CONTACT ’18 Preview: Charleston
Educational sessions build your knowledge base
and get you into the field
This year at Contact, in addition to sessions on-site, you’ll have the opportunity to go out into Charleston and take part in a site
visit focused on developing a specialty market. Here are some of the sessions in store.
Education on the go!
Sponsored by Explore Charleston
Historical/
Heritage: Boone
Hall Plantation
Boone Hall Plantation
is the only site in
the South Carolina
Lowcountry to offer
a live presentation
of the area’s Gullah culture. The tour allows guests to
see how this Colonial Revival home blends recovered
materials and antique furnishings to re-create a
19th-century rural atmosphere.
Thom Singer
General Session: Finding the Funny in Change
Speaker: Jan McInnis, The Work Lady
Whether it’s going green or myriad new rules that govern
the industry, we are constantly reacting to a new playing
field. Changes in industry rules and regulations routinely
have professionals reassessing and re-evaluating their
practices. All of this change causes fear, tension and
miscommunications. Using humor, Jan will show you how
to diffuse tension instantly, kick off tough conversations and
facilitate communications. Additionally, she will share with
you the latest research linking laughter and health—yes
they’re actually studying this stuff!
Public Relations in the Digital Age
Speakers: Gina Stouffer and Melanie Mathos, Lou Hammond Group
Join a team from the Lou Hammond Group, an award-winning
marketing communications firm headquartered in New York,
as they discuss how the internet has changed the travel PR
industry. Explore the traditional media landscape and find out
if communication tools like press releases are still important.
Discuss the importance of working with bloggers and social
media influencers and leave with tools for creating content
that increases awareness and drives business.
24
January 2018
Hop on the trolley
for a tour of the
many acres of tea
plants and the NTA
member’s state-of-
the-art greenhouse. You’ll walk through the entire tea
production building and see all the equipment it takes
to get fresh tea leaves ready for your cup. Your final stop
will include a sampling of tea flavors and the chance to
shop for tea-related paraphernalia at the gift shop.
Faith: Why Charleston
is called the Holy City
St. Michael’s
Episcopal
Church
Jeff Caplinger with All About
Charleston Tours will lead this
tour to St. Michael’s Episcopal
Church, the oldest church in
the city. It was built in 1761
and has welcomed George
Washington. Also featured
on this tour are Historical
Circular Congregational
Church and Kahal Kadosh
Beth Elohim Synagogue, the
oldest synagogue in continuous use in the U.S. and the
birthplace of American Reform Judaism.
Speaker: Thom Singer, The Conference Catalyst
You’ll network in a brand new way at this all-attendee,
interactive, thought-provoking session. Thom Singer, the
Conference Catalyst, will moderate, and participants will
share information and proven solutions, discuss industry
trends, communicate ideas for tour product and create
partnerships. You’ll leave this session with ideas to benefit
your company and with a network of new industry contacts.
Agritourism:
Charleston Tea
Plantation
FLICKR/COUNSE
Opening Session: The Three Cs of Ne