USTOA’s 2023 Conference in Los Angeles Covers Sustainability, AI, and More

The annual United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) Conference and Marketplace drew 950 attendees, including tour operators, suppliers, and DMCs, to the J.W. Marriott LA Live in Los Angeles from Dec. 2 to 6.  

The networking and business development event aimed to connect travel professionals, with the goal of forging into the future together. Heavily covered topics during the various panels, presentations, and the Destination for Destinations forum were sustainability, artificial intelligence (AI), and overall trends. 

“With members coming in from all over the world, our hope is that each attendee leaves with lasting connections and inspiration for the future,” Terry Dale, USTOA’s president and CEO, told TMR. “This year, our theme of ‘In Perfect Harmony’ exemplified how USTOA works. While our members may be competitors, they are also colleagues, and it’s so gratifying to see them work together for a healthier future in travel. This year’s conference was a success because of the passion of our members, proactive conversations, and thought-provoking speakers.” 

Sustainability conversations 
USTOA centered sustainability at its conference in a few ways – first, by offering sustainability sessions where member organizations were able to workshop their sustainability plans. In addition, there was a desk where members could meet with USTOA’s global social impact (GSI) manager, Molly Laycob, who USTOA hired in January. 

The conference featured the Destination for Destinations (DFD) forum on Sunday, Dec. 3, which it has hosted for the past few years. Several speakers talked about sustainability, such as Edmund Morris, of Equator Analytics, who noted that the term does not have a clear-cut definition. For example, an action that is considered sustainable in one city may not be in another. 

A panel of tour operators also spoke about sustainability, noting that the term encompasses diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), the environment, and over tourism. They agreed that while customers don’t frequently ask for sustainable tours, those tours typically do offer a more enriching experience. 

“Many guests, especially depending on their age or demographic, maybe don’t have as much of an innate desire to travel sustainably … but when they travel on our trips, and we explain to them that these experiences either have a good impact on the place they’re visiting, the people  they’re visiting, and they’re having an amazing time, it is actually the thing that they remember most and is the reason that they come back,” said Melissa DaSilva, president of TTC Tour Brands. 

The USTOA Conference honored its annual Future Lights of the Industry, who were recognized for their efforts in sustainability. This year’s honorees were Julie Higgins, the hotel operations director and sustainability officer at Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, and Mikey Sadowski, vice president of global communications at Intrepid Travel. 

USTOA also announced that its Sustainability Is Responsibility Summit, while in the past held in Norway, will be held in Singapore next year, from May 18 to 21, 2024. 

“Recognizing the importance of incorporating eco-friendly practices, promoting responsible tourism, and ensuring diverse representation within organizations is emerging as a priority, which is both necessary and exciting to see,” Dale said. 

Technological advancements 
Artificial intelligence (AI) is another topic on everyone’s minds in the travel industry, and the conference included plenty of conversations about its role in travel professionals’ careers.  

A presentation by Martin Stoll, CEO of Sparkloft Media, a marketing agency that works with travel industry clients, highlighted the ways in which professionals can take advantage of AI, such as using it for image editing, copywriting, generating photo and video content, brainstorming ideas, analyzing data, and creating a chatbot feature on websites.  

There was also a demonstration by Discover Atlanta, displaying the tourism bureau’s use of gaming technology to create Atlanta Meta World, an innovative virtual tour of the city. The speakers agree that there is a human role to using AI and that the new technology is just another tool to use in the workplace. 

“Technology in tourism fosters innovation from improved marketing strategies, adapting to trends, and even optimizing sustainable initiatives,” Dale said. “Discussing how the industry uses technology is essential for staying competitive and enhancing the customer experience.” 

Destinations trends and value in tourism 
USTOA shared several findings from its 2023 member survey, including that the most popular international tour destinations of the year were Italy, France, the U.K, and Spain, and the most popular domestic tour destinations were California, Alaska, and New York.   

Another trend appears to be small group tours, which tour operators expect will generate the most sales growth in 2024. Discussions throughout the conference also focused on how an increased value placed on travel may offset the threats to travel confidence in the world’s current strained geopolitical state and financial struggles. 

“Coming out of the pandemic, people are really prioritizing travel and realizing once it was taken away, that it’s really a priority, and how can they make that work?” said Dana Santucci, chairman of USTOA and executive vice president of EF Education First. “At EF, you can put a small deposit down for a tour and book something for a year in advance and not have to make payments and you’re not paying interest. We’re trying to make it affordable and accessible for all.” 

“It’s funny what you miss when you can’t do it. It becomes important, and people reprioritize life,” said Jerre Fuqua, president of Holiday Vacations, the immediate past chairman of USTOA. “We’re in the business of delivering life experiences, and when those aren’t available, we all know what happens. You want them.” 

Multimedia presentations throughout the four-day conference, speeches, trip giveaways, and live performances, all aimed to inspire attendees to explore different parts of the world and highlight the wonder of travel. Events sponsors included Trip Mate, Jordan Tourism Board North America, Egyptian Tourism Authority, Tenerife Tourism Corporation, Saudi Tourism Authority, China National Tourist Office, and several others.