THE EVENT
The explosion of marketing technology presents tourism marketers with newfound challenges and enormous opportunities. The Marketing Leadership Summit will connect destination marketers with the products, services, people and ideas that will help them thrive in a rapidly evolving and highly competitive global marketplace.
The summit will feature a robust educational program focusing on the trends and technologies that will transform tourism marketing in the next three to five years.
THE LOCATION
Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center
The 4-star Gaylord Palms offers live nightly entertainment, a waterslide and separate children’s and adults swimming pools. The hotel also features a sand beach play area, waterfalls and on-site boutique shops. Elegant gardens and a full-service spa are available and the spacious rooms provide views of the city or atriums. Book your room here by January 30, 2020. If sold out, nearby hotels can be found here.
WHAT ARE THEY SAYING?
“In todays rapidly evolving marketplace it is really important for tourism marketers to take a step back and look at the marketing tools and technologies that are going to impact travel planning 3-5 years down the road.” -Rob Torres, Managing Director Travel, Google
“I look forward to a thought-provoking, inspiring conference focused on the trends and technologies that are going to impact destination marketers in the next three to five years.” -Steve Hayes, President and CEO of Visit Pensacola
“This is a can’t miss event for destination markers! A forum to gain and share cutting edge insights along with dedicated time with topical experts to brainstorm innovative ideas to move our business strategy forward.” – Scott Schult, Executive Vice President, Visit Myrtle Beach
OUR 2020 SPONSORS
2020 AGENDA OVERVIEW
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
9:00 am – 2:00 pm
9:30 am – 11:30 am
Active America India Workshop
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Active America China Workshop, Sponsored by COTTM
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Registration
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Marketing Q&A with Duncan Wardle
4:15 pm – 5:30 pm
Appointments
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Opening Reception, Sponsored by Experience Kissimmee
Thursday, February 20, 2020
8:30 am – 9:30 am
Robert Patterson, MMGY Global; Jan Kroells, Bloomington CVB; Christine Spencer, Philadelphia CVB; Andrew Wilson, Atlanta CVB: The UX Struggle is Real Panel
9:30 am – 10:00 am
Amir Eylon: Waiter, there’s a Tourist in my Soup! Understanding Resident Sentiment
10:30 am – 12:30 pm
Appointments
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
Networking Lunch on Trade Show Floor
1:30 pm – 2:15 pm
Duncan Wardle Keynote: Creating Relationship Magic!
2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Appointments
4:45 pm – 6:30 pm
Featured Speaker President Barack Obama With Entertainment From Blue Man Group, Sponsored by Travel Leaders Corporate, Detroit Metro CVB and Visit Tampa Bay
7:00 pm
Top Women in Travel Awards Dinner, in Partnership With Witti (ticketed event)
Friday, February 21, 2020
8:15 am – 9:30 am
Brand USA “Into America’s Wild” Big Screen Viewing Party, Sponsored by Illinois State Tourism and Expedia Group Media Solutions
9:45 am – 10:10 am
Linda Nazareth: Megatrends for the Travel Industry, Sponsored by Streetsense
10:10 am – 10:30 am
Joey Wilson: How Search is Changing and what it Means for Travel & Hospitality
10:45 am – 12:15 pm
Appointments
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
Lunch + Andrew Davis Keynote: Triumphs, Anomalies & Myths
2020 FEATURED SPEAKER
President Barack Obama
Marketing Leadership Summit will feature a moderated Q&A conversation with the 44th President of the United States, President Barack Obama.
2020 SPEAKERS
Andrew Davis
Andrew Davis is a bestselling author and keynote speaker. Before building and selling a thriving digital marketing agency, Andrew produced for NBC and worked for The Muppets. He’s appeared in the New York Times and on the Today Show. He’s crafted documentary films and award-winning content for tiny start-ups and Fortune 500 brands. Today, Andrew Davis teaches business leaders how to grow their businesses, transform their cities, and leave their legacy.
Duncan Wardle
Having worked for The Walt Disney Company for some 25 years, Duncan Wardle now serves as an independent innovation and design thinking consultant, helping companies embed a culture of innovation and creativity across their entire organization. Leveraging a unique Design Thinking process, Duncan’s clients include Coca Cola, Disney, Forbes, Ford, Johnson & Johnson, McKinsey and the NBA.
Linda Nazareth
Linda Nazareth is an economist, futurist and expert on the future of work. The author of four books, the most recent of which is Work Is Not a Place: Our Lives and Our Organizations in the Post-Jobs Economy (2018) she is also a regular columnist for the Globe and Mail. As a sought-after keynote speaker, Linda’s audiences have spanned a range of audiences and have included clients such as The Economist Magazine, American Express, E & Y and the Bank of Montreal all of whom have benefitted from the way that she can take huge ideas and distill them into information that organizations can use for their own strategic planning purposes.
Amir Eylon
Amir leads the team responsible for the development and execution of all facets of the organization from program development to customer acquisition and retention.
He joined Longwoods in 2015 from his previous role as Vice President, Partner Engagement with Brand USA. He led the team responsible for helping to increase Brand USA’s partnership base and ensuring that participants received excellent service throughout Brand USA’s deployment of joint marketing programs.
Joey Wilson
Joey Wilson is Chief Strategy & Performance Officer at Razorfish. He is responsible for driving growth for clients across strategy, marketing activation, media, CRM & loyalty, and experiences. He has led clients such as Carnival Cruise Lines, Citibank, Orange Theory Fitness, AutoNation, and Visa during his 18 years at the company. Wilson is a native of South Carolina, but resides in Miami with his wife, 7 year old twins, and a slighty nutty Doberman.
Robert Patterson
With 20 years of travel, hospitality and online marketing experience, Robert leads MMGY’s marketing technology team to influence consumer behavior and optimize user experiences in order to generate economic impact. He has spearheaded digital strategy for clients such as Lufthansa, Marriott Resorts and the Destination DC. Robert was named to the Skift30, a list of the travel industry’s top influencers in digital marketing and is frequently a featured speaker at industry conferences.
DESTINATION MARKETERS
Connect with the products, services, people and ideas that you need to thrive in todays rapidly evolving marketplace. Learn how emerging technology is going to impact how you connect with and influence your customers and communities in the future.
Marketer Registration: $495
SUPPLIERS
The Marketing Leadership Summit will feature Connect’s signature reverse-style trade show featuring prescheduled one on one meetings with marketing decision makers in a more efficient and effective process to expedite the sales process and close business. Take advantage of 20-25 guaranteed appointments with marketing decision makers who have a minimum marketing spend of $1 million. Supplier Registration: $3,950
Connect Travel Cancellation Policy:
Connect Travel requires registration to be paid in full to access any live event. Any special billing or payment arrangement must be made in writing and agreed upon between Connect Travel management and the client seeking event access. Please see below for cancellation policy.
Cancellations requested inside of 30 days to event date – Client forfeits 100% of registration fee. Cancellations requested 31-90 days prior to event date – Client forfeits 50% of registration fee and the remaining 50% can be used towards a new product purchase in the same calendar year. Cancellations requested over 90 days to the event date – Client may apply 100% of the registration fee to a new product purchase or service in the same calendar year.
Photo Release:
Connect and its legal representatives and assigns, retain the right and permission to publish, without charge, photographs taken during this event. These photographs may be used in publications, including electronic publications, or in audio-visual presentations, promotional literature, advertising, or in other similar ways.
Medical Release:
With registration, the attendee agrees and acknowledges they are participating in the conference on their own free will. While Connect does its best to provide the safest possible environment for the events, the attendee acknowledges freely and knowingly that as a result of their registration and participation, they hereby assume responsibility for their own well-being and safety, releasing Connect of any harm.