Educational Opportunities
If you are interested in attending professional tourism industry seminars to learn more about marketing trends, how to grow tourism in your area, build valuable industry partnerships, or promote your community's destinations and events check out the variety below for what fits your budget and availability best.
Visit Nebraska
Visit Nebraska hosts two educational opportunities each year. The Nebraska Tourism Conference is the premier educational and networking event for the state’s tourism and hospitality industry. Presented by Visit Nebraska, the state’s destination marketing organization, the conference provides invaluable opportunities for tourism professionals to learn and share knowledge. The Agritourism & Adventure Travel Workshop is a two and a half day workshop catering to agritourism and adventure travel entrepreneurs and small business owners. The workshop will feature an evening welcome event and two days of educational sessions and site visits where attendees will learn firsthand what it takes for a variety of tourism businesses to not just survive, but thrive!
Destinations International
Destinations International hosts professional development events to help destination marketing and management professionals learn and improve throughout the year. From CDME certification courses and leadership summits to our Annual Convention, each event helps leaders of destination organizations learn new skills, share their best ideas, and make their communities stronger. Their events range from their Annual Convention, Advocacy Summits, Business Operations and more.
US Travel Association
The US Travel Association's feature event each year is the Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations (ESTO). The Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations (ESTO) is where destination marketing leaders stop guessing and start leveling up. ESTO brings you the trends everyone will be talking about next year, the insights you wish you had last year and the practical strategies you can actually use on Monday. Every session is built to spark bold ideas and keep you ahead of the competition. If you are serious about staying ahead and leading your destination into what’s next, this is your room. In addition to ESTO, US Travel also hosts a Summer Summit, Destination Captiol Hill and more.
Upper Midwest Convention and Visitors Bureau Conference
The Upper Midwest Convention and Visitors Bureau Conference (UMCVB) features attendees from an eight-state region that includes Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Surrounding states in the Midwest are always welcome to attend as well. You’ll learn new skills and industry trends through dynamic educational sessions. You’ll also enjoy abundant networking opportunities with your colleagues throughout the Upper Midwest.
Upper Midwest Convention and Visitors Bureau Conference
Midwest Travel Network
The Midwest Travel Network brings together content creators, travel writers, bloggers and destination professionals who share a love for the Midwest. The Midwest Travel Network Conference offers acclaimed speakers and learning opportunities for both Midwest bloggers and destinations alike. In addition, this is a valuable networking conference for all involved in promoting tourism to the Midwest. In addition to the conference they host annual workshops and FAM trips that highlight the Midwest.
National Outdoor Recreation Conference
The National Outdoor Recreation Conference (NORC) is the premier conference for outdoor recreation professionals, offering opportunities for learning, networking, and field-based case studies. During each conference, we create a program that inspires, challenges, and empowers the broad community of outdoor recreation professionals. NORC brings together over 400 people that include recreation resource planners, land managers, policy makers, tourism and destination stewardship partners, researchers, consultants, innovators, and leaders in outdoor recreation.
National Outdoor Recreation Conference
American Bus Association Marketplace
The American Bus Association Marketplace (ABA) is North America's Leading Bus & Group Travel Business Event. It features education and sightseeing along with appointments between DMO and bus operators. Every appointment at Marketplace is scheduled in advance and matched to your business. Operators meet the destinations, suppliers, and partners ready to do business with them — and walk away with deals in motion.
American Bus Association Marketplace
National Travel Exchange
Travel Exchange brings together packaged travel professionals from all over North America and around the world. The National Tour Association’s annual conference features buyers of all types and specialties who meet with tour suppliers, DMOs, DMCs, and receptive operators to build partnerships, collaborations, and creative itineraries. Gathering beneath the Travel Exchange umbrella are industry experts within the NTA community who offer detailed information and resources about a variety of tour types, customer markets, destinations, and experiences.
Select Traveler Conference
Select Traveler Conference connects you with group travel experts in person one-on-one. This conference is a place where group travel industry leaders are ready to partner with you to make your members happy.
Travel Alliance Partnership
Travel Alliance Partnership (TAP Dance) is one of the most unique travel conferences you will experience, designed to expand your business during a two-day all-access event with Travel Alliance Partnership (TAP). This organization of premier North American Tour Operators offers one-of-a-kind products from more than 500 destinations worldwide and they are eager to learn more about your unique destination or attraction to add to their travel product.
Travel Events and Management in Sports
Travel, Events and Management in Sports (TEAMS) is the world’s leading conference and expo for the sports-event industry. Launched in 1998, TEAMS draws more than 1,300 participants including CEOs, executive directors and event managers from sports organizations as well as representatives from sports commissions and convention bureaus, corporate sponsors, event suppliers and other hospitality industry opinion leaders. For more than 25 years, TEAMS has helped define the sports-event and appointment-based trade show industries.