Keynote Speaker: Fred Dixon, President and Chief Executive Officer, Brand USA

We are thrilled to announce that Fred Dixon, President and Chief Executive Officer of Brand USA will be a featured guest speaker at AITC on Wednesday, October 29.

Fred Dixon is president and chief executive officer of Brand USA, the nation’s public-private partnership dedicated to increasing international visitation to the United States through marketing and promotional efforts. In this role, Fred is responsible for accelerating the organization’s efforts to build and execute effective marketing strategies to increase U.S. travel exports, create jobs, strengthen the economy, and help enhance the image of the United States with people all over the world.

Fred Dixon began his tenure as Brand USA’s President and CEO on July 15, 2024. He brings with him more than 30 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry.

Immediately prior to joining Brand USA, he served as President and CEO of NYC Tourism + Conventions for 10 years where he developed and implemented New York City’s tourism, meetings, and events strategy and programming to grow business and leisure travel from across the USA and from around the world.

Under his leadership of NYC Tourism + Conventions, international visitation more than doubled to more than 13 million travelers; the result of a long-term strategy to create a global network of outposts comprising sales, marketing, and press professionals in diverse feeder markets including Australia, China, Mexico, Brazil and the UK.

Keynote Speaker: Florian Herrmann, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Herrmann Global

We are thrilled to announce that Florian Herrmann, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Herrmann Global will be a featured guest speaker at AITC on Wednesday, October 29.

Florian is the CEO and founder of Herrmann Global, a strategic tourism marketing firm headquartered in the Rocky Mountains with offices in the U.S. and Europe. His vision for the travel industry is simple: Utilizing innovative technology to connect destinations and attractions with a passionate and responsible global travel audience. Together with his global team, he has built the media platforms Visit USA Parks and Untraveled to inspire millions of global travelers about destinations that are lesser known. His expertise in the travel trade industry and digital marketing is significant: His first job after high school was a traineeship at a travel agency in Germany organizing group travel and working with the marketing team. Since then, his focus has always been on collaboration among industry stakeholders and how global travel can build a better future for sustainable tourism.

Florian holds a Master’s in Business and Sustainable Destination Management from George Washington University and is currently an active member of the Travel Tourism Research Association and the World Travel Tourism Council.

Keynote Speaker: Kristy Durso, Founder, Accessible Travel Network

We are thrilled to announce that Kristy Durso, Founder of Accessible Travel Network will be a featured guest speaker at AITC on Thursday, October 30.

Kristy Durso is an internationally recognized keynote speaker, trainer, and advocate for accessibility in travel and hospitality. A full-time wheelchair user, travel agency owner, and 2022 Ms. Wheelchair Texas, Kristy brings both lived experience and industry expertise to her work.

She is the founder of the Accessible Travel Network, an association uniting travel professionals with the training, resources, and tools to better serve travelers with disabilities. Kristy also serves as the Ambassador for TravelAbility and board member for SATH. 

Kristy has advised leading global brands—including Sandals and Beaches Resorts, Hyatt, Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Universal, and even the TSA—on accessibility strategies that create real impact. She has spoken at some of the industry’s most respected stages, including ITB Berlin, ASTA, TravMedia, National Tour Association, Destinations International, multiple governor’s conferences on tourism, and more.

With a dynamic style that blends storytelling, humor, and practical insight, Kristy reframes accessibility as both a human right and a competitive advantage. Her mission is simple but transformative: to show the world that accessibility benefits everyone, and that designing for inclusion is not only the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do.

The Heart Speaks Keynote Speaker:
Colleen Echohawk (Kithehaki Band of the Pawnee Nation; Upper Athabascan people of Mentasta Lake), President, Headwater People Consulting, LLC

We are thrilled to announce that Colleen Echohawk (Kithehaki Band of the Pawnee Nation; Upper Athabascan people of Mentasta Lake), President, Headwater People Consulting, LLC will be our featured speaker for The Heart Speaks keynote at AITC on Thursday, October 30.

Colleen Echohawk is a born organizer, change-maker, and leader. Her experiences as an Indigenous woman, small business owner, community organizer, and executive leader inform her efforts in building a community of justice and reconciliation. An enrolled member of the Kithehaki Band of the Pawnee Nation and a member of the Upper Athabascan people of Mentasta Lake, Colleen is proud to have called Seattle home for over two decades. She is a champion for change, igniting successful coalitions to bring about positive shifts in Seattle’s housing, homelessness, racial justice, sustainability, and public safety issues. Colleen is committed to service. As the Executive Director at the Chief Seattle Club, Colleen led the effort to create nearly $100 million in new affordable housing in Seattle and oversaw the best rapid rehousing success program in the county. At the Seattle Community Police Commission, Colleen worked to address the systemic racism in our criminal justice system.

Colleen is the co-founder of the Equatible Recovery and Reconciliation Alliance and the founder of the National Coalition to End Urban Indigenous Homelessness. In her latest role as the CEO of Native lifestyle brand Eighth Generation, Colleen is using her connections and business acumen to take the small business global. Through an artist-centric approach and positive outlook, the brand is poised under Colleen’s leadership to share authentic, Native-designed art and home goods with an international audience eager for ethically made products. In her spare time, Colleen loves to watch Netflix originals, belt Beyonce with friends at karaoke, take her dog Rizzo for long walks, and bake for her friends and family.