Take Advantage of Early-Bird Rate Through March 29
Join the Tacoma Regional CVB and the Washington State tourism community at the second annual Washington Tourism Alliance (WTA) Summit on Thursday, April 5 from 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the Hilton Seattle Airport.
Who should participate: Attractions, hotels, restaurants, venues, service providers and local residents

Why you should participate: WTA will release its marketing plan and long-term funding plan. Be among the first to learn what lies ahead for Washington's tourism industry and meet industry peers. You won't want to miss this year's impressive speaker lineup.
  • Keynote Speaker: Roger Dow, CEO, U.S. Travel Association
Roger Dow understands the challenges faced by today's service organizations because he himself has been there. The former Senior Vice President of Global Sales for Marriott who oversaw a sales force of more than 10,000 people and a 30 year veteran of the hospitality industry, Dow shows organizations of all sizes how to exceed rising customer expectations day-in and day-out. A master storyteller, Dow's inspiring and often humorous tales are examples of new approaches to sales and service excellence that are being used by the best and the brightest companies out there, including Marriott. Dow dispenses practical, actionable advice for empowering employees, engaging leadership and showing that the simple act of caring has the power to transform an organization at every level. An industry legend whose innovations include the Marriott Rewards Program, the hotel industry's leading frequent traveler program and an industry phenomenon, he is author of numerous books and articles on customer service.
  • Keynote Speaker: Caroline Beteta, President + CEO, Visit California; Vice Chair, Brand U.S.A.
Caroline Beteta's extensive pioneering experience in destination marketing led U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke to appoint her in Sept. 2010 to the Corporation for Travel Promotion (CTP), a national public-private partnership created to promote the U.S. as a global travel destination, equipped with a projected $200 million annual marketing budget. She was recently elected by her peers to serve as Brand U.S.A.?s Vice Chair. In addition, Beteta has been active for years on the national level. She recently served a two-year term as National Chair of the U.S. Travel Association (2008-2010), where she guided the successful merger of the Travel Industry Association (TIA) with the Travel Business Roundtable (now the U.S. Travel Association) to further elevate the voice of America's $740 billion travel industry. This, along with other key initiatives developed under her leadership such as the establishment of a political action committee (PAC), resulted in substantial growth and relevance of the organization. Beteta's reputation as a travel industry expert has earned her appearances as a regular conference keynote speaker and on national and state media outlets such as the ?Today? show, Fox Business News, NPR and several other broadcast network affiliates as well as national and local news print mediums.

How you can participate: Register by March 29 to receive the early-bird rate of $75 for WTA members and $100 for non-members. Attend the summit and represent Pierce County's important tourism industry; network with industry peers and walk-away with a greater understanding of why tourism matters.

Sign me up: Register Online.

Not sure if you're a WTA member? Find out at WATourismAlliance.com