MTTS Program as of 10.14.26
(Subject to change)
Wednesday, November 18
9:00 am to 11:00 am
MTDB Q2 Meeting
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Registration
10:00 am to 11:00 am
New Attendee Orientation
11:30 am to 12:30 pm
Welcome and Kick Off to Summit with Special Guests
VIP Remarks
- Governor of Maryland, Wes Moore (Invited)
- Secretary of Commerce, Harry Coker, Jr. (Invited)
- Comptroller of Maryland, Brooke Lierman
- Mayor of Baltimore, Brandon Scott (Invited)
- President & CEO, Visit Baltimore, Kireem Swinton (Invited)
- Executive Director, Baltimore Convention Center, Mac Campbell
12:30 pm to 2:00 pm
General Session: State of the State
Cassandra Vanhooser, Managing Director, Department of Commerce Office of Tourism
2:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Network with sponsors in Tourism Marketplace
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
General Session: More Than A Post: Telling The Stories That Bring Places To Life
Jessica Dutra, Broadcaster | Content Creator | Storyteller, Jess Dutra Storytelling
3:30 pm to 3:45 pm
Maryland Day Photo
4:00 pm
Hotel Check-In beings at the Royal Sonesta
5:00 to 7:00 pm
Welcome Reception at Truist Club at Camden Yards Sponsored by Visit Baltimore
7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Dine Around Sponsored by Baltimore Tourism Association
Thursday, November 19
8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Registration open
8:00 am to 9:00 am
Networking Breakfast with Sponsors in Tourism Marketplace
9:00 am to 10:00 am
General Session: Telling Our Story: How Vibrant Communities are Powered by the Visitor Economy: The misunderstanding of how essential the visitor economy is in our community’s future and the role destination marketing and management offices play in that future success is our number one.
Josiah Brown, The New York Sherpa, President/Chief Travel Sherpa, Famous Destination Marketing, Inc.
10:00 am to 11:00 am
General Session: MTC Annual Meeting – The Road Ahead: Navigating Success Together
11:00 am to 11:15 am
Network with Sponsors in Tourism Marketplace
11:15 pm to 12:15 pm
Breakout Session #1 – The Search Revolution: Building Online Authority in an AI-Driven World
Sarah Benoit, Lead Instructor, Learn Tourism
Breakout Session #2: Shared Vision, Shared Metrics: Aligning Maryland’s Tourism Strategy from State to Local
Aviva North, Senior Associate Principal, Coraggio Group
Jen Gray O’Connor, Senior Associate Principal, Coraggio Group
12:15 pm to 1:15 pm
Buffet Lunch
1:15 pm to 2:15 pm
General Session: Travel & Tourism for All: Best Practices & Trends for Customers with Disabilities
Craig Kennedy, Program & Training Manager, Open Doors Organization
2:15 pm to 2:30 pm
Network with Sponsors in Tourism Marketplace
2:30 pm to 3:30
General Session: Travel Indicators: Today’s Trends Predict Tomorrow’s Travelers
Brian Londan, President, Travel Smart News
3:30 pm to 6:00 pm
Afternoon Break
OPTIONAL Walking Tours:
3:45 pm to 4:45 pm
Walking Tour #1: Baltimore’s Inner Harbor by Foot
Baltimore beat back the British from here. Frederick Douglass escaped from his enslavement from here. And today we are pioneering urban water restoration techniques here. Come learn America’s history from Baltimore’s water with a one-hour walking tour around the Inner Harbor with Baltimore Heritage director Johns Hopkins. Tour will begin at the Charles Street Lobby and will end at the Royal Sonesta. Pre-registration Required (if you have already registered for MTTS, please email Stuart@mdtourism.org to be added to the list)
3:45 pm to 5:00 pm
Walking Tour #2: Federal Hill on Foot!
Explore 400 years of history on this walking tour of one of Baltimore’s coolest neighborhoods. Led by Chris Riehl, the route covers roughly two miles through the Main Street business district and includes a stop high atop Federal Hill itself for a breathtaking view of the Inner Harbor and Baltimore skyline. Tour will begin at the Charles Street Lobby and will end at the Royal Sonesta. Pre-registration Required (if you have already registered for MTTS, please email Stuart@mdtourism.org to be added to the list)
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Awards Attendee Banquet Reception sponsored by Baltimore Convention Center
Tourism Marketplace
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Maryland Tourism Coalition Awards Banquet
Awards Emcees: Nora Campbell, National Aquarium and Chris Riehl, Baltimore Rent-a-Tour
9:00 pm – 11:00 pm
After Party at Royal Sonesta Brightons Room
Friday, November 20
8:00 am to 9:00 am
Networking Breakfast with Sponsors in Tourism Marketplace
8:45 am – 9:00 am
Morning Remarks
9:00 am to 10:00 am
BREAKOUT #1:Rural Tourism Done Right – Small teams with big impact know how to leverage tourism principles for resident alignment and economic growth
Josiah Brown, The New York Sherpa, President/Chief Travel Sherpa, Famous Destination Marketing, Inc.
BREAKOUT #2: All Aboard Maryland: Turning 200 Years of Railroading into Tourism Opportunities
National Museum of Railroad History & Innovation and the Maryland Office of Tourism
BREAKOUT #3: Beyond the Destination: What Travelers Are Craving Now
Moderator: Leticia Engel, Senior Marketing Manager, Visit Montgomery
Panelists: Laura Powell, Founder/Consultant, Tourism Well Defined, James Whitman, Publisher & Editor, Edible DC, & Jeremiah Batucan, Founder, Peake Events
10:00 am to 10:15 am
Networking with Sponsors in Tourism Marketplace
10:15 am to 11:15 am
General Session: The Power of No: Boundaries That Build Better Connections
Dr. Jen Fry, Founder, JenFryTalks
11:15 am to 12:00 pm
Closing Remarks & Pete’s Pics