Mark Your Calendars for the 2023 Power of Partnership Stewardship Summit

In an exciting announcement, the Cultural Heritage Economic Alliance, Tourism Cares, the Travel Foundation and the U.S. Cultural & Heritage Marketing Council are uniting forces to host the first-ever Power of Partnership Stewardship Summit.

The event will take place over four days in Richmond, VA from October 15 - 18 2023, and is a “must-attend” for advisors and other travel pros who share the founding organizations’ goal which Greg Takehara, CEO of Tourism Cares describes as, ”(not only envisioning) a collaborative, cross-sectoral and inclusive future for travel and tourism but also providing the mechanism and connections to ensure it.”

The summit will encourage attendees to focus on common challenges, emerging opportunities and actionable solutions centered around three areas — community, culture and climate action. Additionally, participants will experience what Richard Peterson, president and CEO of the U.S. Cultural Heritage Marketing Council calls, “the power of tourism in action,” within the event’s host city with help from Richmond Region Tourism, the Jackson Ward Collective, Elegba Folklore Society, Inc. and Virginia Tourism.

“The summit is a unique and timely event in travel and tourism that brings to life our mutual goal to create an inclusive, equitable and action-driven industry,” said Stephanie Jones, founder and CEO of The Cultural Heritage Economic Alliance and Blacks in Travel & Tourism. “We’re coming together, united in solving some of the world’s most pressing challenges impacting the future of tourism.”   

“It continues to be a challenging time for businesses and individuals as we find ourselves entering an era of considerable uncertainty and change,” said Jeremy Sampson, CEO of The Travel Foundation. “To prepare for what lies ahead, we must embrace the three big issues of our time — communities, culture and climate — and find the points where these all intersect because the same need for transition, justice and equality and for new models and solutions lie at the heart of these challenges. We can use these points of intersection for strategic direction and to create a path forward for travel and tourism together.”  

Wondering what to expect? The 2023 Power of Partnership Stewardship Summit will include various events and activities including hosted education sessions, community experiences and volunteering, appointments with sponsors and suppliers at the multicultural marketplace, cultural performances and more. Additionally, travel advisors are strongly encouraged to attend. “Welcoming travel advisors and all communities within our industry is part of the collaborative spirit that we’re trying to represent,” said Takehara. “If you care about these issues, come on in,” added Sampson.

To register and keep an eye on the latest updates you can visit the Power of Partnership Stewardship Summit website here.

About the Author

Senior Editor for VAX VacationAccess and world explorer, Jenna loves writing about all things travel. When she’s not busy creating content, she spends her time exploring the great outdoors, cuddling with her two black cats and researching her next big (sometimes strange) adventure.