Spring Meeting 2009 & SETTRA Symposium 2009
"The Heart of the Economic Matter... in the Heart of Alabama"
March 23-25
Montgomery, Alabama
Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center | 334-481-5000
Hotel rate: $119/night + tax | Group code: stsstsa | Hotel deadline: March 7, 2009

Register online | Silent Auction Donation Form | Available Sponsorships
Download the brochure

Showcase your organization and be a sponsor of the Spring Meeting:
Click here for a listing of sponsorships.

The Heart of the (Economic) Matter . . . in the Heart of Alabama

"The economy is improving."
"The economy is in a free-fall."
"Expect the next five years to be something we have not seen in several generations."
"Now is a great time to exploit new markets and segments."

Yes, the economy is a relentless challenge. We hear contradictory messages, and certainty is a scarce commodity. Making sense of it all sometimes seems impossible.

That situation creates the theme for the Southeast Tourism Society’s spring 2009 meeting, “The Heart of the Economic Matter,” in Montgomery, Alabama. The programs and discussions will examine travel and tourism in light of the changed economic landscape and will help you cope with today’s challenges in practical ways.

Times may be tumultuous, but STS seeks to calm the storm just a bit and provide useful, pro-active ideas.

Accommodations are at the recently opened Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center. The agenda includes a delightful tour of Montgomery on Monday, March 23, as well as a voluntourism project benefiting the Montgomery tourism community.

The goal is to make you feel a bit more comfortable the next time someone cries, “The sky is falling! The sky is falling!” Your reassurance will come from knowledge you gained in the heart of Alabama.

Preliminary Agenda - STS Spring Meeting & SETTRA Symposium 2009

Sunday, March 22

11:00 a.m. STS Executive Committee meeting
2:00 a.m. STS Advisory Council meeting
3:00 p.m. STS Board of Directors meeting
6:00 p.m. STS Board of Directors dinner

Monday, March 23

8:00 a.m. Montgomery Tour | $40 includes lunch
9:00 a.m. Work Morning with STS – Join STS in a voluntourism project to assist the Montgomery Zoo (lunch provided)
9:00 a.m. Golf @ Robert Trent Jones Golf -Judge Course | Learn more at www.rtjgolf.com | $65 includes lunch
Noon Registration opens | Registration Name Badges Sponsored by Hoffman Media | Conference Tote Bags Sponsored by LWT Communications
2:30 p.m. New Member Orientation | All new members since September 2008 are requested to join this session to meet the staff and learn about the benefits available to you as a new STS member.

Bob Stewart, former commissioner of Kentucky tourism

Roger Dow, United States Tourism Association

3:30 p.m. Keynote: Roger Dow, United States Tourism Association. What's to come in 2009?

Opening Session: Practical Recommendations for NOW.

Roger Miles, President of Miles Media along with David Bohan, President of BOHAN and moderated by Bob Stewart, former state travel director of Kentucky, will direct questions to the three person panel. Audience participation welcome.

6:00 p.m. Alabama Blast Reception & Dinner

Come find fun, food and fancy footwork. Bring your dancing shoes for an evening of merriment Monday evening. | Sponsored by Alabama STS members

Tuesday, March 24

8:00 a.m. Continental breakfast in trade show area
8:00 a.m. SE TTRA breakfast | Sponsored by University of Florida Center for Tourism & Crisis Management

Concurrent Sessions
9:00 a.m. General Session: Dr. David Bronner, Ph.D., Retirement Systems of Alabama (invited)
9:00 a.m. SE TTRA Session - White papers / Poster presentations

10:15 a.m. Break | Sponsored by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | ajc.com

David Bohan, BOHAN

Concurrent Sessions
10:45 a.m. General Session: The New Normal? - David Bohan, BOHAN

Is there really a new normal? Was there ever even an old normal? Good marketers realize that very little is normal. We’ve experienced great shocks in recent years: terrorism, war, financial turmoil, huge demographic changes, astounding technology…the list is numerous. What’s a marketer to do? The good ones do not hide or simply try to weather the current storm; they believe in research, ongoing customer development and outreach. They are positioned to thrive when the storm passes, or even while the storm rages.

10:45 a.m. SE TTRA Session - White papers / Poster presentations

12:00 p.m. Marketing College Graduation Lunch | Sponsored by Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center

Roger Miles, Miles Media

Concurrent Sessions (Open to all)
1:45 p.m. General Session: You Get What You Ask For – Roger Miles, Miles Media

We will take four concepts and evoke strategic thought, giving the audience specific questions and actions to take on each topic.

1:45 p.m. General Session SETTRA: The Power of Promotion in a Challenging Economic Climate: Will it keep them coming?” - Jeffrey Eslinger, D.K. Shifflet & Associates

3:00 p.m. Break

John Hudak, Madden Media

Concurrent Sessions (Open to all)

3:30 p.m. General Session: Managing Change - John Hudak, Madden Media

Exponential change is occurring in a number of areas that both directly and indirectly impact the way that today’s DMOs must manage the business of travel and tourism; at the same time, tourism leaders are also having to find new ways to move and motivate staff and board members who are classic change resistors. In this entertaining presentation, Madden Media’s John Hudak offers a number of important insights related to key areas that are changing our world and what destination managers can do to use change to the advantage of the communities they represent.

Suzanne Cook, United States Tourism Association

3:30 p.m. General Session SETTRA: 2009 Outlook for U.S. Travel and Tourism - Suzanne Cook, United States Tourism Association

6:00 p.m. Reception & Silent Auction

Dinner: Explore the varied eateries Montgomery has to offer. This is a chance to break away with your friends and find a new favorite restaurant.

Wednesday, March 25

8:00 a.m. Breakfast Buffet: Fall Meeting 2009 Kickoff

9:00 a.m. General Session: CVB CEOs Tackling Today’s Challenges - Panel discussion: Bill Geist (moderator), Consultant

A panel of CEO’s who know how to work with stakeholders brain storm with aggressive, pointed questions about funding issues and “how-to” with respect to local CVB mission. Audience participation a must!

10:30 a.m. End of Sessions

All sessions and meetings are business casual. Monday and Tuesday night social events are casual.

STS wants new member organizations to get involved immediately and has a great incentive to encourage just that. When an organization joins STS, its primary member can attend the next membership meeting free. STS will waive that meeting’s registration fee.* There are two membership meetings each year, spring and fall, and we want you to jump right in with STS networking and professional development. We think you’ll see right off the bat why STS is so valuable to almost 1,000 travel and tourism professionals.

*The complimentary meeting registration is offered only to the organization’s primary member and is available for the first membership meeting after joining STS. Registration is not transferable to another organization. Lodging, transportation and meals are the responsibility of the new member. No cash value.

STS Spring Meeting