Tourism summit to focus on marketing collaboration Oct. 23

The Public Relations Society of America - Delaware Chapter has announced the inaugural TourismConnect - PR, Marketing & Collaboration Summit for the region's travel, tourism, culinary and hospitality industries will take place Monday, Oct. 23, at the Atlantic Sands Hotel and Conference Center in Rehoboth Beach.

It will concentrate on the $2.7 billion tourism industry in Delaware's Sussex County, and bring together regional tourism leaders, supporting businesses and stakeholders to share best practices and insights in the development and promotion of more collaborative, sustainable travel and tourism among Delaware, Southern New Jersey and Maryland's Eastern Shore.

Top sponsors for the first-of-its-kind summit are Southern Delaware Tourism and The Atlantic Sands Hotel & Conference Center. Those who plan to attend must register online at prsadelaware.org/tourismconnect2023.

"TourismConnect has been designed and curated by public relations experts and focuses on all of the elements of the tourism industry - hospitality, travel and culinary development; marketing and advertising; promotion and public relations,” said Tara Smith, PRSA-Delaware Chapter president. "Tourism is one of the top economic drivers for this tri-state region, and PRSA-Delaware is facilitating this summit to give industry leaders a platform from which to tell their stories and explore new ways to grow this region as a top tourist, culinary and luxury destination."

The summit is open to any solo practitioner or business that participates in or supports tourism, including, but not limited to: state and regional tourism offices; hotels; resorts; airlines; rental car companies; attractions; restaurants; museums; historic sites, tour operators; and public relations and marketing professionals.

U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., will provide the summit's opening remarks via video. "Travel and tourism play a vital role in continuing our economic growth following the lean pandemic years," Coons said. "The TourismConnect Summit projects Delaware's commitment to a strong economy by bringing together some of the brightest minds across Southern Delaware, Maryland's Eastern Shore and Southern New Jersey. It opens the door wider for strategies and partnerships that expand hospitality resources that ultimately contribute to the growing tourism and hospitality sector in the U.S."

Delaware Tourism Office Director Jessica Welch will present a lunchtime keynote address on “The State of Tourism.”

Attendees will benefit from networking and panel discussions of local and regional tourism marketing and development initiatives from many industry innovators and thought leaders, including: Mariah Calagione, Dogfish Head co-founder and social impact leader; Ty Sawyer, executive vice president, Wayne's World Media and co-founder/director of content, product, marketing and brand strategy for Jetzy - Travel Like A Local; and Chef Jordan Lloyd of Hambleton House Events & Catering.

"TourismConnect presents a great opportunity to assess our collective efforts in destination marketing and publicity throughout the region," said Scott Thomas, Southern Delaware Tourism executive director. "While tourism continues to be a major economic engine, there are still many opportunities to collaborate and grow this sector. There's still so much of the unexpected to discover in our Mid-Atlantic region."

The Atlantic Sands Hotel and Conference Center hotel owner, Gene Lankford, who next plans to build the Atlantic Crowne, a 55-key boutique hotel in Rehoboth Beach, said, "As travel and tourism continue to recover, now is the time for us to come together to accelerate the process and grow. It's essential that Delaware stands alongside other states and regional communities to build more resilient and responsible tourism. This summit is long overdue and much needed to increase collaboration across our region, and spark a more expansive tourism and hospitality industry here."

To register and learn more about TourismConnect - PR, Marketing & Collaboration Summit, visit prsadelaware.org/tourismconnect2023.