Each year, ESTO delivers bold content, dynamic learning formats and opportunities to connect and equip destination leaders with insights they can immediately put into action.
In Phoenix, the ESTO 2025 program set a new standard for how destination leaders learn and connect. Attendees experienced:
These highlights exemplify ESTO’s ongoing commitment to building programs that push boundaries and inspire action.
Event Policies
For full details including information around cancellations, substitutions, payments and photography, explore U.S. Travel’s general event policies and ESTO-specific guidelines.
Pre-Registration Required
Join us for a relaxing and rejuvenating experience on August 19th where you’ll flow through a gentle yoga session that emphasizes connecting with the body, breath, and mind, encouraging physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Each participant will be provided with water, a towel, and a yoga mat. Comfortable attire recommended.
Advance RSVP required through your personalized schedule.
Pre-Registration Required
Immerse yourself in the soothing vibrations of our sound healing led by our local sound healer. This experience combines ancient healing techniques with the harmonious sounds of crystal bowls and other therapeutic instruments. End your session with a guided meditation, taking you to a grounded and relaxed mental state allowing you to conquer your week with a heightened sense of clarity and peace. Each participant will be provided with water, a towel, and a yoga mat. Comfortable attire recommended.
Advance RSVP required through your personalized schedule.
Put your skills to the test at the Cadent Claw Machine—where machine precision meets human finesse—for a chance to win an Amazon gift card. Prefer to leave it to luck? Enter our raffle to win a pair of Meta glasses.
While you're there, connect with the Cadent team to learn how we're redefining standards in travel & tourism advertising. We look forward to seeing you!
Step into the ESTO Cares Activation Lounge to continue giving back! Build more kits, connect with fellow attendees, and make an impact in our local community. Whether you’re assembling essentials, sharing a smile, or learning how to extend your volunteer efforts beyond the conference, this is your space to make a difference—one kit at a time.
Destination Services
Stop by for some giveaways, courtesy of Visit Phoenix and Visit Arizona.
Sip & Say Hi with U.S. Travel
10:15 - 10:45 AM
During the break, swing by to mix, mingle, and sip with the U.S. Travel team! Grab a beverage, say hello, and connect with friends old and new.
Continental Breakfast Menu
Season's Best Fruits & Berries (V, GF)
Assortment of Fruit & Greek Yogurts (Veg, GF)
-Granola (Veg, GF, DF, CN)
Breakfast Bakeries & Gluten Friendly Muffin Tops (Veg)
-Accompanied by Sweet Butter, Assorted Fruit Jams
Scrambled Eggs, Canadian Bacon, White Cheddar, Pepper Jam, English Muffin
-Meatless option available on request
Beverages
Coffee and Tea Service
GF = Gluten Free; DF = Dairy Free; CN = Contains Nuts; Veg = Vegetarian; V = Vegan
Visit our Genius Bar to chat with featured AI experts, our featured "geniuses", ready to answer your questions, share tips, and guide you through all things AI.
Table 1
Greg Oates
Director of AI Advocacy
Matador Network
Table 2
Dan Flores
Head of Tourism
Satisfi Labs
Look Sharp. Be You. Refresh Your Headshot!
Make a lasting impression, both online and in person. Stop by the headshot lounge at the top of the escalators during ESTO to receive a complimentary professional headshot, courtesy of Travelzoo.
Whether you are updating your LinkedIn profile, refreshing your company bio, or simply looking for a high-quality, professional photo, our onsite photographer will help you look your best while capturing your authenticity.
It’s quick, seamless, and a great reason to learn more about how Travelzoo supports professionals like you.
The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Playground at U.S. Travel’s ESTO 2025 will equip destination marketers with the knowledge, confidence, and tools to embrace AI as a transformative force in travel marketing and destination promotion. This interactive activation space will blend education, hands-on exploration, and real-world applications to help DMOs understand how AI works—and more importantly, how they can leverage it to elevate their strategies and drive impact for their destinations.
Pre-Registration Required
From visitor engagement to behind-the-scenes optimization, AI is reshaping how destinations show up. In this interactive discussion, connect with industry peers to explore real-world applications of AI—from chatbots and smart recommendations to campaign automation and data insights. Bring your questions, your wins and your work-in-progress strategies.
To foster more focused, meaningful conversation, registration is capped at 60 participants.
Advance RSVP required through your personalized schedule.
Pre-Registration Required
As destinations grow, so does the impact on communities, travelers and the people who help shape them. This interactive roundtable explores how to approach destination development with care—balancing tourism demands with local needs, enhancing experiences and building strong partnerships. Join peers to exchange real-world insights and rethink what it means to grow sustainably and equitably.
During this session, follow along using this link: https://www.scenicsedona.com/hike/
To foster more focused, meaningful conversation, registration is capped at 60 participants.
Advance RSVP required through your personalized schedule.
Pre-Registration Required
You don’t need a big budget to tell a powerful story. In this hands-on working session, the Smithsonian shares practical tips and digital strategies to help destinations craft compelling content that resonates. Get inspired by what’s ahead for the nation’s 250th anniversary—and walk away with tools to bring your destination’s story to life in meaningful, lasting ways.
To foster more focused, meaningful conversation, registration is capped at 60 participants.
Advance RSVP required through your personalized schedule.
Pre-Registration Required
Not all trends matter equally—so which ones are worth your attention? In this collaborative session, you’ll join fellow destination marketers to explore key developments in digital marketing, share real-world insights and discuss what’s moving the needle at the local level. Walk away with peer-tested perspectives you can apply immediately.
To foster more focused, meaningful conversation, registration is capped at 60 participants.
Advance RSVP required through your personalized schedule.
Pre-Registration Required
In today’s climate, political issues can quickly shape how travelers and stakeholders view your destination. This conversation will focus on how DMOs can respond with confidence—using thoughtful messaging, proactive planning and coordinated communication to maintain trust and clarity. Connect with fellow leaders to exchange best practices and hear how others are navigating shifting perceptions in real time.
To foster more focused, meaningful conversation, registration is capped at 60 participants.
Advance RSVP required through your personalized schedule.
Pre-Registration Required
Driving long-term impact starts with rethinking how we lead and manage our destinations. This roundtable conversation dives into the evolution from traditional marketing to destination management and how culture, leadership and systems must evolve to keep up. Come ready to share, learn and collaborate with others navigating similar challenges, and leave with insights to inspire meaningful transformation at home.
To foster more focused, meaningful conversation, registration is capped at 60 participants.
Advance RSVP required through your personalized schedule.
Pause, unwind, and recharge in the Wellness Lounge—your personal reset zone amidst the conference buzz. Sponsored by Simpleview, a Granicus Company, drop in for a complimentary chair massage from licensed therapists and take a few minutes to relax, reset your mind, and release tension. No sessions, no signup—just real relief, right when you need it. Because great ideas start with a clear head.
Step into the Phoenix Pop-Up Shop Experience and discover the vibrant spirit of the city through its local makers and artisans. Browse a curated selection of products from talented Phoenix vendors—featuring everything from handcrafted goods to locally inspired treats. It’s the perfect chance to take home a unique piece of Phoenix while supporting the businesses that make our community thrive.
Chilttepica Products
Family-owned Chilttepica brings the bold, smoky heat of the legendary chiltepin—the ‘mother of all chiles’—to every season.
Grandeur Lathers
Luxury plant-based bath and body care—handcrafted soaps, solid hair care, and lotion bars in sustainable, plastic-free packaging.
Visit Phoenix Pop-Up Shop
Snag desert-inspired apparel, gifts, and goodies to zhuzh up your style and show off your Sonoran Desert adventure.
Retail has long led the way in turning customer insights into powerful marketing—and now they’re pushing even further, building proprietary platforms, monetizing data and reshaping the consumer experience. What does that mean for destination marketers? A lot. In this dynamic panel, hear from leaders in retail and tourism as they break down how to borrow the best from retail to create scalable, standout experiences that drive loyalty, revenue and impact to visitor experiences. Bring home fresh, real-world strategies to differentiate your destination in an increasingly competitive market.
Is the influencer bubble about to burst? Are group tours dead? Is AI really coming for our jobs? This interactive, fast-paced session puts a cross-industry panel in the hot seat to address common rumors and bold predictions shaping the future of travel. Panelists will react to industry rumors live - confirming, denying, or reframing them, and sharing what shifts they are actually making in response, followed by a quick discussion of why, and how they are (or are not) adapting.
Youth sports travel is booming, and destinations are recognizing its value as a high-yield, high-impact segment. This session will explore how cities are building strategies around tournaments, enhancing the family experience, and forming strong partnerships with event organizers.
Visit our Genius Bar to chat with featured AI experts, our featured "geniuses", ready to answer your questions, share tips, and guide you through all things AI.
Table 1
Greg Oates
Director of AI Advocacy
Matador Network
Table 2
Rudi Thun
Chief Operating Officer
Mindtrip
Break Menu
Smoothie Station
-Strawberry Banana (V, GF)
-Pineapple Mango (V, GF)
-Blueberry, Lime, Cashew Smoothie (V, GF, CN)
Beverages
Regular Coffee
Decaffeinated Coffee
Assorted Hot Teas & Condiments
GF = Gluten Free; DF = Dairy Free; CN = Contains Nuts; Veg = Vegetarian; V = Vegan
Get inspired in just 15 minutes! Join us in the AI Playground for quick, high-impact demos showing how AI can spark ideas, solve problems, and supercharge your work. See real-world examples in action, ask questions, and leave with practical tips you can use right away.
Pre-Registration Required
Promoting U.S. destinations abroad takes creativity, coordination and constant learning. This peer-to-peer roundtable is a chance to exchange ideas, share best practices and explore how destinations are engaging international audiences. Come ready for an open, energetic discussion—complete with real-world wins, hard lessons and new ideas to take home.
To foster more focused, meaningful conversation, registration is capped at 60 participants.
Advance RSVP required through your personalized schedule.
As traveler expectations evolve, content strategy has to evolve with them. This session offers a practical framework to help destination marketers turn evidence-based search data and audience trends into smarter content strategies that drive engagement and revenue. U.S. News & World Report will share exclusive insights—from fresh survey findings and site traffic patterns to how their rankings data reveals consumer preferences across not only travel but where to live and retire. You’ll learn how to identify emerging audiences, uncover high-opportunity gaps and create content that meets travelers where they are and where they’re headed.
Marketing to meeting planners isn’t the same as marketing to leisure travelers—and striking the right balance between sales goals and brand storytelling can be tricky. So what actually gets their attention?
In this fast-paced session, go beyond the guesswork with straight talk from marketers, sales professionals and meeting planners themselves. You’ll dig into what messaging breaks through, what creative actually converts, and how to align your brand with the needs of the group business market. Leave with actionable insights to elevate your approach—and help your sales team seal the deal.
Streaming platforms aren’t just for entertainment—they’re fast becoming a powerful tool for destination storytelling. In this session, explore how tourism boards are teaming up with brands like Rivian and Jeep to create compelling content that moves audiences, featuring campaigns from Illinois Tourism and Travel South Dakota, both distributed on Roku through Matador Network partnerships. What you’ll learn:
- How to leverage streaming media for high-impact destination marketing
- The power of cross-industry brand partnerships to elevate your message
- Ways to measure success and ROI in this new media frontier
When crisis strikes, how you communicate can make or break public trust, stakeholder confidence and event continuity. This session explores how destination leaders navigated high-stakes situations — from a terrorist attack in a major city to devastating hurricanes in North Carolina — while ensuring large-scale events moved forward and visitors felt safe.
Through real-world case studies, you’ll learn how DMOs, public officials and partners aligned messaging, managed uncertainty and maintained confidence among residents, travelers and media.
Key takeaways include:
Whether you’re responding to immediate threats or preparing for the unexpected, this session will equip you with practical tools to lead calmly, clearly and effectively under pressure.
In a world where content is everywhere, connection is the new currency. This dynamic conversation will explore how modern storytelling—through influencers, creators, and destination marketers—is reshaping how travelers discover, engage with, and choose their next adventure.
Join a top travel influencer, a destination marketing leader, and a content strategist as they unpack what it takes to craft stories that resonate, go viral, and drive results. From authenticity and trust to algorithm-friendly creativity, we’ll dive into the strategies that are redefining reach—and what it means for your destination’s voice in the digital landscape.
Over the next four years, the U.S. will welcome more than 30 million international visitors for major events—putting unprecedented pressure on our travel system and infrastructure. Seizing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity requires a modernized approach that balances security, efficiency and the travel experience. During this fireside chat, U.S. Travel and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will discuss innovations—from biometric technology to process improvements—that are transforming the entry experience for returning Americans and international visitors. The conversation will also cover CBP’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, America 250 and the 2028 Summer Olympics—and offer a preview of what DMOs and travelers can expect at U.S. ports of entry.
The world of meetings and group travel marketing is constantly in flux. With data-driven insights and bold strategies, you can turn market shifts into next-level growth opportunities. Dive into real-world examples where sustainable strategies are winning traveler loyalty. Learn how to adapt your marketing efforts and leverage partnerships with tour operators and event planners to remain competitive in this ever-evolving landscape. In the session attendees will hear about:
To foster more focused, meaningful conversation, registration is capped at 60 participants.
Advance RSVP required through your personalized schedule.
Close out ESTO 2025 with bold ideas, personal inspiration, and real momentum. From Capitol Hill insights to courageous leadership, this session is all about turning what you’ve learned into action.
Featuring:
The future of travel isn’t coming. You’re building it. Let’s go.
Lunch Buffet Menu
Market Style Asian Chopped Salad
-Tender Greens, Shaved Carrots, Bell Peppers, Cilantro, Scallions, Crunchy Wonton Strips, Creamy Sesame Dressing (Veg, GF), Ginger Soy Vinaigrette (V, GF)
Mongolian Steak (DF)
-Beef Tips, Broccoli, Mushrooms, Garlic, Sweet Soy, Scallions
Teriyaki Chicken (GF, DF)
-Seared Chicken, Peppers, Onions, Snap Peas, Teriyaki Sauce
Vegetable Fried Rice (V, GF)
-Carrots, Peas, Onions, Celery, Scallions
Stir Fry Vegetables (V, GF)
-Carrots, Snap Peas, Mushrooms, Baby Corn, Water Chestnuts
Desserts
Ube Cheesecake (Veg)
Mango Passionfruit Shooters (V)
Almond Sesame Cookies (Veg, GF, CN)
Matcha Tarts (Veg)
Beverages
Coffee and Tea Service
GF = Gluten Free; DF = Dairy Free; CN = Contains Nuts; Veg = Vegetarian; V = Vegan
Join us for a relaxed and refreshing take on advocacy training, complete with drinks! At Policy & Pints, you'll learn how to effectively tell your story, build relationships with policymakers, and make your voice heard-all while enjoying a beverage and casual conversation.
Whether you're a seasoned advocate or new to the game, this interactive session will leave you feeling confident, informed, and ready to make an impact.
Come for the insights, stay for the sips!
Pre-Registration Required
About the Immersion: Arizona is home to 22 Native American Tribes, each with its own distinct traditions, yet proudly united by a rich heritage, that has shaped both the past and present of the region. This immersive experience offers a deep dive into Native dance, tribal customs, and the craftsmanship of more than 200 Native artisans at the Native Art Market in Old Town Scottsdale.
Be inspired as you create your own authentic memento, such as a dream catcher or beaded bracelet, alongside skilled artisans. Then, step next door to The Frybread Lounge, the first and only Indigenous – owned restaurant in Old Town Scottsdale, where you’ll savor traditional Native American Food and Drink.
This experience showcases, Experience Scottsdale’s dedication to celebrating and preserving Native American culture, fostering strong partnership with local tribes to ensure authentic, one-of-a-kind experiences that connect travelers to the regions’ Indigenous heritage.
Check-in: 2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. at the JW Desert Ridge lower level Convention Center
Buses will load at 2:45 p.m. and depart at 3:00 p.m.
Limited to 30 participants. Hosted by Experience Scottsdale
Questions? Please contact [email protected].
Advance RSVP required through your personalized schedule.
Pre-Registration Required
About the Immersion: At first glance, downtown Phoenix may seem like your typical city center, but beneath the surface lies an explosion of regional flavors and cultural identity – just waiting to be explored (and tasted)!
With more than 85% of the businesses in Phoenix’s downtown core locally owned, the city’s food scene is deeply rooted in its surroundings. Many establishments incorporate ingredients sourced directly from the Sonoran Desert, bringing a truly authentic taste of Phoenix to every dish.
On this experience you will visit some of downtown Phoenix’s most revered restaurants and bars, sampling bites and sips of Sonoran-style cuisine. And while tacos and margaritas may be a highlight, Sonoran ingredients are infused into every facet of the city’s diverse culinary scene.
As Phoenix continues to innovate and expand upon its dynamic food scene, you'll discover how destinations can leverage their culinary identity to drive tourism, create recognition and educate visitors on the culture, history and people behind the food.
Check-in: 2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. at the JW Desert Ridge lower level Convention Center
Buses will load at 2:45 p.m. and depart at 3:00 p.m.
Limited to 50 participants. Hosted by Visit Phoenix
Questions? Please contact [email protected].
Advance RSVP required through your personalized schedule.