Program Schedule

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.  

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!

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

Lauran Peoples

Director of Sales Marketing & Business Development

Visit Richmond, VA

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.

Learn more.

Sign Up Here.

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.

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.

Get ready for fast, focused insights in the Solutions Hub—a series of rapid-fire, 15-minute presentations built to deliver real solutions to real challenges.

Adara: The Intersection of TV Viewership & Travel Intent

Visit Milwaukee wanted to measure actual visitation from hosting a major TV show and Visit Indy wanted to maximize the Caitlin Clark effect. Adara helped them both by combining the power of travel data and TV viewership. Join us as we dive into measurement surrounding Top Chef being filmed in Milwaukee in 2024, including top origin markets for those who watched the show, and Indy’s latest marketing efforts to WNBA game watchers. Bonus: Find out how these approaches can help destinations leverage the Mega Decade of Sports, too!

Expedia: More than a Game: How Sports Travel is Creating New Opportunities for Destinations

Sports tourism now accounts for 10% of global tourism spend – and that figure is expected to grow exponentially. From FIFA Club World Cup to F1 racing, and a whole host of other major tournaments happening in the coming months, tourism players are primed to generate greater value and revenue opportunities. This session dives into how sports fans – especially Gen Z and millennial travelers – are reshaping demand patterns, loyalty behaviors and destination choices.  We’ll highlight how destinations can move beyond traditional travel marketing strategies to reach high-value travelers through targeted advertising and engaging content that captures sports-mad fans. Drawing from Expedia Group’s latest global research, we’ll share actionable insights and how to leverage Expedia Group’s travel media network to create end-to-end campaigns that reach travelers wherever they are, whatever the game.

SPIRRA.io: From Transactions to Relationships: Building Long-Term Partnerships with Travel Influencers

The influencer marketing landscape has shifted from one-off sponsored posts to strategic, long-term partnerships that build authentic destination advocacy. This session explores how DMOs can transform transactional influencer relationships into valuable, ongoing partnerships that drive sustained visitation. Using SPIRRA's relationship management and performance tracking tools, we'll demonstrate how to identify influencers who align with your destination's values long-term, track which partnerships actually convert followers into visitors, and structure ambassador programs that provide value to both the destination and creator. Attendees will learn strategies for moving beyond campaign-based thinking to relationship-based marketing, creating exclusive experiences that build influencer loyalty, and measuring the true long-term value of influencer partnerships versus short-term engagement metrics.

Tiki: From Monologue to Dialogue - The AI-Powered Future of Destination Advertising

Traveler expectations are shifting—from passive inspiration to active, real-time engagement. This session explores how AI is transforming destination advertising from static messages into dynamic conversations. Learn how DMOs can harness conversational media to guide, inform, and inspire visitors at every stage of the journey.

Tripadvisor: Tripadvisor Trendcast 2025

The future of travel just landed.  We dug deep into millions of reviews, bookings, and convos on Tripadvisor to uncover the micro-trends and massive cultural swings that are rewriting the ways we go.  Our first-ever Trendcast captures it all—it’s the ultimate pulse check on where travelers are now and what’ll be driving them forward for years to come.

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

Matt Clement

Executive Vice President

Madden Media

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.

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

Janette Roush

Senior Vice President, Innovation & Chief AI Officer

Brand USA

Doors open at 6:00 PM.

Program starts at 6:30 PM.

Step into the spotlight at the 2025 ESTO Awards, an inspiring evening hosted by Emcee Yetta Gibson, where we honor the most visionary minds in destination marketing. Prepare for an unforgettable night where creativity and innovation shines and the powerful ideas that travel connect people to places. Don your most dazzling bronze, amber metallics and Southwest-inspired attire.

Dinner Sponsored by Miles Partnership.

Plated Dinner Menu

Charcuterie Board

-Mole Salami, Spanish Chorizo, Manchego Cheese, Hatch Chili Cheddar, Fresno Pepper Jam, Spanish Olives, Marcona Almonds, Rustic Crackers

Braised Beef Short Rib (GF)

-Boursin Whipped Potato, Broccolini, Roasted Mushroom Cabernet Demi

Stuffed Acorn Squash (V, GF) - upon request

-Quinoa, Roasted Corn, Mushrooms, Onion, Roasted Baby Carrots, Broccolini, Pomegranate Gastrique

Dessert

Orange Blossom Water Macarons

Blackberry Basil Panna Cotta

Lemon Verbena Pol de Creme

Angel Food Cake, Fresh Strawberries

Beverages

Coffee and Tea Service

GF = Gluten Free; DF = Dairy Free; CN = Contains Nuts; Veg = Vegetarian; V = Vegan