Click here for a PDF of the full schedule of the 2023 SE Summit
2023 Travel Unity Summit Southeast
Hosting Sponsor
March 27-29, 2023
Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino
Lake Charles, LA
Featured Sponsors
Supporting Sponsors
Sponsors and Partners
SCHEDULE
Monday, March 27, 2023
3:00-5:00pm
Registration in Memorial Foyer
6:00pm–7:30pm
Opening Reception in Memorial I & II
Join new and returning attendees for a reception at the Golden Nugget.
Attire: Be yourself! It’s a DEI event.
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
8:00-9:00am
Breakfast and Registration in Memorial Foyer
9:00-9:10am
Introduction and Welcome – Kyle Edmiston, President & CEO, Visit Lake Charles – in Memorial I + II
Our host welcomes attendees to Lake Charles – Louisiana’s Playground!
9:10-9:15am
Welcome: Mayor Nic Hunter, City of Lake Charles, LA – in Memorial I + II
Mayor Nic Hunter of the City of Lake Charles, LA welcomes attendees to the 2023 Travel Unity Summit Southeast.
9:15-10:00am
Keynote – Sophia Hyder Hock, Chief Diversity Officer, Destinations International – in Memorial I + II
Take a deeper dive into Sophia Hyder Hock’s thoughts on the current state of DEI in the travel industry and where organizations of all sizes can balance short-term successes and long-term strategy.
10:00-11:00am
Panel: Tips and Tricks for Crafting a Comprehensive DEI Plan – in Memorial I + II
Having a thorough applied DEI strategy takes a commitment, but many organizations have already done it. Learn their tricks on how to strategize inclusion in the workplace, with visitors, and with community stakeholders and partners.
Moderated by Berkeley Young. Featuring Renée Areng, CDTP, Timothy Bush, CDTP (Visit Lake Charles) & Zondra W. Jones, CDTP (Louisiana Northshore)
11:00-11:30am
BREAK
11:30am-12:30pm
A Conversation with Rickey Thigpen, PhD. and Bennish Brown – in Memorial I + II
Rickey Thigpen, PhD. and Bennish Brown share how their lives have impacted their work and organizational strategies.
12:30-1:30pm
Lunch – Sponsored by Explore Brookhaven – in Memorial I + II
1:30pm-2:30pm
1:30pm-2:30pm
Breakout Room #1 – Attracting Diverse Groups through Media & Sales – in Memorial I
Hear case studies on how moving from one-way broadcasting to mutually respectful relationships can move the needle on bringing diverse travelers and groups to your destination. Moderated by Jada Durden. Featuring Nicole Twigg and Najauna White.
1:30pm-2:30pm
Breakout Room #2 – Strategic Approaches to Applied DEI – in Memorial II
What does it mean to commit to DEI both externally and internally? Learn from professionals who have helped organizations define and implement these strategies. Featuring Sonya Bradley (Visit Sacramento) and Melissa Cherry (Miles Partnership). Moderated by Timothy Bush (Visit Lake Charles).
2:30pm-3:30pm
Breakout Room #1 – LGBTQ+ Inclusion: Marketing to LGBTQ+ Communities and Working with LGBTQ+-owned Businesses – in Memorial I
Learn from LGBTQ+ experts how to better communicate and collaborate with LGBTQ+ visitors and businesses. Moderated by Tico Soto.
2:30pm-3:30pm
Breakout Room #2 – Workshop – Building a Hiring Pipeline – in Memorial II
Even prior to the pandemic, the travel industry was struggling with workforce issues. This session will deliver practical strategies on not only how to diversify your workforce, but how to make sure employees of all backgrounds and abilities feel like they belong in your organization. Featuring Dr. Edward Walden, Caitlin Scanlan, Lauren A.K. Darnell and Craig Kennedy.
Session sponsored by New Orleans & Company.
3:30 PM
Snack and Return to Plenary
3:40-4:40pm
Integrating DEI and Sustainability for Your Community – in Memorial I + II
Ready for the next level of equitable tourism management? Considering ‘stewardship’ in your strategic planning? Hear from leaders in the sustainability space and share your thoughts in this dynamic session that closes out our Tuesday programming. Moderated by Jen Gray-O’Connor (Coraggio Group).
Dine around
Enjoy Tuesday’s dinner at one of the excellent restaurants at Golden Nugget or elsewhere in Lake Charles!
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
8:00-9:00am
Breakfast and Registration – in Memorial Foyer
9:00-10:00am
Keynote Session – in Memorial I + II
Roni Weiss, Executive Director of Travel Unity, kicks off the final day of the 2023 Southeast Summit.
Neki Mohan, VP of Multi-Cultural Business & Community Engagement at Visit Lauderdale, talks about how their destination has tackled representing their whole community in the face of myriad challenges.
10:00-10:50am
Cultural Tourism: How to Responsibly and Collaboratively Tell Community Stories – in Memorial I + II
With an introduction and moderation by Cheryl Hargrove, this session will cover local and regional efforts around cultural tourism.
10:00-10:20am – Cultural Tourism in the 2020s
Cheryl Hargrove introduces the scope of the session – sharing her experiences on how travel is currently addressing issues around cultural tourism.
10:20-10:50am – Justice + Storytelling: Sharing the Experiences of the Black Diaspora
Leon Burnette (AKA “Mr. B The Guru”) works with African American tour guides to share first-hand knowledge of the continuing struggle for racial equality. Learn more about his work through Civil Rights Trail Tours and Tourism Pathways to keep Black Diasporan stories alive and on how he creates space for open, honest discussions.
10:50-11am
BREAK
Arlington Convention and Visitors Service
North Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau
11am-12pm
DEI Case Studies from Across the Southeast – in Memorial I + II
From North Carolina to Arkansas to Virginia, learn real-world examples of how professionals and organizations are practicing applied DEI.
12:00-1pm
What’s Your Reaction? – in Memorial I + II
A lively session where panelists (and the audience!) react to different ads that highlight identities/communities.
Featuring Cheryl M. Hargrove, Craig Kennedy, Elijah Washington, and Karen Kuhl
1pm
END OF SUMMIT
Schedule subject to change.
What happens at the Summit?
At every Travel Unity Summit, participants come together to tackle how to go beyond words and ideas, moving forward on the real work that it takes to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into strategic planning and implementation.
Who is it for?
Travel Unity Summits are for destination marketers, members of the travel industry interested in learning more about applied DEI, economic development professionals who see the value of tourism, and individuals who want to make sure their communities are welcoming to people of all backgrounds and abilities.
Which ticket is right for me?
Members of the Travel Unity Alliance and other affiliated organizations receive discounted tickets for $400, with non-member tickets at $450.
Members of the press can apply for credentials here.
Questions? Contact [email protected] or (212) 923-7704
Members of the 2023 TUS Southeast Planning Committee include:
Renee Areng
Explore Brookhaven
Committee Co-Chair
Nerissa Okiye
Martin County Office of Tourism & Marketing
Committee Co-Chair
Timothy Bush
Visit Lake Charles
Melissa Cherry
Miles Partnership
Devan Corbello
West Feliciana Parish Tourist Commission
Jill Kidder
Visit Baton Rouge
Stacy Ritter
Visit Lauderdale
Tico Soto
Tourism Tactics by Tico
Taylor Beard Stanley
Visit Lake Charles