Destinations Wisconsin Fall Tourism Conference

Registration - Foyer

Opening Luncheon & Keynote

From Seeing to Doing: Bringing AI to Life in Your Organization

Every organization sees how fast AI is moving. This session creates clarity on why the time to act is now: it's no longer a maybe. Todd Brook breaks down the mechanics of the two sides of enablement, individual and organizational, and what makes them different. Through real examples of what's possible, attendees will leave with the ability to pull together an AI strategy that actually delivers.

Presenter: Todd Brook

Sponsored by: Discover Wisconsin

Breakout Sessions

1. Building Business Relationships -  Strong business relationships are the driver for many business and political decisions. However, initiating, cultivating, and/or sustaining relationships is time-consuming and nuanced. Learn new approaches to make “strong relationships” a key differentiator in your success. 
2. Prioritize, Plan, Practice: Making AI Work for Your Small Organization - AI gives small organizations the chance to level the playing field, and this hands-on workshop shows you how. Going deeper than strategy, Todd Brook walks through how to build your list of priorities, turn it into a working plan, and start putting AI to use right away. Attendees leave with practical tactics sized for lean teams and a clear path to begin immediately.
3. DMO Roundtables – Network with your DMO peers and share ideas on facilitated tables focusing on Visitor Centers & Service, Visitor Guides, Events, Partnerships/Membership.

Networking Break

Sponsored by Circle Wisconsin

Breakout sessions

1. DMO Roundtables 2 – Network with your DMO peers and share ideas on facilitated tables focusing on the following topics: Sports & M&C Sales, Motorcoach sales; Social Media Tools and  Communications.
2. Igniting a Culture of Trust - Whether you're a mighty team of one or two or a larger organization, learn ways to transform your workplace into a resilient, high-performing environment where trust is the default, not the exception. Trust matters in the workplace because it's the foundation of strong relationships, effective teamwork and a thriving culture.  When trust exists people are more willing to communicate openly, take responsibility, share ideas and work together toward common goals.
3. Travel Without Barriers - National speaker and power wheelchair user, Tasha Schuh, will share insights from her travels nationwide and practical ways to make Wisconsin destinations more accessible. The session will include time for Q&A to answer your accessibility questions.

    

Marketplace & Reception 

Head over to the nearby Pablo Center where Visit Eau Claire will be rolling out the red carpet for for an evening of great conversation, appetizers, drinks, and light entertainment as you explore the sponsor and exhibitor marketplace. Make sure to visit every booth — there are some pretty great door prizes up for grabs, so don't miss out. This is the kind of evening that reminds you why you love this industry. 

Sponsored by:

McDaniels Marketing

Downtown Eau Claire Dine Around -

Downtown Eau Claire has no shortage of incredible places to eat — and tonight, it's all yours to explore. Grab your group and make your way through some of the best restaurants Eau Claire has to offer, from locally-rooted comfort food to creative culinary experiences you won't find anywhere else. This is Eau Claire on a plate — and trust us, you're going to want seconds. 

Theater enthusiasts may want to catch the new musical Jagged Little Pill at the Pablo Center. Showtime is 7:30 pm.

Registration 

Breakfast Buffet

Sponsored by Boelter & Lincoln, Mad Dog & Merrill Midwest Grill'n

Awards Ceremony & Travel Wisconsin Outlook

Start your morning right with congratulating the Tourism Trailblazer Award and the Destinations Wisconsin Fired Up! Leadership Award recipients (sponsored by Fired Up! Culture).  Wisconsin Dept. of Tourism Secretary Anne Sayers will then provide an update on the latest Travel Wisconsin's happenings and plans for the future.

Sponsored by Boelter & Lincoln, Mad Dog & Merrill Midwest Grill'n

Breakout Sessions

1. Deciphering the Data Dashboard - A panel of DMO experts will share how they manage and utilize all the analytics and data available to make critical marketing decisions.
2. Tourism Public Improvement Districts At Work - As Wisconsin considers tourism public improvement districts, learn how Minnesota established this funding tool and how it is reshaping destination marketing in Minneapolis.
3. Travel Content That Inspires - Discover the latest research from Expedia on what inspirers travelers to explore new destinations.  Based on a global survey of 7,000+ travelers, hear what creative elements, formats, and storytelling approaches resonate most with the travelers you want.
4. Exploring Downtown Eau Claire (wraps up at 11:15 am) - We’re excited to share our city with you during the Exploring Eau Claire session.  You will jump on the Chippewa Valley Trolley, where we will highlight Eau Claire’s rich history, vibrant arts scene, and scenic riverfront. Along the way, you’ll experience our nation’s largest sculpture tour and have the opportunity to walk across a couple of our iconic bridges, each offering a unique perspective on our community.  We hope you enjoy discovering what makes Eau Claire extra special and how our history, sculpture tour and the arts are attracting visitors to our area!  Sign Up Here.  Limited to the first 20 attendees.

Networking Coffee Break

Breakout Sessions

1. Post-Election Landscape - The Wisconsin general election will have just wrapped up and we'll have a new Governor and Legislature.  Hear from Destinations Wisconsin's lobbyist on the new landscape how it may impact the tourism industry.
2. SEO Isn’t Dead (It’s Just Evolving): Navigating ModernSearch, AI Visibility & Hard Truths - The rules haven’t disappeared —they’ve changed. AI has already reshaped how travelers find destinations, andmost DMO websites haven’t caught up. This session cuts through the hype and thenoise to show what still works, what’s shifted, and what you need to do rightnow to stay visible in a search landscape that looks nothing like it did twoyears ago. You’ll leave with a clear picture of how AI search is reshapingdiscovery and what that means for your organic traffic. You’ll walk away with apractical framework for making your content relevant, extractable, andtrustworthy to both humans and AI systems. And you’ll have actionable startingpoints ready to bring back to your team the same week.
3. Film Wisconsin - Learn more about the new Wisconsin Film Office services and the new tax incentive program. Also, an Eau Claire film industry veteran will provide insight on the film industry and his thoughts Wisconsin as a film destination. 

Closing Luncheon

Sponsored by Tourism Economics

The King of Kubb, Eric Anderson, shares the story of how he came to Eau Claire with one kubb set in 2007 and started a Kubb craze that has expanded to a U.S. Championship with 144 teams and around 500 players plus 35 additional kubb tournaments nationally, with 17 of them in Wisconsin and eight of those in the Eau Claire area. 

The 2027 conference location will also be revealed at the luncheon.