2023 Visitor Services Summit

It’s well-understood that destination organizations are not responsible for and can’t control the in-market visitor experience; once a visitor arrives in the destination, that responsibility is [appropriately] ceded to the hotels, restaurants, attractions, retail shops, etc. But the visitor information experience is different, and should not be ceded to anyone, especially internet providers who can't distinguish one destination from another and can only provide a list of the "most popular" things to do vs. the ones that are most relevant to each visitor. The destination organization is the expert and must claim and own that right. Yet far too many destination organizations stop their efforts once a trip is booked and move on to inspiring the next travelers. That’s a missed opportunity, not only for the destination organization, but for the members of the destination’s hospitality industry. In this presentation, Matt will walk us through his experience leading the transformation of the physical visitor information center in San Francisco, and also share how other destination organizations are taking visitor information outside the physical center while ensuring that the organization remains at the center of all in-destination discovery.

Speakers:

• Matt Stiker, Senior Vice President, Strategy, Madden Media

Visitor behavior is changing, and the evolution of the visitor center is changing along with it. In this session you will hear from destinations that have taken different paths but with some common ground. Learn about ways to evolve the visitor experience with digital solutions, new pop-up visitor center models and some of the biggest advantages to leveraging your destinations high-traffic areas.

Speakers:

• Douglas Ralston, CEO, True Omni
• Brad Jones, Executive Director, Visit Bellevue Washington
• Meredith Darden, CTE, Vice President of Strategy, Visit Corpus Christi
• Amy Olmsted, VTA, Luxury Travel Consultant

We are at a crossroads within our industry and the visitor experience itself - does the current technology provide a better way for destination navigation, market retention, and revenue generation for tourism businesses or does the "human touch" through consumer-facing local insiders and bubbly personalities resonate best with the traveler? This session will examine the case for both alongside a hybrid model, while going through a checklist of options and platforms to better understand where your visitor engagement opportunities line up. Gain critical insights into the evolution of visitor demands, touchpoints and how best to apply the latest tools to your destination at all stages of the purchase funnel - from inspiration and planning to in-market exploration and itinerary development.
 

Speakers:

• Elena Prostova, Vice President, New Business Development, Miles Partnership