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!
Pre-registration has closed – on site registration will be available.
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
Sponsored by Airline Data. Moderators: Marlise Taylor, Director, Tourism Research, Visit NC – Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina; Jeffery Eslinger, Senior Director, Market Insights, Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau.
Connect and engage with destination marketing professionals from around the world in this interactive session. Our esteemed speakers will lead discussions on the latest trends and challenges in tourism research.
This informal open-forum discussion is a unique opportunity to delve into pressing research and measurement issues faced by Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs). Whether you’re a DMO professional looking to connect with colleagues or a supplier working with DMO clients, this session is your chance to gain insights and contribute to the conversation.
9:15 AM – 11:15 AM
Azira Networking Lunch
Join Evan Saunders, Vice President, Global Travel & Hospitality, Azira, at this networking event. Connect with fellow attendees, meet new people, share ideas, and build relationships in a relaxed atmosphere. Sponsored by Azira.
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.
Join a lively, fast-paced session where we debate the future of destination marketing with bold, opinionated statements. We’ll tackle provocative topics like data overload, AI’s impact, and the relevance of traditional media, inviting participants to choose a side—PRO or CON—in a dynamic exploration of tourism’s evolving landscape.
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.
The visitor economy has demonstrated remarkable resilience, but pockets of weakness are emerging. Looking forward, policy uncertainty and weakening household finances loom large and threaten the sustained growth of travel. Adam Sacks will share Tourism Economics’ latest views on the economy, the mindset of travelers, and expectations for the evolution of travel in 2025 and beyond.
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. Moderator: Amanda Moffett, Director of Destination Partnerships, Key Data.
A review of factors influencing air service and demand for air travel as well as constraints to growth.
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
Measuring Marketing's Impact on Destination Performance (And the tech that gets you there)
Maria Sheetz, Senior Director of Media Solutions, Amadeus Hospitality; Kelly Smith, Vice President of Advertising, Datafy. Moderator: Leroy Bridges, SVP of Sales, Adara, A RateGain Company.
In this session, we’ll begin by exploring what “impact” really means in destination marketing, effective strategies for measuring that impact, and how to best understand and report on the value that your marketing brings. With practical insights and tools, you’ll uncover the best ways to maximize and track your destination’s success
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
Dave Huether, Deputy Director of Research at the National Travel and Tourism Office will discuss the current state of international travel to the United States, provide an update on the latest NTTO research and present NTTO’s latest forecast of international inbound travel to the United States.
9:30AM – 10:15AM
New Directions in ROI Measurement
Heather Huckeba, Research Director, Visit California; Lorinda Cruikshank, Marketing Research Manager, Missouri Division of Tourism. Moderator: Denise Miller, Executive Vice President, SMARInsights.
One of the most critical issues that DMOs face is measuring the impact of their marketing and providing ROI data – and using that data to improve marketing efforts. This session will explore some of the new ideas, techniques and directions that destinations are using to address this challenge.
10:20AM – 11:05AM
Clearing Up The Crystal Ball: A Look At Traveler Sentiment & Travel Trends
Amir Eylon, President & CEO, Longwoods International.
Join Amir as he shares some of the latest key learnings from their American Travel Sentiment tracking study, and highlights some of the key trends that have emerged over the past four and a half years of conducting this survey. Attendees will get a look at the latest research and insights and receive some actionable insights as they relate to those trends.
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