Saturday Sessions
Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Monday
Saturday, August 10, 2019
8:00am-8:45am, Sheraton, Birmingham Ballroom
President’s Welcome, Candidates’ Speeches, CSTP Graduation
Enjoy a cup of Joe with your colleagues as SYTA President, Justin Shuler welcomes everyone to the 2019 SYTA Annual Conference. Meet the current SYTA and SYTA Youth Foundation leadership teams as they welcome the slate of candidates for 2019-2020. CSTP members and “new CSTP’s” will also be recognized for their commitment to the profession.
8:45am-10:00am (Immediately following President’s Welcome), Sheraton, Birmingham Ballroom
How using Gamification in your business drives better outcomes
Sponsored by Medieval Times
Thinking like a game designer is a great way to craft experiences that attract customers, retain employees and promote learning. Gamification is the concept of using “game-based mechanics, aesthetics and dynamics to engage people, motivate action, promote learning, and solve problems.” What does this mean as a practical strategy for you? How does an organization decide what to gamify and what not to gamify? Explore how game elements are used to generate curiosity, create immediate feedback and hold people’s attention. Learn how to balance the elements of story, action, and uncertainty to simulate thinking, engagement and fun! Join Karl as you experience the “player’s journey” first-hand as you are immersed within a gamified experience where you will laugh, ponder and debate how you and your youth-centered organization can gain a competitive advantage through games and gamification.
Speaker: Karl Kapp, Instructional Graduate Professor, Bloomsburg University
10:30am-11:30am, BJCC East Meeting Room
Why Tour operators and Suppliers Should Consider the China Market?
Research shows that China is the No. 1 source country for international students worldwide. Sally will share her experience and knowledge of this important market and how you can get your share of this business. She will also demystify WeChat – China’s most popular messaging app with a monthly user base of more than 1 billion people.
Speaker: Sally Davis Berry, Owner, Bristol Creek Tourism Consulting
11:45am-12:45pm, BJCC East Meeting Room
Fast and Furious: 60 Minute Travel-Themed Game Design
Hold onto your hats! Design a learning game prototype in under an hour during this hands-on, fun, hectic session. Consider this as an accelerated version of designing and playtesting a learning game, and we won’t waste a minute! Experience and learn the process that game designers use when conceiving, prototyping, and testing a learning game. Work in groups to create learning and game goals, design game play, and choose game mechanics/dynamics to achieve the desired learning outcomes. In this session we will distinguish between game goals and learning goals and we will take paper, pen and game pieces and create our own learning game centered around travel experiences. It’s fast, hectic and fun!
Speaker: Karl Capp
3:00pm-4:00pm, BJCC East Meeting Room
Wow-Worthy Video for Tourism Pros
3, 2, 1 Action! Video is the hottest way to reach more fans and amplify your social marketing. We’ll focus on providing tips to produce your own videos as well as tools to fire up your imagination.
Learn how to:
- Captivate with live-streaming & 360 video
- Market your videos socially and amplify your messaging
- Create short videos of still photos
In this intermediate/advanced session you’ll walk away with examples, tools, best practices and techniques that will have you integrating video into a variety of social platforms and marketing strategies.
Speaker: Catherine J. Heeg, President, Customized Management Solutions
4:30pm-5:30pm, BJCC East Meeting Room
Orientation Session: CSTO Standards and Assessment
This session provides a practical guide to the new Certified Student Travel Organization Certification program for student tour operators. The session includes overview of the application process, approved standards and annual assessment process. The session is repeated so that all tour operators may attend.
Speakers: Michael Bowers, Travel Safety Solutions, LLC
Bill Caldwell, Lisa Curtin, Caldwell & Associates
