Session Descriptions
Wednesday Opening Session
TNHTA CEO Sara Beth Urban's Association Updates
Welcome Remarks from TNHTA Chair Hugh Anderson & CEO Sara Beth Urban; Chattanooga Tourism Co. President Barry White; TN Dept. of Tourist Development Commissioner Mark Ezell
Opening Speaker: Brand USA President & CEO, Fred Dixon
Hear from the leading advocate for the $1.1 trillion U.S. travel and hospitality industry
Thursday Breakfast Session - The Benefits Cliff: Why it Matters to You, Martha O’Bryan Center
There are times as employers and leaders when we simply can't put our finger on what's causing our organizations’ turnover and retention issues. Well, one reason is benefits cliffs. In this session you will learn about what benefits cliffs are, the employee experience, and how it impacts employers' ability to maintain retention and grow their talent pools. Allow Timberley Russell, Director of Beyond the Cliff, to provide insight, inspiration, and implementation options to begin addressing this set of barriers to better retention rates and produce less turnover.
Thursday Governor's Luncheon
Remarks from Governor Bill Lee
Hear from Commissioner Mark Ezell about the growth & influence of tourism in Tennessee as he releases the 2023 economic impact numbers.
Friday Closing Session
Chatt & Chat: Women Leading the Way in Hospitality
Join us for "Chatt & Chat: Women Leading the Way in Hospitality," a dynamic panel event celebrating the trailblazing women transforming Chattanooga's hospitality and tourism landscape. Engage with industry leaders as they share insights, experiences, and the unique challenges they've overcome in shaping the future of this vibrant sector. Whether you're a hospitality professional, a tourism enthusiast, or simply curious about the power of women in business, this event promises inspiring conversations, valuable networking opportunities, and a deeper understanding of how women are driving innovation and excellence in Chattanooga's thriving hospitality scene.
Building an Earned Media Program, Game Day Communications
In this session, communications leaders and allies will review content and earned media, developing media relationships to earn coverage, monitoring and reporting media and will learn about the Sports ETA Earned Media Calculator.
Under the Influence: When Content Creators and Destinations Combine Forces - Odinn Media & Visit Franklin
The era of the press release is dead. With no shortage of media channels through which to reach a traveler, homing in on where to focus your energy can be exhausting. So where do you even start? Tapping into journalists, content creators and influencers who have built-in, multi-channel audiences can be an effective way to reach your target market—while building your destination’s owned media catalog—with massive long-tail marketing potential.
In this breakout session, tourism pros Kristin Luna (journalist and content creator) and Matthew Maxey (Senior Director of Public Relations at Visit Franklin) will share success stories of DMOs harnessing the power of bloggers and influencers to create long-term symbiotic relationships that benefited both sides in unexpected ways.
Unlock Destination Success: Applying Data-Driven Strategic Planning Principles, Zartico
Our destination landscape is changing — it is time to stop reacting and start responding. Dive into the world of continuous strategic planning, where real-time intelligence and a zoom out approach shape the journey to destination success for years to come. Join this session to learn about the four Strategic Planning Principles (Destination Leadership, Demand Optimization, Marketing Strategy & Impact Reporting) and a step-by-step guide of how to integrate this intelligence-driven approach into your own planning efforts.
TN Tourism Team Connect: Highlights from the 24-25 Strategic Plan & Partner Resource Guide, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development
The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development recently unveiled the 2024-2025 Strategic Planning Tool & Partner Resource Guide. This session offers an interactive format, where TDTD team leaders will facilitate small group discussions to explore the different sections
of the resource guide in depth. Attendees are invited to participate in 10-minute Q&A discussions at various tables, each focused on a specific section of the guide. Participants can rotate between tables up to four times during the 40-minute session, gaining valuable insights on how
to effectively utilize the 24-25 Resource Guide and best practices for engaging with TDTD initiatives.
Sippin’ Success: A Spirited Journey with Orange 142 and the Tennessee Whiskey Trail
Join us for a spirited rendezvous as Orange 142 and the Tennessee Whiskey Trail spill the secrets behind their intoxicatingly successful partnership. We'll uncork the tale of how a scrappy marketing approach that helped turn the Tennessee Whiskey Trail into a powerhouse, bringing 8 million travelers and leaving a $3 billion economic tourism impact that's as smooth as... you guessed it... Tennessee Whiskey.
From the initial pour of creative ideas to the intoxicating blend of targeted digital strategies, this session promises a taste of the sweet success that comes with thinking outside the traditional tourism barrel.
Flying High: Roles of Airports in Attracting and Supporting Tourism
Panel discussion on the role Tennessee’s commercial airports play in attracting and supporting tourism and economic development for a region, moderated by Maria De Varenne, Senior Partner at FINN Partners and media veteran and former executive editor of The Tennessean. Conversation will focus on how airports attract airlines to service new routes and what’s on the horizon for Tennessee.
Cultivating a Thriving Workplace Culture
The hospitality industry is facing its toughest challenge yet post COVID. How do we create an outstanding culture in an era over higher costs and rising expectations? During this breakout led by longtime industry leaders Darius McDonald and Greg Bradley, we will explore solutions that will empower you to succeed in building an outstanding work culture that cultivates success and authenticity!
AI – Supercharging Experiences, Storytelling (& Travel)
Since AI (Artificial Intelligence) got started with the launch of ChatGPT, GenerativeAI has exploded into our lives, our workplaces, and across culture. With every technological leap forward, the early adopters explore what’s functionally possible, and later, masters of the medium spin stories and experiences that allow us to lose ourselves within them. We’ll explore the context of GenAI today, how quickly it’s changing, and how AI may be impacting your business at this moment. We’ll look at examples of recent AI work to futurecast where AI is headed for communications, experiences and travel. Brian promises to deliver information around the current and future impact of AI in a way that can be understood by everyone and you will walk away with some ideas of how you or your business might use AI to be more effective.
From Survey to Strategy: Elevating Tennessee's Workforce Across Restaurants, Lodging, and Attractions
The panel will represent all 3 industries: Lodging, Restaurants, and Attractions as well as all 3 Grand Divisions. This session will share varied techniques behind recruitment and retention.
$5,864: Mitigating Turnover Costs with Smart Retention Strategies, Training and Healthcare Solutions for Your Team, ServSafe
Employee turnover is a significant cost for restaurants, often running into thousands of dollars per employee. The National Restaurant Association has identified key products and strategies that can help mitigate these costs, focusing on smart retention strategies, comprehensive training programs, and robust healthcare solutions.
Managing Your Reputation & Reviews Online, Tripadvisor
Join us for an insightful session with Scott Caufield, a seasoned professional with a decade of experience at Tripadvisor, the world’s largest travel review platform. In this engaging presentation, Scott will guide you through the intricacies of managing your online reputation on Tripadvisor—insights that are valuable no matter where you're reviewed.
Key Highlights:
- Insights from the Crowd: Discover what travelers are saying about Tennessee and how these insights stack up against the broader U.S. travel landscape.
- Real-World Success Story: Learn from a compelling case study where a hotelier improved their customer experience and skyrocketed their ranking from 62nd to 1st.
- Practical Tips and Actionable Takeaways: Gain practical advice and actionable strategies that you can immediately apply to enhance your approach to managing reviews and optimizing your free Tripadvisor listing.
Don't miss this chance to leverage Tripadvisor’s vast knowledge base and gain a new perspective on online reputation management.
Kitchen Cabinet Roundtable Discussion
Join us for a dynamic conversation between TNHTA CEO, SaraBeth Urban, and Tennessee Department of Tourism's Mark Ezell at the Governor's Conference. This round table will highlight the mission, vision, and success of the Nashville Kitchen Cabinet program, while also diving into exciting food and beverage/restaurant-specific tourism initiatives and projects happening across the state. Learn more about Nashville Kitchen Cabinet Here.