Program Schedule

 

What to Expect at ESTO

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.

Session Format
  • Keynotes: Bold ideas and big-picture insights from industry leaders.
  • Mini Keynotes: Fast-paced spotlights on emerging strategies.
  • Presentations: Case studies and research-driven sessions.
  • Take-Off Talks: Short, story-driven talks with big impact.
  • Roundtables: Interactive discussions and peer exchange.

 

A Look Back at ESTO 2025

In Phoenix, the ESTO 2025 program set a new standard for how destination leaders learn and connect. Attendees experienced:

 

  • Immersive activations, including the hands-on AI Playground, where marketers explored practical applications of emerging technologies.
  • Fresh networking formats, such as Beyond the Classroom, designed to foster collaboration and exchange outside traditional sessions.
  • Purpose-driven engagement, highlighted by the expanded ESTO Cares initiative.

 

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.  

 

 

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Tuesday, August 19
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8:15am - 9:00am

Concurrent Session: Peer-to-Peer Roundtable

  • AI and Emerging Innovations in Destination Marketing
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    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.

  • Destination Development: From Ideas to Impact
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    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.

  • Mastering Digital Storytelling to Differentiate Your Brand
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    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.

  • Navigating Today's Digital Marketing Landscape
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    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.

  • Policy and Perception: How are Destinations Dealing
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    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.

  • Shifting Mindsets: From Destination Marketing to Destination Management
    JW Marriott
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    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.

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10:45am - 11:30am

Concurrent Session: Peer-to-Peer Roundtable

  • International Marketing and Sales: What’s Working, What’s Not
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    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.

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10:45am - 11:45am

Concurrent Session: Presentation

  • From Clicks to Connection: Turning Consumer Trends into Strategic Storytelling
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    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.

  • How to Market to a Meeting Planner
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    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.

  • Rethinking Tourism: Stewardship That Sustains People, Place & Progress
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    As destinations navigate a rapidly evolving world, the pressure to balance tourism growth with sustainability, cultural integrity and community well-being has never been greater. This session explores how leaders can champion destination stewardship that drives economic impact while preserving what makes a place thrive. Through real-world case studies and proven best practices, you’ll gain actionable strategies in collaborative governance, visitor management, climate action and community engagement — key pillars for building resilient, future-ready destinations. Leave inspired to rethink tourism’s role with a model that prioritizes people, planet and shared prosperity.
  • The New Frontier of Destination Marketing: Streaming Shows & Brand Partnerships
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    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

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12:00pm - 12:45pm

Concurrent Session: Presentation

  • Crisis Control: Mastering the Art of Stakeholder Communication Under Pressure
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    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:   

    • Enacting proven communication practices during emergency situations  
    • Aligning messaging across tourism, public safety and government partners  
    • Striking the right balance between speed, transparency and sensitivity  
    • Building proactive communication plans before a crisis hits 

    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.

  • Rethinking Reach: The Power of Storytelling
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    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.

  • Tourism Reimagined: When Creative Risk Sparks Real Growth
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    In a sea of sameness, creative risk is your edge. Explore how destination marketers can take bold, intentional leaps in visual and storytelling campaigns—without losing brand trust or stakeholder support. You'll learn a buildable framework for testing creative ideas, explore tools to champion bold thinking internally and draw inspiration from proven campaigns that broke the mold and delivered.
  • Turning Consumers into Brand Loyalists
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    In a crowded market, loyalty is everything. This eye-opening case study breaks down what truly drives long-term brand love—from trust and connection to consistency and value. Hear what real consumers have to say about the brands—big and small—they stick with, and why. You’ll leave with fresh insights and practical takeaways to help your destination rise above the noise, grow market share and turn one-time visitors into lifelong visitors.
  • Welcoming the World: A Fireside Conversation with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
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    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.

Concurrent Session: Peer-to-Peer Roundtable

  • From Data to Decisions: Unveiling Travel Market Insights and Buyer Strategies
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    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:

    • Understanding Travel Managers: Learn how their sourcing objectives and preferences can enhance targeted engagement.
    • Buyer Priorities: Discover evolving priorities to align offerings with market demands and boost competitiveness.
    • Effective Sourcing Strategies: Stay updated on buyer trends and tailor your approach with proven sourcing methods to meet travel managers' expectations.
    • Adaptation to Market Changes: See how AI and automation can help you outpace demand changes.

    To foster more focused, meaningful conversation, registration is capped at 60 participants.

    Advance RSVP required through your personalized schedule.