MOF 2025 – Fort Worth, TX
From Data to Destination: Shaping Tourism’s Future
Marketing Outlook Forum is the premier event for travel and tourism professionals. Connect with leading researchers, gain insights from industry experts, and participate in dynamic sessions that will shape the future of travel and tourism marketing. This is an invaluable opportunity to network, learn, and collaborate with the industry’s best.
Don’t miss out—join us January 27-29, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas!
PROGRAM
Day 1, Monday, January 27
DMO Researcher Planning Workshop
Invitation only. This exclusive workshop brings together top researchers from Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) to collaborate on industry trends, share insights, and develop strategies for the future of travel and tourism marketing. It’s a unique opportunity to engage with peers and contribute to shaping the research agenda for the coming year.
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
DMO Breakfast and Roundtable
Moderators: Marlise Taylor, Director, Tourism Research, Visit NC – Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina; Jeffery Eslinger, Senior Director, Market Insights, Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau
9:15 AM – 11:15 AM
Networking Lunch
Connect with fellow attendees, meet new people, share ideas, and build relationships in a relaxed setting
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Dish and Deliberate - Marketing Managers Lunch
Invitation only. Moderated by Ted Sullivan, Chief Marketing Officer, Zartico; Tony Lyle, Executive Director, Visit Galveston
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Welcome to the 2025 Marketing Outlook Forum
Dr. Sheila Flanagan, Registrar and Vice President of Academic Affairs Dundalk Institute of Technology and MOF Chair; Mitch Whitten, Chief Operating Officer, Visit Fort Worth
1:15 PM – 1:30 PM
Economic Updates - Where do we go from here?
Adam Sacks, President, Tourism Economics
1:35 PM – 2:20 PM
Consumer Updates
Erin Francis-Cummings, President & CEO, Future Partners
2:30 PM – 3:15 PM
Networking Break
Recharge and connect with fellow attendees. Grab a coffee, exchange ideas, and expand your network
3:15 PM – 4:00 PM
Using Research and Data to Drive Change
Lindsay Milne, Vice President of Marketing, Meet Boston
4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
Fort Worth Welcome Reception at Billy Bob’s Texas
Kick off the evening with a true Texas experience at Billy Bob’s! Enjoy live entertainment, local flavors, and great company as we welcome you to Fort Worth in a fun, authentic setting
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Day 2, Tuesday, January 28
Networking Breakfast
Start your day with a delicious breakfast while connecting with fellow attendees. Share ideas, build new relationships, and fuel up for the day ahead
8:00AM – 9:00AM
What Recession? The Economic Outlook for Air Travel and Airlines in 2025
John Heimlich, Vice President & Chief Economist, Airlines for America(A4A); Naveen Bandla Director of Research at DFW
9:15AM – 10:00AM
Networking BREAK
Take a break and connect with fellow attendees. Enjoy light refreshments, exchange ideas, and expand your network in a relaxed setting
10:00AM – 10:30AM
Segment Updates
- Disability Updates – Laurel Van Horn, Director of Programs, Open Doors Organization
- Amusement Park Updates – Kelly Repass, Head of Global Research, International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions
- Sports Tourism – Unlock Your Community’s Superpower: Sports Tourism Sector Update. Jennifer Stoll, President & CEO, Cimarron Global Solutions
10:30AM – 11:30AM
Can AI Self-Drive Us Into the Future?
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) rapidly transforms industries across the globe, the travel and tourism sector stands at the forefront of this revolution. This presentation will explore the current and future landscape of AI in travel marketing, highlighting the technologies shaping consumer experiences, the challenges of AI integration, and strategic recommendations for harnessing AI’s full potential. Attendees will gain insights into AI-driven personalization, real-time customer engagement, predictive analytics, and more, along with a long-term vision for immersive experiences, ethical AI, and workforce transformation. Robert Patterson, SVP, Marketing Technology, MMGY Global
11:40AM – 12:25PM
Networking Lunch and Awards
Join us for a Networking Lunch, where you’ll have the opportunity to connect with industry peers and celebrate excellence in travel and tourism marketing. We’ll recognize outstanding achievements with our annual awards, highlighting the best in the industry
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Understanding and Maximizing True Economic Impact of Destination Marketing
Maria Sheetz, Senior Director of Media Solutions, Amadeus Hospitality; Kelly Smith, Vice President of Advertising, Datafy
1:45PM – 2:30PM
2025 Hospitality Trends: Navigating Challenges and Opportunities
Will 2025 bring more of the same or mark a new beginning for the hotel industry? STR will explore where the industry has been since the pandemic and the direction it is headed. This session will provide a comprehensive national forecast, examining key factors influencing future performance. Highlights will include an in-depth review of market trends, from bustling urban centers to serene outdoor destinations, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities shaping the year ahead. With Chris Klauda, Senior Director, Product Analytics & Insights, STR
2:30PM – 3:15PM
Networking Break
Recharge and connect with fellow attendees. Grab a coffee (with an extra boost), exchange ideas, and expand your network
3:15PM – 3:45PM
No one ever bored anyone into buying anything
Noel O’Dea, Founder and Chief Storyteller, Target.
As founder and chief storyteller at Target, the off-kilter Agency of the Year, which created Canada’s most awarded and most successful destination marketing and tourism advertising programs, Noel O’Dea will take us along a strategic and creative road less travelled.
Drawing from his previous lives as Marketing Prof, consumer researcher, and CPG Brand Manager, this colourful AMA Marketing Legend and creative architect will shine a light on winning strategic and creative philosophies, using ads and campaigns to demonstrate how marketers can create powerful brand differentiation and competitive advantage, and build successful travel and tourism brands.
In today’s over-communicated and increasingly cynical world, where people don’t know who to trust or what to believe, O’Dea will entertain and provoke us while demonstrating the how and why behind Target’s mantra: Creativity is a Powerful Business Tool.
3:45PM – 4:30PM
Reception
Join us for a lively reception before heading out to the evening’s optional activities.
OPTIONAL RODEO EXPERIENCE – Tickets include shuttle service, access to exhibits and competitions, entry to the trade show, fun at the Michelob Ultra Roadhouse or Corkyard on Simmons Bank Plaza, and the Moo-seum Experience, featuring the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, the Cattle Raisers Museum, and the National Cowgirl Museum
4:30PM – 5:30PM
Day 3, Wednesday, January 29
Destination Breakfast
Start your day with a delicious breakfast while connecting with fellow attendees. Share ideas, build new relationships, and fuel up for the day ahead
8:00AM – 9:15AM
The Outlook for International Travel
David Huether, Deputy Director, Research, National Travel and Tourism Office
9:30AM – 10:15AM
New Directions in ROI Measurement
Heather Huckeba, Research Director, Visit California; Lorinda Cruikshank, Marketing Research Manager, Missouri Division of Tourism
10:20AM – 11:05AM
Clearing Up The Crystal Ball: A Look At Traveler Sentiment & Travel Trends
Amir Eylon, President & CEO, Longwoods International
11:10AM – 11:50AM
MOF Feud – Wrap-up
Hosted by Tony Lyle, Executive Director, Visit Galveston and David Reichbach, Vice President of Development, Future Partners