Felina Martin at WITS 2026 in Chattanooga
Attending the Women in Travel Summit in Chattanooga, Tennessee, was an inspiring and professionally enriching experience. Throughout the conference, I had the opportunity to connect with exhibitors, industry leaders, content creators, and destination representatives who are shaping the future of travel and tourism. One of the highlights was visiting the exhibitor hall, where I engaged with organizations including Pinterest, the U.S. Passport Authority, and RokitPlace. These conversations provided valuable insights into digital content strategies, international travel resources, and innovative tools that support travel professionals and creators. The conference sessions were equally impactful. The Opening Session set an encouraging tone by emphasizing collaboration, authenticity, and the power of women in the travel industry. I also participated in Storytelling That Sells, which reinforced how compelling narratives can build trust, inspire audiences, and create meaningful connections between travelers and destinations. Beyond the educational sessions, I enjoyed learning about Chattanooga’s community initiatives and hearing the story behind The Chattery, a women-owned business that fosters lifelong learning through affordable, community-based classes. Its commitment to education, creativity, and community engagement demonstrated how local businesses can become powerful drivers of economic and social impact. Networking was another valuable aspect of the summit. I met several travel influencers, tourism professionals, and representatives from destination marketing and industry organizations, including El Paso. These conversations opened the door to potential collaborations and provided fresh perspectives on destination promotion, audience engagement, and partnership development. My greatest takeaway from the Women in Travel Summit is the importance of consistency and relationship-building. Success in the travel industry is not achieved through a single opportunity but through continuously creating valuable content, cultivating authentic connections, and networking with prospective partners. I left Chattanooga with new knowledge, meaningful contacts, and renewed motivation to strengthen my presence in the travel industry while pursuing future collaborations that create lasting impact.
A First-Time Attendee’s Perspective on WITS Chattanooga 2026
Recap of WITS 2026 By Shirley Davis Conner, Conner Hospitality Consulting I was so excited to have the opportunity to attend the Women In Travel Summit in Chattanooga, May 29-31, 2026 thanks to the generosity of Travel Unity. I had never heard of the conference so it was an excellent chance to learn about an entirely different side of tourism than I normally work with. I loved the thought of a conference geared especially toward women, yet open to all genders. I will also say that it was the first conference I had attended since I started in tourism in 1992 that I did not know several people in the room. It definitely made me get out of my comfort zone to network with new people. Shirley Davis Conner at WITS Chattanooga 2026 On Friday, May 29th, Creator 101 was the first session I attended. I paid for this extra class to really learn about travel creators and how this sector of the industry works. In my previous life working at Graceland, Home of Elvis Presley, influencers and content creators were just coming on the scene and the Marketing team worked with them more than I did in the Sales department. This 4 ½ hour session offered a great overview for those like me who were new to digital content creation. It helped me understand how varied the opportunities are in this field. Not only did it talk specifics about blogs, reels, Instagram and Pinterest postings and how to manage them all, it helped guide us in finding out our why. It really showed how creators are entrepreneurs and not just content makers. Beth Santos, the founder of Wanderful, the organization that put on WITS, opened the session by sharing that the creator economy is $32 billion and still growing! Although this class was specifically for “newbies”, there were women of all levels of knowledge in attendance. Some had been posting for personal records/memories (this is me!), some already have websites that they want to build their distribution and monetize better by working with sponsorships or selling content such as books or lists. Some were already working as affiliates on Amazon and other companies where they earn a commission when they promote a product. There were even a couple of travel agents who wanted to up their social media game to entice future trip sales. The 101 class offered a little something for all of us. This was a great session to help us lay the framework for what each of us want to do going forward. Beth and three other speakers led discussions in finding our WHY or our motivation for being at the conference. They helped us to think about what audience we want to reach and what the benefits can be. We looked into how to be successful as a content creator, which format to use and what tools are available to help us move forward. There was a discussion on different revenue paths and what level of income is possible based on the time and effort that is put into content creation. There was also a great talk by an attorney who offered tips on what can be a business expense, figuring out if one needs to create an LLC for a business and how to think about where you are now and where you want to be in three months and then in six months and further in the future, protecting your own content along the way. There was so much information thrown at us in such a short time, that at times I was overwhelmed! However, we did have the opportunity during lunch to sit and visit with our classmates and learn more about who they were and what they did. That really helped me to see that this is not a one size fits all industry! Throughout the conference there were opportunities to make appointments with Mentors who have been successful with content creation. While I was too overwhelmed to narrow down to a specific mentor, it was a great option for those who had attended the conference before or those who already followed specific creators and wanted to learn their advice for expanding the reach of their products. During the same time as the Creator 101 class, a Media Marketplace took place. This allowed creators to meet bands and companies to create valuable partnerships. These one-on-one pre-scheduled meetings seem to be like the meetings we are used to at NTA, ABA and SYTA. A quick sales pitch from both the creator and the brands/DMOs to see how they can help each other bring dollars to their bottom lines. To take part in the Media Marketplace you had to be registered as a Creator. Like suppliers use profile sheets at our travel industry shows, the creators shared their media kits with the brands/DMOs they wanted to work with. This helps them determine which creators will fit best within the demographic the brand is looking to promote their products/trips/locations to. The Friday afternoon Opening Session kicked off with a little networking and excitement about being in Chattanooga. Susan Harris, with Visit Chattanooga, welcomed everyone and Beth Santos talked about what to expect from the weekend. A great part of the sessions throughout the weekend were the 30-Second Sparks. This offered anyone the chance to come to the front of the room and give a quick elevator speech. Some were recruitment pitches looking for partnerships or specific products to fit within a creator’s niche, some were self-promotions offering their skill to others, some were stories of why they came to Chattanooga and some were sharing their goals for the future. No two were the same which was really a great takeaway from the conference. A WITS session highlighting Chattanooga’s community, creativity, and curiosity The WITS Opening Party was hosted by Visit Chattanooga and took place at the Historic Chattanooga Choo Choo just a few blocks away from the host hotel. The bus ride over