Agenda

Sunday Evening, March 3

• 11:00 am - Wheel Chair Tennis Tournament
   If you plan to arrive in the morning to see the Wheelchair Tennis Tournament, please RSVP for lunch

• 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Check-in
  Conference Check-in & Registration at the Fairfield Inn & Suites

• 3:30 pm & 4:00 pm - Historic Downtown Rome Trolley Tour
  The trolley tour will depart promptly at 3:30 pm & 4 pm, each tour is limited to 30 people (tour includes time at the Rome Area History Center). The trolley will depart and drop-off from Fairfield Inn & Suites

• 3:30 pm - 6:15 pm - Rome Area History Center
  If you skipped the trolley tour, you can still enjoy complimentary beer, wine, soft drinks, snacks; and self-guided tours of the center

• 6:30 pm - Evening Dinner & Social
  Join us for complimentary dinner and fun on the patio at Fairfield Inn & Suites

• 7:00 pm - Spirit Pull
  Bring $20 to participate in the Spirit Pull 

• 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm - Karaoke & Patio Games 
  The fun continues and the hotel bar is open until 10:00 pm.

​

Monday, March 4
- Conference held at the beautiful Berry College campus
- All meals and snacks included

​

7:30 am - 8:30 am Sponsor Set-up

​

8:00 am - 9:00 am Registration & Continental Breakfast

​

9:00 am - 10:00 am Morning Keynote Speaker
Reignite Your Storytelling Lauretta Hannon

View Presentation
Ballroom

Storytelling burnout is real. This talk will arm you with tips, takeaways, and a beautiful case study-- all designed to energize, inspire, and bring the spark back to your storytelling.

10:00 am - 10:15 am Break

10:15 am - 11:15 am Breakout Session 1

Open Containers: Big Impact on a Small Town
Aundi Lesley

View Presentation
Room 217

This presentation will detail how after years of trying with no success, we tackled a small town mindset through extensive data-driven studies, which ultimately changed our alcohol ordinance.

​

Useful Marketing Tools That Won’t Break the Bank
Sandy White

View Presentation
Room 250

This presentation will discuss different tools and resources that can be used to market your destination successfully even on a limited budget.

​

G4 Analytics: How to Decipher Data and Grow Your Business

Chris Reidenbaugh
Room 324

In this seminar, you’ll learn about Google Analytics and how to use the collected info from social media, your website, and more to make informed decisions in your marketing and business. 

​

11:00 am - 11:15 am Break

11:30 am - 1:00 pm Keynote Lunch - Ballroom

GACVB Update - Amanda Dyson-Thornton, Executive Director

View Presentation

Explore Georgia Update - Jay Markwalter, Statewide Tourism Director

Lunch Keynote Speaker - Your Story Matters Garrett Nudd

View Presentation

Marketing metrics matter, but the most meaningful stories matriculate through a combination of mundane minutiae and masterfully orchestrated moments. Pause. Step back. Reframe and refocus on how leaning into your authentic story can help others write their own stories, too.

1:00 pm - 1:15 pm Break

​

1:15 pm - 2:15 pm Breakout Session 2
 

Elevate Your Engagement: Social Media Trends & Strategies
Jess Gutman

View Presentation
Room 217

Join us as we explore the latest social media trends you can leverage to captivate your audience and how to incorporate these trends into a solid social media content strategy.

​

Elevating Destinations:
The Strategic Impact of Public Relations in the Tourism Industry Laurie Rowe
Room 250

Learn how investing in effective public relations pays off by establishing and sustaining a vibrant, appealing brand for your tourism destination.

​

Georgia Grown & Agritourism

Cheryl Smith

View Presentation
Room 324

Learn about the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Georgia Grown Division and the Agritourism program and how agribusinesses can benefit from various programs.

​

2:15 pm - 2:30 pm Break

​

2:30 pm - 3:30 pm Breakout Session 3

​

Incentives and Funding for Vibrant Placemaking
Sadie Krawczyk

View Presentation
Room 217

An overview of what placemaking is and how to creatively fund placemaking projects for your community. Crowdfunding, community donations, grants, and more will be discussed.

​

The Power of Partnerships: TRED Trail Talk
Julie Smith

View Presentation
Room 250

Learn how your community can utilize existing features and create partnerships that can help develop new trails or add to existing trails.

​

Exploring the World of Food Tourism
Kyle Bennett

View Presentation
Room 324

Learn more about Visit Woodstock GA’s Food & Drink events and marketing efforts, and how you can grow Food Tourism in your community.

​

3:30 pm - 4:15 pm Wrap Up & Door Prizes