Complete session info coming soon!

THURSDAY, MAY 8

9:45 – 10:45 a.m.

“Your Culture of Well-being”
Speaker: Mark Mohammadpour

What we remember about the places we work comes down to our experiences with a handful of people: the executive you respect and trust … the peer you rely on for accountability … the up-and-coming leaders you manage. This small group of people defines our relationship with a company. They’re the people we work with the most, get information from, and know the most about our purpose. And it’s this purpose that impacts our confidence and productivity, our mental health, our physical health, and other aspects of our well-being. This highly interactive and engaging signature talk delivers the five steps to creating a Culture of Well-being within your organization. These steps have helped shape healthy team cultures around the world.

10–11 a.m.

Travel During Non-peak Seasons: Why You Should Go When Others Don’t
Moderator: Laura Powell

For many destinations, there are obvious peak seasons and obvious off-seasons. But what if an “off” season is actually the season to take your group to a destination? Travel writer Laura Powell will be joined by a panel of NTA members to talk about how they’ve found benefits in travel during non-peak seasons … from the perspectives of both DMOs and tour operators.

Taking Control: A Practical Approach to Cyber-security
Speaker: Arshad Noor, Strongkey

The internet has become extraordinarily complex in the last decade, with data breaches compromising billions of customer records, vulnerable cloud service providers, incessant ransomware attacks, and a type of artificial intelligence that threatens to turn our world upside down with fake news, fake images, and fake transactions. This session will explain fundamental areas of technology that can remove significant portions of risk from your work environment. We’ll also cover defense mechanisms you can take advantage of currently to distinguish authentic content from the spurious, and the session will conclude with a discussion of proven technologies that can immediately distinguish trustworthy information from AI-generated data. Armed with this information, you will learn how to defend yourself while investing in the most important asset necessary to manage cyber-risk: knowledge and new skills!

1:30 – 2:30 p.m.

“The Latest Trends in Wellness Travel”
Speaker: Laura Powell

The increased popularity of wellness tourism presents opportunities for attractions, hotels, DMOs, and tour operators. No longer is wellness confined solely to spas and yoga retreats. Instead, new definitions of wellness are expanding the boundaries, providing destinations new options for developing wellness tourism assets. What’s more, many of these options can be developed without spending a dime. In this session, Laura Powell, an international wellness tourism expert, will explore what constitutes a wellness experience, and she will provide ideas for developing wellness tourism products and wellness tourism trails.

“The State of the American Traveler”
Speaker: Erin Francis-Cummings

Future Partners presents the latest travel trends and predictions for American travelers in 2025. Dive deep into the evolving behaviors, motivations, and preferences shaping the travel landscape, as revealed by The State of the American Traveler. This hour-long session explores key insights into the general travel consumer as well as niche travel groups, providing a comprehensive understanding of what’s driving travel decisions today and in the year ahead. You will gain actionable takeaways to refine your messaging and marketing strategies, ensuring relevance and resonance with diverse traveler segments. Whether you’re aiming to connect with leisure explorers, adventure seekers, or international voyagers, this session equips you with the knowledge to stay ahead in a competitive marketplace.

2:45 – 3:45 p.m.

“How Purposeful Leadership Creates Empowered Teams”
Speaker: Andrea Ross, Cultivate Advisors

Description to come!

4–5 p.m.

“Leadership Workshop: Putting It Into Practice”
Speaker: Andrea Ross, Cultivate Advisors

Description to come!

FRIDAY, MAY 9

9:30 – 10:30 a.m.

“Update from the Experts”
Panelists: Jeff Ment, Bill Caldwell, AON

In the ever-changing world of group travel, it’s important to stay on top of new developments that affect business. As a follow-up to their popular webinar several months ago, NTA’s trusted experts will give Contact attendees the latest updates on current issues, and you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions of the panelists.

“Using Digital Media to Boost Your Business”
Presenters: Red Sage

Description to come!

SATURDAY, MAY 10

9:45–10:45 a.m.

“Making Your Tours Meaningful”
Greg Takehara, Tourism Cares

Description to come!

“Don’t Fear Paranormal Tourism”
Speaker: Dianna Stampfler

Description to come!

11 a.m. – noon

“All-attendee Power Hour”
Moderators: Catherine Prather, NTA, and Monique von Dijk-Seppola, Scandinavia Tours

Wrap up your time at Contact by joining your NTA colleagues for an interactive capstone session. You’ll have the chance to share key takeaways from what you learned during our time on Mackinac Island, and you can also discuss practical next steps for implementing these ideas once you get home.

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