 “Driving Tourism 2008” Keynote Speakers
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| TUESDAY, April 15, 2008 |
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| MONDAY, April 14, 2008 |
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| TUESDAY, April 15, 2008 |
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| "Stars of the Industry" Awards Dinner |
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At 7-2, Michigan State's men's basketball team is off to its best start in school history and is expected to vie for yet another Big 10 Championship. With a mixture of veteran and young players, MSU could play deep into the NCAA tournament, and once March Madness begins - who knows where one of MSU's best teams may end up? Join us at Driving Tourism 2008 to listen to one of this nation's most sought after speakers as he provides an inside glimpse into his team, its chemistry, his coaching style and how those principles can be applied to make your "tourism team" more successful! In his 13th year directing the Spartan program, head coach Tom Izzo has compiled an impressive list of accomplishments, including one NCAA National Championship, four regular-season Big Ten Championships, two Big Ten Tournament titles, four Final Four appearances, four National Coach of the Year awards and a Big Ten-best 10 straight NCAA Tournament appearances. These accomplishments, however, are not what make Izzo one of the best in the game, but rather it is his insatiable desire to accomplish more. |
In her second term, Governor Granholm demonstrated her tremendous commitment to our industry in this year’s State of the State address when she announced her intent to provide up to $50 million in additional funding for tourism and business promotion, without imposition of new taxes, fees or assessments. In 2005, the governor also supported our industry by signing legislation requiring state schools to open after Labor Day and advocating for the one-time placement of $15 million dollars in tourism promotion funding from the 21st Century Jobs Fund. 
Michigan’s economy may be in distress, but there’s still good news! Erik Hastings is on a mission to get people to travel more, and he uses his unique brand of humor to achieve that objective. In October of 2006, Erik was tapped by WABC New York, to host “The Travel Show,” the first such show ever for WABC. Erik also produces destination videos to serve consumers who go online to research, plan and book their upcoming trips. Again, creativity and humor leads to “viral video viewing.” When consumers see something funny, they “get it,” they “catch it” and pass it on to their friends. Stop complaining about Michigan’s economy – have fun as you seek to rise above its challenges. When Erik is involved, humor abounds, destination marketing is fun, and travel and laughter become contagious! 
Social media is completely transforming marketing and advertising as it lowers costs and enhances results. High tech-high-touch Web 2.0 offers more opportunities to connect with your potential visitors on multiple levels. Given these dynamics, how do you decide which of the wide array of Web 2.0 tools are right for your destination and how can you implement them in a cost-effective manner? Using concrete examples, this fast-paced session will define the tools and show you how they are being used effectively in today’s customer-driven marketplace as well as give you a glimpse of what to expect in the near future.
The stars will be out in full on the evening of April 15th, as Michigan's lodging and tourism industries come together to recognize our very best employees, operators and organizations. Perhaps the most well-known and brightest star in attendance on that special night will be MSU Basketball coach Tom Izzo, who will speak on the value of personal commitment, consistency and teamwork in achieving tourism excellence.