Schedule



ESTO delivers bold content, dynamic learning formats and opportunities to connect and equip destination marketing leaders with insights they can immediately put into action.

Explore the full schedule to start planning your experience at ESTO.

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Tuesday, August 25
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4:15pm - 4:45pm

Concurrent Session: Take Off Talk

  • Lights, Camera, Tourism: How TV Moments Drive Big Bucks
    Franklin 3-4
    Philadelphia Marriott Downtown
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    Do your DMO and state have a hard time winning together? Do you need to galvanize stakeholders behind you? Have you met the power of reality TV? What started with hope and a creative pitch turned into a powerful integrated marketing and PR campaign when we hosted Top Chef. This case study will spur tactical ideas and spew food puns. Learn how reach, impressions and heads in beds led to a bipartisan film tax credit. Get inspired to turn TV clicks into bookable trips.

     

    Takeaways: 

    • Marketing and PR practitioners will learn to implement integrated strategies that convert viewers into visitors and clicks into dollars. 
    • Destination managers will be inspired to capitalize on mass media moments to strengthen their relationships with their partners and stakeholders. 
    • States and destinations will be inspired to work together on any project to stretch their budgets and win bigger than they could on their own.

     

  • The Trust Gap: Why Policymakers Don’t Believe Marketing — and How to Win Them Back
    Franklin 9-10
    Philadelphia Marriott Downtown
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    Many policymakers view tourism marketing claims with skepticism, shaped by inconsistent metrics and inflated success stories. This trust gap makes it harder for destinations to secure funding and long-term support. This session explores why the gap exists and how destinations can close it through transparency, independent data, and economic grounding—equipping attendees to communicate results in policy-relevant language and rebuild credibility with decision-makers.

     

    Takeaways: 

    • A communication framework for elected officials
    • Common credibility traps to avoid
    • Language for policy-aligned reporting
    • Tools to restore trust in tourism outcomes