We Got Tired of Clapping for Bullsh*t

It started with a pit in my stomach. You know the one—when you’re sitting in a packed conference room, listening to yet another “innovative” panel that feels like it was ghostwritten by ChatGPT and fear.

Everyone claps politely. No one says what they really think. And then afterward, in the hallway or hotel bar, the truth starts to slip out. The whispers. The side-eyes. The “Is it just me, or...?”

It wasn’t just me. It never was.

The first DestiCon wasn’t born from ego or some big vision board dream. It was born out of frustration. Out of knowing too many brilliant people were leaving this industry—or worse, staying silent—because the real conversations weren’t happening anywhere public.

So we created our own room.

No panels for clout. No buzzword bingo. Just truth. Strategy. A little chaos. And a whole lot of, “Finally, someone said it.”

We didn’t know if anyone would come. But they did. Over 180 of you. Twice.

Not because we had the fanciest lineup. But because we were done pretending.

Now here we are. Year three. And if the past few years have taught us anything, it’s this:

The industry is not okay.

DMO teams are drowning in deliverables. Creatives are told to be bold, then punished when they are. Whole communities are still being turned into personas. And so many leaders are clinging to “best practices” that haven’t worked in years—because change is uncomfortable, and safety feels easier to sell.

But here’s the thing: Tourism doesn’t need more safety. It needs more courage.

And that’s exactly what DestiCon 2025 is about.

Honest Conversations. Better Tourism. Not a tagline. A rally cry.

This year, we’re coming for the unspoken truths:

→ The outdated strategies we need to bury

→ The real reason content isn’t landing

→ The performative nature of “inclusive” branding

→ The fact that travel is political—whether we acknowledge it or not

→ And the question we should all be asking: Would we visit our own destination?

We’ll also return to what is becoming sacred ground: The Chaos Session. No recording. No filters. Just humans, talking like it actually matters.

Tickets open tomorrow. Not because we want to sell out—because we want to invite in. The curious. The courageous. The tired-but-not-done ones. The Destruptors.

This is the room we’ve been building. And it’s ready for you now.

—Jenn