From August 17–19, 2025, the Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations (ESTO), organized by the U.S. Travel Association, took place in Phoenix, Arizona.
ESTO is a well-known gathering for U.S. destination marketing professionals in the United States that attracts leaders from across the country to share expertise and strengthen the promotion of tourism destinations. Each year, the event provides the opportunity to discuss challenges, explore new tools, and examine the evolving trends that are shaping the future of tourism.
Over three days, participants engaged in a wide range of learning formats, including keynote addresses, interactive panels, “Take-Off Talks” inspired by TED-style presentations, and immersive sessions such as the AI Playground. This variety allowed attendees to experience both big-picture discussions on the future of the industry and learn insights for the day-to-day work of destination marketing organizations. Networking opportunities were also a key feature, giving professionals space to connect, collaborate, and share experiences from their respective regions.
Against this backdrop, Dr. Kelly Bricker, Vice Chair of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and Associate Dean of the HNU-ASU Joint International College (HAIC), contributed to the program with a session on Tuesday, August 19. Her presentation, titled “Rethinking Tourism: Stewardship That Sustains People, Place & Progress,” explored how destinations can embrace stewardship principles that go beyond short-term promotion to ensure long-term resilience and value.
Dr. Bricker drew on international case studies and best practices to illustrate how governance, visitor management, and community engagement are essential elements for sustainable tourism development. She emphasized the importance of the GSTC Standards and underscored the need for strong collaboration between stakeholders—governments, tourism organizations, businesses, and local communities—to create shared strategies that preserve the integrity of destinations while generating social and economic benefits. Her session provided attendees with tangible ideas for integrating sustainability into destination marketing and management strategies.
’This was an excellent opportunity to provide stakeholders with tools to move forward with their sustainability journey, I was inspired by the participant comments and the shared concerns to ensure their respective communities who host tourism are enabled, and realize the benefits tourism done well can provide – it was a great experience!’’ shared Dr. Kelly Bricker, Vice-chair of the GSTC.
ESTO served as a meeting point for the U.S. tourism community, a platform for dialogue and shared perspectives.
