2010 Speakers

The Conference will host a series of informational seminars on a variety of topics covering marketing trends and Web strategies, key travel and leisure visitation data, and panels featuring state and regional industry experts and decision makers. A networking luncheon kicks off the event with a keynote address and welcoming remarks by industry experts and regional business leaders.

For a complete listing of seminars and workshops from the 2010 Conference, click here. 

Featured Speakers Include Connecticut's Gubernatorial Candidates;
Bill Siegel, Keynote Speaker; Linda DiMario, Linda DiMario & Associates;
Jan Freitag, VP Smith Travel Research;
Wayland Benbow, Subcon, Inc., Subway Restaurants;
Tony Perrone, AAA National;
Matt Caspari, Principal/Creative Director, Caspari & McCormick;
Peter Glankoff, Sr. VP Marketing and Public Affairs
Mystic Aquarium and Sea Research Foundation
 

Keynote Speaker:

Bill Siegel

CEO Longwoods International

"What Happens When
a State Stops Marketing?"

The question on everyone's mind here in Connecticut is how are we going to fare without the state's annual marketing effort? Bill Siegel's appearance here in Connecticut is timely and relevant. Mr. Siegel, CEO of Longwoods International, is a renowned authority on market research and the methodology for measuring bottom-line campaign ROI. His work in the travel and leisure industry is legendary, particularly his company's case study on the rise and fall of Colorado tourism. Bill will share his experience of other states that have drastically reduced tourism promotion or eliminated advertising budgets altogether. Come hear his compelling message for Connecticut.

Linda DiMario

DiMario & Associates

Retreat, Hesitate or Innovate:
Choose to Compete.

DiMario launched DiMario & Associates, based in Oakland California, an independent consulting practice after a thirty year, results-driven career in the tourism industry. Linda currently serves on Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) Foundation Board of Trustees. Her experience includes: over six years as president and CEO of the Arlington (Texas) Convention & Visitors Bureau working with the City and the Dallas Cowboys to build the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium; over seven years as President & CEO of the Long Beach(California) Area Convention & Visitors Bureau working to transform the city's economy and create a national convention market for the expanded convention center and an international market for tourism.

Workshop Description:
Challenging times breeds one of several responses. Make the right one and you and your company will compete more effectively now and be among those who emerge from this recession better and stronger. What is our job? Are we ready for the new consumer demands and expectations? This program will tap into our organic strengths - our hospitality values, our people and our ideas and challenge the cliché: "do more with less" to "do better with what you have". Bring fresh perspective and new dimension to resources at your disposal now and optimize your capacity to compete.

Mr. Jan Freitag

Vice President Global Development
Smith Travel Research

What Issues are Affecting the Hospitality Industry Today?

STR Global & STR are the leaders in providing market data to the worldwide hotel industry. Currently, they track hotel performance data from tens of thousands hotels, representing over 5 million hotel rooms worldwide. STR Global & STR offer a complete suite of hotel benchmarking products; sending vital market data to thousands of hotels, operators, banks, developers, consultants and media outlets across the globe. They also track a variety of profitability, pipeline and census data covering all aspects of the industry.

Workshop Description:
Attendees of the Conference have the opportunity to be informed about the most relevant and timely issues affecting the hospitality industry today.

Social Media & Tourism 2.0

Candace Dyer Engdall, Online Marketing Consultant
Michael Croft, CEO Thrive Enterprises
Brittany Turcotte, Web Specialist, Quinn + Gellar Marketing
Benefits of SEO, SEM and SMO: How to Convert Searchers to Visitors

Candace Dyer Engdall is a former online marketing executive with over ten years experience developing award winning sites and strategic marketing campaigns for Mohegan Sun. Currently Candace is an online marketing consultant providing clients with a roadmap for their online marketing and social media presence.

Michael Croft is the CEO of Thrive Enterprises. Thrive Enterprises is a technology solutions provider catering to small and medium-sized businesses. Thrive offers search engine optimization, social media optimization, business and mobile applications, IT contract staffing and outsourcing.

Brittany Turcotte is a Web Specialist for Quinn & Gellar Marketing. Brittany lives and breathes social media and develops practical and creative solutions for Quinn & Gellar‘s web clients She stays current on social media trends and understands how to generate new web traffic for businesses using new social media applications.

Wayland Benbow

Subcon, Inc., Subway Restaurants

Improvement to Highway Service Plazas to Include
New Tourist Welcome Center Options

Project Service LLC, a joint venture formed by Doctor's Associates, Inc., the parent company of SUBWAY Restaurants; Subcon, Inc. and global private equity firm The Carlyle Group, has entered into a 35-year public-private partnership with the State of Connecticut to redevelop, operate and maintain Connecticut's 23 highway service areas across the state. Project Service and its tenants expect to invest approximately $178 million in improvements and upgrades to the service areas and create approximately 340 jobs. The restaurant and service offerings will include for the first time SUBWAY, and a variety of other local restaurants and shops, supplementing existing brands. Travelers will enjoy family-oriented facilities, expanded restaurant offerings, and clean and renovated service areas, redeveloped with a pleasing New England architectural theme. Subway is pleased to form this innovative partnership with the State of Connecticut. It is an unprecedented commitment to economic development, jobs and meeting the needs of the traveling public in addition to creating 340 new local jobs.

Mystic Country's New Partnership
Model for Destination Marketing

With the creation of the new Greater Mystic Visitor's Bureau, public and private sector interests have joined together to advance their shred tourism business objectives. This partnership provides a great new model for tourism marketing for any destination. The Greater Mystic Visitor's Bureau will merge two successful brands - Mystic Country and Sea Everything, Mystic.org initiative. It is backed by substantial investments from the region's most prominent players, including Mystic Seaport, Mystic Aquarium, Mohegan Sun, Foxwoods Resort Casino and the Eastern Connecticut Regional Tourism District - which will administer the program. A brand new site, incorporating the strengths of both Mystic.org and mystic country.com will operate under the highly successful Mystic.org URL, and will debut on June 1, 2010. Conference attendees are invited to attend this special session to see an advance preview of the newly designed Mystic.org website, hear firsthand about this groundbreaking and powerful new approach to regional tourism marketing. Peter Glankoff, Sr. VP of Marketing and Public Affairs for Mystic Aquarium and the Sea Research Foundation will moderate a panel of regional tourism experts offering professional insights followed by an open question and answer period.

Meet the Gubernatorial Candidates!

Presented in Partnership with the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut
Candidates for Governor of Connecticut will share their thoughts on the future of tourism. The forum will feature an active question and answer session. Invited candidates include:
Mark Boughton (R) - Larry DeNardis (R) - Michael Fedele (R) - Tom Foley (R)

Tom Marsh (R) - Nelson "Oz" Griebel (R) - Jeff Wright (R) - Juan Figueroa (D) - Mary Glassman (D) - Mike Jarjura (D) Ned Lamont (D) - Dan Malloy (D) - Rudy Marconi (D) - Christopher Stackpole (Green)

Travel & Leisure
Marketing for Connecticut

Tony Perrone, AAA National

Tony Perrone, AAA National, will provide data and insight on how to create a truly unique and interactive driving destination to points throughout the State. With all trends pointing to an increase in local and destination travel, Tony will provide pointers on developing a drive trip that incorporates your business and increases visibility for your destination here in Connecticut.

EVENT SCHEDULE

Connecticut Conference on Tourism
MGM Grand at Foxwoods
May 6, 2010

For a complete listing of seminars and workshops from the 2010 Conference, click here. 

2009 Speakers

Keynote Speaker:

Bruce Turkel

Bruce Turkel is an advertising and branding expert who helps make his clients' brands more valuable.

He has worked with great companies including
Nike, Discovery Channel, HBO, and the Miami
and Kissimmee Convention and Visitors Bureaus.

Bruce has spoken at DMAI, MIT and Harvard,
been heard on NPR and CNN and featured in
Fast Company and Communications Arts Magazines. He has published three books on advertising and marketing including
his latest - Building Brand Value.

Why has he done all this? Bruce says it's simple: "I don't play harmonica that well."

Workshop Speaker:

Peter Yesawich 

Peter C. Yesawich is chairman and chief executive officer of Ypartnership, America's leading marketing, advertising and public relations agency serving travel, leisure and lifestyle clients. The agency represents clients in every category of the travel industry through seven offices across the United States and Europe. Ypartnership is an integrated marketing communications company that is known for its strategic thinking, breakthrough creativity and innovation in marketing practice. The firm's Research & Brand Strategy Group is also regarded as one of the most respected sources of insights on the emerging travel habits, preferences and intentions of Americans and coauthors the widely acclaimed National Travel MONITOR℠ survey with Yankelovich Partners.

For a complete listing of seminars and workshops from the 2009 Conference, click here.