11 a.m.–5 p.m. | Registration
Location: Triumph Ballroom Prefunction
1–1:15 p.m. | Conference Welcome
Location: Triumph Ballroom
Speakers:
- Jay Markwalter, TMP, Statewide Tourism Director, Explore Georgia, Georgia Department of Economic Development
- William Pate, President and CEO, Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Teri Agosta, General Manager, Signia by Hilton Atlanta
1:15–2 p.m. | General Session - Can Georgia’s Travel Industry Defy Economic Gravity?
Location: Triumph Ballroom
Sponsored by Miles Partnership
Speaker: Zeek Coleman, Vice President, Americas, Tourism Economics
While recession tremors and persistent inflation threaten continued growth, a soft landing in 2024 is a welcome reality. We’ll dive into the state of the economy, the mindset of travelers, and expectations for travel’s trajectory in the year to come.
2–2:30 p.m. | Refreshment Break
Location: Triumph Ballroom Prefunction
Sponsored by Georgia EMC
2:35–3:35 p.m. | Afternoon Breakout Sessions - choose one of the following:
Weird and Wonderful: Navigating the Art of Brand Differentiation
Location: Magnificent 1
Sponsored by Atlas Obscura
Speaker: Jacquelyn Blackwell, Director of Tourism Brand Partnerships, Atlas Obscura
Our industry focuses a lot on beauty: magnificent sunsets and beaches, lush environments, happy people. But it can be challenging to compete in this space, especially with the vast wonders in the southeast. In this session, Atlas Obscura’s Jacquelyn Blackwell discusses embracing the quirky and unexpected to stand out. She’ll share case studies, best practices, and strategies that harness your community’s uniqueness to capture the attention of travelers.
Unlocking the Potential: Navigating the Ins and Outs of Sports Tourism
Location: Magnificent 2
Speaker: Rachel Rogers, Vice President of Sports Sales & Engagement, Cobb Travel & Tourism and Cobb Sports Alliance
Join Rachel Rogers, Vice President of Sports Sales & Engagement for Cobb Travel & Tourism and the Cobb Sports Alliance, as she demystifies the dynamic world of sports tourism. In this engaging session, Rachel will introduce the fundamentals of sports tourism, highlighting its distinct differences from traditional tourism sales and illustrating its significant economic impact with insights from Sports ETA and Georgia Sports reports. Attendees will gain valuable knowledge on identifying and securing events for their regions, mastering the RFP and bidding processes, and leveraging industry tradeshows and networking opportunities. With a focus on practical strategies and essential metrics, Rachel will equip participants with the tools needed to thrive in this lucrative and fast-paced sector.
The Analytic Endgame
Location: Magnificent 3
Sponsored by Tourism Economics
Speaker: Zeek Coleman, Vice President, Americas, Tourism Economics
Two realities face DMOs. First, advocacy is a 24/7 affair requiring steady engagement. Second, more data on visitor markets and DMO activities are available than ever before. Join us as we bring these two realities together with practical ideas on how to effectively leverage analytics to support marketing and advocacy efforts. We'll share real-world examples from DMOs of all sizes, harnessing KPIs to position their organization as an essential community service.
3:45–5 p.m. | General Session - Driving Growth: Benefiting from a United Industry
Location: Triumph Ballroom
Speaker: Ellen Davis, Executive Vice President, Business Strategy and Industry Engagement, U.S. Travel Association
Join Ellen Davis, Executive Vice President of Business Strategy and Industry Engagement at the U.S. Travel Association, for an insightful conversation on U.S. Travel’s latest efforts to grow the industry and increase engagement—including an innovative new membership structure rolled out this summer. Ellen will highlight the unparalleled opportunities to leverage U.S. Travel’s efforts and offerings for your own business growth and engagement, including at IPW 2025 in Chicago next spring.
5:30–9:30 p.m. | Networking Reception - Home Opener: Tailgate Reception
Location: Home Depot Backyard
Sponsored by Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, Visit Macon, Only in Cartersville Bartow, and IHG Hotels & Resorts
Kick off the 2024 Georgia Governor’s Tourism Conference with the “Home Opener: Tailgate Reception” themed networking event at the Home Depot Backyard, nestled between the Signia by Hilton Atlanta and the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Show your community pride and come dressed in your destination’s swag or your favorite local sports team’s jersey! This tailgate-themed opening reception promises an evening of vibrant community spirit with live tunes from the Macon Music Revue, presented by Visit Macon, alongside a variety of food trucks and yard games. It’s your chance to showcase your local pride while networking with fellow hospitality and tourism professionals. Let’s toast to a successful year and set the stage for an inspiring conference ahead!
8 a.m.–5 p.m. | Registration
Location: Triumph Ballroom Prefunction
7:45–8:45 a.m. | Networking Breakfast – Tourism at the Table: Exploring Career Paths in Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality
Location: Magnificent 1
Sponsored by Blue Ridge
Speaker: Explore Georgia
Whether you’re a student, new to the industry, looking to level up your career, or searching for future talent, this breakfast breakout provides a unique platform to build valuable connections and gain insights to help you succeed in one of Georgia’s leading industries. Connect with tourism and hospitality industry professionals and engage in meaningful conversations about diverse career paths, skill development, and career advancement strategies. You’ll also discover resources, programs, and opportunities to support your professional journey in the travel and tourism sector.
9–10 a.m. | AI-Powered Southern Hospitality: Discover Your Tourism Superpower
Location: Triumph Ballroom
Sponsored by Gray Destination Marketing
Speaker: Cord Silverstein, CEO, Integrate AI and Trainer, Association of National Advertisers (ANA)
Join us to unlock the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in Georgia's tourism industry. This engaging session will demystify AI and demonstrate how it can seamlessly integrate into how you work today, empowering you and your teams to work better, smarter, and faster. From enhancing customer experiences to streamlining operations, you’ll discover practical AI applications tailored to various tourism roles. Learn how to leverage chatbots, content generators, and predictive analytics to boost your efficiency and creativity. Whether you’re a hotel manager, tour operator, or marketing professional, you’ll gain valuable insights on harnessing AI to elevate Southern hospitality to new heights.
10–10:30 a.m. | Refreshment Break
Location: Triumph Ballroom Prefunction
Sponsored by Undertone
10:35–11:35 a.m. | Morning Breakout Sessions – choose one of the following:
Sowing Visitation: Promoting Agricultural Experiences to Boost Georgia’s Rural Economy
Location: Magnificent 1
Speakers:
- Will Bentley, President, Georgia Agribusiness Council
- Jake Carter, Owner and Operator, Southern Belle Farm
- Drew Echols, Co-Owner, Jaemor Farms
- Caitlin Neal, Marketing Director, Pick Ellijay
This panel will explore innovative strategies to leverage Georgia’s agricultural assets to attract visitors and strengthen rural communities. Discover successful case studies, explore best practices for integrating farm experiences into tourism, and gain insights on how agritourism can enhance economic opportunities while preserving the state’s rich farming heritage. Learn how to capitalize on agritourism trends to drive growth and sustainability in Georgia’s rural areas.
What’s New on Google Travel and Beyond
Location: Magnificent 2
Speaker: Kim Palmer, Destination Optimization Program Director, Miles Partnership
Today’s results from travel search online are more visual and transactional than ever. How can tourism businesses and DMOs take advantage of the latest tools available on major online inspiration and planning platforms to attract and convert customers? Learn how Google, Tripadvisor, and others are addressing users’ changing needs by leaning into visual content and AI to help travelers find their next destination. Discover strategies to optimize your content as generative AI fundamentally changes how we search for travel.
AI in Action: Hands-On Tourism Transformation (Laptop Required)
Location: Magnificent 3
Speaker: Cord Silverstein, CEO, Integrate AI and Trainer, Association of National Advertisers (ANA)
Immerse yourself in an interactive breakout session designed to give you hands-on experience with artificial intelligence. It does not matter if you have zero experience or an AI expert, all who attend will walk out with a much greater understanding of how to use and integrate AI into their work. You’ll receive a custom AI prompt library, and working with popular AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, and Copilot, you’ll learn how to personalize these prompts to address your unique challenges and goals. This practical session will guide you through the process of engaging with AI, providing feedback to refine outputs, and iterating to achieve optimal results. You’ll walk away with practical skills and personalized prompts that you can immediately apply to your work, unlocking enormous value for your organization and transforming the way you approach tourism in the AI age.
11:45 a.m.–1:15 p.m. | Lunch – Recipe for Growth: Cultivating Diverse Storytelling and Creative Entrepreneurship
Location: Triumph Ballroom
Sponsored by East Point Convention and Visitors Bureau
Speaker: Sucheta Rawal, Food & Travel Writer/Author/Speaker
Atlanta-based food and travel writer Sucheta Rawal shares her personal journey of how she navigated opportunities from corporate to media, came to appreciate and tell stories of the diverse cultures and backgrounds in her own backyard, and why she still prefers to call Georgia home after traveling to 120 countries. While pecans and peanuts may be the best known as Georgia’s leading crops, Sucheta’s keynote will inspire as her tale shows how the state is also producing rich opportunities for diverse populations to grow personally and professionally.
1:15–2:30 p.m. | Peer Open Forums
Sponsored by Pooler Chamber of Commerce & Visit Pooler, GA
Peer Open Forums are informal, yet structured, discussions among tourism and hospitality colleagues. Facilitated by Explore Georgia and Georgia Department of Economic Development staff, these sessions foster conversation across county lines, where participants can share their learnings, celebrate successes, and gain valuable insights and ideas from one another. To promote engaging conversations, session attendees will be asked for discussion topics that address their most important questions.
Please note: Peer Open Forums are for destination organizations, attractions, and lodging properties. They are designed to foster an environment of collaboration for hospitality and tourism staff from across the state. We ask all industry service companies or agencies to refrain from attending the Peer Open Forums. Thanks for your understanding!
Research
Location: Magnificent 1
Explore Georgia Moderators:
- Ashley Barfield, PhD, Director of Marketing Research
- Bryan Berger, Marketing and Research Analyst
Join your tourism and hospitality colleagues from across the state and delve into the latest trends and opportunities for leveraging research to drive tourism growth.
Visitor Services
Location: Magnificent 2
Moderators:
- Ontaria Finch, TMP, Visitor Services Manager, Georgia Department of Economic Development
- Kat Hoyt, CEO/President, Darien-McIntosh Chamber of Commerce
- Kyle Bennett, Tourism Manager, Visit Woodstock GA
- Mamie McAbee, Manager, Augusta & Co - Experience Center
Join your visitor services colleagues from across the state to discuss best practices, challenges, and innovative ideas for enhancing visitor experiences in Georgia.
Marketing
Location: Magnificent 3
Explore Georgia Moderators:
- Regan Young, Brand Marketing Director
- Janet Louboutin, Director of Digital Marketing
Join your marketing colleagues from across the state to tackle current challenges, share successful strategies, and explore emerging trends that can elevate your integrated marketing efforts.
2:45–3:15 p.m. | Refreshment Break
Location: Triumph Ballroom Prefunction
Sponsored by Carrollton Area CVB
3:30–4:30 p.m. | Afternoon Breakout Sessions – choose one of the following:
Making Headlines: How PR and Writers Can Collaborate to Tell Better Stories
Location: Magnificent 1
Sponsored by Pineapple Public Relations
Speakers:
- Sucheta Rawal, Food & Travel Writer/Author/Speaker
- Deborah Stone, President, Pineapple Public Relations
The media landscape is constantly changing, and so is our work style. Even when you have a great story to tell, how you craft your pitch and what you include in it may determine whether or not it will be published. Find out what are attention-grabbing ways to craft unique pitches, reach quality writers, and organize stellar media visits that earn you headlines each time. In this dynamic breakout session, you will hear perspectives from both a travel journalist and leading media agency, and walk away learning about new tools and trends to include in your PR toolkit.
Best Practices for Landing Movie-Making Impact and Leveraging Location Assets for Tourism
Location: Magnificent 2
Speakers:
- Lee Thomas, Deputy Commissioner, Georgia Film Office, Georgia Department of Economic Development
- Craig Dominey, Senior Film Location Specialist/Camera Ready Program Manager, Georgia Department of Economic Development
- Aaron Buzza, CDME, CDTP, Senior Vice President & COO, Visit Macon
- Lisa Smith, Executive Director, Georgia’s Rome Office of Tourism
- Stacey Dickson, President & CEO, Discover Lake Lanier
The success of Georgia’s film and television industry continues to impact our state’s economy. Join us for actionable insights on promoting your locations for productions, leveraging sites as travel destinations, and harnessing the long-term economic benefits that come from “set-jetting.”
Decoding Website Conversion: Key Insights for Local and State Tourism Sites
Location: Magnificent 3
Sponsored by Future Partners and Miles Partnership
Speakers:
- Gray Lawry, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Insights, Miles Partnership
- David Reichbach, Vice President of Development, Future Partners
Explore preliminary findings on how local DMO websites compare with state tourism sites, including ExploreGeorgia.org. Gain insights into visitor behavior, uncover key contrasts between local and state-level usage, and discover actionable strategies to enhance your destination’s online presence. This session will provide valuable guidance on optimizing your site’s content and representation to better engage potential travelers and strengthen your tourism partnerships.
4:45–5:45 p.m. | General Session – Explore Georgia Partner Opportunities
Location: Triumph Ballroom
Speaker: Miles Partnership and Explore Georgia
5:45–6:45 p.m. | Happy Hour
Location: Magnolia Green Patio
Sponsored by Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau and Atlanta Magazine Custom Media
Evening | Open Night for Dinner & Exploration
Find ideas and inspiration at DiscoverAtlanta.com
7:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | Registration
Location: Triumph Ballroom Prefunction
7:30–8:30 a.m. | Networking Breakfast
Location: Magnificent 1, 2, & 3
Sponsored by Pick Ellijay
Speakers: Partners of the 2024 Georgia Governor’s Tourism Conference
Join us for the Networking Breakfast on the final day of the 2024 Georgia Governor’s Tourism Conference! This engaging event offers a fantastic opportunity for all attendees to mingle, forge new connections, and engage in meaningful conversations with our valued partners. Enjoy a delicious breakfast while discussing ideas, sharing insights, and celebrating the successes of the conference. Don’t miss this chance to connect with fellow professionals and partners who make Georgia’s tourism industry thrive.
8:30–9:30 a.m. | Tourism Case Studies in Partnership: Georgia Department of Economic Development
Location: Triumph Ballroom
Georgia Department of Economic Development Speakers:
- Ashley Barfield, PhD, Director of Marketing Research
- Jay Markwalter, TMP, Statewide Tourism Director
- Regan Young, Brand Marketing Director
- Janet Louboutin, Director of Digital Marketing
- Cayla Cardwell, Communications Manager
9:30–10:45 a.m. | Celebrating the State's Investment in Tourism: Joint House & Senate Committee on Economic Development & Tourism
Location: Triumph Ballroom
Speakers:
- Opening/Convene Meeting: Brandon Beach, Chairman, Senate Economic Development & Tourism Committee
- Ron Stephens, Chairman, House Economic Development & Tourism Committee
- Angie Johnson, Director, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Parks, Recreation, and Historic Sites Division
- Katie Williams, Vice President of Sales, Marketing, and Tourism, The Classic Center
- Kevin Duvall, Chief Executive Officer, Georgia World Congress Center Authority
11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | Governor’s Luncheon
Location: Triumph Ballroom
Sponsored by 365 Degree Total Marketing, Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Visit Savannah
Speakers:
- Governor Brian P. Kemp, Governor of the State of Georgia
- Sydne Smith, Chief Operating Officer, Georgia Department of Economic Development
- Jay Markwalter, TMP, Statewide Tourism Director
- Joe Marinelli, President & CEO, Visit Savannah