Digital Travel US 2017 (past event)
May 08 - 10, 2017
Green Valley Ranch, Las Vegas, Nevada
1.888.482.6012
Digital Innovations and The In-Trip Experience
07:30 - 08:30 Continental Breakfast & Registration In The Solutions Zone
08:30 - 08:35 Welcome Remarks And Interactive Polling
08:35 - 08:50 Chairperson’s Opening Address
08:50 - 09:35 Trends in Customer Loyalty
Brian Kelly is the founder and CEO of The Points Guy, a leader and influencer in the industry of points, miles and travel in general. As a passionate traveler since childhood, Brian used his knowledge and insight to start ThePointsGuy.com during his time as a Wall Street road warrior while traveling the globe for up to six months a year. Brian was able to book exciting and extravagant trips for next to nothing through his hard-earned points and miles, flying first class and staying at luxury hotels all for less than the cost of a coach ticket and a hostel bed. Due to the immense interest in his tips and advice, Brian left his Wall Street job in June 2011 to grow his site and travel the world full-time.
09:35 - 09:55 Driving Improved Loyalty through Mobile Experiences
When it comes to building and maintaining customer loyalty, brands must continue to evolve to meet ever-changing customer demands. Today, a fundamental shift is occurring in the desired communication channel as many customers prefer to engage and shop via their mobile device. Caesars Entertainment has embraced this change in customer preference and has invested in tools to talk to customers in their preferred channel.
Michael Marino, SVP Customer Loyalty & Chief Experience Officer, provides a look at how Caesars is using mobile experiences including its award winning mobile app to improve their economics, including:
•Connecting customer to on-demand access to service
•Providing personalized customer offers
•Selling distressed inventory
09:55 - 10:30 Panel: The Mobile Concierge: How New Technology is Revolutionizing Service
The industry is experiencing a huge cultural shift when it comes to what travelers want and when they want it. Cue the emergence of the ever-prominent mobile concierge and the question: could this mean the end of the hotel lobby as we know it? Our panelists from biggest names in hospitality will discuss:
• The latest technology in concierge services, check-in and digital key apps
• The impact of mobile on the hospitality industry
• How hotels can get ahead of the curve to leverage their own resources to enhance customer service
• The latest technology in concierge services, check-in and digital key apps
• The impact of mobile on the hospitality industry
• How hotels can get ahead of the curve to leverage their own resources to enhance customer service
10:30 - 11:10 Morning Refreshment & Networking Break In The Solutions Zone
11:10 - 11:30 Keynote: Leveraging Multi-Screen Opportunities For Optimized Revenue Sources
Today’s Traveler is attached to their device, and airlines are upping their game when it comes to reaching the customer across all digital channels. Our Finnair executive shares strategies for:
• Capitalizing on every screen that is part of the traveler journey from desktop to mobile to in-flight/in-room
• Developing innovative products for multi-screen technology to build seamless, tailored, and inspiring experiences during the trip
• Delivering personalized content directly to the traveler based on their pre-trip preferences, building in-flight/in-room monetization and advertisement opportunities
• Capitalizing on every screen that is part of the traveler journey from desktop to mobile to in-flight/in-room
• Developing innovative products for multi-screen technology to build seamless, tailored, and inspiring experiences during the trip
• Delivering personalized content directly to the traveler based on their pre-trip preferences, building in-flight/in-room monetization and advertisement opportunities
11:30 - 11:50 Case Study: Get Intimate With Rose, The Cosmopolitan Hotel & Casino’s Chatbot
With more than 20 restaurants, an extensive art collection, and many resort and entertainment offerings, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas had an opportunity to provide guests with a VIP experience with insider information. They developed Rose, a mischief making chatbot, to help guests navigate the resort and discover surprises around every corner. Join this session to:
•See how Chatbots backed by employees can deliver an intimate experience at scale
•Find out how guests are responding, and what they love most
•Learn the value of an SMS Chatbot in the hotel & casino space
11:50 - 12:10 Fireside Chat: Why Going Local Really Means Going Global
To address the needs of global travelers, one must first think small. By focusing the lens on localization, we can capture the attention and loyalty of users around the globe. While localization typically starts with language, that’s just the beginning. Understanding how users search, interact with content and submit payments are just some of the ways we can localize. In this session, we’ll talk about:
• The difference between local and global
• How to convince senior leadership that global sites are worth the investment
• How to adapt search, content and promotions to local markets
Marriott International Inc
• The difference between local and global
• How to convince senior leadership that global sites are worth the investment
• How to adapt search, content and promotions to local markets
Sonia Zamborsky
Director of Product Field Support & CommunicationsMarriott International Inc
12:10 - 13:10 Lunch For All Attendees
13:10 - 13:30 Case Study: The Future is NOW; Instructions Not Included
TPG Hotels & Resorts is recognized as one of the nation’s leading hotel management companies, operating big name brands including Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Intercontinental, Starwood, Wyndham and Accor and a number of properties. TPG’s VP of eCommerce shares insight into the evolution of digital marketing and technology, including:
• Rethinking hotel business objectives
• Rewriting job descriptions
• Hiring for the requisite skill sets
• Rethinking hotel business objectives
• Rewriting job descriptions
• Hiring for the requisite skill sets
13:30 - 14:30 Innovation Roundtables
Speakers:
David Stewart Chief Business Officer Turo
Darren Skomorowsky Director, Revenue Management The Pierre, a Taj Hotel
Jennifer Andre Senior Director, North America, Media Solutions Expedia
Parag Vohra Vice President Sales North America SOJERN
Jamey Bainer Strategy & Planning Director Pacific
Jeffrey Harmon Sr. Manager – Disney Travel Operations Project Development and Integratio The Walt Disney Company
Angela Blanchard Director, Travel Operations Infrastructure & Support The Walt Disney Company
David Stewart Chief Business Officer Turo
Darren Skomorowsky Director, Revenue Management The Pierre, a Taj Hotel
Jennifer Andre Senior Director, North America, Media Solutions Expedia
Parag Vohra Vice President Sales North America SOJERN
Jamey Bainer Strategy & Planning Director Pacific
Jeffrey Harmon Sr. Manager – Disney Travel Operations Project Development and Integratio The Walt Disney Company
Angela Blanchard Director, Travel Operations Infrastructure & Support The Walt Disney Company
These interactive sessions are your opportunity to learn about the most innovative digital and omni-channel solutions on the market in a relaxed setting. Each table will have a specific theme—please choose two tables, allowing for one rotation in between topics. A highlight of Digital Travel Summit, roundtable discussions are your best opportunity to idea-share with your peers; have a pint and enjoy networking!
To lead a Roundtable, contact Scott.Rossen@wbresearch.com or 646-200-7526.
1. YouTube and Travel: Inspiring an End-to-End Customer Experience
Parag Vohra, Vice President Sales North America, SOJERN
2. Adobe Roundtable
Eddie Ramirez, Practice Director, Travel & Hospitality, Adobe
Rebecca Keen, Digital Transformation Leader, Travel & Hospitality, Adobe
Eddie Ramirez, Practice Director, Travel & Hospitality, Adobe
Rebecca Keen, Digital Transformation Leader, Travel & Hospitality, Adobe
3. Attribution, Acquisition and Retention in the Age of OTA Channel Consolidation
Darren Skomorowsky, Director, Revenue Management, The Pierre, a Taj Hotel
Darren Skomorowsky, Director, Revenue Management, The Pierre, a Taj Hotel
4. Sharing Economy and How it’s Transforming Travel for Owner and Traveler
David Stewart, Chief Business Officer, Turo
David Stewart, Chief Business Officer, Turo
5. Sharing Cultures Beyond Borders: The Role of Digital Marketing Insights and Innovation
Jennifer Andre, Senior Director, North America, Media Solutions, Expedia
Jennifer Andre, Senior Director, North America, Media Solutions, Expedia
6. Topic TDB, Executive Speaker, TMM Data
7. IoT in the Travel Industry is at a Tipping Point
Scott Sciotto, ForgeRock
Scott Sciotto, ForgeRock
8. Succeeding in the New Age of Search: How to Make Your Message More Discoverable to Your Best Customers
Jamey Bainer, Strategy & Planning Director, Pacific
Jamey Bainer, Strategy & Planning Director, Pacific
9.Leading Walt Disney World Guests through the Digital Experience
Jeffrey Harmon, Sr. Manager – Disney Travel Operations Project Development and Integration, The Walt Disney Company
Angela Blanchard, Director, Travel Operations Infrastructure & Support, The Walt Disney Company
Jeffrey Harmon, Sr. Manager – Disney Travel Operations Project Development and Integration, The Walt Disney Company
Angela Blanchard, Director, Travel Operations Infrastructure & Support, The Walt Disney Company
Jamey Bainer
Strategy & Planning DirectorPacific
Jeffrey Harmon
Sr. Manager – Disney Travel Operations Project Development and IntegratioThe Walt Disney Company
Angela Blanchard
Director, Travel Operations Infrastructure & SupportThe Walt Disney Company
14:30 - 15:10 Afternoon Refreshment & Networking Break In The Solutions Zone
Track A: Mobile & Innovations
15:10 - 15:20 Chairperson’s Afternoon AddressTrack B: Boosting Revenue through Ancillary
15:10 - 15:20 Chairperson’s Afternoon AddressCreative Board Rooms
15:10 - 15:20 Creative Board Rooms
No PowerPoint; no plans --just candid conversations about the top of mind topics.
Airline Executive Creative Boardroom
Discuss the impact of the current political landscape on air travel in a candid setting.
• How has the travel band impacted your brand?
• The impact of Brexit
• The “currency conversation”– US Currency is stronger than it has been in years. What’s the impact on travel?
OTA/Meta-Search Executive Creative Boardroom
Innovations in eCommerce Platforms for Travel – Mobile being the Principal Platform
Hotelier Executive Creative Boardroom
Discuss the impact of the current political landscape on air travel in a candid setting.
• How has the travel band impacted your brand?
• The impact of Brexit
• The “currency conversation”– US Currency is stronger than it has been in years. What’s the impact on travel?
Track A: Mobile & Innovations
15:20 - 15:40 Case Study: Emotions for ROIWestJet is way ahead of the curve when it comes to creating viral, meaningful content. They understand the influence of a powerful social media campaign. Ahmed Elemem shares the secret to harnessing emotions of the customer to increase brand loyalty by covering these topics:
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Real authentic content and caring trends on the web
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How WestJet used Santa Claus to drive 86% increase in revenue for the month of December
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Analytics of a social viral campaign
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How to get more likes, shares, views and the booking
Track B: Boosting Revenue through Ancillary
15:20 - 15:40 Diversity in Travel MarketingCreative Board Rooms
15:20 - 15:40 Creative Board Rooms
No PowerPoint; no plans --just candid conversations about the top of mind topics.
Airline Executive Creative Boardroom
Discuss the impact of the current political landscape on air travel in a candid setting.
• How has the travel band impacted your brand?
• The impact of Brexit
• The “currency conversation”– US Currency is stronger than it has been in years. What’s the impact on travel?
OTA/Meta-Search Executive Creative Boardroom
Innovations in eCommerce Platforms for Travel – Mobile being the Principal Platform
Hotelier Executive Creative Boardroom
Discuss the impact of the current political landscape on air travel in a candid setting.
• How has the travel band impacted your brand?
• The impact of Brexit
• The “currency conversation”– US Currency is stronger than it has been in years. What’s the impact on travel?
Track A: Mobile & Innovations
15:40 - 15:50 Innovation SpotlightKalle Marsal
Chief Marketing OfficerMitek
Creative Board Rooms
15:40 - 15:50 Creative Board Rooms
No PowerPoint; no plans --just candid conversations about the top of mind topics.
Airline Executive Creative Boardroom
Discuss the impact of the current political landscape on air travel in a candid setting.
• How has the travel band impacted your brand?
• The impact of Brexit
• The “currency conversation”– US Currency is stronger than it has been in years. What’s the impact on travel?
OTA/Meta-Search Executive Creative Boardroom
Innovations in eCommerce Platforms for Travel – Mobile being the Principal Platform
Hotelier Executive Creative Boardroom
Discuss the impact of the current political landscape on air travel in a candid setting.
• How has the travel band impacted your brand?
• The impact of Brexit
• The “currency conversation”– US Currency is stronger than it has been in years. What’s the impact on travel?
Track A: Innovation Spotlight
15:50 - 16:10 How to Build a Brand through Storytelling: Using Content that Connects
People don't want to be sold to, they want to be inspired. They want to dream, imagine, and be transported. Content marketing is at the top of every marketer's to-do list these days, but it's more than just creating conversion-focused, sales-y content. Discover how to create a content program that resonates with your audience, drives engagement and boosts your business, including:
• How to create (and sustain) a robust blog presence
• The ins and outs of user-generated content, from engaging to promoting
• Why educational content is crucial, regardless of your vertical
• How to create (and sustain) a robust blog presence
• The ins and outs of user-generated content, from engaging to promoting
• Why educational content is crucial, regardless of your vertical
Track B: Boosting Revenue through Ancillary
15:50 - 16:10 Business or Pleasure? The Evolution of Business Travel
Business travelers have a unique set of needs, as they travel frequently and often at the last minute. Hear how HRS is assisting corporate travelers and improving their overall experience. Edward Perry discusses:
• Shifting focus from traditional leisure perspective to a broader emphasis on the needs of the corporate business traveler
• Understanding the business needs of corporations and how technology plays into improving the overall landscape
• Implementing incident response strategies in an elevated threat climate and using monitored data to support the traveler’s safety
• Shifting focus from traditional leisure perspective to a broader emphasis on the needs of the corporate business traveler
• Understanding the business needs of corporations and how technology plays into improving the overall landscape
• Implementing incident response strategies in an elevated threat climate and using monitored data to support the traveler’s safety
Creative Board Rooms
15:50 - 16:10 Creative Board Rooms
No PowerPoint; no plans --just candid conversations about the top of mind topics.
Airline Executive Creative Boardroom
Discuss the impact of the current political landscape on air travel in a candid setting.
• How has the travel band impacted your brand?
• The impact of Brexit
• The “currency conversation”– US Currency is stronger than it has been in years. What’s the impact on travel?
OTA/Meta-Search Executive Creative Boardroom
Innovations in eCommerce Platforms for Travel – Mobile being the Principal Platform
Hotelier Executive Creative Boardroom
Discuss the impact of the current political landscape on air travel in a candid setting.
• How has the travel band impacted your brand?
• The impact of Brexit
• The “currency conversation”– US Currency is stronger than it has been in years. What’s the impact on travel?
Track A: Innovation Spotlight
16:10 - 16:30 Making the Most of Your Hotel Bookings
How are companies maximizing their revenue? Marion Hughes-Roger is launching DayUse.com in North America and will address:
• Capitalizing on a room twice in one day through day booking
• Overcoming rate droppings
• A glimpse at the future of room bookings and what this means for hoteliers to win the direct booking
• Capitalizing on a room twice in one day through day booking
• Overcoming rate droppings
• A glimpse at the future of room bookings and what this means for hoteliers to win the direct booking
Track B: Boosting Revenue through Ancillary
16:10 - 16:30 Revisiting the Use of Location and Information Sharing TechnologyProviding relevant information through your brands app is essential for in-trip personalization. The session focuses on United Airline’s best practices for:
•Leveraging beacons to improve the traveler journey, building high interactivity with engaged travelers
•Managing messages: building a plan for frequency of and diversified messages
•Pushing ancillary products to boost your onsite revenue
Creative Board Rooms
16:10 - 16:30 Creative Board Rooms
No PowerPoint; no plans --just candid conversations about the top of mind topics.
Airline Executive Creative Boardroom
Discuss the impact of the current political landscape on air travel in a candid setting.
• How has the travel band impacted your brand?
• The impact of Brexit
• The “currency conversation”– US Currency is stronger than it has been in years. What’s the impact on travel?
OTA/Meta-Search Executive Creative Boardroom
Innovations in eCommerce Platforms for Travel – Mobile being the Principal Platform
Hotelier Executive Creative Boardroom
Discuss the impact of the current political landscape on air travel in a candid setting.
• How has the travel band impacted your brand?
• The impact of Brexit
• The “currency conversation”– US Currency is stronger than it has been in years. What’s the impact on travel?
Track A: Mobile & Innovations
16:30 - 16:50 Case Study: Virtual Reality and the Future of TravelWe think of virtual reality as the ultimate in innovation. Gain a better understanding of how brands are leveraging this ever-growing and exciting technology to create the ultimate customer experience.
•How are brands utilizing new technology in augmented and virtual reality to create a new and enhanced customer experience
•Is virtual reality another step in the customer journey or a threat to the travel industry?
•What does the future of travel look like 10 years down the road and how can tourism boards leverage this technology to boost bookings
Track B: Innovation Spotlight
16:30 - 16:50 Case Study: Building The Digital Transformation Strategy Powered By Agile Approach
VP of Digital Services, Mehmet Bütün, lays the groundwork for a better understanding of the pillars of the digital strategy beyond customer experience, including:
• Why the dynamics of the digital touch-points require agile perspectives?
• Delivering the “minimum viable product” to business teams to create unique digital services
• What is next on digital for you? Innovation vs. Disruption!
• Why the dynamics of the digital touch-points require agile perspectives?
• Delivering the “minimum viable product” to business teams to create unique digital services
• What is next on digital for you? Innovation vs. Disruption!
Creative Board Rooms
16:30 - 16:50 Creative Board Rooms
No PowerPoint; no plans --just candid conversations about the top of mind topics.
Airline Executive Creative Boardroom
Discuss the impact of the current political landscape on air travel in a candid setting.
• How has the travel band impacted your brand?
• The impact of Brexit
• The “currency conversation”– US Currency is stronger than it has been in years. What’s the impact on travel?
OTA/Meta-Search Executive Creative Boardroom
Innovations in eCommerce Platforms for Travel – Mobile being the Principal Platform
Hotelier Executive Creative Boardroom
Discuss the impact of the current political landscape on air travel in a candid setting.
• How has the travel band impacted your brand?
• The impact of Brexit
• The “currency conversation”– US Currency is stronger than it has been in years. What’s the impact on travel?