Destination North Myrtle Beach’s 2026 Marketing Outlook Summit returns on April 22nd at Bay Watch Resort & Conference Center, bringing together marketers and business leaders for a day of fresh ideas, practical strategies, and meaningful conversation. This year’s sessions will spotlight AI in action, destination optimization, public relations, social trends, branding, and a deep dive into our destination master plans.
Whether you’re looking for new marketing tools, expert insights, or actionable ways to strengthen your business, this year’s Summit will deliver valuable takeaways you can put to work right away. Register today, invite your team, and join us for an engaging day of learning, collaboration, and inspiration.
Conversations Worth Showing Up For
We’ve got even more in store. Check back often as we continue to update session details, announce speakers, and share more about this year’s Summit.
Beyond Search: How AI Is Changing Destination Discovery
As AI reshapes how travelers search and plan, destination marketers need a new playbook. This panel with Miles Partnership and Granicus/Simpleview will explore shifting KPIs, AI visibility, the ongoing importance of your website, and why partner listings matter more than ever in the new discovery landscape.
Justin Gibbs - Director of Strategy & Insights, Miles Partnership
Justin directs the Analytics & SEO teams at Miles, ensuring that website activity is being properly measured, while also working to improve their presence in search engines. When he's not working, he can usually be found working on home improvement projects, snowmobiling, gardening, beekeeping, playing with his dog Miles, playing hockey, and terrorizing the neighbors on his 49cc scooter - usually not all at once.
JenAnn Haggerty - Simpleview/Granicus
JenAnn Haggerty is a passionate and results-driven Digital Strategist at Simpleview, bringing a wealth of experience from her start in the DMO world at Destination North Myrtle Beach. Since then, she’s expanded her expertise with Granicus and Simpleview, where she partners with destination organizations to craft successful marketing strategies and impactful campaigns. Known for her collaborative approach, JenAnn combines big-picture thinking with actionable tactics, all while leveraging the expertise of her team to deliver measurable results.
What’s Your Business’s Digital Score?
Get a personalized look at how your business is performing online and learn how to improve your visibility where it counts most. Businesses registered for the Marketing Summit by April 17 will receive a custom report card reviewing their presence on Google, TripAdvisor, Yelp, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. During this session, Kim Palmer of Miles Partnership will share practical strategies for digital presence optimization and be available for one-on-one conversations with business owners. She’ll also host office hours at the Destination NMB office on Thursday, April 23, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for businesses who want personalized follow-up and deeper guidance.
Kim Palmer, Destination Optimization Program Director, Miles Partnership
Kim leads the Destination Optimization team at Miles Partnership, where she works with destinations to help local business partners shine online by improving their visibility across Google, major travel platforms, and now, emerging AI tools - so communities can thrive in the digital space. Kim’s career in digital travel marketing spans from the early days of the web, when she helped launch some of the industry’s first destination websites, to leadership roles in SEO and hospitality marketing at Miles Partnership.
From Hidden Gems to Headlines
What makes a story worth telling and worth covering? In this session, we’ll dive into the art of public relations, from identifying the right stories and building your media contacts to pitching with purpose, hosting journalists or creators, and following up in ways that build lasting relationships. With real-world examples and success stories, attendees will see how strong connections, compelling local experiences, and a fresh angle can turn hidden gems into headlines. Join Ivie Parker of Ivie Parker Consulting and Sarah Rose, local freelance journalist, for a session that will offer practical insight, inspiring examples, and plenty of ideas for businesses and destinations ready to strengthen their PR approach.
Ivie Parker - Ivie Parker Consulting
Ivie Parker is a seasoned expert in public relations and marketing communications, specializing in travel and tourism, hospitality, and lifestyle brands. With a creative, entrepreneurial spirit and a strategic, data-driven approach, she has consistently delivered successful integrated campaigns.
Sara Rose
As a freelance writer, journalist and reporter, Sarah has spent most of her life traveling the world: across the USA, Mexico, Canada, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Venezuela, Brazil, South Africa, Kenya, India, Vietnam, the Philippines, Hong Kong, England, Scotland, Wales, France, Holland, Italy, Spain, Monte Carlo, Sweden, Dubai, Thailand, Japan and lived in China for almost a year. As such, her writing style is through a global lens. Sarah is also a historicist who spends who spends her spare time studying, researching and writing about antiquity, as well as Lowcountry histories and mysteries. Additionally, with a background in interior design, Sarah enjoys writing about all things lifestyle: travel, decor, gardens, entertaining, food, wine, fashion, book reviews and the arts.
Community Collaboration & Alignment
Explore questions for our community as a milestone for our NMB Destination Master plan. Join David Holder of Clarity of Place to learn more about tourism efforts with resident and business alignment. Interested in joining a focus group to go deeper? Email Erin Graham at egraham@destinationnmb.com to indicate your interest and we’ll follow-up with time options.
David Holder, Principal, Clarity of Place
David Holder brings more than 25 years of tourism experience and a deep understanding of what destination leaders need to succeed. As co-founder of Clarity of Place, he helps destinations use data, research, and industry insight to navigate change while staying focused on long-term strategy. His career includes leadership roles with Visit Syracuse, Fredericksburg, and the Corning and Finger Lakes region, as well as destination work with JLL Hotels Group. Today, he continues to shape the industry through consulting, teaching, and service with leading tourism organizations.
What Customers See First (and What to Do About It)
Moving beyond basic marketing definitions, Lauryn Peterson of Miles Partnership will provide a framework for building a cohesive brand while diving deep into the most influential social media trends. Designed for business owners who are ready to elevate their presence, this session offers a series of immediate, actionable takeaways for both your brand identity and your social channels that you can apply the moment you return to the office.
Lauryn Peterson, Miles Partnership
Lauryn Peterson is an Account Supervisor at Miles Partnership, where she leads marketing strategy for tourism and hospitality clients. With over a decade of experience in digital and broader marketing initiatives, content strategy and campaign execution, she specializes in helping destinations and local businesses show up more clearly and effectively. Lauryn works closely with clients to translate evolving consumer behavior into practical, results-driven strategies across branding, social media and content. Known for her team-oriented approach and actionable insights, she focuses on helping partners turn strong ideas into real-world impact.
Lauryn Peterson (Miles Partnership) & Erin Graham (Destination North Myrtle Beach)
Join Lauryn Peterson of Miles Partnership and Erin Graham of Destination North Myrtle Beach for a review of where we've been, where we are going, and all the details in between.
Get a behind the scene view of creative ads, media placements, current projects, and future plans!