Tourism Academy 2022
Full Conference Agenda
The tourism conference for professionals who are transforming the landscape of travel through technology and marketing.
Monday, May 16th (Pre-Conference)
Monday, May 16th (Pre-Conference) 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Explore Dallas With Us
Monday, May 16th (Pre-Conference)
Explore Downtown Dallas on a guided walking tour of the Arts District. Advance registration is required. For more information and to register now, click here.
Monday, May 16th (Pre-Conference) 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Happy Hour
Monday, May 16th (Pre-Conference)
Centric Bar & Grille
Arriving early to Dallas? Join us for a casual happy hour at the Centric Bar & Grille at the Dallas Marriott Downtown.
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1)
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1) 7:00 AM - 8:30 AM
7:00 AM - 8:30 AM
Breakfast & Registration
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1)
Ballroom Foyer & Plaza Ballroom
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1) 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1)
Plaza Ballroom
Kick off Tourism Academy 2022 with an overview of travel industry trends and how Tempest is evolving to support your organization's needs in 2022 and beyond.
Featuring:
Alex Heimann
CEO
Tempest
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1) 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Networking Break
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1)
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1) 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Intro to iDSS
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1)
Preston
Need a basic overview or refresh of iDSS? This session is perfect for new users to understand how iDSS can help you to save time and create effective workflows.
Leverage Your Authority for Website Success
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1)
Lakewood
Learn how savvy destinations are proactively taking advantage of shifts in the online space, increasing their influence, and engaging with more travelers than ever before.
Featuring:
Taylor Ander
Senior Account Manager
Tempest
Integrating iDSS with CVENT
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1)
Pegasus A/B
Learn more about the highly-anticipated CRM integration with CVENT. We'll show you how the Cvent and Tempest teams collaborated to bring you seamless, transparent RFP & lead managment, and collaborate with other destinations about how you can benefit from this exciting new feature.
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1) 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM
11:00 AM - 11:45 AM
Intro to iDSS Sales
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1)
Preston
A refresher on how to manage sales leads in iDSS. Get familiar with lead distribution and take home actionable ways to improve your leads workflow so you can win new business.
Visitor Centers & Inquiries
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1)
Lakewood
See how destination organizations are utilizing their CRM's visitor center and consumer data, to monitor traffic, inquiries, and RFP distribution to improve their engagement with travelers.
Content Planning That Performs
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1)
Pegasus A/B
How do forward-thinking content marketers create content plans that perform? We break down ways to target audiences, craft a publishing plan, and collaborate together to share strategies that are proven to succeed.
Featuring:
Kyle Huff
Content Marketing Manager
Tempest
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1) 11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
Lunch
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1)
Plaza Ballroom
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1) 12:15 PM - 1:00 PM
12:15 PM - 1:00 PM
Lunch Keynote: The Imminent Demise of Unconsented Data: How Apple & Google's Changes Will Impact YOU!
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1)
Plaza Ballroom
Unconsented data has become a major staple in destination marketing. Join this session for insights into how upcoming changes will fundamentally impact the accuracy and availability of your travel data. Learn how you can future-proof yourself against these changes, using data to drive sustainable tourism, equity, diversity and inclusion, and incremental revenue.
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1) 1:15 PM - 2:00 PM
1:15 PM - 2:00 PM
Managing Members & Partners
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1)
Preston
This session is an introduction to managing partners and members within iDSS. Learn to manage terms, dues, and more - plus how to use the Extranet to help partners seamlessly pay invoices and update their business information.
Managing Your Team Activity
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1)
Lakewood
Get an inside look into how destination organizations are using Team Activity in the iDSS CRM system to manage leads, contacts, expenses, and more. You'll also see how feedback from our clients is driving our product roadmap, as we work to constantly improve this powerful feature to support your future needs.
How to Get Your Content Noticed
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1)
Pegasus A/B
Great content can't perform in a vacuum. Learn how marketers amplify their content through savvy SEO and social media strategies, and collaborate with fellow marketers to learn more about strategies that drive engagement.
Featuring:
Kyle Huff
Content Marketing Manager
Tempest
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1) 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Networking Break
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1)
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1) 2:30 PM - 3:15 PM
2:30 PM - 3:15 PM
iDSS Send / Integrate Your Email
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1)
Preston
Have you sent emails with iDSS Send yet? Our CRM experts will show you how to configure approved senders, create and send responsive emails to your audience, and create advanced reporting to identify trends and demonstrate results.
Using Microsites to Showcase Your Community
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1)
Lakewood
See how innovative destination organizations are leveraging microsite technology to showcase niche aspects of their communities, and learn their tips to use microsites successfully in your community to elevate major events, community organizations, and support special audiences.
Publish
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1)
Pegasus A/B
Dig deep into iDSS Publish Proposal creation from start to finish. We'll break down how to create and manage templates, editing proposals, and collaborate on upcoming features on our technology roadmap.
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1) 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Get to Know the Other Pros
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1)
Plaza Ballroom
Get to know your fellow Tourism Academy attendees in this fun, interactive workshop. We'll be getting the conversation going by discussing opportunities we see on the horizon, and sharing ideas about how we can create lasting success for our communities.
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1) 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Gilley's Dallas
Tuesday, May 17th (Day 1)
Join us for an opening reception at Gilley's Dallas. More than just a honky-tonk, we'll celebrate the opening of Tourism Academy with networking, pool, and games.
Meet in the lobby of the Marriott at 5:30 pm and we'll head over as a group.
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2) 6:30 AM - 7:30 AM
6:30 AM - 7:30 AM
Morning Fun Run
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Marriott Lobby
Stretch your legs and explore Dallas with a three-mile guided fun run through downtown Dallas. For more information and to register now, click here.
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2) 7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Breakfast & Registration
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Ballroom Foyer & Plaza Ballroom
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2) 8:30 AM - 9:15 AM
8:30 AM - 9:15 AM
Keynote: Actionable Inclusivity
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Plaza Ballroom
Learn how destination organizations are taking action to make their communities more hospitable for a more inclusive group of travelers. You'll hear how leaders are working with their communities to affect change, and the strategies that have successfully improved the travel experience and created a more welcoming environment for visitors.
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2) 9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
9:30 AM - 10:15 AM
Roundtable: Services
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Preston
How does your services team use iDSS to improve their support for clients and visitors? In this session, we'll collaborate as a group and focus on best practices, tips and tricks, and share ideas on what works among your peers.
Featuring:
Mark Lynch
Chief Client Officer
Tempest
Website Accessibility: What You Need to Know
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Lakewood
Explore and understand the best practices for DMOs and website accessibility with an overview of ADA compliance online.
Leading Your DMO with Analytics
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Pegasus A/B
Uncover practical ideas on how to most effectively leverage analytics to support the cause of destination sales and marketing, and learn how DMOs are successfully harnessing KPIs and market insights to position their organization as an essential community service.
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2) 10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
Networking Break
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2) 10:45 AM - 11:30 AM
10:45 AM - 11:30 AM
iDSS Extranet
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Preston
The iDSS Extranet can help you to maximize partner engagement. We'll showcase the latest iDSS Extranet developments and share case studies and best practices for increasing engagement with your community.
Destination Signals
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Lakewood
Learn how destination organizations are modernizing their membership models by unlocking their website's value through the Tempest Destination Signals program.
Sales & Reporting Best Practices
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Pegasus A/B
Join a roundtable conversation and collaborate with other DMO professionals to share ideas on using CRM systems to demonstrate the success of your sales efforts. Be sure to bring copies of your favorite sales reports!
Featuring:
Mark Lynch
Chief Client Officer
Tempest
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2) 11:45 AM - 12:30 PM
11:45 AM - 12:30 PM
Huddle Up with Sports Travelers
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Preston
Learn how to take advantage of the new partnership between Tempest and the Huddle Up Group’s Sports Tourism Index + Scout™ platform. We'll show how you can connect your iDSS CRM data with this dynamic sports tourism platform which includes benchmarking data, a spending calculator for your events, and search tools to find and land more business for your destination.
Where to Find Creative Inspiration
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Lakewood
See how the best creative marketing teams find inspiration for groundbreaking campaigns that evoke wanderlust and create an emotional connection with audiences.
Featuring:
Michael Tripi
Creative Director
Tempest
Roundtable: Members & Partners
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Pegasus A/B
What's the best way to engage with your members and partners? In this collaborative conversation, we'll connect as a group and discuss ways teams across destination organizations can use the iDSS CRM to engage with their members and partners.
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2) 12:30 PM - 1:00 PM
12:30 PM - 1:00 PM
Lunch
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Plaza Ballroom
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2) 1:00 PM - 1:45 PM
1:00 PM - 1:45 PM
Lunch Keynote: Music, Math, and Marketing
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Plaza Ballroom
We often refer to activities or personalities as either left brain (analytical) or right brain (creative). Adam is convinced this binary paradigm is wrong, with growing scientific evidence debunking the independence of artistic expression and linear thinking.
In this keynote, discover a new strain of research on the importance of bringing music and math together in the pursuit of better marketing — with important implications for how we approach these integrated functions within a DMO.
Featuring:
Adam Sacks
President
Tourism Economics
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2) 2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
Intro to Google Analytics 4
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Preston
Join us for an introduction to GA4, the newest data model from Google, set to replace Universal Analytics in July of 2023. Explore the program's features and best practices for tracking user engagement and insights into your website's performance.
iDSS API
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Lakewood
Learn about how destination organizations are leveraging one of the CRM's most powerful and flexible tools: the open API. From integrating forms and event calendars to distribution list and meeting space management, see how fellow marketers are streamlining their systems and empowering their teams.
iDSS Admin
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Pegasus A/B
With so many options to customize iDSS, admin-specific workflows are critical. Collaborate with other destination organization professionals and learn how they use admin workflows to improve their CRM processes.
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2) 2:45 PM - 3:15 PM
2:45 PM - 3:15 PM
Networking Break
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2) 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
Attend
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Preston
See the exciting new tools we're building into the CRM Attend feature. This all-new housing and registration platform will revolutionize how you are managing event registration, supporting delegates, and reporting on the impact of your events.
CRM Refresh
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Lakewood
Have you thought about refreshing your iDSS instance? Our team will walk you through the best practices when approaching a full CRM data cleanse, along with sharing a recent client case study.
Is a Booking Engine Right for You?
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Pegasus A/B
Learn how savvy destination organizations are using modern reservation technology to connect travelers to hotel and short-term rental inventory. We'll break down the options, and show you how different destinations are using booking technology to drive economic impact for their communities.
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2) 4:15 PM - 5:00 PM
4:15 PM - 5:00 PM
Lend a Hand and Give Back to Dallas
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Plaza Ballroom
Help us give back to our host community by volunteering to support POETIC, a group supporting girls who have experienced child maltreatment, commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking through trauma therapy, art and music therapy, education, and career development.
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2) 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Dinner on Your Own
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Experience Dallas' superb dining scene. Then head to the big Tourism Academy Party at 8:00 pm.
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2) 8:00 PM - 11:59 PM
8:00 PM - 11:59 PM
Party at The Studio at The Factory in Deep Ellum
Wednesday, May 18th (Day 2)
Bring your dancing shoes! The house band will headlining at The Studio at The Factory in Deep Ellum! Live music, drinks, fun and surprises.
Thursday, May 19th (Day 3)
Thursday, May 19th (Day 3) 7:00 AM - 7:45 AM
7:00 AM - 7:45 AM
Morning Yoga
Thursday, May 19th (Day 3)
Plaza Ballroom
Center yourself on the final day of Tourism Academy with an invigorating morning yoga session. Yoga mats will be provided. For more information and to register now, click here.
Thursday, May 19th (Day 3) 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Breakfast & Registration
Thursday, May 19th (Day 3)
Ballroom Foyer & Plaza Ballroom
Thursday, May 19th (Day 3) 9:00 AM - 9:45 AM
9:00 AM - 9:45 AM
Media & Advertising
Thursday, May 19th (Day 3)
Preston
How are you tracking your media and advertising efforts? Our CRM experts will guide you through best practices and establishing workflows to track your ROI and reporting on trends using the iDSS system.
Great Ideas
Thursday, May 19th (Day 3)
Lakewood
We look beyond the world of travel and tourism to examine successful creative strategies from other industries and discuss how those tactics can serve as a blueprint for innovative and impactful destination marketing campaigns.
Data Standardization & iDSS Insights
Thursday, May 19th (Day 3)
Pegasus A/B
Get an in-depth look at iDSS Insights, a powerful new feature that leverages your CRM data to create dynamic reports and dashboards - all within your iDSS CRM system.
Thursday, May 19th (Day 3) 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Keynote: Destinations International Foundation's Think Tank Challenge
Thursday, May 19th (Day 3)
Plaza Ballroom
Communities with successful destination organizations can compete on the global stage for their share of the world’s attention, customers, talent, and investment, all of which are critical to strengthening the community’s economic position and vitality, providing opportunity for residents and visitors alike. The Destinations International Foundation, in its role to innovate and incubate new ideas for our industry, will work with Tourism Academy attendees to identify one or more key destination promotion community indicators — measurements to determine the progress a destination organization is making towards filling the community need for destination promotion and achieving community well-being.
Thursday, May 19th (Day 3) 10:45 AM - 11:00 AM
10:45 AM - 11:00 AM
Final Remarks and Thank You
Thursday, May 19th (Day 3)
Sit down with a web team member for a CMS "how-to" review or to discuss your website needs.
Meet with a member of our iDSS team and bring your questions about how to best utilize the CRM.
Our Marketing team is ready to meet with you to help you make your destination successful online.