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Conference Schedule
We look forward to a thought-provoking and educational conference. Only at the Illinois Governor's Conference on Tourism will you receive the kind of cutting-edge information that will help you distinguish yourself from your competitors! Join your colleagues to hear from a stellar lineup of speakers including, among others:
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Dr. Lalia Rach, Tisch Center for Hospitality,Tourism, & Sports Management, New York University |
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Chris Perkins, Brand USA |  |
Howard Tullman, Flashpoint Academy | |
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Laura Schwartz, White House Strategies |  |
Warren Ribley,
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
Office of Tourism | |
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Jan Kostner,
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
Office of Tourism
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(updated Jan 30; subject to change)
9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Program Sessions
1:45 - 3:00 p.m.
2:15 - 3:30 p.m.
3:45 - 5:00 p.m.
Dr. Lalia Rach, Professor and Dean Emeritus, NYU Tisch Center, Partner, Rach Enterprises
2012 is the year to recapture momentum! Shifts in consumer behaviors and attitudes require different thinking and responses. Do you see possibilities that will move you beyond traditional connections? Are you capable of breaking out of the norm and creating engaging experiences for your guests? Do you understand how to speak and sell to 20-somethings as well as 50-somethings? Success will be the result of connecting challenge to opportunity. Those who act will win, those who wonder, lose! Dr. Rach will share genuine ideas and uncommon sense with her special brand of humor and insight.
Sponsor: Great River Country
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Join us as we kick off the 2012 Illinois Governor's Conference on Tourism with the annual Icebreaker Reception. Mingle with friends and colleagues and enjoy the opportunity to make new acquaintances. Save your appetite because there will be an abundance of delicious hors d'oeuvres, pasta and savory carving stations.
7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
9:00 - 10:30 a.m.
State of the State of Tourism Address
Warren Ribley, Director, Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, Jan Kostner, Deputy Director, Illinois Office of Tourism
Sponsor: Museums in the Park
10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Sponsor: Greater North Michigan Avenue Association
11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
New Tools, Trends, and Technology in Social Media
Howard A. Tullman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy
Sponsor: Chicago Office of Tourism & Culture
12:30 - 2:00 p.m.
Jessica Malkin, Executive Director, Chicago Ideas Week
In October 2011, the inaugural Chicago Ideas Week brought the world's top speakers together with the area's best thinkers to create an ecosystem of innovation, exploration and intellectual recreation. Don't miss this brief (15 minute) presentation by Jessica Malkin - learn and be inspired. Afterwards, you still have ample time to network with other conference attendees, industry partners and exhibitors.
Sponsor: Continental Web Press
Concurrent Sessions
2:15 - 3:30 p.m.
Maximizing Online Travel Resources
Dave Bahlman, Director of Destination, Marketing Orbitz
Mark Mamber, National DMO Sales Manager,TripAdvisor.com, LLC
Brandon Meyers, Director of Destination Marketing, Adara Media
Online trip planning has exploded in popularity. Travel options can encompass everything from online travel agents to social media recommendations and more. With so many factors influencing the choices consumers make, our panel of experts focus on evolving travel planning behavior, and how to reach the right person at the right time, in the right environment.
2:15 - 3:30 p.m.
The Future is Trending Now
Shaun Aukland, DMO Marketing Specialist, Google Travel
No one can predict the future, but following and understanding trends is the next best thing. Shaun Aukland, Travel Account Manager at Google knows a thing or two about trends and is looking forward to sharing these learnings with us. Topics include valuable information about measuring destination popularity, new directions for digital and mobile technology, as well as leveraging the latest innovations from companies like Google.
2:15 - 3:30 p.m.
Partnering Your Way to Success
Moderator: Cory Jobe, Alderman, Springfield City Council
Travis M. Brown, Executive Director, Historic Quincy Business District
Rick J. Gottman, Mayor, City of Vandalia
Kristen Veto, Event Planner and Marketing Specialist, John Deere
Teamwork, collaboration, partnership - whatever the term, it just makes sense that working together yields results. But what makes an effective partnership? Why are some brands a better fit than others? How do you go about linking your brand with another without losing the distinctive qualities of either? For answers to these questions and more, we have assembled a panel of experts who have taken the initiative to join together and found success.
Sponsor: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
2:15 - 3:30 p.m.
Know your Market - Messaging Toward Diversity
Moderator: Daniel Thomas, Founder and CEO, Tourism Solutions
Tom Nibbio, Vice President of Global Development, Out Serve
Mark Revermann, Vice President, Insights & Integrations, San Jose
Rashada Whitehead, Flowers Communication Group
As demographics shift, travelers increasingly represent diverse backgrounds and lifestyles. This offers a great opportunity for our industry, which specializing in making people feel welcome, to better provide for the specific needs of all our visitors, regardless of background. This panel will discuss the types of destinations and services that will encourage diversity, increase visitor numbers and ensure that our industry is at the forefront of fostering understanding and community.
3:30 - 3:45 p.m.
Sponsor: AAA Living
3:45 - 5:00 p.m.
Welcome to the United States of America!
Chris Perkins, Chief Marketing Officer, Brand USA
As we look toward increasing travel, both nationally and here in Illinois, the importance of starting with "welcome" cannot be overemphasized. Brand USA's Chief Marketing Officer, Chris Perkins, will share the secrets of turning a simple "welcome" into a starting point for increasing visitor numbers and ensuring a growing market for years to come. These include the market prioritization process, fueling a brand dialog, the 'multiplier effect' of working together and a wide range of other proven tips and tools.
Sponsor: Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Join us at the Illinois Tourism Marketplace Networking Reception for a sampling of Illinois' finest wines and the opportunity to network with exhibitors who are featuring the latest products and services available to the tourism industry.
Sponsor: J Rudny, LLC with special thanks to the Illinois Grape Growers & Vintners Association
From 7:00 p.m.
Stay in Rosemont or go to downtown Chicago - you'll have fun either way. Take advantage of Rosemont's many fine dining experiences such as Gibson's Steakhouse, Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse, Morton's, The Capital Grille, Rosewood, Carlucci's, and more. Show your conference badge and receive special discounts at participating restaurants. For a complete list of Rosemont-area restaurants, log onto: www.rosemont.com/dining.
7:00 a.m. - Noon
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
9:00 - 10:15 a.m.
Eat, Drink & Empower!
Laura Schwartz, Principal, White House Strategies
As the White House Director of Events Laura created events that represented a nation and inspired the world. Today, as an international television commentator, professional speaker and author of Eat, Drink & Succeed, Laura shares the networking secrets and message of empowerment that skyrocketed her onto the world stage with personal anecdotes from her life & White House years. Through an entertaining, enlightening and motivational program, Laura will deliver her top tools that you can put to work immediately to learn, build partnerships and excel at every turn of the 2012 Illinois Governor's Conference on Tourism and back home in your professional and personal lives. Join is as we all Eat, Drink, Succeed and Empower each other!
Sponsor: Midwest Living and Meredith Travel Marketing
Concurrent Sessions
10:30 - 11:45 a.m.
Media Outreach - Getting Your Story Out
M.J. Tam, Editor, Chicagonista.com
Moderator: Jeanne Sparrow, Host, You & Me This Morning, WCIU-TV "The U"
Randy Mink, Editor, Premier Tourism Marketing
Kendra Williams, Senior Travel Editor, Midwest Living magazine
We all have great stories about Illinois travel to tell, but they won't get out without strong and consistent media coverage. Who better to offer advice on getting your message heard than representatives from those very outlets you need to reach? Here's a great chance to gain perspectives from and ask questions of travel writers and bloggers. It's an inside scoop on how to make sure that your story gets the coverage it deserves.
Sponsor: Illinois Country Living
10:30 - 11:45 a.m.
Teaming Up to Promote Cultural Destinations
Moderator: Brett Stawar, President & Chief Executive Officer, Alton Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau
David Blanchette, Communications Manager, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
Ana B. Koval, AICP, President & Chief Executive Officer, Canal Corridor Association
Kay Smith, Interim Executive Director, Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition
From museums large and small to architectural wonders and sites that bring history alive, fantastic cultural destinations abound throughout Illinois. The question is how to best market them to new generations of travelers who may not yet know that so many of these treasures are just around the corner. One solution is for smaller destinations to team up to create a larger getaway itinerary. Our panel of heritage and cultural tourism experts will explore this and other ideas for promoting our history.
Sponsor: Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway
10:30 - 11:45 a.m.
Advocacy: Becoming a Priority Instead of a Casualty
Tammy Blount, President & CEO, Monterey County CVB, Co-Chair DMAI Advocacy Committee
Jack Johnson, Senior Vice President, Government & Partnership Relations, Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau
Roger Rickhard, Partner and Chief Advocate, Revent LLC, Founder, Voices in Advocacy
With destination marketing budgets facing increased competition from other government priorities for funding, it is more critical than ever for tourism and travel organizations to be a constant advocate for the travel industry and the dedication of sales and marketing dollars. This session brings together three members of the Destination Marketing Association International's (DMAI) Advocacy Committee including the author of the "DMO Advocacy Toolkit." It will provide information gleaned from the toolkit and individual experiences on the key elements of an advocacy plan, how to identify key stakeholders, communicating the value of travel & tourism, developing strategies and tactics, easing your way into the political process, forming coalitions, reaching influencers as well as discuss some of the successes and failures of highly effective advocates.
10:30 - 11:45 a.m.
7 Ways to Convince Management that Social Media has an ROI
Bill Geist, President, Zeitgeist Consulting
If promoting travel through social media is here to stay (and it is) it's vital that distinct results can be shown by taking advantage of this new technology. Travel consultant and author, Bill Geist, will demonstrate how Return on Investment (ROI) can be achieved and measured. Bill brings his vast travel industry experience and innovative approach together to discuss the four T's - Tourism, Trends, Tactics and Technology!
Noon - 1:30 p.m.
Join us at the 2012 Illinois Excellence in Tourism Awards Luncheon as we pay tribute to our industry colleagues who have attained high standards of excellence with their innovative, forward-thinking tourism practices.
Sponsors: Madden Media and
Orbitz
Questions about the conference? Contact Julie Elmore at jelmoreiccvb@yahoo.com or (630) 730-1780.
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