We will be adding more details to our agenda. Please check back! 

Monday, February 8, 2027

9:00 am – 5:30 pm | Registration Open
Location: Rock Hill Sports & Events Center Lobby

 

11:00 am – 2:00 pm | Ancillary Meetings

 

2:00 pm – 3:15 pm | General Session | Welcome & SCPRT Update

 

3:30 pm – 4:45 pm | General Session
The Front Door and the Back Office: How AI Is Changing Both Sides of Tourism 
Speaker: Janette Roush, Brand USA Senior Vice President, Innovation & Chief AI Officer
Brand USA's SVP of Innovation and Chief AI Officer Janette Roush gives a clear-eyed look at AI's two-sided impact on tourism. First: how AI is becoming the new front door to your destination — shaping how travelers discover where to go and which places get surfaced. Then: how AI is changing the way we work, with practical tools any team can put to use on Monday.

 

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm | Breakout Sessions

Breakout Session 1
Tourism Marketing 101 (Repeated on Tuesday)
Speaker: Nan Marchand, Southeast Tourism Society President & CEO

Breakout Session 2
Tourism PR 101 (Repeated on Tuesday)
Speaker: Turner PR

Breakout Session 3
A City in Motion: Rock Hill’s Heritage, Momentum, and What’s Next
Discover the story behind Rock Hill, South Carolina, and the vision driving its continued evolution as a destination for visitors, businesses, and residents. This session will explore the city’s rich heritage, celebrate the accomplishments and investments shaping its present, and look ahead to the opportunities defining its future. For travel and tourism professionals, it offers an inside perspective on how community identity, sports tourism, recreation, economic development, and strategic partnerships work together to strengthen a destination and create lasting impact. Explore how Rock Hill honors its roots while embracing new possibilities—and what its journey can teach us about building a vibrant, competitive, and forward-looking destination.

 

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm | Host City Reception

 

Tuesday, February 9, 2027

8:00 am – 3:30 pm | Registration Open
Location: Rock Hill Sports & Events Center Lobby

 

8:00 am – 9:00 am | Breakfast

 

9:00 am – 10:15 am| General Session
One Move Away: Five Trust Moves That Keep People From Walking Away
Speaker: Justin Patton
At some point, everyone ends up in the trees.
Not because they're weak. Not because they don't care. But because life is hard, work is hard, and sometimes people get stuck. The question isn't whether it happens. The question is what the people around them do next. Do they ski past? Go quiet?Protect their calendar instead of their colleague? Or do they stop?
In this keynote, Justin Patton makes one thing clear: Trust is not built in the big moments. It's built in the small ones. The moment someone speaks up instead of staying silent. The moment a leader chooses honesty over comfort. The moment a teammate decides to stay until the person next to them is back on their feet.
That is what trust looks like in real teams under real pressure.
Through an unforgettable opening, laugh-out-loud stories, and ve practical trust moves, Justin gives every person in the room a new defnition of leadership. Not about titles or authority. About showing up. About being the one who notices. The one who stays. Because every team, every relationship, every culture is just one move away from the kind of relational courage and trust where people have each other's back.
What move will you make?

 

10:30 am – 11:30 am | Breakout Sessions

Breakout Session 1
Continuing the Conversation
Speaker: Justin Patton

Breakout Session 2
Tourism Marketing 101(Repeated from Monday)
Speaker: Nan Marchand, Southeast Tourism Society President & CEO

Breakout Session 3
Tourism PR 101 (Repeated from Monday)
Speaker: Turner PR

 

11:45 am – 1:15 pm| Lunch & Learn
Speaker: Mark Newman, SC Restaurant & Lodging Association President & CEO

 

1:30 pm – 2:30 pm| Breakouts

Breakout Session 1
SCPRT Grants Update
Speaker: Justin Hancock, SCPRT Director -  Recreation, Grants & Policy

Breakout Session 2
Parks in Progress: Meeting the Needs of Tomorrow
Speaker: Joy Raintree, Director of South Carolina State Parks
As communities grow and outdoor recreation needs evolve, thoughtful park development plays a critical role in shaping the future of public spaces. This session will showcase parks that have opened to the public within the past year, along with several exciting projects currently in development.

Through maps, site plans, and conceptual designs, participants will get an inside look at new destinations taking shape across the system and the partnerships that support state parks. Explore the vision behind each project, discover upcoming facilities and amenities, and learn how these investments are creating new opportunities for recreation, conservation, and community connection. Join us for a preview of the parks and experiences that will serve visitors for generations to come.

 

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Rock Hill Experiences
*All experiences are go-on-your own and shuttles will not be provided. One exception is that BMX Bike Riding will have transportation is available, but registered attendees are welcome to drive themselves. All locations except BMX are walking distance from the Rock Hill Sports & Events Center.

Experience 1: Yoga on the Rooftop
Enjoy a relaxing yoga session on the rooftop overlooking Rock Hill, offering an opportunity to unwind and connect with fellow attendees. This experience will last 60 minutes.
Location: Parking Deck B next door to the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center; on-site parking is available. Participants should follow signage for parking; staff will be there to guide participants to the rooftop. Should there be inclement weather, we will move this indoors. Walkable from the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center.
Dress Code: Comfortable athletic clothing and athletic shoes. Yoga mats will be provided.
*Online pre-registration is required.

Experience 2: Pickleball at Bleachery Fieldhouse
Enjoy an introduction to pickleball or participate in friendly games at Rock Hill's indoor pickleball facility. Equipment will be provided. This experience will last 60-90 minutes.
Location: 605 W. White Street, Rock Hill, SC 29730. Free parking is available on-site and at the nearby University Center parking decks. Walkable from Rock Hill Sports & Event Center.
Dress Code: Comfortable athletic clothing and athletic shoes.
*Online pre-registration is required. 

Experience 3: BMX Bike Riding
Visit Rock Hill's Olympic-standard BMX facility for an exciting introduction to BMX racing and the sport's world-class training environment. Participants will have the opportunity to take a spin on the track! Participants must sign a waiver. This experience will last 2 hours. 
Location:  1307 Riverwalk Parkway, Rock Hill, SC 29730. Free on-site parking is available. Transportation from the Cambria/Rock Hill Sports & Event Center will be available.
Dress Code: Comfortable athletic clothing, long pants and close-toe athletic shoes. Helmets and bikes will be provided.
*Online pre-registration is required. Only 17 sign-ups total available.

Experience 4: Golf at 19th at the Warehouses
Experience indoor golf using advanced golf simulators featuring more than 17 virtual PGA golf courses. Personal golf clubs and bags encouraged. This experience will last 2 hours. 
Location: 130 W. White Street, Rock Hill, SC 29730. Free on-site parking is available. Walkable from Rock Hill Sports & Event Center.
Dress Code: Country club attire is recommended. Golf shoes with spikes are not permitted in the simulator bays.
*Online pre-registration is required.

 

6:30 pm – 7:00 pm | Networking Cocktails

 

7:00 pm – 8:30 pm | Industry Dinner
Join us as we celebrate an amazing year for tourism and hospitality in South Carolina. We will enjoy dinner, music, camaraderie and reflect on each of your great accomplishments.