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

• What lessons can be learned from a high-stakes replatforming experience, and how can challenges be turned into strategic wins?
• How is ATDW approaching the future of product content distribution across both public and commercial channels?
• What role do global technology partnerships play in shaping next-gen 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 the 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?
  

This interactive workshop will identify key opportunities for innovation in tourism during 2025 and beyond. Through a collaborative process, participants will explore how to create seamless and engaging digital experiences that tap into emerging trends, such as sports tourism, celestial experiences and reconnecting with nature, and meet the evolving needs and expectations of travellers.

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?
  

We're moving from experimentation to widespread implementation of AI across every internal and external touchpoint. This session will explore the frontier of multimodal AI platforms in tourism and why it is becoming more central to the overall visitor experience. We'll delve into how this cutting-edge technology will create seamless user experiences.

• What are the opportunities for AI to become a collaborator in tourism planning and decision-making?
• How can we effectively integrate multimodal AI with existing infrastructure and platforms?
• Do we truly understand the evolving desires and expectations of travellers regarding AI usage in tourism?

How can we navigate the complexity of AI as an industry, mitigating the associated risks to ensure a responsible future for tourism? This session will explore the exciting yet intricate interplay of risk and reward by critically examining the potential risks and challenges associated with AI adoption:

• How can tourism businesses maintain control over their brand identity and the visitor experience while leveraging the power of AI?
• Who owns the data generated by AI systems and how can we ensure data privacy and security?
• What can we do to ensure that AI-powered experiences retain a sense of authenticity and human connection?

This interactive workshop 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.

This session will delve into growing generational divides and set the scene for the emergence of Gen Alpha. We will provide valuable insights for tourism marketers on how to effectively engage with this generation and adapt their strategies accordingly. We'll examine the key trends shaping their decision-making, from a desire for hyper-connectivity to the growing emphasis on mental health and wellbeing.

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 workshop 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, Neil McDonnell and Fergus Bruce 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 workshop 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.