organic Search Traffic for changes
- Build a content strategy that makes more room for owned media
- Share the SEO changes with stakeholders and decision-makers
- Stay up to date with SEO announcements and updates
2:45 pm Closing Remarks and 3:00 pm Adjourn – Main Ballroom
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