The business of your association; financial status, legislative update and membership update.

Adapting to a rapidly changing industry is no easy feat. Travel and tourism today is constantly evolving, and creativity and innovation are more important than ever. In this presentation, Guinness World Records (GWR) shares how, faced with a declining and quickly digitizing publishing market, it had to embrace disruption and remodel its strategy from a single best-selling book to developing new, multiple revenue streams and expanding its global IP brand presence. Page 3 of 6

Hear from VP Creative, Paul O’Neill, as he shares lessons learned from the GWR journey and get actionable tips on how to lead a company through a fast-changing business landscape.

Local, state and national law makers do not believe reported tourism ROI and economic impact numbers. Yet, as an industry we continue to try to sell our worth using these metrics. This presentation will explain why ROI is a lie, and inform the audience of better ways to sell the value of tourism.

What does the future look like for Short-term Rentals, Scooter and Air Taxis? How does the Travel Industry view compliance for these emerging technologies and what are the benefits or negatives? Matt Curtis will review growing trends of new Short-term Rental models and new Micro Mobility technologies such as Air Taxis, as well as give examples of local government success stories from around the world of Short-term Rental compliance tools. You will also hear an analysis of the growing trend of State pre-emptions of Short-term Rentals and Micro Mobility technologies such as Scooters.

The state of the packaged travel industry, which encompasses both group tour and FIT travel, is healthy and growing according to NTA tour operators. Looking forward, NTA operators continue to see the industry moving forward and gaining strength. But, NTA and its members are closely watching domestic and international affairs.The continuing fluctuations in the global economy and currency exchange rates are impacting international travel. Tour operators continue to adapt and adjust their products and services to meet the demands of today’s travelers.

Now in its 29th year, MMGY Global’s Portrait of American Travelers is the industry’s most respected and illuminating survey of the emerging vacation habits, preferences, and intentions of American leisure travelers. Chris Davidson, MMGY’s Executive Vice President of Insights & Strategy, will share the latest findings from this study, revealing a powerful profile of prospective travelers to the great state of Texas.

He will unveil where these travelers most want to visit in the year ahead, describe their evolving expectations of culinary experiences on vacation, and explain how travel has become a leading source of social currency. Chris will make the case against developing generic Millennials strategies, and he will reveal how marketers should seek to go beyond traditional demographic targeting to define, reach, and influence consumers based more on life stage priorities, interests, and values. The presentation is a must for any industry professional hoping to more effectively qualify, reach, and influence the Texas traveler.

Come enjoy a donut and some conversation with Dan Decker, President & CEO of TTIA. Donuts with Dan is an informal communication format that Dan has used very successfully for most of his career. His intent with this time is to listen to members and answer any questions members may have. The only requirement is that you ask a question, even if that question is “may I have a donut?”

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This timely subject allows tourism organization CEOs/Presidents, Executive Directors and Managing Partners and their senior management teams to more clearly focus on corporate/association, professional staff and community/destination outcomes through mutually-supportive enterprise and personal commitments, and excellence aspirations. Illustrated through the 2020 Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau Leadership Charter, 21 big goals to be achieved over the next 10 years are determined as a pledge to organization effectiveness and community benefit. The scope, benefits, preparatory approach and expectations of the charter are shared to allow for potential application and use.

This training gives DMOs and travel professionals technology tools that allow them to do easy research to understand positioning and competitive messaging. These tools allow you to see what your competitors ads look like, the message they're using, keywords they're bidding on, what marketing technology they're using, and directional budget information.

Gene Phillips Memorial, Clara Wuest Heidemann, and Heidemann Wuest Scholarships to be presented during luncheon.

Scholarship awards sponsored by Natural Bridge Caverns, Inc.

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Occasionally in life, there are snakes that are laying in wait for you. There may even be people who know they are there but don’t bother telling you. There may even be people who consistently push your buttons! How do you handle them? The reality is that the majority of us are perfectly content to simply do our jobs than to tell anyone who we are, why we do what we do, and more importantly, why it matters to THEM. The sad truth is, in the absence of our voices, those who don't know us, don’t understand us or don't like us are redefining who we are. No matter what part of the travel industry you are in, you MUST be Viable, Valuable and Visible to avoid the snakes, the button pushers and attract people to you!

Learn simple, strategic ways to apply the principles of great storytelling to your branding and marketing campaigns. We’ll talk about the ways PR professionals, copywriters, and branding managers are applying classic knowledge to new media to simplify marketing that connects on a deeper, emotional level with your best audiences—and doesn’t get drowned out in a noisy world.

The world of Google is an ever-evolving and critical space for every segment of Texas’ tourism industry. This session will highlight the latest trends and newest opportunities in Google Travel that destination marketers and other segments of the industry should know. In the last year, destinations around the country have become participants in the Google DMO Partnership Program to actively influence their presence in Google’s search and travel planning products beyond paid search and traditional SEO. Learn how their efforts have improved their market’s representation.

Every day we have an opportunity to make an impact. Sometimes the smallest actions have long-term effects that impact people’s lives far beyond what we can imagine. Small, tangible actions can lead to big, audacious moves. Being poised, ready and able to take advantage of those opportunities is vital. And encouraging individuals to think collectively and take small civic actions that build stronger communities and create a more engaged civil society, can benefit us all. Through her own personal journey, historical examples, and relevant anecdotes Jenifer will talk about making an impact, no matter where you are.