We have wrapped up the 2015 Wine Tourism Conference in Loudoun County, Virginia and your survey results are in! The conference:
- Garnered the highest overall rating from attendees in the past three years and was on par with our first two conferences in Napa and Sonoma
- Received the highest overall Content rating ever
- Had the highest overall Organization rating ever
However, our goal is to constantly improve and we have made a number of changes to makeĀ the Texas Hill Country conference the best ever, including:
- The lunch at local Virgina winery Stone Tower was a big hit and we have doubled up by planning TWO lunches at local wineries as part of the 2016 conference.
- The content system we used in 2015 was very well effective and we are going to do the same in 2016. This will start with a Call for Content in January and then a vote among our alumni of possible topics.
- We continually get calls to make sure content is specific and not general. We have already revised the Speaker Packets we send to all presenters to make sure everyone is on the same page in delivering actionable business information pertaining to the wine tourism industry and including real-life examples.
- TheĀ international presence having an Australian keynote speaker and five speakers representing their countries on a Perspectives of Wine Tourism panel was a hit and we hope to replicate this in 2016.
- We had distinct calls for extra events with more lead-time given. The good news is we now have a pre-conference excursion, post-conference excursion, pre-conference dinner, and post-conference dinner already set up and available for you to reserve. Keep in mind that while these cost extra, the conference includes two lunches and a dinner, which is pretty nice given the price!
Speaking of the cost of the conference, please remember we are pricing on a sliding scale in 2016 depending on when you register:
- $295: Through December 31, 2015
- $325: Through April 30, 2016
- $350: Through September 30, 2016
- $395: After September 30, 2016
So if you register this month, your cost is only $295 and that includes the three meals plus great content and networking!