2024 Schedule of Events

The Destiny and Mercury Awards Lounge makes its annual return for you to take a look at each finalist's submissions, media files, and judges' comments. Stop by the lounge to view the top three finalists from each category in the digital gallery. Award winners will be announced on Tuesday, August 13 at ESTO's Awards Dinner and Presentation. The ESTO Awards enable states and destinations to showcase their creative accomplishments and foster the continued development of imaginative marketing and profitable promotional programs and campaigns in destination marketing. The Destiny Awards recognize marketing and promotion at the city, local and regional level. The Mercury Awards recognize state and territory destination marketing and promotion.

Visit the U.S. Travel Hub to engage with knowledgeable staff and connect with fellow travel professionals. The Hub will have specialty coffee service Monday & Tuesday from 11 to 2 pm, as well as plenty of space for meaningful conversations and strategic networking. The U.S. Travel Hub is where connections are made, ideas are born, and the future of travel is shaped.

Travel is essential to the U.S. economy, communities across our nation, and businesses large and small. Industry leaders will demonstrate travel’s role in economic stimulation, business growth, community development, cultural exchange, and social cohesion. This session will leverage data and insights from the four segments of travel: group, business, leisure and international to explore travel’s profound impact and give concrete examples to ensure that message resonates.

Win the moment. Impress and influence. Disrupt and defy. Inspire and aspire. Overdeliver, outthink, and outperform. Yes, it’s good to be better. But, it’s better to be different. In this session, we’ll dive into why we’re impressed by certain people and brands – and how to capitalize on your own. Join Sally Hogshead – a New York Times bestseller, a Global Brand Guru, and “force of nature” who “changed the face of North American advertising” to dive into what makes us each different based on our own results from Sally’s personal brand measurement, which identifies your most fascinating and impressive qualities. Be sure to take THE FASCINATE® TEST ahead of time to fully engage with this keynote. 

A FASCINATE® TEST code is available to all registered attendees.

Don’t leave Columbus without strolling through the pop-up shop experience, perfect for those searching for locally made artisan objects, retail and fashion items, goodies, and souvenirs. With a rotating slate of vendors each day, shoppers will get a peek at Columbus’ diverse and unique local businesses, including those from the Experience Columbus Minority Business Program.

Collaboration or competition between destination partners is an age-old story. This session will explore coopetition and how to leverage these unique relationships to share innovative efforts, distribution channels, marketing campaigns, costs and risks, and much more. Hear how destinations have worked with their “competition” and the success stories of joint marketing campaigns to elevate not only their own destination but their neighboring destinations to create a valuable experience for all. Hear how destination leaders have worked together beyond advocacy and how to collaborate differently.

Advocating for the travel industry begins at the grassroots level, where local efforts can significantly influence policies and perceptions. This session aims to empower travel industry professionals, destination marketers, and community leaders with the fundamental skills to effectively engage with elected officials at local and federal levels. Learn actionable insights from industry peers who have become advocacy experts so you can walk away with a better understanding on how to amplify your voice, build lasting relationships with policymakers, and effectively advocate for policies that support and promote the transformative power of travel.

In today’s fast-paced business environment, effective leadership hinges on more than just strategic vision—it's also about harnessing the full potential of your team. Join us for a transformative session, featuring Keynote Speaker Sally Hogshead, creator of the Fascinate System™ as she provides insights into her assessment tool as a means to support a people-first leadership approach by helping executives create a common language for their team to skillfully navigate productive conflict, enable clear expectations for the individual and the team, and coach individuals to be their best. Join fellow CEOs and CMOs for an open forum conversation on how assessment tools can help leaders facilitate team development by providing insights that can inform decision-making, optimize team strengths, and ultimately achieve greater success.

In today's fast-paced world, effective crisis management and maintaining brand integrity are crucial for any organization and destination. Join Chris Chiames, Chief Communications Officer with Carnival Cruise Line for an insightful conversation into how Carnival responds to crises while balancing media needs and messaging to uphold its brand reputation. Chris will share real-life examples and case studies on how he’s handled communications for some of the biggest brands in the industry. Whether you're a seasoned marketer, emerging communicator, or business leader, this keynote promises actionable insights to help you effectively manage communication challenges and uphold brand integrity in an ever-evolving world. Through natural disasters, public health emergencies, politically charged challenges, and whatever comes next – it’s imperative for destination marketers to know and understand the strategies that will empower you to protect your destination’s reputation and appeal to visitors.

Minority-owned businesses play a pivotal role in building vibrant communities and inclusive travel destinations. Discover practical approaches for fostering collaboration and partnership between destination stakeholders, community organizations, minority-owned businesses, and travelers. This session will explore a range of innovative strategies implemented by destinations that are driving positive change in fostering a more inclusive and prosperous business environment. Participants will gain valuable insights on effectively engaging with minority-owned businesses, securing funding opportunities, and cultivating a collaborative ecosystem that benefits all stakeholders.