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In today’s environment, even the strongest brands can’t stand still. Audiences are shifting, expectations are rising and loyalty is harder than ever to earn. From legacy franchises to emerging leagues, sports organizations are being forced to adapt in real time — balancing tradition with reinvention while performing under constant public scrutiny. This conversation brings together leaders from across the sports landscape to explore what it takes to stay relevant, build passionate communities and lead through constant change. From evolving fan expectations to organizational agility and cultural relevance, these executives will share how they are navigating disruption while continuing to grow, innovate and inspire loyalty. For destination leaders facing many of the same pressures, this session offers a fresh perspective on resilience, reinvention and leading when the landscape won’t stop shifting.

When state tourism offices, destination organizations, and airports align around shared data, strategy, and storytelling, the impact extends far beyond visitation. It influences air service development, funding conversations, economic growth, and resident sentiment.This panel brings together executive leaders from Colorado Tourism Office, Visit Denver, and Denver International Airport to share how cross-entity collaboration drives measurable outcomes across a destination ecosystem.

In the current global landscape, the challenges we face as destination leaders are no longer unique to travel. From the volatility of consumer sentiment to the rapid acceleration of digital expectations, the forces disrupting our industry are the same forces reshaping the global economy. To secure our next breakthrough, we must look beyond our own industry. This executive forum brings together the strategic architects behind some of the world’s most resilient retail, technology, and lifestyle brands to discuss the mandate for continuous evolution. We will move beyond identifying market trends to deconstructing the agility required to lead a brand through total industry transformation. Hear how destinations can translate global business innovations into a sustained competitive advantage, ensuring our destinations remain essential anchors in the lives of the modern consumer.

DMOs are under pressure to adopt AI, yet many lack a clear path from experimentation to operational impact. This peer-to-peer roundtable grounds the conversation in Visit Mesa’s AI roadmap, including what worked and what did not. Then the session shifts to facilitated discussion so attendees can compare approaches, address stakeholder expectations, connect AI efforts to ROI, and identify realistic next steps they can implement immediately.

Destination marketing works best when states and local DMOs are aligned — but in reality, competing priorities, funding structures, brand ownership and political dynamics often create friction behind the scenes.This hybrid session will begin with a candid conversation exploring where collaboration actually works, what commonly breaks alignment and how destination organizations can better navigate shared goals around tourism growth, air service, major events, advocacy and destination positioning.The second half of the session will shift into peer discussion at their tables, giving attendees the opportunity to openly share challenges, compare approaches and exchange practical strategies for building stronger state and local partnerships in increasingly complex environments.

Destinations often look only to each other for inspiration, leading to similar strategies and diminishing impact. This session explores how high-performing brands outside tourism—such as retail, real estate, ecommerce, autonomous vehicles, and higher education—drive desire, trust, and conversion, featuring insights from industry experts and a destination applying these ideas. Attendees will learn how to adapt proven strategies to elevate destination marketing in scalable, practical ways.

Join Expedia Group Advertising to discover what resonates most with today’s travelers. Drawing on the Science of Wanderlust research, you’ll see how partners are creating content that inspires, builds trust, and drives bookings - from short-form videos to inclusive and authentic storytelling. Learn actionable strategies for leveraging AI, media networks, and creative partnerships to deliver measurable results across the entire traveler journey.