The 2025 North Dakota Travel Industry Conference features a full agenda of inspiration, professional development and networking opportunities. Additional agenda details forthcoming.
Monday, April 28, 2025 | ||
| The Minot Mixer: Don’t Miss the Bus! The conference starts with three stops to network and unwind. Get ready for a dynamic, interactive evening where networking meets inspiration! Hop on the bus from the Clarion Hotel at 3 p.m. and enjoy three exciting stops designed to spark ideas, foster connections, and set the tone for an incredible conference. *Must get on the bus to be a part of the Minot Mixer stops. | ||
| 3:30-5 p.m. | Stop 1: State Fair Center Kick off the evening with mini events designed for meaningful networking and real connections. Engage in roundtables and exchange insights with like-minded North Dakotans. Plus, pick up your conference packet and get ready for the next steps! | |
| 3-5 p.m. | Registration Open and Exhibitor Set Up | |
| 3:30-4 p.m. | Networking Roundtables Choose a topic and network with peers in this requested pre-conference session. * Marketing * Tribal Tourism * Social Media * Sports and Recreation | |
| 4:14-5 p.m. | BE BOLD Kick off the conference with this networking session that sets the stage for unlocking creativity. Through thoughtfully created prompts/questions where you are dared to share, you’ll infuse more playfulness into your daily routines and marketing efforts. | |
| 5-6 p.m. | Stop 2: Atypical Brewery Enjoy two complimentary tasters of locally crafted beer from this award-winning brewery. Learn about Atypical’s brewing methods, their creative approach to craft beer, and their exciting destination plans. | |
| 6 p.m. | Stop 3: Drop Off to Opening Reception After Atypical, we’ll drop you off at the Foundry in the Brick + Mortar District of downtown Minot, where you can make, shop, and mingle at this vibrant local venue. Enjoy great food, meet new people, and celebrate the start of the conference in style! Bonus: two free libations of your choice. | |
| 5:45-6 p.m. | Bus to the Foundry for Opening Reception If you're arriving later, hop on the bus from the Clarion Hotel and head to the Foundry in Minot's Brick + Mortar District for the opening reception. Enjoy food, drinks, and a chance to mingle with fellow attendees to kick off the conference. | |
Tuesday, April 29 - WEAR YOUR LOGO DAY | ||
| 7:45 a.m. | Registration Opens | |
| 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Sponsor Exhibits Open | |
| 8-8:45 a.m. | Breakfast Buffet with Exhibitors | |
| 8:45-9 a.m. | Welcome from our hosts at Visit Minot | |
| 9-10 a.m. | General Session – No Bad Days Life hits you and how you respond determines your path forward. Draw from North Dakotan Hunter Pinke’s experience of going from Division I football player to a chest-down paraplegic at age 22 in this inspiring opening keynote. Pinke gives tangible examples on how to choose joy and live life with no bad days. | |
| 10-10:30 a.m. | Break with Exhibitors | |
| 10:30-11:30 a.m. | Breakout Sessions | |
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| 11:45 a.m. -1 p.m. | The State of the Industry Luncheon This annual industry luncheon features a presentation and latest updates from Tourism Director Sara Otte Coleman. | |
| 1:15-2:15 p.m. | General Session – Think “Branding First” The top companies in the world think branding first and marketing second. Josiah Brown, also known as the New York Sherpa, will guide how to strengthen your organization’s brand while also stewarding our industry’s brand in this keynote session. | |
| 2:30-3:30 p.m. | Breakout Sessions | |
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| 3:30-4 p.m. | Break with Exhibitors | |
| 4-5 p.m. | The Great State Update Get visitors to stay longer in your regions by increasing your knowledge of the key things to see and do. Local DMOs, CVBs, and tourism professionals will share updates on the fun things you need to know, pecha kucha style. Kicking off the updates will be North Dakota Department of Commerce Commissioner Chris Schilken. | |
Downtown Minot Immersive Tours and Dining Visit Minot is offering four downtown immersive walking tours for those looking to explore and dine together. Each tour can accommodate 10-12 people. Sip, Savor & Shop Brews, Chews & Views Sign up here: https://forms.gle/27vexBYC27ZQWvBf7 | ||
Wednesday, April 30 | ||
| 7:45 a.m. | Registration Opens | |
| 8 a.m.-12 p.m. | Sponsor Exhibits Open | |
| 7:30-8:30 a.m. | Breakfast Buffet with Exhibitors | |
| 8:30-9:30 a.m. | General Session – My Town: You Have What Everyone Is Searching For The accepted narrative of Rural America is one of despair and decline, yet that does NOT reflect the reality as people are CHOOSING to live, work, and play in smaller communities at higher rates than we’ve seen in decades. In “My Town,” Emmy Award-Winning Documentarian and TV Anchor Cory Hepola inspires rural regions to understand the power of creative and authentic storytelling while detailing the outside challenges and offering positive solutions. | |
| 9:30-10 a.m. | Break with Exhibitors and Special Tribute to Darian Morsette | |
| 10-11 a.m. | General Session – Unlock Your Community’s Superpower: Resident Sentiment Toward Sporting Events It's no secret sports tourism is on the rise. But how can organizations best leverage this dynamic tourism sector to positively impact the communities they serve? This session by innovator Dr. Jennifer Stoll will dive into key insights and actionable take-aways stemming from the ground-breaking national benchmark study on Resident Sentiment Toward Sporting Events conducted by Cimarron Global Solutions and Longwoods International. | |
| 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. | Breakout Sessions | |
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| 12:15-1:45 p.m. | Governor’s Awards Luncheon For Travel and Tourism The exciting culmination of the 2025 Travel Industry Conference will be extra special this year. Governor Kelly Armstrong will present the Governor’s Awards honoring leaders in Travel and Tourism and the annual Governor’s Photo Contest Awards. There will also be a special announcement you won’t want to miss! | |
