Key Dates

While you’ve likely media trained your executives, have you thought about how to amplify their thought leadership on social media? Think beyond preparing your leadership team for broadcast interviews and board meetings, and make sure they’re leveraging their expertise and role as a spokesperson for your destination online, via their personal social media.

While LinkedIn isn’t the channel to promote itineraries and travel deals, it is the place to stay in front of tour operators, meeting planners, hotel partners, board members and other local stakeholders so that your destination organization’s accomplishments stay top of mind.

Sharing media results, announcing new properties, highlighting visitor arrivals and spending data, and simply reminding people to take their PTO can be great content for executives (or yourself) to share on LinkedIn, personifying your organization and keeping the networking wheel turning.

If you’re a travel writer, this session is for you as well: we’re customizing our examples so you can learn how to amplify your articles and interviews through LinkedIn, and drive travel trend conversations to stay top of mind with potential sources for your stories, hosts for press trips or to land new assignments.

Join this session if any of the below statements apply:

– Your DMO isn’t active on LinkedIn

– Your DMO is active on LinkedIn, but individual colleagues don’t personalize content

– You understand the importance of thought leadership on LinkedIn but can’t get your leadership to buy in from their personal profiles

– You think executive LinkedIn training should be woven in your DMO’s media training sessions

– You are a travel writer looking to amplify your articles and publication, and stay top-of-mind with potential sources or land new assignments

– You’re looking for tips to make LinkedIn content creation efficient and easy

As LinkedIn doubles down on creator content – following in the footsteps of other platforms – make sure you and your organization aren’t missing opportunities for team members and executives to tailor key messaging for their personal pages.

Speakers: Karyl Leigh Barnes, President, Development Counsellors International
Hanna Gbordzoe, Vice President of Social Media, Development Counsellors International

Join National Geographic photographer and filmmaker Ami Vitale for an inspiring session focused on enhancing your visual storytelling skills. Ami will share practical tips and techniques to help you create beautiful and compelling images that communicate powerful narratives. Whether you're just starting out or are an experienced photographer, this session will explore how to forge deeper connections with your subjects and craft visuals that truly resonate with your audience.

Speaker: Ami Vitale, National Geographic Photographer and Filmmaker

Travel writers don’t just describe the world—they help shape how it’s seen. In this panel, experienced journalists and storytellers will explore what it means to decolonize your craft: from the sources you interview to the language you choose and the stories you prioritize. Through real-world examples and tactical guidance, this session challenges outdated tropes, examines the ethics of representation, and equips writers to approach their work with more responsibility and respect. This isn’t about theory—it’s about evolving your practice.

Speakers: Imani Bashir, Travel Journalist
Melody Baetens, Restaurant Critic/Reporter, The Detroit News​
Roni Weiss, Executive Director, Travel Unity
Tianna Yellow Hair, Tatanka Rez Tourz

Want your travel photography to get more recognition—and revenue? This session breaks down the strategies behind winning major photo competitions and building a body of work that sells. Learn how judges evaluate submissions, how to refine your visual storytelling, and how to present your work professionally to editors, clients, and consumers. Whether you're aiming to boost your profile, land assignments, or monetize your archive, you’ll walk away with practical guidance to elevate both the artistry and marketability of your images.

Speaker: Bob Holmes, Award-Winning Photographer

Press trips aren't what they used to be—and that’s a good thing. In a world of shrinking editorial budgets, rising DEI expectations, and hyper-curated brand storytelling, these experiences are more strategic, more targeted, and more collaborative than ever.
In this candid conversation between a veteran travel journalist and a PR professional who designs press trips for DMOs, hotels, airlines, and tour companies, we’ll dig into what makes a modern press trip successful—for both sides. You’ll learn what goes into assembling the perfect itinerary, how to position yourself for invitations, and how to craft meaningful coverage that aligns with your editorial voice and the host brand’s goals.

Topics include:

• How press trips are evolving in 2025: smaller groups, niche themes, more deliverables, fewer press attending, paid press trips.
• The PR perspective: how invites are determined, what makes someone a “yes,” how itineraries are designed to serve multiple story types and allow free time for journalists, social media expectations.
• Do’s and don’ts for participating in a hosted trip (with real talk about the awkward stuff: communication before/after, group dynamics, go with the flow, do your research).
• How to identify your angle while on the trip and when to pitch; fewer outlets to pitch to
• Attending with or without an assignment; press trip debt.
• Tools and hacks for staying organized, capturing better notes, and maximizing your reporting window.Journalists’ expectations on what is and is not covered as part of a press trip.

Speakers: Sharael Kolberg, Freelance Travel Writer
Adel Grobler, TURNER

Let’s be honest: Pinterest has changed, and so has the way people consume travel content. But one thing hasn’t changed: Pinterest is still one of the most powerful platforms for driving long-term traffic and reaching people who are actively planning their next trip.

In this session, I’ll walk you through what’s working on Pinterest right now, what’s no longer worth your time, and how to take simple but intentional steps to build an engaged audience that converts. We’ll also look beyond pageviews and explore how Pinterest supports real monetization opportunities: from affiliate-driven pin funnels to lead capture and brand visibility that opens the door to paid partnerships.

Whether you're brand new to the platform or have been pinning for years, you'll leave with a fresh perspective and actionable steps you can implement right away to strengthen your Pinterest presence and grow your travel brand sustainably.

Speaker: Allison R. Lancaster, Founder & CEO, Online Business Solutions by Allison R. Lancaster, LLC 

Whether you're chatting with a local artist in a café or catching a quick quote from a vendor on the ‎move, interviews are often where the heart of a travel story lives. This session explores how to ‎ask better questions, listen more intentionally, and gather material that adds depth, voice, and ‎authenticity to your work.‎
We’ll look at what happens before, during, and after the interview, including how to:‎

• Prepare in a way that builds real connection, not just a list of questions.
• Ask questions that invite people to reflect, not just recite.
• Guide the conversation while remaining open to surprises and emotions.
• Handle short encounters ethically—when is it okay to quote someone you didn’t formally ‎interview? Do you always need a name?
• Respect your sources, especially when language, culture, or power dynamics are in play.
• Work quotes and paraphrased material smoothly into your narrative, so the story flows ‎and the people you spoke with come through clearly.
• Follow up with care—fact-checking, clarification, or simply a thank-you that builds long-‎term trust.

This isn’t about turning you into a hard-nosed reporter. It’s about making your stories more ‎layered, more human, and more responsible.‎

Speaker: Trui Moerkerke, Lecturer in Communication and Media, University of Michigan 

AI isn’t the future of travel communications—it’s already here. Whether you’re part of a newsroom, PR agency, or freelance team of one, developing clear, responsible plans for AI use is no longer optional. This session blends strategic planning with hands-on application to help you create AI systems that support strong storytelling, not replace it. In the first half, we’ll explore what makes an effective and ethical AI protocol—including who should be using the tools, how to protect sensitive data, and when disclosure matters. In the second half, we’ll demo practical tools and real use cases—like how saving an hour on audio editing could give you time to pull public records or develop stronger pitches.

This session is ideal for writers, editors, and publicists looking to use AI with clarity and confidence—not chaos

Speaker: Dan Farkas, Professor of Strategic Communication at Ohio University

Aerial photography and video offer one of the most powerful ways to capture a destination’s scale, drama, and sense of place. This session explores how and when to use aerial imagery—from drones, planes, helicopters, or balloons—to create high-impact visuals that resonate with editors and audiences alike. Learn why aerial content can lead to stronger placements across media platforms, how to frame a story from the sky, and what technical and logistical considerations go into getting the shot. The speaker shares real-world examples from two decades of freelance work, illustrating how strategic use of aerial imagery has increased story visibility, coverage, and sales.

Speaker: Andrea Johnson, Photographer and Director

In an era of information overload, data and insights have become essential tools for impactful journalism. This panel will explore how journalists can harness data to uncover compelling stories, provide context, and build trust with audiences. Experts will share practical techniques for sourcing credible data, analyzing it effectively, and integrating insights seamlessly into reporting. A picture says a thousand words, and content is king, but data and research are the foundation that provide depth, credibility and hard facts to back up your writing.

Speaker: Mandi Stefanak, Senior Director, MMGY
Billie Cohen, Afar
Brett McWethy, Senior Director, Communications, Visit Detroit