WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21

9 a.m. – 5 p.m.: REGISTRATION

10 – 11 a.m.: OPENING KEYNOTE The Passion Conversation – John Moore (Austin, TX) Passion is a circular relationship. It drives customers to fall in love with brands and drives brands to fall in love with customers. Discover why people talk about companies and share their love for brands and get advice for how to design brand stories that spark and sustain sales-driving word-of-mouth marketing.

11 a.m. – 12 p.m.: WELCOME AND TRAVEL IOWA UPDATE Hear highlights from FY15 and the Iowa Tourism Office’s plans for next year.

12 p.m. – 1 p.m.: NETWORKING LUNCH Sponsored by: Midwest Living and Meredith Travel Marketing

1 – 2 p.m.: BREAKOUT SESSIONS 1. Search Engine Marketing – Addy Coleman (Tucson, AZ)

When someone searches for your business on Google or Bing is your website at the top of thelist or on page five? Learn the ins and outs of search engine marketing and how to make yourwebsite rise to the top of the list.

2. Turning Events into Festivals – Stephen King (Des Moines, IA)Almost 60 years ago, the award-winning Des Moines Arts Festival was a small event known asArt in the Park. Learn how you can scale your event to a festival that attracts more people andgreater success.

3. The Great Debates IILet’s get ready to rumble! Watch your colleagues hash out some of the hottest topics in theindustry in our second year of lively debates. Each debater will be assigned a position and beresponsible for making the best case for their position. Following rebuttals, attendees will get inon the action by sharing their own viewpoints.

2 – 2:30 p.m.: NETWORKING BREAK

2:30 – 3:30 p.m.: REPEAT BREAKOUTS

3:45 – 4:30 p.m.: TRAVEL FEDERATION OF IOWA UPDATE Learn about the Sector Plan and hear a legislative update from the Travel Federation of Iowa.

4:45 – 5:15 p.m.: FIRST TIMERS ONLY EVENT Are you new to the Iowa Tourism Conference? Join the conference committee for an exclusive networking opportunity.

5 – 6 p.m.: EDUCATIONAL HAPPY HOUR Engage with our exhibitors and your fellow attendees as you sample the flavors of Iowa.

6 – 9 p.m.: EVENING EVENT Get a taste of Ottumwa and explore everything that makes this community unique.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.: REGISTRATION

7:30 – 8:15 a.m.: NETWORKING BREAKFAST Enjoy a continental breakfast and networking.

7:30 – 8:15 a.m.: WELCOME CENTER SOUNDBITES Conference attendees will have an opportunity to present what’s new or noteworthy at their destination to Iowa’s welcome center travel counselors. Each presenter will be assigned two minutes to present. Special advanced registration is required and will be available in September.

8:15 – 9:15 a.m.: BREAKOUT SESSIONS 1. Technology Tips and Tools for Destinations – Santiago Jaramillo (Fishers, IN)

Good technology used in the right way can have an enormous impact on the overall success of atourism organization. Learn various tips and tools that you can start using right away and,better yet, most of them are free! You’ll learn how to increase productivity, stay organized andenhance collaboration.

2. The Blogging Advantage – Jason Trout (Decorah, IA)Blogs have been around since the late 90s and they aren’t going anywhere any time soon. Gethelpful tips on how to write a blog, how to use your local bloggers and community advocates,why you should care about blogging and how you can share your material on the Travel Iowablog.

3. Creating Engagement on the Trade Show Floor – Bryan Arzani (West Des Moines, IA)Your booth is ready, you have your marketing materials, but now what? How do you get peopleto stop at your booth and learn about everything you can offer? This session will teach you howto approach people and be approachable, tips for engaging with potential clients once you havetheir attention, overcoming objections and tips for following up.

9:15 – 9:30 a.m.: NETWORKING BREAK

9:30 – 10:30 a.m.: REPEAT BREAKOUTS

10:45 – 12 p.m.: MORNING KEYNOTE Nothing Beats Bacon: The Economic Impact of Food Trends – David Sax (Toronto, Canada) Food trends have the power to change our culture—and the economy, marketing, business and health—at a revolutionary pace. In this talk, we’ll explore where these trends come from, how they grow and what impact they have. How are food trucks disrupting the restaurant business? Why has Greek yogurt taken over the dairy case? Why are there entire bakeries devoted to cupcakes? And, most importantly, what can we learn from all this?

12 – 1 p.m.: NETWORKING LUNCHEON

1 – 2 p.m.: AFTERNOON KEYNOTE Session to be announced. Stay tuned.

3 p.m.: BEGIN DEPARTURE TO FAIRFIELD Transportation to Fairfield, a community big on culture and thriving with creativity, is available at the main entrance of the Bridge View Center.

4 p.m.: IOWA TOURISM AWARDS PRESENTATION, FAIRFIELD The Iowa Tourism Awards honor exceptional communities, attractions, events, hotels, restaurants, retailers, organizations and individuals for their outstanding achievements. The award recipients have positively contributed to the experience of our visitors and the quality of life of our residents. These awards represent the highest honor given for tourism in Iowa.

5:30 p.m.: DINE AROUND, FAIRFIELD Sponsored by: Iowa Gaming Association Celebrate your accomplishments and experience delicious dishes as you dine in Fairfield. The Dine Around Dollars (value $12) will be distributed at the Iowa Tourism Awards Presentation. Restaurants accepting Dine Around Dollars are described on a special flyer included in the registration materials.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23 7 a.m. – 12 p.m.: REGISTRATION

7:30 – 8:30 a.m.: NETWORKING BREAKFAST Sponsored by: Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau Enjoy a continental breakfast, networking and make plans to join us in the Quad Cities for the 2016 Iowa Tourism Conference.

8 – 8:30 a.m.: SPECIAL TRAINING ON TRAVELIOWA.COM Grab your breakfast and bring it with you as you learn how to maximize your listing on TravelIowa.com and get noticed by the one million annual visitors.

8:30 – 9:30 a.m.: BREAKOUT SESSIONS 1. Making Great Customer Service Contagious in your Community – Kit Welchlin (Minneapolis, MN)

You know what it takes to have good customer service, but do the front lines in your communityknow what it takes? Learn tips on how to give and teach great customer service, how to dealwith difficult people and how to inspire your front line teams.

2. How Hotels Can Stand Out Online – John Taylor (Des Moines, IA)Online hotel business is big business, but how can hotels stand out in a sea of options? Thissession will share how hoteliers can create the biggest impact online for desktop, mobile andtablet users. You’ll hear about national, regional and state trends as well as tips for hotels &CVBs.

3. Session to be announced. Stay tuned.

9:30 – 9:45 a.m.: NETWORKING BREAK

9:45 – 10:45 a.m.: REPEAT BREAKOUT SESSIONS

11 – 11:45 a.m.: NETWORKING LUNCH

11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: KEYNOTE AND CLOSING REMARKS Cell Phone Photography – David Guttenfelder (Minneapolis, MN) Photography is more important now than ever. With the right skills, it can be easier than ever on a smart phone. Photojournalist, and Iowa native, David Guttenfelder will give you the tips you need to attract people to your business through photography. Guttenfelder is a National Geographic Society Fellow and spent 20 years as a photojournalist. An industry leader in smartphone photography and social media, Guttenfelder was named 2014 Instagram photographer of the year by TIME magazine, received the Shorty Award for online photography and the 2013 the Online Journalism Award.