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How can destinations integrate innovation and technology to drive strategic destination development? In this panel session, we'll explore how the North East of England is positioning itself at the intersection of digital innovation and strategic destination development.
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We’ll examine the long-term vision driving the city and region forward, focusing on collaborative frameworks that unlock innovation at scale and looking at the broader ecosystem powering transformation as well as regional development:

1. In what ways is digital innovation influencing how the North East of England defines and expresses its regional identity?
2. What collaborative models are enabling innovation across public, private and cultural sectors in the North East?
3. In what ways are structural reforms accelerating digital integration and long-term regional transformation?

How can DMOs leverage set-jetting to drive regional tourism and engage next generation travellers? In this session, Emma Wilkinson, Deputy Director of Global Marketing at VisitBritain, will share valuable insights from VisitBritain's latest campaigns, exploring how cinematic storytelling and creative digital marketing are being used to reshape destination appeal. With a spotlight on Starring GREAT Britain and Got the Shot, this session will dive into how screen tourism is helping to distribute travel more evenly across UK regions. Discover how strategic partnerships and digital fulfilment frameworks are creating new tourism narratives, unpacking:

• How can screen tourism campaigns strengthen regional tourism and influence travel decisions across the different generations?
• In what ways does digital marketing and audience-driven storytelling enhance the emotional connection between on-screen stories and real locations?
• What strategies resonate most with Gen Z and Gen Alpha when promoting destinations through screen tourism?
  

How do digital behaviours across generations shape the way we design, communicate and deliver tourism experiences? In this panel session, we’ll explore how emerging generational traits, of Gen Z and Gen Alpha, are redefining expectations in a digital-first world.

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With a focus on technology and generational trends, this session looks at how differences in behavioural patterns, values and content preferences are shaping digital strategies. From gamified experiences to influencer ecosystems and personalised discovery, we’ll explore the shifting expectations shaping next-generation visitors, focusing on:

1. How do Gen Alpha's digital habits differ from those of previous generations and what does this mean for tourism?
2. In what ways can destinations design experiences that are responsive to generational values and digital behaviours?
3. How can understanding generational intelligence help to shape digital strategies for visitor experience and engagement?

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How can destinations harness the power of gaming to engage a new generation of travellers? Join Elena González de Parga, Marketing Director at Canary Islands Tourism Board, & Yurena Escobar Alonso, CEO of Flecher, in this session as they dive into Find the Seasouls – an immersive experience on Roblox created by Canary Islands Tourism Board to inspire environmental awareness among Gen Alpha. With 160 unique characters representing local wildlife, Find the Seasouls is a call to adventure with a purpose. We'll explore how destinations can use immersive storytelling to engage future travellers, focusing on:

• How are gaming platforms like Roblox opening up new opportunities for immersive storytelling?
• In what ways can immersive storytelling help audiences engage more deeply with a destination’s culture and core values, sparking curiosity to inspire travel decisions?
• What is the broader potential of gaming in tourism, from brand-building to instilling values and creating long-term affinity with a place?

This co-design session will explore the strategies needed to effectively engage with today's dynamic audiences and prepare for the future by creating a strong relationship with Gen Alpha. We will brainstorm innovative marketing strategies for enabling omni-generational marketing, tapping into wider societal trends, encouraging social sharing and balancing AI applications with authentic storytelling.

Jan Hutton, CEO of the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW), will delve into how ATDW is reimagining the future of product content distribution across Australia and beyond. Drawing on ATDW’s extensive database of more than 65,000 profiles, this session offers real-world insights into partnership-driven approaches to content distribution and how ATDW is navigating today’s digital landscape while laying the groundwork for transformative growth on a global scale, focusing on:

• How is ATDW approaching the future of product content distribution across both public and commercial channels?
• Where are there opportunities to seize collective growth through stronger product distribution?
• What role do global technology partnerships play in shaping next-generation digital infrastructure for tourism?

How can digital design unlock the storytelling potential of cultural archives and museum collections? With this session, Julie Van Oyen, Product Designer at Europeana, takes you on a journey through innovative web-based interfaces that bring heritage to life. We will focus on design techniques that deepen engagement and reveal the layers of meaning within destination narratives. Blending creativity, research and innovation, this session will explore the intersection of culture and digital service design, shining a light on:

• How can digital platforms support tourism and strengthen local identity by showcasing cultural collections online?
• In what ways can design and technology be used to reimagine storytelling in the cultural heritage space?
• How does user experience research shape interface design that pushes the boundaries of how cultural content is accessed and experienced?
  

How do you breathe new life into a destination brand while ensuring it delivers on its promise? In this session, Olli Ylioja, Head of Digital at Visit Turku Archipelago, shares the story behind Saaristo – a brand reset that reimagines Turku Archipelago’s identity for a new era of digital engagement. This session offers a powerful case study on how destinations can intentionally apply service design principles, aligning vision, voice and value in the digital space, exploring:

• How has the destination’s brand evolved over time and how is storytelling now being used to better capture the unique spirit of the islands?
• How can destinations ensure that the experiences shown in campaign assets are easily discoverable and bookable?
• How do digital platforms and design help bridge the gap between a destination's narrative and the visitor journey, turning a brand promise into a meaningful visitor experience?
  

As destinations integrate digital and physical touchpoints, spatial data provides a powerful lens for building personalised and accessible visitor experiences. This session explores how destinations are leveraging spatial data to better understand how people navigate and interact with a place, making it an essential tool in experience design and destination planning.

Bringing together different perspectives, this panel will examine how data-driven approaches are being applied to enhance digital service design, creating more connected and inclusive visitor journeys:

1. How can spatial data inform the design of visitor experiences across physical and digital environments?
2. What are the ethical and practical considerations for collecting and applying location-based insights?
3. How can destinations use real-time spatial data to optimise engagement, visitor flows and accessibility in key areas?

Through a collaborative process, participants will explore how digital service design can enhance visitor experiences by focusing on content discoverability, digital storytelling, seamless journey integration and user-centred design. Together, these concepts will demonstrate how compelling stories, accessible platforms and UX-driven development can inspire discovery and drive bookings, supporting strategies for more connected and inclusive tourism experiences.

Can artificial intelligence redefine how we plan and experience travel? As destinations embrace digital innovation, this session will ask what it really takes to integrate AI strategically into travel planning. Eve Le Gall, Deputy Director, Marketing and Partnerships, will explore Atout France's MarIAnne, an AI-driven travel planner that creates personalised itineraries with tailored suggestions for where to stay, eat and explore:

• Could smart itineraries guide visitors towards lesser-known places, helping manage tourism flows more sustainably?
• What role does data play in making AI-powered travel planners more inclusive?
• What are the main barriers to adopting AI solutions across the tourism sector?

Join Jamie Claudio, SVP of Destination Marketing at Tiki, and Andrew Wilson,  CMO of Discover Atlanta, as they share how Tiki's unique conversational AI ads drive engaged website traffic. Through a dynamic fireside chat, we’ll then dive into the broader implications of AI on Atlanta’s destination strategy, unpacking the critical questions being asked and the insights that are shaping their path forward, showcasing:

• What makes Tiki’s approach to awareness and top-of-funnel engagement stand out in a saturated market, and what sets them apart from other platforms?
• How is AI reshaping content strategies and influencing real-time decision-making in destination marketing?
• What can we learn from Discover Atlanta’s evolving strategy as AI becomes more deeply embedded in audience engagement?
  

How might AI agents unlock new forms of personalisation and engagement in tourism? This panel explores how AI is evolving from a set of tools into intelligent systems capable of reshaping the visitor experience. Moving beyond chatbots and recommendation engines, AI agents introduce new possibilities for personalised travel planning and dynamic on-site engagement.

Bringing together voices from tech, tourism and digital innovation, this discussion will focus on practical adoption, the role of rapid prototyping and how flexible AI tool stacks are being used to build visitor-centred experiences:

1. How can regional platforms leverage AI agents to deliver personalised and real-time visitor support?
2. What opportunities do autonomous AI systems create for immersive, adaptive and interactive travel experiences?
3. What organisational or ethical barriers still stand in the way of mainstream AI adoption in tourism?

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This interactive session will guide participants through the process of developing a robust AI strategy. We'll investigate key considerations for successful implementation, from identifying opportunities for value creation and intuitive design of user interfaces through AI to identifying opportunities for integration establishing ethical frameworks and building trust.

How can destinations integrate innovation and technology to drive strategic destination development? In this panel session, we'll explore how the North East of England is positioning itself at the intersection of digital innovation and strategic destination development.
‍

We’ll examine the long-term vision driving the city and region forward, focusing on collaborative frameworks that unlock innovation at scale and looking at the broader ecosystem powering transformation as well as regional development:

1. In what ways is digital innovation influencing how the North East of England defines and expresses its regional identity?
2. What collaborative models are enabling innovation across public, private and cultural sectors in the North East?
3. In what ways are structural reforms accelerating digital integration and long-term regional transformation?

How can DMOs leverage set-jetting to drive regional tourism and engage next generation travellers? In this session, Emma Wilkinson, Deputy Director of Global Marketing at VisitBritain, will share valuable insights from VisitBritain's latest campaigns, exploring how cinematic storytelling and creative digital marketing are being used to reshape destination appeal. With a spotlight on Starring GREAT Britain and Got the Shot, this session will dive into how screen tourism is helping to distribute travel more evenly across UK regions. Discover how strategic partnerships and digital fulfilment frameworks are creating new tourism narratives, unpacking:

• How can screen tourism campaigns strengthen regional tourism and influence travel decisions across the different generations?
• In what ways does digital marketing and audience-driven storytelling enhance the emotional connection between on-screen stories and real locations?
• What strategies resonate most with Gen Z and Gen Alpha when promoting destinations through screen tourism?
  

How do digital behaviours across generations shape the way we design, communicate and deliver tourism experiences? In this panel session, we’ll explore how emerging generational traits, of Gen Z and Gen Alpha, are redefining expectations in a digital-first world.

‍

With a focus on technology and generational trends, this session looks at how differences in behavioural patterns, values and content preferences are shaping digital strategies. From gamified experiences to influencer ecosystems and personalised discovery, we’ll explore the shifting expectations shaping next-generation visitors, focusing on:

1. How do Gen Alpha's digital habits differ from those of previous generations and what does this mean for tourism?
2. In what ways can destinations design experiences that are responsive to generational values and digital behaviours?
3. How can understanding generational intelligence help to shape digital strategies for visitor experience and engagement?

‍

How can destinations harness the power of gaming to engage a new generation of travellers? Join Elena González de Parga, Marketing Director at Canary Islands Tourism Board, & Yurena Escobar Alonso, CEO of Flecher, in this session as they dive into Find the Seasouls – an immersive experience on Roblox created by Canary Islands Tourism Board to inspire environmental awareness among Gen Alpha. With 160 unique characters representing local wildlife, Find the Seasouls is a call to adventure with a purpose. We'll explore how destinations can use immersive storytelling to engage future travellers, focusing on:

• How are gaming platforms like Roblox opening up new opportunities for immersive storytelling?
• In what ways can immersive storytelling help audiences engage more deeply with a destination’s culture and core values, sparking curiosity to inspire travel decisions?
• What is the broader potential of gaming in tourism, from brand-building to instilling values and creating long-term affinity with a place?

This co-design session will explore the strategies needed to effectively engage with today's dynamic audiences and prepare for the future by creating a strong relationship with Gen Alpha. We will brainstorm innovative marketing strategies for enabling omni-generational marketing, tapping into wider societal trends, encouraging social sharing and balancing AI applications with authentic storytelling.