What a week! The Visit Savannah and Explore Georgia teams set the bar for a record-breaking ESTO, surpassing the number of attendees we had the last time we were in Savannah in 2010 by more than three times.

From a positive buzz and a shared passion felt throughout the sellout event to world-class speakers, special moments of recognition and more, there’s much to look back on and celebrate. Below are some of the special moments and events that happened at #esto23.

ESTO has developed into the preeminent forum for DMO marketers providing opportunities for engagement, thought leadership and provocative content.  

Note: Places with an * are on The Atlas

Savannah, Georgia is a classic Southern city with a twist. One that’s elegant but approachable. Classy but quirky. Historic but hip. In short, it’s a destination unlike anything else – one that will constantly surprise you with its incredible architecture, lush green squares, unique restaurants, artsy vibe, and fun, welcoming personality. It’s a walkable “bucket list” city that rewards every visit with unforgettable experiences. In short, it’s anything but ordinary.

Unite the team and express what makes your destination unique. Get those matching outfits ready – yes, we’re talking cowboy hats, vests, sunglasses, or whatever floats your boat! 

Our all-new Destination Day competition, sponsored by Tinybeans, will shine a spotlight on the teams behind their destination’s marketing prowess, awarding one DMO and one state complimentary ESTO 2024 registration for two (2) attendees, plus all-important bragging rights for the year to come. 

Last year Grand Rapids rolled out the red carpet for ESTO and over 1,000 destination marketers. This year we are headed to the hostess city of the south - Savannah, Georgia for four inspiring days of peer-to-peer learning and thought-provoking mainstage speakers.  

We take pride in evolving our conference annually based on your feedback, from panelist diversity to the Destiny and Mercury Awards categories. You write, and we listen. Our content is developed by your Industry peers, so we have something for you whether this is your fifth or first ESTO.  

Missed the webinar? Catch up on the blog to learn tips and tricks from some of our ESTO 2022 Destiny and Mercury Awards winners, Nebraska Tourism Commission (Winner of the Mercury Award for Integrated Marketing and Messaging Campaign: State Marketing Budget Less than $10 Million) and Visit Sonoma (Winner of the Destiny Award for Digital Campaign).

The 2023 ESTO Awards Platform is officially open for entries!

Hard to believe it’s time to submit awards again, but a lot can change in a year.  Here is what’s new for 2023 and what you can look forward to:

Flashback to late January, when a group of 20+ industry pros touched down in misty, magical Savannah to set the tone and vision for ESTO 2023. Together, this group transformed an exciting jumble of topics and ideas into part of what makes ESTO so unique—the collaborative, organic and peer-planned way the content comes to fruition. Through rapid-fire brainstorming, breakouts and small table discussions, this accomplished crew of marketers, researchers and communicators from across the U.S. mapped out a robust and inspiring suite of content for ESTO 2023.

Wow - what a time we had together! Experience Grand Rapids gave our ESTO attendees the royal treatment, and we are so appreciative of all their hard work and years in the making. From the inaugural Destination Immersions to the popular beer garden, we truly felt the essence of Grand Rapids.