TMI Annual Convention 2026
📅 Thursday 15 October 2026
📍 Winter Gardens, Weston-super-Mare
Exploring the Future of Destination-Making
🤝 Registration & Networking
08:45 Registration opens, with refreshments and networking opportunities.
🎤 Welcome & Opening Session
9.15 Welcomes
9.30 EVENT OPENER - Wellness Tourism - Amanda Winwood, Made for Life OrganicsEvent Opener: Wellness Tourism
9.45 Headline Sponsor Session From Promotion to Transformation: How Destinations are leading change through storytelling, AI and evidence - headline sponsor – Granicus-Firmstep Ltd
10.00 An International perspective - Booking. com - Pippa Morris and Caroline Vermeulen
🌍 An International Perspective
10.15 Travel and Tourism trends – Richard Nichols, VisitEngland
📈
10.30
☕ Networking & Refreshments
🏙️ The Future of Destination-Making
11.00 The State of Destination-Making – Headline results from TMI’s “ State of Destination Making” survey, Natalie Semley, Falmouth University and Dr Peter Robinson (Leeds Beckett University).The State of Destination-Making
Headline findings from the TMI State of Destination-Making Survey 2026.
Destination Panel Discussion
11.20 What does this mean for destination-makers? What are the impacts of devolution and local government reorganisation? Destination panel -
Hosted by Mary Harris
Panel Members
- Emma Thornton, Visit Pembrokeshire
- Becky Frall, West Midlands
- Pete Waters, Visit East of England
💡 Breakout Sessions
12.05 Breakout sessions 1 - Main Room
Leading Change on the Coast
What can the rest of the sector learn from destinations facing some of the greatest environmental, economic and visitor pressures? Paula Harbidge, Thanet District Council, Amy Summers, Orange Compass Consultancy and Sam Richardson National Coastal Tourism Academy CTA hosted by Alison Burgh
Or
Break out room - FuturETHinking for Destinations
- FuturETHinking: Planning for Uncertainty with Dr Julia Calver and Dr Michelle Lanham, Leeds Beckett University: How might we think differently about the future and prepare for the possibilities it may bring? This brief but creative, interactive taster session draws on our international research across tourism, events and hospitality to explore how optimism, pessimism and personal resilience shape the way we think about and plan for the future. Through engaging activities, you’ll explore alternative futures, challenge assumptions and consider new ways of approaching planning in complex and uncertain times. Sessions are bookable maximum 20 per session
12.35 🍽 Networking Lunch
💡 Breakout Sessions 2
13.35 Breakout sessions 2
Main room
- Attraction Performance and Visitor Trends in 2026 - T Stats Solutions – Kevin Millington and Jess Watkins –
Or
Break out room FuturETHinking for Destinations
This inspiring workshop (see description as per 1205 session above) which ran before lunch will be repeated to a new group of 20 delegates
🚀 Afternoon Plenary Sessions
14.15 TMI Prize winners presentations
14.20 Phil Trevett - founder of VESTA, a people-focused hospitality business built around Consultancy, Training and Events: People. Purpose. Possibility: Supporting the Next Generation of Hospitality Professionals
14.35 Learning from overseas: Tourism development priorities in Ukraine – Alona Diachenko, Public Service & Tourism Expert & Local Governance Consultant
14.55 🤖 TECHNOLOGY – AI for Destinations – Shaon Talukder, CEO and founder Geotourist and Mary Harris, Founder and Director of Bird Global Advisory
15.20 ☕ Afternoon Refreshments & Networking
15.40 Beyond the Headlines: The Policy Battles Shaping Your Destination with Eddy Leviten, Executive Director, Tourism Alliance: The Policy Battles Shaping Your Destination
A Tourism Alliance national policy update on the fights currently underway for destinations — and what they mean for you.
🌟 The Future of Destination-Making Starts Here
16.00 - A closing interactive session drawing together the day's key themes and challenges. Bringing together the day’s biggest themes, with audience participation and challenges for everyone to consider what role they will play in shaping the future of destination-making.
Discussion Points
- Is there a need for stronger pan-regional working?
- Should UK destination coordination be top-down, bottom-up, peer-to-peer, or all three?
Closing remarks from the TMI President.
🎙️ Convention Close 16:20