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DESTINATION BTV
Destination BTV: Greater Burlington's Travel & Tourism Summit
Destination BTV is back on Wednesday 11/19/25 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in South Burlington
This isn’t your average conference — it’s Burlington’s can’t-miss gathering of the year. Hosted by Hello Burlington, Destination BTV brings together changemakers from tourism, higher ed, talent attraction, and economic development to answer one big question: How can we work together to make our region irresistible to visitors, students, and future locals alike?
Whether you're in hospitality, human resources, real estate, higher education, government, or simply have a stake in making Greater Burlington shine, this summit is your front-row seat to the ideas shaping our future.
This year’s event features:
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Opportunities to connect with leaders and innovators across sectors
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A high-energy reception with live entertainment to keep the conversation going long after the last session ends
📅 Mark your calendar, grab your colleagues, and get ready to collaborate, connect, and celebrate all things Burlington.
Stay tuned for the full slate of presentations — and in the meantime, get registered today!
SAVE THE DATE!
📅 Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2025
🕛 Time: 12:00–5:00 PM (Reception/Business After Hours to follow)
📍 Location: DoubleTree by Hilton, South Burlington
💵 Price:
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Regular Registration (September 1 - November 11th): $65
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Last Minute Registration (November 12th - 17th): $70
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DESTINATION BTV AGENDA | NOVEMBER 19TH
12:00PM: CONFERENCE REGISTRATION OPENS
12:45PM: WELCOME REMARKS FROM CATHY DAVIS | PRESIDENT, LAKE CHAMPLAIN CHAMBER
12:50PM: GREETINGS FROM ALAN HEBERT & ANDREW COURNOYER | DOUBLETREE BY HILTON BURLINGTON
1:00PM: CONVENTION CENTER FEASIBILITY STUDY FINDINGS WITH ROB HUNDEN | HUNDEN PARTNERS
1:40PM: INFORMATIONAL UPDATES FROM ACROSS THE REGION
A) SOUTH BURLINGTON'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY WITH JESSE BAKER | CITY MANAGER, CITY OF SOUTH BURLINGTON
B) UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT'S R1 DESIGNATION WITH JAY JACOBS & KIRK DOMBROWSKI | VP OF ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT & VP FOR RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT2:15PM: NETWORKING BREAK
2:45PM: INFORMATIONAL BREAKOUTS
A) BURLINGTON'S TOURISM ECONOMY BY THE NUMBERS WITH GATHAN BORDEN | TOURISM ECONOMICS
B) AI IN TRAVEL WITH MIKE LANNEN | ETERNITY MARKETING
3:25PM: TOURISM IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT FUNDING PANEL WITH TIFFANY GALLAGHER (CIVITAS), LYNN TILLOTSON (VISIT PORTLAND) & KRISTEN ADAMO (GO PROVIDENCE)
4:05PM: CLOSING KEYNOTE | HELLO BURLINGTON’S 2026 CAMPAIGN WITH MICHAEL JAGER | CO-FOUNDER, SOLIDARITY OF UNBRIDLED LABOUR
4:50PM: CLOSING REMARKS WITH JEFF LAWSON | HELLO BURLINGTON
5:00PM: NETWORKING & INDUSTRY RECEPTION
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Catalysts for Vermont's Future: How UVM Power Economic Growth and Innovation
Presentation Description: Two of UVM's senior administrators will lead a dynamic session exploring how UVM drives economic vitality across the Green Mountain State. From talent development and workforce readiness to groundbreaking research and community partnership, the presentation will highlight the University's role as a strategic engine for innovation, investment, and inclusive growth. Learn how UVM's enrollment strategies and research initiatives are shaping Vermont's future - attracting students, supporting local business, and fueling statewide prosperity. Whether you're in education, government, or industry, discover how collaboration with UVM and amplify your impact.
Presented by:
Jay Jacobs, Ed.D., Vice President for Enrollment Management, University of Vermont
Kirk Dombrowski, Ph.D., Vice President for Research and Economic Development, Professor of Anthropology, University of Vermont.
Burlington's Visitor Economy: By the Numbers
Gathan Borden, Client Relationships and Insights Manager at Tourism Economics, will deliver a data-driven snapshot of Greater Burlington’s visitor economy, unpacking the trends that shape how and why people travel to our region. Their “by the numbers” presentation will connect the dots between visitor spending, overnight stays, seasonal patterns, and the broader economic ripple effects. Expect a holistic look at performance today, context from the past, and insights to help us anticipate what’s next for tourism in Northwest Vermont
Presented by:
Gathan Borden | Client Relationships and Insight Manager | Tourism Economics
South Burlington’s new Economic Development Strategy What does a next-generation Vermont city look like?
South Burlington City Manager Jessie Baker will reveal the city’s brand-new Economic Development Strategy. From electric aviation and clean manufacturing to affordable housing and downtown placemaking, they've created a playbook built around climate-smart growth, talent retention, innovation infrastructure, and community voice. Whether you're in government, higher ed, talent attraction, or tourism, this session will give you a front-row seat to how one of Vermont’s fastest-growing cities is building for what’s next.
Presented by: Jesse Baker | South Burlington City Manager
Shifting the Story: Burlington’s 2026 Campaign
At this year’s Destination BTV Summit, our creative partners at Solidarity of Unbridled Labour will share Hello Burlington’s 2026 creative platform. Built around a powerful new messaging framework, the campaign is designed to do more than attract visitors—it’s a rallying cry for us all, locals too.
With Burlington facing both incredible opportunities and real challenges, this campaign is about shifting the narrative—showing the world why our region is worth the trip and reminding residents why it’s worth the pride. Solidarity’s work enables strong, versatile storytelling that will resonate across audiences, inspire travelers to choose Burlington, and energize the community that calls it home.
Presented by:
Michael Jager | Solidarity of Unbridled Labor
Is Burlington Ready to Level Up?
(Convention Center Feasibility Findings)Burlington has always punched above its weight as a destination — but what if we had more space to truly match the demand? With new hotels on the horizon, an airport expansion underway, and a reputation as one of the most walkable, authentic destinations in the Northeast, is now the time to pursue a modern convention facility? Hunden Partners has just completed a market feasibility study for a convention center in Greater Burlington. Short on speculation and long on hard data, the study will show us if the demand is there and help us imagine what’s next for Greater Burlington
Presented by: Rob Hunden | Hunden Partners Franco Matticoli | Hunden Partners
Navigating Tourism Funding: National Trends and New England's Path to Sustainability
Securing stable and sufficient funding to market and manage destinations continues to be a significant challenge for many tourism communities. We will explore national trends in tourism funding, focusing on how New England compares to the broader U.S. We’ll examine the unique challenges and opportunities in the region, specifically the growing role of Tourism Improvement Districts (TIDs) as a sustainable funding source.
We’ll also discuss key factors that contribute to funding and organizational stability, such as revenue diversification, stakeholder alignment, legislative support, and innovative funding models. Join the conversation on how TIDs are being implemented across New England and engage in an educational Q&A to address their questions. We will also dive into case studies from destinations that have successfully included short-term rentals in their funding models, offering practical examples of diversified revenue strategies for long-term sustainability.
Presented by: Tiffany Gallagher | VP of Operations, Civitas Lynn Tillotson | President + CEO, Visit Portland Kristen Adamo | President + CEO, GoProvidence
AIO, SEO, E-I-E-I-O: How to Show Up in AI Search
The way travelers discover and book their stays is changing fast—and it’s not just Google anymore. AI search is here. That means if your resort, inn, or experience isn’t optimized for tools like ChatGPT or Perplexity, you’re invisible to a whole new wave of guests. This presentation, led by Mike Lannen of Eternity, is built for resorts, boutique hotels, and B&Bs that want to thrive in the AI era. You’ll see demos and experiences with the latest AI platforms—ChatGPT, Perplexity, and others—and see exactly how they can work for you. This is about real, practical strategies you can plug directly into your operations and marketing so guests can find you and book you online.
What You’ll Walk Away With:
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Hands-on Demos: See live examples of how AI search tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity actually surface hotel listings—and what you can do to make sure yours shows up.
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Action Plan: Walk away with a checklist of quick wins and deeper strategies to boost your visibility across traditional search and emerging AI platforms.
Mike Lannen | Eternity Marketing
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Event registration:
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Regular Registration (September 1 - November 11th): $65
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Last Minute Registration (November 12th - 17th): $70
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Destination BTV is the hospitality industry's year in review, a farewell ode to the summer season, and an opportunity to discuss how to use our visitor economy to drive economic development and quality of life. If you're involved in attracting people to this place that we love; if you work in hospitality, talent attraction, higher education admissions, or economic development in Greater Burlington, then this event is for you. Register today!
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Parking is available at the DoubleTree by Hilton Burlington. The event will be held in the conference center, located at the rear of the property. You can drive around to the back of the parking lot, where there is a convenient entrance to the conference center.
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Learn how UVM and South Burlington are driving economic growth.
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Gain actionable insights on tourism trends and funding strategies.
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Connect with Vermont’s hospitality, higher education, and economic development leaders.
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Discover Burlington’s 2026 campaign and hear innovative ideas shaping the region.
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Key findings from Hunden Partners Convention center Feasibility Study for the region
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