Shaping New England's Future: Travel, Tourism, & Hospitality
Friday, February 20, 2026 (10:00 AM - 6:00 PM) (EST)
Description
Shaping is bringing New England’s leaders, creators, tourism partners, and the business community together to rethink how we tell our region’s story; not from a boardroom, but from the ground, experiencing it through the eyes of our guests. Because before we can ask anyone to visit our six states, we have to remember that we’re tourists, too. We are the ones who can move from ocean cliffs to mountain peaks, from historic towns to global universities, from wilderness to world-class dining — all within a few hours. Very few regions on Earth pack this much culture, nature, adventure, and character into such an effortless footprint. And yet, we’ve never told that story together. This initiative isn’t just about strategy; it’s about mindset. It’s about switching from “How do we drive tourism?” to “How do we live it?” It’s about leaders being explorers and advocates, acting like curious first-timers. We’re exploring what becomes possible when our states and sectors collaborate with intention: shared regional storytelling, cross-border itineraries, coordinated seasonal strategy, and a stronger, louder, more confident presence on the national and global stage. New England has always been extraordinary. Now, we have a chance to shape its story, together.Images
Celebrity Ballroom, Fox Tower Foxwoods Resort Casino, 350 Trolley Line Blvd
Mashantucket, CT 06338 United States
Mashantucket, CT 06338 United States
Friday, February 20, 2026 (10:00 AM - 6:00 PM)
(EST)
10:00 – 11:00 AM – Arrival + Networking + Showcase Open
11:00 – 11:20 AM – Welcome (Main Stage)
11:20 – 11:50 AM – Keynote Conversation (Main Stage)
12:00 – 12:45 PM – Panel: Leadership in a Connected Region (Main Stage)
12:45 – 1:45 PM – Lunch on your Own / Showcase / Think Tanks 1 + 3
12:50 – 1:20 PM – Think Tank 1: Culture as Infrastructure (Room 2)
12:50 – 1:20 PM – Think Tank 3: The Experience Economy in Motion (Room 3)
1:45 – 2:30 PM – Parallel Panels
Panel: Technology Powering the Modern Travel Experience (Main Stage)
Panel: The Human Engine (Room 2)
Panel: Why They Come: What Really Drives Travel to New England (Room 3)
2:40 – 3:00 PM – Lightning Perspectives: What People Underestimate About New England — Fast insights on overlooked assets shaping the region’s future (Main Stage)
3:00 – 3:30 PM – Networking / Showcase / Think Tanks 2 + 4
Think Tank 2: Hospitality Beyond the Hotel (Room 2)
Think Tank 4: Partnerships That Actually Work (Room 3)
3:30 – 4:15 PM – Parallel Panels
Panel: Anchors Create Gravity (Main Stage)
Panel: From Destination to Platform (Room 2)
Panel: The Host Economy (Room 3)
4:25 – 5:10 PM – Panel: The Collision Economy (Main Stage)
5:10 – 5:40 PM – Wrap-Up Synthesis (Main Stage)
5:40 – 6:00 PM – Networking / Showcase
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