2026 Governor’s Conference
Learn MoreMissouri Governor’s Conference on Tourism
About
The Missouri Governor’s Conference on Tourism is an annual conference that features a strong line-up of expert speakers, as well as exciting social events to enhance your networking opportunities with top leaders and innovators.
Mark your calendar for next year’s conference being held October 20-22, 2026 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Springfield.
Registration
Full Conference Pass October 20-22 (meals included) | Early Bird $350 / Standard $400
One-Day Pass October 21 (meals included) | Early Bird $300 / Standard $350
Awards Banquet Pass Only | $100
Lunch Pass Only October 21 (subject to Governor’s attendance) | $50
Early Bird Registration closes September 18. Final Registration closes on October 2.
Conference Hotel Information
The room block at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Springfield is currently open through September 19. The room rate for conference attendees is $139 + tax.
Book your hotel reservation(s) using this link, adjusting the dates to reflect the length of your stay.
Destination Experience
Sponsored by Visit Springfield, Missouri
Choose Your Experience
Beyond the Aquarium – A VIP Experience
Discover one of Springfield’s most iconic attractions through an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience at the Wonders of Wildlife Aquarium.
Go beyond the exhibits and gain insider access to the Wonders of Wildlife Aquarium, voted America’s Best Aquarium eight times. This VIP tour offers a rare behind-the-scenes look, where guests will explore the sophisticated life-support systems, animal care operations and cutting-edge science that sustain one of the nation’s premier aquarium experiences.
Before your adventure begins, enjoy a relaxing lunch located inside Bass Pro Shops. Surrounded by nautical décor and stunning aquarium views, it’s the perfect setting to unwind and connect with fellow attendees.
Whether you’re passionate about wildlife, fascinated by conservation, or simply looking to experience one of Springfield’s must-see destinations in a unique way, this exclusive tour offers an unforgettable perspective on a world-class attraction.
Limited to 48 attendees.
Route 66 Centennial Experience & Springfield’s History Museum on the Square
Celebrate the 100th anniversary of America’s most iconic highway with an exclusive journey through Springfield—the Birthplace of Route 66. This guided tour showcases the city’s rich history while highlighting several of the exciting new landmarks and public art installations created in honor of the Route 66 Centennial.
Along the way, guests will make photo stops at some of Springfield’s newest Route 66 attractions, including the Birthplace of Route 66 Plaza, the striking Route 66 Sculptures Series and the impressive Queen’s Gate 66 installation, each celebrating Springfield’s unique place in the story of the Mother Road.
The experience includes a stop at Civil Kitchen for lunch and concludes at the History Museum on the Square, where guests will discover Springfield’s fascinating past—from the legendary Wild Bill Hickok shootout on the historic square to the events that led to the creation of Route 66. Through engaging exhibits and captivating stories, attendees will gain a deeper appreciation for the people, places and moments that helped shape both Springfield and America’s most famous highway.
Whether you’re a history enthusiast, Route 66 fan or simply looking to experience Springfield’s newest attractions, this unforgettable tour offers a perfect blend of nostalgia, culture, and centennial celebration.
Limited to 24 attendees.
Agenda
Tuesday, October 20
Registration
Glendalough Foyer & Lobby
Sponsored by KH + Madden
Exhibitor Trade Show Set Up
Glendalough
Destination Experience
Sponsored by Visit Springfield, Missouri
*RSVP required
Transportation will be provided from the DoubleTree to Destination Experiences, departing the hotel at 12 pm.
Marketplace Reception
Glendalough Foyer & Lobby
Sponsored by Midwest Living [People Inc.]
Join us for a Marketplace Reception before the Welcome Reception. The event will provide valuable time to network with your peers and establish connections with vendors at the conference. Light refreshments will be served.
Welcome Reception
Sponsored by Visit Springfield, Missouri
Kick off the Missouri Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Springfield’s historic C-Street district! Join us at the beautifully restored Savoy Ballroom for an evening of networking, handcrafted cocktails, delectable hors d’oeuvres and a few surprises. Reconnect with colleagues, make new connections and celebrate the local hospitality and creative spirit that set the stage for an inspiring conference.
Transportation will be available between the DoubleTree and Savoy Ballroom from 5:45 pm to 9:15 pm. Shuttles will operate on a continuous loop throughout the evening.
Wednesday, October 21
Exhibitor Trade Show
Glendalough
Visit with business professionals and service providers who help support the tourism industry.
Registration
Glendalough Foyer & Lobby
Sponsored by KH + Madden
Breakfast
Glendalough
Sponsored by OBP Agency
General Session
Glendalough
Sponsored by Tripadvisor
10 Minute Break
Breakout Session
Anne McLester Meeting Room
The Digital Tourism Toolkit: Better Ways to Capture, Manage & Share Your Story
Speaker: Matt Wilson, Wilson Video Productions
Tourism organizations are creating more digital content than ever – but are you getting the most out of it? This practical session explores essential tools and strategies to help tourism professionals better organize, manage, enhance and distribute their digital assets. We’ll cover Digital Asset Management (DAM), photo keywording, AI-powered image upscaling, QR codes for crowdsourcing visitor photos, YouTube vs. Vimeo and building partner toolkits with ready-to-use media. You’ll also learn how digital signage and other modern technologies can make your content easier to locate, share and put to work.
Breakout Session
Rathdangan I
AI Search, Rankings & Relevance: What DMOs Need to Know About the New Search Landscape
Speaker: Jaimie Hart, Go Fish Digital
As AI-driven search transforms how travelers, meeting planners and stakeholders discover destinations, DMOs must rethink their digital strategies. Drawing on cutting-edge research into ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews and evolving search behaviors, this session explores how AI is reshaping online visibility through a tourism and meetings lens. Attendees will learn how to position content for AI-generated answers, track performance beyond traditional rankings and master actionable tactics – from understanding similarity scores to running AI audits – to thrive in the AI-first search era.
Breakout Session
Rathdangan II
Break and Exhibitor Trade Show
Glendalough
Visit with business professionals and service providers who help support the tourism industry.
All Breakout Sessions Repeat
This is your chance to see another breakout session.
Luncheon
Glendalough
Sponsored by OBP Agency
General Session
Glendalough
Missouri Unscripted
Speaker: Scott Caufield, Tripadvisor
Join us for an unscripted, fast-paced general session celebrating the best of Missouri tourism! Part insider perspective and part crowd-pleasing entertainment, it offers a fresh, laugh-filled look at our state through the eyes of those who live it every day. Expect spontaneous moments, unexpected reveals and plenty of fun to bring us all together!
Breakout Session
Anne McLester Meeting Room
Breakout Session
Rathdangan I
Breakout Session
Rathdangan II
Break and Exhibitor Trade Show
Glendalough
Visit with business professionals and service providers who help support the tourism industry.
All Breakout Sessions Repeat
This is your chance to see another breakout session.
10 Minute Break
Missouri Tourism Commission Meeting
Rathdangan III
Seating is limited.
Awards Reception
Glendalough Foyer & Lobby
Wine compliments of the Missouri Wine and Grape Board.
Awards Banquet & Presentation
Glendalough
Wine compliments of the Missouri Wine and Grape Board.
Thursday, October 22
Exhibitor Trade Show
Glendalough
Visit with business professionals and service providers who help support the tourism industry.
Registration
Glendalough Foyer & Lobby
Sponsored by KH + Madden
Breakfast
Glendalough
Breakout Session
Anne McLester Meeting Room
Developing Characters in Your Community
Speakers: Matt Wilson, Wilson Video Productions; Tammy Bruckerhoff, Visit Hermann; and Kim Thompson, KH + Madden
Our communities offer a wide range of great products, delicious food and inviting places to stay, but it’s the people behind those experiences who truly make a visit memorable. Today’s travelers want more than a transaction; they want a connection and an authentic experience. In this presentation, we will explore how to identify, highlight, capture and share the people behind your local offerings. The panel will cover every stage of the process, from content production and media delivery to tracking real-world results.
Breakout Session
Rathdangan I
The Outdoor Adventure Niche
Speaker: Patrick Tuttle, CDME, Visit Joplin
A destination’s largest venue may well be its great outdoors. Outdoor adventure is a thriving niche market that impacts every community, and your biggest opportunity might lie in the small details you are currently overlooking. This session explores the power of niche markets, helps you uncover the hidden value in your community’s smaller assets and leverages group discussion to provide practical insights and best practices for attracting visitors.
Breakout Session
Rathdangan II
Tripadvisor Trendcast
Speaker: Scott Caufield, Tripadvisor
Discover the biggest shifts shaping traveler behavior this year and beyond, and what they mean for destinations and attractions in Missouri. Based on Tripadvisor’s latest Trendcast report, this session will explore ten emerging travel trends and practical ways to turn insights into visitation.
10 Minute Break
All Breakout Sessions Repeat
This is your chance to see another breakout session.
Break and Exhibitor Trade Show
Glendalough
Visit with business professionals and service providers who help support the tourism industry.
Missouri Division of Tourism Update
Glendalough
Speaker: Stephen Foutes, Missouri Division of Tourism
During this session, you’ll see examples of MDT’s work to showcase Missouri as a travel destination, hear programmatic updates and get a sneak peek at the Division’s marketing plans for spring 2027 and beyond.
Giveaways & Closing Remarks
Conference Concludes
Call for Speakers
We are no longer accepting Speakers for the 2026 conference.
Interested in speaking at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism? Fill out the Speaker Form below and we will review your request. If interested, Visit Missouri staff will contact you directly.
Speakers
Matt Wilson
Matt is a commercial photographer, videographer and licensed FAA drone pilot with a diverse background in television production, destination marketing and live media technology. He partners with communities, businesses and organizations to create compelling photo and video content that showcases the unique people, places and experiences of each destination. Beyond his creative expertise, Matt brings deep technical knowledge of delivery and streaming options – including Digital Asset Management systems – to help organizations store, organize and manage their media libraries. By combining creative storytelling with practical technical execution, he helps clients leverage modern media tools to engage audiences and produce high-quality visual content.
Jaimie Hart
Jaimie is a dynamic and dedicated marketing professional with over a decade of experience in the tourism, hospitality and events industries. In her previous role at Discover The Palm Beaches, she spearheaded the DMO’s groups and meetings marketing efforts, leading strategic initiatives that strengthened the destination’s market positioning to drive revenue and economic growth. Jaimie’s deep industry expertise, combined with a strong passion for strategic relationship-building, has been the cornerstone of her continued success.
Andrea Sporcic Klund
Andrea Sporcic Klund is the film commissioner for Missouri and runs the Missouri Film Office – a part of the Missouri Division of Tourism. She has been in the film biz representing Missouri for over 20 years. Since 2005 she has worked to market Missouri to the film and television industry nation-wide. She has helped coordinate production logistics for more than 30 feature films, and hundreds of television segments and series filmed all over the state. Before joining the film office she spent 8 years with Cinema St. Louis, the producers of the St. Louis International Film Festival as director of operations. She holds BA degrees in Theatre and Corporate Communications from Lindenwood University. She has also acted, written, directed and produced for the stage and screen.
Scott Caufield
Scott Caufield is a senior principal client partner at Tripadvisor, where he spearheads efforts to help destinations across a 17-state region boost their visibility to the platform’s hundreds of millions of monthly travelers. Over his 12-year tenure at Tripadvisor, Scott has engaged with thousands of destination and hospitality executives nationwide, guiding them through the rapidly changing landscape of modern travel marketing. Scott brings a strategic perspective shaped by real-world experience and industry leadership. He lives with his wife, Laura, and their two children, in Celina Texas.
Patrick Tuttle, CDME
Patrick Tuttle, a Texas native raised in Joplin and a 20-year U.S. Air Force veteran, has spent the past 15 years as the director of Visit Joplin, driving leisure, group and sports travel across Southwest Missouri. Under his leadership, the region has emphasized partnerships, local heritage and historic Route 66 – highlighted by his spearheading of the world’s largest collection of Route 66-themed 3D street paintings for the 2026 Centennial. Also a recognized TEDx presenter on the tourism industry, Tuttle combines his military background in international protocol with a deep passion for promoting his hometown.
Stephen Foutes
As director of the Missouri Division of Tourism, Stephen leads a dedicated team of marketers, communicators, researchers, program managers, legislative and financial specialists, and welcome center ambassadors focused on promoting Missouri as one of the country’s top travel destinations. A lifelong Missourian, he holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Central Methodist College and has worked at the Division of Tourism in varying roles for more than 10 years.
Sponsorship
There are multiple opportunities to get involved. Click below for sponsorship details.
Thank you to our 2026 Sponsors
417 Magazine
Expedia Group
McDaniels Marketing
Missouri Broadcasters Association
Missouri Hotel & Lodging Association
Missouri Wine & Grape Board
Rural Missouri
Awards
Nominations have closed.
The Governor’s Conference on Tourism Awards are open to DMOs, tourism attractions, lodging, restaurants, festivals/events, publications and other entities contributing to the tourism industry in Missouri. Entries should demonstrate exemplary customer service, initiative and have positively influenced the tourism industry.
Missouri Tourism Hall of Fame
Presented to an individual who has worked in the tourism industry for a minimum of 10 years and whose contributions have significantly and measurably impacted tourism in Missouri.
Sen. Emory Melton Legislative Award
Honors an individual who recognizes the value of tourism to the state and works through the legislative process to support Missouri’s tourism industry.
Marketing Campaign Award
Recognizes an effective integrated marketing campaign that results in increased tourism and economic benefit to a region.
Pathfinder Award
Recognizes an event or organization that successfully develops a niche tourism market.
Innovator Award
Honors a small tourism organization or individual who achieves significant results on a modest budget.
Navigator Media Award
Presented to a media outlet that promotes tourism in Missouri and its importance to the state’s economy.
Rising Star Award
Honors an individual who has worked for a tourism-related organization less than five years or who has transitioned to a new role and made significant advancements to the organization’s efforts.
Tracy Kimberlin Hospitality Award
Recognizes an individual, business or organization that has demonstrated excellent customer service.
Film Industry Champion Award
Presented to an individual who advocates for the film industry and works to expand its presence in Missouri.