SALISBURY — Tourism champions from across the state convened at the North of Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau for the 17th Annual Tourism Summit on Jan. 24 at the Boston Marriott Peabody.
Among the 150 guests were representatives from the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, Essex County legislators and town officials, and hospitality businesses. The summit provided tools, strategies, and guidance from top professionals to drive the tourism industry both regionally and statewide.
The event began with a welcome and update from North of Boston CVB Executive Director Nancy Gardella, followed by a summary of statewide destination marketing by Kate Fox, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism. Mike Sperling, CEO of Sperling Interactive, highlighted the CVB’s revamped website and the impressive gains made in consumer engagement.
A panel session on “Leveraging Cultural Districts and the Creative Economy to Put Heads in Beds Year Round” featured Elizabeth Carey, CEO of the Rocky Neck Art Colony and Cultural District in Gloucester; Carolyn Cole, special projects manager for Advancement at the Mass Cultural Council; Erin Padilla, executive director of Creative Haverhill and Riverwalk Cultural District in Haverhill; LaCrecia Thomson, arts & culture planner, City of Lynn and Lynn Cultural District; and Erin Truex, executive director of Beverly Main Streets and Arts Beverly.
Guests also participated in three breakout sessions: “Elevate Your Digital Communications: Top 10 Trends for 2025” by Marnely Murray and Angela Prout from Shored Up Digital; “International Travelers: What to Know and How to Attract Them” by Casey Canevari of Brand USA; and “Simple Strategies for Big Impact with Digital Marketing, AI and Social Media” by Raymond St. Amand of Sperling Interactive.
Sheila Green, MA250 coordinator for the state, and Ryan Conary, program and event manager at Essex Heritage, discussed upcoming activities for the statewide celebration of Massachusetts 250.
The summit concluded with a keynote address by Harold Steward, executive director of the New England Foundation for the Arts, entitled “Tourism, Arts & Culture and the Future of Resilience.”