2011 Olympic Peninsula Tourism Summit

Join Tourism Professionals from
Around the Peninsula for This One-day Event

Wednesday, October 19, 2011, 8am - 5pm

The Commons at Fort Worden, Port Townsend

Check here often for updates about the Summit.
As more information is available, we will post it here and on Facebook.
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Register Now!

Click here to register online and pay with credit card via PayPal, or phone Gloria at 360-452-8552 to register and pay by check.

First registration, including lunch: $75.00

Second registration from same organization, including lunch: $65.00

A Discover Pass will not be necessary for this event.

Come meet Suzanne Fletcher, the Executive Director of the new Washington Tourism Alliance! Welcome her to the Peninsula and hear what she has to say about the new WTA.

Now meet the 2011 Tourism Summit Speakers!

Opening Session:  Nan Devlin. The Full Marketing Monty: Engaging Visitors Before, During and After Their Trip.  Fifth generation Oregonian and eager explorer of the Pacific Norhtwest, principal of Avid Traveler Consultants. She has 15 years experience in marketing communications and helps small towns, counties and rural areas build sustainable tourism, marketing and media strategies that celebrate their unique sense of place. She is a lecturer in sustainable tourism in the graduate school of Business at The George Washington University in Washingon D.C., where she earned a Master's Degree in Tourism Administration.

Closing Speaker:  Jennifer Peper. Vice President, Aristotle. Tying It All Together - Making Sense of a Growing List of Complex Marketing Channels. She has more than 16 years of experience in marketing and project coordination and seven years' experience in Internet business consulting. Her consulting experience ranges from major corporations and large tourism associations to small busiensses and local destinations. She designs and coordinates online customer surveys and in-house strategic planning for clients. 

Kevin O'Keefe. Legal Issues with Social Media. Kevin, the CEO and Publisher of LexBlog, the leading provider of social media solutions and strategies to law firms. The LexBlog Network with over 5,500 members, is the world's largest professional blog network. Kevin will help us understand the risks and limitations of social media!

Luncheon Speaker:  Monica Rafter. Customer Service - Hospitality. What's the difference? Monica Rafter is the owner of Write On Communications, Tucson. She writes for multiple tourism websites, and provides marketing and operational support for full-service hotel management and development services company. 

Leif Hansen will tackle the topic: Going Local: Three Top Social Media Strategies for Local Businesses. Let's find out what's working in our neighborhood! Leif is a seasoned social media consultant, developer and manager. As founder of Spark Social Media and Spark Interaction, his work has been featured on a variety of national media including NBC's Today Show, PBS Online and the LA Times. Leif is known for delivering highly engaging trainings, helping individuals and organizations clarify and authentically express their core offierings, as well as for devleoping creative and innovative social marketing strategies that engage and enrich an expanding market.

Bruce Skinner is a highly regarded consultant to business and the special events industry, with vast experience. He'll be talking about sponsorship return on investment and how communities can sponsor events and receive ROP in the form of economic impact. Bruce served as the executive director of the Fiesta Bowl 1980-1990 and President of the International Festivals and Events Association from 1990-200. He is the author of the book, The Complete Guide to Selling Event Sponsorship, published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., of New York, and is one of the founders of the PF Chang’s Arizona Rock n Roll Marathon in Phoenix, Arizona, and the Rock n Roll Seattle Marathon. In Port Angeles, Wash., he is executive director of the Olympic Medical Center Foundation, and stages many events in that community of 18,000 people.

Pat has been involved with hospitality and tourism marketing for over 25 years. You might know her as the principle of InsideOut Solutions, Inc.  Keven Elliff is a marketing and business development consultant who helps businesses, organizations, and individuals connect with customers to grow business. Previously the Managing Director at Centrum, and Director of Business Development for Signal Consulting, Keven has worked with dozens of firms in Washington state on product development and customer engagement. Pat McCauley will join with Keven Elliff to talk about How to Manage Your Reputation on the Internet.  No matter what, you've got to know some of these basic rules!

 MORE SPEAKER INFORMATION COMING SOON!

Please note: Although a Discover Pass is not required at this event, your purchase helps to maintain, manage and operate state recreation lands. As funding for recreation shifts from tax support to user fees, the responsibility to cover costs will shift from the general public to visitors. You also may continue to donate to Washington State Parks when you register a vehicle through the Department of Licensing.

MEET THE TRAVEL WRITER PANEL

As a media professional, Allen Cox works both sides of the editorial desk. He is a working freelance writer with a focus on travel, food and wine, the outdoors, the arts, business, and profiles of people who make a difference. His articles have appeared in several regional and national magazines, including AAA Journey, Northwest Travel, 425, South Sound, Native Peoples, Coast Explorer, WA Magazine, Seattle Times and many other print and online publications. He is also Editor of HARBORS, the Kenmore Air Destination Magazine. Allen serves on the Board of Directors of International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association and chairs that organization's Excellence Awards Committee. He is also a member of Society of Professional Journalists. He has authored guidebooks, conducts writing workshops and speaks at media and tourism conferences. Allen hails from a 30-year career in marketing management. Besides writing and editing, he assists organizations as a destination and tourism marketing consultant, communications consultant and commercial copywriter/editor. Learn more about Allen and his work at www.allencox.org.  

Sue Frause is an award winning journalist and photographer. Her words and images are published in magazines and online, and she's the author of a number of blogs: Whidbey Island Life in the Seattle P-I; Closet Canuck, about all things Canadian; and is the Seattle Travel Examiner for examiner.com. She's also a regular contributor to Crosscut in Seattle and The Huffington Post Travel. Sue is an on-air correspondent for Around the World Travel Radio and is a popular guest speaker on the topics of travel and other early delights. The Washington state native has lived on Whidbey Island since 1975 with her husband Bob. Sue enjoys travel, theater, movies, jazz, fine food and heavenly spas. She's been to all seven continents, but wasn't really trying. It just happened.

Tourism Summit Lodging in Port Townsend

The Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission is a partnership of the Chambers of Commerce and tourism marketing entities from the Hood Canal to Kalaloch including North Hood Canal representing Quilcene and Brinnon; Jefferson County representing Port Ludlow, Port Hadlock, & Port Townsend; Sequim Dungeness Valley; Port Angeles; Forks; Neah Bay; Clallam Bay and Sekiu; West Jefferson County; and the Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau representing the unincorporated areas of Clallam County.