What to Bring to ESTO Without Collapsing Mid-Handshake from Dehydration and Regret.

Let me get you ready. ESTO 2025 is in Phoenix. In August. That’s not heat, it’s biblical trial. It’s “I can smell my socks through my shoes” hot. But this ain’t just about surviving the weather. It’s about showing up ready to make moves in a room full of industry power.

Let’s break it down like somebody actually wants you to leave this event better than you came in.

1. Sunscreen. Real sunscreen. This isn’t optional. You’re in the Valley of the Sun. You step outside for five minutes without SPF, you’re gonna look like a cautionary tale by lunch. Bonus tip: the sun is most intense midmorning—aka the time everyone’s walking between sessions.

2. Sunglasses. You’ll want them for the walk to the general session and for when you need to mentally check out while pretending to listen to a panel that should’ve been an email. Get the ones that say “I know things, don’t mess with me.”

3. An umbrella. Yes, really. Locals use them for the sun. It’s not weird, it’s called survival. If you see someone using one, they’ve probably lived here long enough to stop trying to be cute and just want to stay alive.

4. A real water bottle. Hydration isn’t a vibe, it’s a requirement. You’ll be talking all day, maybe drinking at night, and still trying to sound smart at 8 am sessions. Don’t show up shriveled.

5. Cooling mist. Mine’s a homemade blend of water, eucalyptus, and a few sprays of overpriced French perfume. Keeps your skin alive and makes you smell like you planned your life. Bring one. No one wants to network with a heat-flushed cryptid.

6. Comfy layers. You’re gonna bounce from desert heat to hotel AC that feels like it was designed by a polar bear. The main ballroom will be arctic. The session rooms? Worse. Bring something you can layer, toss, and drape with drama.

7. Walkable shoes. Unless you’re getting a speaker honorarium big enough to cover bunion surgery, leave the heels. You’ll be hoofing it from ballrooms to side sessions to those off-site dinners that somehow require a five-block trek.

8. Your damn notebook. There’s actual fire in this year’s schedule. Try these:

• “Building a Better Bench” (finally, someone’s talking about succession)

• “The Next Generation Traveler” (spoiler: it’s not who your ad agency thinks it is)

• “Innovating with Intent” (the one that might make you rethink all your content calendars)

You won’t absorb everything. Write it down. Future you will be grateful.

9. The confidence to introduce yourself like you matter. Because you do. The room might feel exclusive, but guess what? Most people are waiting for someone else to break the ice. Be the someone. Be curious. Be generous. Be a little dangerous.

And remember this:

Half of ESTO is in the sessions. The other half? It’s in the elevators, the hallway smiles, the accidental breakfasts, the “mind if I sit here?”

Show up for both.

ESTO isn’t just a conference. It’s a room full of people who decide what the future of tourism looks like. And if you're in that room, you have a responsibility.

So pack your sunscreen. Pack your perspective. And maybe… pack a little trouble.

I'll see you in Phoenix.

🖤Jenn