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?
  

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 can AI drive more user-centric, personalised and immersive tourism experiences? In this fireside chat, Martin Howe, representing Brighton's AI Meetup group initiative, ‘AI for Good’, and the regional tourism platform Chaperone, explores how AI is transforming visitor experiences. The conversation will focus on how practical AI adoption, leveraging the use of flexible tool stacks and rapid prototyping methods, can drive digital innovation, deepen personalisation and support regional economic growth. Together, we will delve into:

• How can regional platforms leverage accessible AI tools to prototype and personalise visitor experiences?
• In what ways can immersive technologies be combined with AI to create deeper and more engaging experiences?
• What organisational barriers still hold back AI adoption in tourism and how can we overcome them?

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 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?
  

Digital innovation is transforming how different generations connect with culture and history. Join Jessica Weber, Professor of Digital Transformation in Cultural Tourism at Breda University of Applied Sciences, and Lobke Elbers, Theme Manager of Digital Transformation at CELTH, in a compelling session where they will explore how immersive storytelling and technologies can expand traditional heritage preservation while tailoring experiences to resonate with Gen X, Y (Millennials), Z and Alpha. We'll examine how to design inclusive cultural narratives that engage audiences with diverse expectations, behaviours and digital fluency, focusing on:

• How can we leverage immersive and augmented reality to design heritage experiences that speak to the unique values and digital habits of each generation?
• What role does generational context play in shaping the authenticity and relevance of digital cultural storytelling?
• In what ways can digital cultural heritage foster greater inclusion and accessibility for diverse audiences?

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.

What if immersive experiences didn’t require expensive tech or complicated downloads? Join Dr. Ray Holder, Head of XR at Smartify, in a session that challenges the status quo of AR by showcasing the potential of WebXR – delivering accessible and scalable experiences straight from the browser. Building upon a two-year research project with the University of the West of Scotland, the session will explore:

• How do the evolving capabilities of WebXR compare with established platforms like Sketchfab and 8th Wall?
• How can museums and cultural institutions leverage browser-based XR to engage audiences without barriers?
• What do upcoming WebXR projects signal for the future of immersive storytelling?

Join Dr. Pauline Mackay from the University of Glasgow for an exciting session exploring how XR is reshaping access to cultural heritage. Focusing on Museums in the Metaverse and the launch of a new research centre on Realities and Immersion, this session offers insight into how to open up new cultural and creative opportunities to advance regional connectivity in XR and cultural storytelling, diving into:

• How does the two-sided VR platform empower users to curate immersive exhibitions using high-resolution 3D models?
• How does the project address the experiential deficit, bringing artefacts that are often kept in storage to the forefront?
• What are the key questions around ownership, IP and emerging business models for digital heritage?

In this discussion, we spotlight innovators pushing the boundaries of experience design and storytelling. Michael Guerin, CEO of Imvizar, will outline how to transform public spaces by crafting compelling story-driven journeys and redefining engagement through immersive, location-based AR. This session will demonstrate how immersive spatial experiences can deliver truly memorable visitor experiences and unpack how destinations can unlock its untapped potential, raising questions like:

• What are the creative and technical opportunities of location-based AR in tourism?
• How can spatial computing blend digital storytelling with real-world locations?
• How can we reduce barriers to adoption and build platforms that make AR more accessible?
  

This interactive session will delve into the exciting possibilities of spatial computing technologies for transforming the tourism experience. We will focus on co-designing engaging and user-centred experiences that leverage the unique capabilities of spatial computing to enhance visitor engagement, enrich cultural understanding and create unforgettable memories.