For Lauren Cleland, vice president of strategic marketing for Visit Savannah, ESTO is more than an annual conference — it’s a place to build meaningful relationships, exchange ideas with industry peers and gain insights that help destination marketers navigate a rapidly changing landscape. In this Q&A, Cleland shares why ESTO remains one of the most valuable events on her calendar.
Tell me about a relationship you built at ESTO that changed how you do your job.
My first ESTO was Richmond in 2013. I was a brand-new DMO marketer who didn’t know a soul, but I recognized a few people from an online group of tourism pros, so I worked up the nerve to introduce myself. They adopted me on the spot — made me feel welcome, encouraged me, and have been my friends, colleagues and go-to advisors ever since.
What makes ESTO different from other conferences you attend?
The smaller-group format. You’re not sitting in a ballroom of 800 people half-listening — you’re at a table with people who actually do your job, at roughly your scale, talking through the real stuff. That kind of honest, peer-level shop talk is hard to find anywhere else, and it’s where the genuinely useful ideas come from.
That moment shaped how I show up now. Every year I look for the person standing off to the side, the one who doesn’t know anyone yet, and I try to be their harbor in what can feel like an overwhelming sea of faces. That’s the thing about this industry — we lift each other up. ESTO is where I learned that, and it’s a big part of why I keep coming back.
How does ESTO help you stay ahead of trends before they hit your market?
You hear what’s working from people who’ve already tried it. By the time a trend shows up in a trade publication, half the room at ESTO has already piloted it and can tell you honestly whether it was worth the spend. That head start — and the candor about what flopped — is worth the trip on its own.
In an industry that’s changing this fast, what role does ESTO play in keeping you competitive?
It’s my annual gut-check. The pace right now — AI, shifting traveler behavior and tighter budgets — makes it easy to either chase every shiny thing or freeze up. ESTO gives me a room of smart people to pressure-test what’s real versus noise, so I go home with a clearer sense of where to place our bets.
What would you say to a destination marketer who’s on the fence about attending for the first time?
Just go. It’s the best networking you’ll do all year, and it’s far less intimidating than some of the bigger industry conferences — the format is built to actually meet people, not get lost in a crowd. You’ll leave with a network of peers you can call all year long, and that’s worth more than any single session.
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ESTO 2026 is August 23–26 in Philadelphia. Get registered now.
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