Wednesday, May 22
10:15–11:15 a.m.
Breakout I
How do you get the most mileage out of a TV show set in your city? How do you ensure your destination looks its best on the big screen? And, uh-oh, what if you’ve been “Snooki’d” and the finished product reflects poorly on your area? From location fees and script approval to generating media coverage and creating tourism-building promotions, a panel of your peers will provide tips from their destinations and attractions.
Meghann Gibbons is communications director at Georgia Aquarium. She is responsible for the communications strategy to build the Aquarium's reputation as the largest and most engaging aquarium experience in the world, and to drive attendance. Gibbons oversees the development and implementation of the strategic publicity, media and communications plans for three facilities; and manages all feature film productions, including projects with Tyler Perry Studios, Disney and Lionsgate. Meghann also leads the Aquarium’s story development and production team for ABC’s “Ocean Mysteries with Jeff Corwin from Georgia Aquarium,” which airs nationally through more than 200 ABC affiliates. The show is currently Saturday morning’s second highest-rated program on broadcast television, and the third highest rated new syndicated series in total viewers, reaching on average more 1.4 million households in the Aquarium’s target demographic. Connect with Meghann on Twitter.
Megan Mayo Ryan is senior communications and tourism manager at Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau. Ryan manages media relations, communications and tourism promotion, and oversees social media efforts. New Mexico has become an active film location since initiating film incentives in 2002, and today more than 300 film and production projects have taken advantage of filming in New Mexico. Albuquerque Studios opened in 2007 and has since hosted many high profile movies and TV shows, including Marvel’s “The Avengers,” AMC’s “Breaking Bad” and Disney’s “The Lone Ranger.” The popularity of "Breaking Bad" has prompted many to travel to Albuquerque to see the place where this award-winning dark drama takes place. Connect with Megan on Twitter.
Kathleen O'Connell is public relations executive at VisitBritain. O'Connell helps create and implement the public relations strategy for VisitBritain in the U.S. She works with consumer media (print, online and broadcast), and is the lead on all travel trade media relations to showcase Britain as the ideal overseas vacation destination for Americans. O'Connell has worked with travel, lifestyle and reality shows including "Rick Steves' Europe," "Born to Explore," "The Bachelorette" and "Downton Abbey," and has worked on blockbuster films including Disney's "Brave," the "Harry Potter" series and the recent James Bond film "Skyfall." Connect with Kathleen on Twitter.
Jenny Steuber is director of public relations at Nashville Convention & Visitors Corporation. Steuber oversees national and international PR efforts made to showcase Nashville as a top meeting and leisure destination, and promote it as the Music City. In addition to working with print and radio outlets, she has coordinated filming with several news and travel shows which have filmed in Nashville, including “Good Morning America,” “The Katie Couric Show,” “Globetrekker,” “Man v. Food,” “Samantha Brown’s Passport to Great Weekends,” “Trip Flip” and more. She has used other recent primetime coverage of Nashville, including CBS’s GRAMMY Nominations Concert and ABC’s “Nashville,” to create more awareness and interest in the Music City. Connect with Jenny on Twitter.