WORKSHOPS
The theme for 2026’s forum is Fortune Favors the Bold.
CHECK OUT THE WORKSHOP PREVIEW BELOW.
Thursday, April 16
The Connection Advantage: Turning Presence Into Powerful Sales Results
In an era when mountain destinations compete on scenery, amenities, and access, the real differentiator is the courage to sell through connection rather than convention. This 45-minute workshop invites sales and marketing leaders to rethink their approach by treating every interaction as an opportunity to create emotional lift for potential guests. Through real-world hospitality examples, participants explore how presence, curiosity, and intentional personalization can unlock bolder, higher-value conversations. Together, we’ll examine practical techniques that turn human engagement into a strategic advantage—helping teams stand out, earn trust, and close business in ways that feel effortless, elevated, and unmistakably memorable.
Erica Kaehly, President, Guest Service Solutions
Decoding Supply and Demand: A Deep Dive with Industry Leaders
Join Phocuswright's Pete Comeau and Inntopia's Tom Foley as they reveal key insights from year two of this ground-breaking research, Shifting Slopes: Navigating the Future of Mountain Travel. Featuring a panel of industry leaders, the session covers consumer behavior, competitive strategies, and leveraging data for marketing, guest experiences, and revenue growth.
Moderated by Tom Foley, SVP, Business Intelligence, Inntopia by Outside
AIO, SEO, and AI Search: A Step-by-Step Playbook to Get Found (and Booked)
In this in-depth follow up session to the general session segment, Mike Lannen from Eternity goes beyond theory and shows exactly how to position your brand to be discovered by AI. You’ll see live demos of how AI tools choose which properties to recommend and learn the specific content, data, and on-site strategies that make your listing rise to the top. You’ll get an actionable game plan you can take back to your team.
What You’ll Walk Away With:
Live demos of AI platforms and how they rank products
The exact types of content AI tools pull from (and how to structure it)
How to optimize Google Business Profile, website pages, FAQs, reviews, and metadata for AI visibility
A step-by-step checklist of quick wins + long-term strategies
How to track if your efforts are actually working in AI search
Mike Lannen, Founder, Eternity
Mountain Lodging Trends and Insights
Join moderator Tom Foley of Inntopia by Outside and leading lodging executives for a data-driven look at what’s next for hotels, short-term rentals, and resort accommodations. From shifting traveler expectations to evolving distribution, pricing, and occupancy patterns, the panel will unpack the bold strategies driving occupancy and revenue. Walk away with actionable insights to stay competitive in a rapidly changing lodging landscape.
Moderated by Pete Comeau, Managing Director, Phocuswright and Tom Foley, SVP, Business Intelligence, Inntopia by Outside