The 2010 Cultural & Heritage Tourism Seminar occurred on Wednesday, April 28, 2010 in Corpus Christi, Texas.  The information below is listed for reference purposes only.

8:15 AM – 8:45 AM               Registration & Continental Breakfast

                                                Continental Breakfast sponsored by Belton Area Chamber of Commerce and Village of Salado

                                                Venue sponsored by Corpus Christi Museum of Science & History

8:45 AM – 9:20 AM               Roundtable Discussions

Don’t miss these roundtable discussions led by industry experts and specifically designed to share ideas and experiences with other attendees.  Sit at one table or float from one table discussion to the next.

9:25 AM – 9:35 AM               Welcome and Overview

9:40 AM – 10:40 AM             "Who Is The Cultural Traveler?"

                                                Cultural & Heritage Tourism is the fastest growing segment of

                                                the tourism market, generating over 41 Billion Dollars in US

                                                tourism dollars annually.  Gain insights on this lucrative travel

                                                segment – who they are and what they expect.  Learn how the

                                                U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council is

                                                incorporating valuable partnerships, effective packaging and

                                                marketing strategies specifically designed to capitalize on this

                                                market segment as an economic driver, promoting U.S.

                                                cultural and heritage destinations both nationally and

                                                internationally.

Keynote Speaker:  Sheila Armstrong, Executive Director of the US Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council

Sheila Armstrong's PowerPoint Presentation

White Paper on The Cultural & Heritage Traveler

10:45 AM – 12:00 PM           "Building Partnerships to Achieve a Shared Vision”

                                                Our communities are as strong as we collectively make them. Learn who your community partners are and how share resources and talent to build a shared vision for your tourism program.

                                                Speakers:  Stephanie O’Banion, President, Belton Area Chamber of Commerce;

                                                Elizabeth Regner, Executive Director, Lubbock Arts Alliance;

                                                Nanci Liles, Executive Director, Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau; and

                                                Rick Stryker, Director, Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History

                                                Elizabeth Regner's PowerPoint Presentation

                                                Nanci Liles' PowerPoint Presentation

12:00 PM – 12:45 AM           Lunch

                                                Keynote Speaker: Mary Bomar, Former National Park Service Director

12:50 PM – 2:20 PM              "Blogging & Social Networking 101”

                                                Have you been thinking about testing the waters of social media sites? Not sure how it might fit in to your organization? Perhaps you know about Twitter, Facebook and blogging, but would like to learn about place-based social media.  This hands-on session will help you "dive” into social media.

                                                Speaker: Chay Runnels, Program Coordinator, Hospitality Administration Program at Stephen F. Austin State Univ.-Human Sciences Dept.

                                                Chay Runnels' PowerPoint Presentation

2:20 PM – 2:30 PM                Communications Break

2:35 PM – 3:35 PM                "Heritage Tourism Product Development: How to be Effective in the Local Political Arena"

The goal of the session is to evaluate the issues and challenges of heritage tourism development within the context of local politics today. It is important to understand and to utilize the many different motivations and perspectives found in Texas communities. The session will explore the question of how heritage tourism product development can be made to be an effective force in the local community."
Speaker: Doug Harman, Tourism Consultant

3:35 PM – 4:00 PM                Open Mic Q&A