Agenda

Join ITA for the Pre-conference workshops. Workshop topics include: 

Murals and More: Enhancing Community Vibrancy through Creative Partnerships

What Is Innovation? (And Why?): An overview of how to foster a mindset of innovation, with some fun exercises of what blocks our innovative and creative abilities. How teams learn to build a collective view for innovation and discovery.

Group Tour Development: Hands-on Workshop:  Group tours can bring added business to your doorstep, especially during off-peak times. However, attracting group tours is different than marketing to individual leisure or corporate visitors. We’ll get your imagination going and the motorcoach wheels rolling.  

Public Relations

Accessibility in Sports: Tour the Turnstone facility and even try your hand at an accessible sport. Afterwards, hear how organizations are addressing the needs of athletes while creating a welcoming and easy to navigate experience.

Visitor Centers Operations: Tour the Visit Fort Wayne visitors center to learn about their process, procedures and operations. Then convene to share and network with other visitor centers around the state.   

Join Ron Martin, a trailblazer with over 40 years of experience shaping the future of entertainment technology, as he explores how innovation can enhance storytelling. 

In this session, Ron will share how technology—when used thoughtfully—can amplify creativity and bring stories to life without overshadowing them. Learn practical strategies to integrate tools like visual illusions and AI to transform how you connect with audiences. Whether you’re in entertainment, marketing, or tourism, this session will inspire you to reimagine what’s possible in storytelling.

Join this discussion that covers innkeepers tax collection, history of Indiana tourism on a statewide level and covers the alphabet soup of the industry. 

Join accessABILITY in this foundational disability workshop, to explore the influential role of disability history in shaping our current perspectives. Participants will explore strategies, transitioning from ableism to becoming robust allies committed to fostering inclusivity within society. The session will also address models of disability, language nuances, and behavioral shifts, empowering allies with the tools to actively contribute to a more equitable and inclusive future.

Join Sarah Buckner of Hamilton County Tourism as she facilitates a compelling discussion with leaders from Special Olympics Indiana, Arts United, and The League. This panel will explore how these organizations champion accessibility in their work and collaborate with partners to create inclusive experiences for all. Discover innovative approaches, learn practical strategies for enhancing accessibility and gain insights to strengthen your own organization's commitment to inclusion.

This session explains what makes board members engage or disengage in the board room, specifically board meetings, and what Staff and Board leaders can do about it.

Hear an update from Indiana Destination Development Corporation 

Explore how strategic branding, compelling campaign concepts and integrated marketing efforts drive success for destination marketing organizations. Drawing from real-world case studies, this session highlights innovative approaches to promoting tourism, including lessons from Indiana-based projects. 

There is always more we could do as DMOs to raise awareness and share our stories, especially with public and media relations. Maximize your time and learn from peers in this insightful panel of journalists and PR representatives from in-state and out-of-state, where we’ll dive into the intricate journalist-PR relationship and gain tips for hosting and pitching – the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Transform your group offerings into unforgettable experiences! Whether you're hosting 10, 50, or 200+ attendees, the services you provide can leave a lasting impression. Join three expert Destination Services Managers as they share how they tailor their offerings to create memorable visits. Learn how to highlight your destination’s strengths and elevate the group experience, ensuring your location stands out for future events. Don't miss this chance to boost your group sales strategy!

Dive into the dynamic relationship between DMOs and Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) in this insightful panel discussion. Facilitated by Grace Caswell, with two seasoned OTA operators/managers, this session will help to uncover the inner workings of OTAs and explore actionable ways DMOs can align with OTA goals to drive mutual success. Gain a better understanding of the OTA business model, identify opportunities for collaboration and leave with insights to enhance partnerships for greater traveler engagement and destination promotion.

Roundtable discussion as a follow up to the Board Room Engagement Session. This will be facilitated by Erin Hedges.

In 2019, Destinations International proposed that the tourism industry, and destination organizations in particular, should be recognized as a "community shared value" with a mission that is aligned with the community. The era of focusing solely on the number of visitors or “heads in beds” is now over. Investment in tourism promotion cannot be regarded as a secondary priority or a luxury to be reserved for times of surplus. Travel and tourism are essential to a community's survival, on par with education, healthcare, emergency response and utilities. However, for travel and tourism to flourish as a common good, it must be regarded by all members of the community as a valuable and indispensable component of the local way of life - an effort aligned with their values that leverages the power of travel to achieve a community’s goals. And we are not just destination marketers, salespeople or managers; we are community stewards. This presentation will take the concept of community shared value to its natural and essential conclusion—a vision where we act as destination stewards and are fully known, deeply valued and truly empowered.

Legislative update from ITA Leadership.

Come learn from true innovators in our state as they share about how they have worked in their community to foster growth, partnership and collaborations. 

Discover how innovative strategies and collaborative efforts can transform communities in this engaging panel discussion. Three dynamic leaders will share their experiences and success stories in fostering growth, creating opportunities and revitalizing local economies. From small-town charm to urban innovation, learn actionable insights to drive impactful change in your own community. Join us for an inspiring conversation about building a stronger, more vibrant future for all!

The marketing landscape for tourism organizations is constantly changing. Between digital platforms, the use of AI and changing algorithms it is hard to keep up to date. Hear from four Indiana destinations and how they have succeeded and faced challenges in their marketing strategies. Discussion will be facilitated by Dave Serino, TwoSix Digital.