April 17, 2020 – April 19, 2020
Pricing
Members: $175
Non-Members: $300
Schedule
Exclusive Opportunity!
On Thursday, April 16, get the most out of your visit to Toronto, and experience the city a day early with a sneak peek of this vibrant city.
See below for details!
Friday, April 17
Arrivals all day
Evening | Welcome Reception
Saturday, April 18
10:00 am – 11:15 am | PD Session 1: Overtourism & Our Role as Editors
11:15 am – 12:30 pm | PD Session 2: Cultural Sensitivity
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm | Lunch
1:30 pm – 2:45 pm | PD Session 3: Diversity in Travel Journalism
2:45 pm – 4:00 pm | PD Session 4: The Art of The Interview
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Break
5:00 pm | Dinner/Evening Programming
Sunday, April 19
9:00 am – 10:00 am | Business Meeting (Editors Council only)
10:15 am – 12:00 pm | Farewell Brunch
Professional Development
Overtourism & Our Role as Media
In 2017, four organizations on Vancouver Island decided to host a gathering of thought leaders on what the sustainable future of tourism would look like for Canada. Little did they realize how important this dialogue would become. As stories of overtourism and the growing friction between residents and visitors made headlines, visitors are taking a closer look on how destinations are being managed. Bucket list stories are now anti-bucket lists, as responsible visitors look for undiscovered experiences that have a positive impact within communities. Travel media are also questioning their roles in promoting over crowded cities and popular attractions. Join IMPACT co-founder Deirdre Campbell, managing director of Beattie Tartan, as she shares the story of how IMPACT came to be, the insights garnered on ways Canada can become a global leader in tourism development, and the changing role of media and media relations as travelers take on their own social responsibility while globetrotting.
Speaker: Deirdre Campbell
As managing director of Canadian-based Beattie Tartan, Deirdre has been entrenched in the global tourism market for more than 20 years. She is a founding member of the Global Ecotourism Network, past board chair of Destination Greater Victoria, and co-founder of the IMPACT Sustainable Travel and Tourism conference held annually in Victoria, BC. Beattie Tartan has offices in Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, and Calgary, and associates in Ottawa, Winnipeg, Montreal, and New York, and counts the Jordan Tourism Board, Destination Canada, and Indigenous Tourism Canada along with many outstanding signature experiences among its tourism clients. Cambell’s career in sustainable tourism has taken her to Chile, Jordan, Korea, China, Australia, Costa Rica, US, and across Canada to speak about the importance of a sustainable visitor economy. In 2019, Destination Greater Victoria presented Deirdre with their Miracle Award in recognition of her work within the tourism industry.
Cultural Sensitivity
Travelers (and travel media) increasingly crave authenticity in their travel experiences. With this trend comes an even greater need for cultivating responsible travel and cultural sensitivity, both while traveling and when writing and editing travel stories.
Panelist: Ryan Rogers
Ryan is of First Nation descent and a proud member of the Musqueam Nation located in Vancouver, BC. Ryan works very closely with the travel trade in the Asian markets and manages media relations for the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada. He has a love for traveling, experiencing new cultures, and a passion for making a difference in Indigenous communities. He takes great pride in representing Indigenous interests in his career.
Panelist: Lebawit Lily Girma
Lebawit Lily Girma is an award-winning Ethiopian-American writer, author, and photographer with 10 years’ experience in storytelling focused on culture, outdoor adventure, and sustainable tourism as a vehicle for social impact. A former corporate attorney who ditched the office for the road, her work has been widely published in major travel publications, including CNN, BBC, Lonely Planet, Sierra, Delta Sky, and MorningCalm (Korea Air), among others. Fluent in four languages and with an educational background spanning three continents, Lily’s extensive cross-cultural experiences shape every aspect of her work. You can follow her adventures on her award-winning, sustainable travel and photography blog, SunandStilettos.com.
Panelist: Dr. Anu Taranath
Dr. Anu Taranath brings both passion and expertise to her work as a speaker, facilitator, author, and educator. A professor at the University of Washington for the past 18-years, she teaches about global issues, race, gender, identity, and equity. A four-time member of Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau, she has also received the Seattle Weekly’s “Best of Seattle” recognition, the University of Washington’s Distinguished Teaching Award, and multiple US Fulbright Fellowships to work abroad. As a consultant and facilitator, Dr. Anu engages colleges, universities, community organizations, businesses and government agencies to deepen people’s comfort with uncomfortable topics & work toward equity and social justice. Her new book Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World was named one of Fodor’s Travels best “13 Books to Inspire Your Travels” for 2019, featured in YES!, AFAR, and Bitch magazines, UW’s Alumni Magazine, the national podcast “To the Best of Our Knowledge,” and “Travel with Rick Steves” radio program. Please visit www.anutaranath.com for more on Dr. Anu and her work.
Moderator: April Orcutt
April Orcutt has written for BBC Travel, National Geographic Traveler, TravelandLeisure.com (online Travel + Leisure), Hemispheres, Alaska Air, AAA magazines, the Dallas Morning News, the San Francisco Chronicle, and more. April wrote a weekly travel column for the Los Angeles Times from Aug., 2017, to Sept., 2018, and has written many other stories for the L.A. Times. She also wrote programs for and helped produce two science television series. Her indigenous-focused stories have included peoples in Canada, the U.S., Peru and Australia. April has been nominated for a Local Emmy and has won top honors in U.S. Travel Association’s IPW Awards, Visit California’s Eureka! Awards, and the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition (Gold).
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion in Travel Journalism
The travel writing community has always been largely white and largely privileged. We as editors need to be better about bringing more diverse voices to the table — perspectives from travelers of varied racial, religious, sexual identifying, socioeconomic, and abled backgrounds. How can our publications address issues of privilege in travel? How can we encourage our audiences to experience more diverse destinations? How can we ensure that every voice has a place at the table?
Panelist: Bani Amor
Bani Amor is a gender/queer travel writer who explores the relationships between race, place, and power. Their work has appeared in CNN Travel, Fodor’s, AFAR, and Teen Vogue, among other outlets. They have work in the anthology Outside the XY: Queer Black and Brown Masculinity, and in the upcoming Where We Stand: Black and Brown People Speak the Earth, and Edge of the World: An Anthology of LGBTQ+ Travel Writing. Bani is a four-time VONA/Voices Fellow. Follow them on Twitter @bani_amor and on Instagram at @baniamor.
Panelist: Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon
Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon is a travel writer, on-screen host, and self-described “Carivangelist,” who goes to the beach and beyond to share the culture, lifestyle, and personalities of the Caribbean with the world. Based in Miami, she creates content for outlets including Travel + Leisure, AARP, Essence magazine, the U.K.’s Telegraph newspaper, and Canada’s Globe and Mail. Sarah is also jetsetter-in-chief at JetSetSarah.com where her passions – travel, style, and fitness – meet. Follow her adventures on Instagram and Facebook.
Panelist: Sylvia Longmire
Sylvia Longmire is an accessible travel writer, travel agent, author, entrepreneur, and disability rights advocate. She is also a service-disabled US Air Force veteran, full-time wheelchair user, single mother, and the former Ms. Wheelchair USA 2016. Ms. Longmire is the founder of the award-winning Spin the Globe travel blog, where she shares her adventures traveling around the world in a power wheelchair. She focuses on the wheelchair accessibility of her destinations, encouraging fellow wheelchair users to explore the world.
Panelist: Domini Clark
Domini Clark was the Travel Editor of The Globe and Mail, Canada’s national newspaper, for more than seven years. She was responsible for assigning feature stories for a weekend audience of nearly two million readers across the country, often bringing her own voice to the pages. She has represented The Globe at international networking conferences such as IMM, IPW and Virtuoso Travel Week and has appeared on numerous TV and radio programs. A fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, she travels frequently for pleasure and for work, and has visited 40 countries.
Moderator: Tonya Fitzpatrick
Tonya Fitzpatrick, Esq. is the co-Founder of World Footprints, a socially conscious travel media platform that includes the award-winning World Footprints podcast. Through World Footprints, Tonya has shared powerful stories behind the story and inspiring interviews that support a truth about the transformative power of travel and the common humanity we share. Tonya is a 3x TEDx and international speaker, lawyer, author and Explorers Club member. She was appointed as a Delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and is a former political appointee to the post of Deputy Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education.
The Art of the Interview: How to Get the Best Responses
Speaker: Paul Lasley
Paul Lasley produces and hosts two daily radio shows that are broadcast to one million listeners in 145 countries on the American Forces Network and are podcast at OnTravel.com and on iTunes. He’s also the Travel Smart columnist for Westways magazine, which has a circulation of 4.5 million. He’s cohosted talk-radio shows on KABC and KPCC in Los Angeles, and on Discovery Channel Radio on XM Satellite. His radio shows have won four Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism awards, including two Gold awards.
Hotel Information
111 Princes’ Blvd.
Toronto, ON M6K 3C3
Entrance at corner of Lake Shore Blvd. and Newfoundland Dr.
+1 (855) 943-9300
Rate: $240 CAD / $180 USD per room, per night
Hotel X Toronto by Library Hotel Collection is Toronto’s newest luxury hotel and lakefront oasis situated on 192 acres of city parkland. This urban resort encompasses three distinct components: 404-guest rooms in the Hotel Tower, topped by the three-level Falcon SkyBar featuring a 55-foot long heated indoor/ outdoor pool offering year-round access; 10XTO, an athletic facility with 90,000 sq. ft. of luxe indoor and outdoor amenities; and the historic Stanley Barracks, all surrounded by acres of gardens and breathtaking views of Lake Ontario and the iconic Toronto Skyline. Guests will find numerous bars, restaurants and cafes, an art gallery of nature photography by Neil Dankoff, a 250-seat cinema and a private screening room, 60,000 sq. ft. of flexible conference spaces, and an exhibition of Canadian history.
Get the most out of your visit to Toronto
Tourism Toronto, in partnership with SATW, is excited to offer an exclusive opportunity for a registrants to come to Toronto a day early, on Thursday, April 16, for a sneak peek of this vibrant city. You will be invited to experience a mini pre-tour of Toronto and an evening dining experience.
The additional night at the conference hotel, Hotel X, will be at a special rate of $149CAD!
Space is limited so if you are interested in taking advantage of this opportunity to explore Canada’s Downtown, please reach out to Vanessa Somarriba, Media Relations Manager, US/Mexico, Tourism Toronto at [email protected] to secure your spot now!
As Canada’s largest city and most-visited destination, Toronto is very much at the heart of the Canadian travel experience. It’s home to the country’s biggest events, the most pro sports, the most theatres and restaurants, and it’s the financial, cultural, media and academic centre Canada. The very best of the country is all found in Toronto, Canada’s Downtown.
Toronto is Canada’s Downtown, and we extend an open invitation to the curious, fun-loving and adventurous traveller – an invitation to go all in, to be a part of this city, even if just for a brief moment. Because why watch when you can participate? Why eat, when you can taste? Why unplug when you can engage? Open up and be curious again. Go. All. In.