Seminar Schedule
Thanks to the energy and collaboration of our state partners, engaging speakers and generous sponsors, our 2026 Tourism Sales & Marketing Educational Seminar is set to inspire. See the schedule below.
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
11:30 a.m. Guest Registration & Networking
12:00 p.m. Lunch | Sponsored by Roux Advertising
12:30 p.m. Welcome & Year Recap | Presented by Louisiana Office of Tourism
1:00 p.m. Opening Keynote: The Tourism Outlook | Presented by Tourism Economics (Travis Napper, Director of Destination Partnerships; Joined by Lynne Coxwell, Director of Research, Louisiana Office of Tourism)
2:00 p.m. The Digital Shift & AI in Travel | Presented by Miles Partnership (Vito Zuppardo, Vice President; and Maggie Heller, Account Director)
3:00 p.m. Break | Sponsored by BVK
3:15 p.m. Building Smarter Campaigns | Presented by Roux Advertising (Eric Morgan, President and CEO)
4:15 p.m. Game On: Strategies in Sports Tourism | Presented by Huddle Up Group
5:15 p.m. Networking Hour | Sponsored by Miles Partnership
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
8:00 a.m. Breakfast
8:30 a.m. Welcome | Louisiana Office of Tourism
8:45 a.m. The Group Travel Evolution | Presented by Group Travel Leader (Brian Jewell, CEO and Executive Editor)
9:45 a.m. The International Strategy | Presented by Louisiana’s International Partners (Australia: Penny Brand, Gate 7; Italy: Serena Calabrese, Hopscotch Groupe; France: Barbara Boltoukhine, B World Communications; UK: Neil Tagliavini-Jones, Travel Tourism Marketing)
10:45 a.m. Break | Sponsored by BVK
11:00 a.m. Breakout Sessions
Room A – The Perfect Pitch Workshop | Presented by Alon Tourism Solutions (Jennifer Ackerson, President)
Room B – Make Some Noise | Presented by BVK (Annie Holschuh, Vice President of Earned Media; Joined by Penny Brand, Head of Tourism Development, Gate 7; and Kirsty Dillury, Owner, Chief Communications Officer, TTM)
12:00 p.m. Lunch | Sponsored by Zehnder
12:30 p.m. Year of Outdoors Campaign | Presented by Zehnder (William Gilbert, Creative Director)
1:00 p.m. Seminar Adjourns
Be sure to check back regularly for the latest updates and announcements!