Sponsor: Illinois Restaurant Association

A variety of companies come together to showcase and demonstrate their latest products and services.

Location: Lakeview Terrace

Looking to spend some media budget? Why not snag some incredible media at an incredible price with our third annual ILGOV Media Market? Get your dollars ready!

Join your fellow attendees for breakfast — the setting for many of the day's travel insights.

Location: Aon Grand Ballroom

Coffee Talk | Chris Thompson, President and CEO, Brand USA

Grab a coffee and join us for this Tuesday morning kickoff discussion with Chris Thompson, President and CEO of Brand USA, for an insightful look at what is happening in national and international travel now and what to expect in the future.

Location: Aon Grand Ballroom

Keynote Speaker | Eric Termuende | Life-long entrepreneur and best-selling author

The pandemic shutdown changed the way we work and continues to make filling jobs a struggle. In this lively presentation, Eric Termuende shows how to turn the great resignation into the great reconfiguration. The truth is that the opportunity has never been greater to establish a one-of-a-kind culture that attracts and keeps an incredible team. After all, people aren’t leaving the workforce, they’re aligning with a lifestyle that suits them. This is where the secret to building great teams lies.

In this head-scratching, insight-filled, and unexpectedly funny keynote, workplace culture and future of work expert Eric Termuende takes us on a journey filled with out-of-the-box ideas that are budget-free and immediately actionable as we work to not just survive ‘The Great Resignation’ but thrive through it. Just because there is a national talent shortage, doesn’t mean your team has to have one too.

Location: Aon Grand Ballroom

Speaker #1: Kristie Campbell, Firefly Grill

Speaker #2: Kathy Casstevens, Starved Rock (pictured left)

What does sustainable travel mean?

According to Expedia Group Media Solutions’ Sustainable Travel Study, 90 percent of consumers look for sustainable options when traveling. But what does sustainability mean to them? The study showed that 69 percent see sustainable travel as “lessening environmental impacts” while 66 percent see it as “supporting local economies.” We’ll hear about both perspectives in this rapid-paced PechaKucha.

Location: Aon Grand Ballroom

Sponsor: TimeZoneOne

Guests will be given time to recharge, regroup and proceed to the next session on the schedule. The exhibitor hall will also be open at this time.

Location: Lakeview Terrace

Sponsor: AAA Living

Breakout Sessions (subject to change):

Winning the Sports Tourism Game

Michelle Lupo	Curtis Francois	John Groh	Kara Bachman

Speakers: Michelle Lupo, Business Development Manager - Sports Division, Northstar Meetings Group | Kara Bachman, Chicago Sports Commission | Curtis Francois, Owner & CEO, World Wide Technology Raceway | John Groh, President & CEO, Rockford Area CVB

Sports tourism is back and stronger than ever. But you've got to get in the game to win. Find out what it takes for your destination to attract sporting events and tournaments in 2023 in a competitive market.

Location: Room 201

Sponsor: Northstar Meetings Group

The Perfect Pitch: Working With Freelancers to Tell Your Story

Amy Carr	Lori Rackl	Danielle Braff	Elaine Glusac

Speakers: Amy Carr, General Manager, USA, and Chief Storyteller for TimeZoneOne; Lori Rackl, Freelance Journalist; Danielle Braff, Freelance Journalist; Elaine Glusac, Freelance Journalist

When it comes to writing about travel and tourism, freelancers make up the majority of writers these days. Learn how to pitch freelancers and play by their rules to get your pitch noticed and secure an earned placement in top outlets like Forbes, Conde Nast Traveler, TripSavvy or Chicago Tribune.

Location: Room 203

Reimagining Your Destination

Dave Herrell	Dr. Sharon Suiwen Zou	Chad Pregracke	JD Lorton

Speakers: Dave Herrell, President & CEO, Visit Quad Cities | Dr. Sharon Suiwen Zou, Assistant Professor, Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | Chad Pregracke, Founder & President, Living Lands & Waters and Bison Bridge Foundation | JD Lorton, Director of Operations, Aerie's Resort

How do you take what your destination already has, reimagine it and turn it into a unique and long-lasting attraction? Destination development has many different faces but it all boils down to economic development, growth and sustainability. In this session you'll learn different ways destinations have injected new life into their community from saving historical structures to strategies for rural communities.

Location: Room 205

Settle in for a lunch break in the Grand Ballroom before we continue our day of tourism education!

Location: Aon Grand Ballroom

Breakout Sessions (subject to change):

OMG! Did You See That video?

Teddy Heidt	Alice Goode	Flo Lawnicki	Courtney Viverette

Speakers: Teddy Heidt, Founder & CEO, The Gauge Collective | Alice Goode, Product Marketing Manager, Crowdriff | Flo Lawnicki, Content Creator and Social Media Strategist | Courtney Viverette, Digital Strategist, Spurrier Group

How many times have you seen a video on social media and found yourself going down a rabbit hole watching dozens of others? You're not alone. In today's world of social media, short form video is king. Learn practical tools and tips for creating effective Reels, TikToks and stories to boost your social following and engagement and why it's so important to your social strategy.

Location: Room 201

Access Granted: How to Ensure Your Destination is Accessible to All

Craig Compagnone	Eric Lipp	William Maas

Speakers: Craig Compagnone, COO, MMGY Global | Eric Lipp, Founder, Open Doors | William Maas, Team Lead, Field Museum

Our panel of experts will help you navigate the many needs in accessibility from headphones to special performances of theatre productions to wheelchair-accessible hotels and attractions. You will learn key insights from a recent accessibility and mobility study conducted by MMGY Travel Intelligence including travel booking behaviors of travelers with mobility impairment.

Location: Room 203

The Future of DE&I

Seema Jain	Anui Marwaha

Speakers: Seema Jain, Founder & CEO, Seva Global | Laritza Lopez, President, The Purple Group | Anuj Marwaha, Director of Sales & Marketing, Renaissance Chicago Hotel

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion - three words that carry enormous weight in today's world. Join this interactive panel to gain key insights and learnings from DEI leaders and visionaries in the travel and tourism industry and learn how to increase your 'cultural competency' and ensure your brand is following best practices.

Location: Room 205

Guests will be given time to recharge, regroup and proceed to the next session on the schedule. The exhibitor hall will also be open at this time.

Location: Lakeview Terrace

Sponsor: ADARA

Keynote Speaker | Tyronne Stoudemire | SVP of Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for Hyatt Hotels Corporation.

Advancing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion globally requires a commitment at all levels to create an open and welcoming environment where people can bring their whole selves to work each day – so they can be their best and better care for others. In this timely keynote, Tyronne Stoudemire, SVP of Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for Hyatt Hotels Corporation, explains how this mindset can power your ability to outperform the competition.

In June 2020, Hyatt announced its Change Starts Here commitments focusing on three key areas: Who the company employs, develops and advances; Who it supports; and Who it buys from and partners with. Tyronne will share why and how Hyatt is prioritizing these areas to drive meaningful change for our workforce, industry, and communities – and further support its vision for a world of understanding and care. 

Location: Aon Grand Ballroom

Speaker #1: Samantha Krause, Skydeck

Speaker #2: Nick Nagele, Whiskey Acres (pictured left)

What do travelers want: “iconic” or lesser-known “authentic” experiences?

Do travelers want to fill their visits with trips to “bucket list” institutional tourist attractions, or are they looking for unique independent experiences they can’t find at home? Maybe they can have both. In this PechaKucha, we’ll hear from voices on both sides of the coin about why they matter and what they are doing to attract today’s (and tomorrow’s) travelers.

Location: Aon Grand Ballroom

Sponsor: TimeZoneOne

Close the day by mingling with exhibitors and industry peers you connected with earlier in the day, over appetizers and cocktails at the closing Trade Show Reception.

Location: Lakeview Terrace

Sponsor: Crowdriff

Get ready to dine, drink and enjoy the magic of the city’s downtown nightlife — and even attend a special Broadway In Chicago experience.

After networking at the Last Call Exhibitor Trade Show Reception, attendees will have an opportunity to embark on a Chicago dine-around with colleagues and industry peers.

A MAGICAL CIRQUE CHRISTMAS

7:30PM at CIBC Theatre

The world’s greatest entertainers unite for a spellbinding and incredible holiday production – A MAGICAL CIRQUE CHRISTMAS! Experience the enchantment of Christmas as Magical Hostess Lucy Darling takes you through an evening of dazzling performers and breathtaking cirque artists, accompanied by your favorite holiday music performed live.

DEAR EVAN HANSEN

7:30PM at Nederlander Theatre

Winner of 6 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album, DEAR EVAN HANSEN is the deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it.