2025 / 2026 MEMBER OPPORTUNITIES CALENDAR
Get Involved with SDTA
The San Diego Tourism Authority is a private, non-profit, mutual benefit corporation composed of over 1,000+ member organizations, businesses, local governments, and individuals seeking a better community through the visitor industry. As a destination sales and marketing organization, the main objective of the San Diego Tourism Authority is to promote and market the San Diego region as a preferred vacation and meeting destination.
We look forward to supporting your business goals and introducing opportunities to connect with industry partners and leaders, meeting planners, global tour operators and more.
Daniel Kuperschmid PRESIDENT & CEO
Kerri Verbeke Kapich CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Opportunity Glossary
SALES CALL (TOURISM DEVELOPMENT):
Kavin Schieferdecker CHIEF SALES OFFICER
The Tourism Development team of the San Diego Tourism Authority conducts Sales Calls and Sales Missions in international and domestic markets. Activities include product meetings with tour operators, destination trainings / presentations with travel agents, destination seminars for MICE operators, client luncheons / dinners and more. By joining the Tourism Development team, members can present their products to key travel trade accounts and have opportunities to build relationships with them.
TRADESHOW (TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND GROUP MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS):
Provides visibility in a shared tradeshow booth, allowing direct interaction with travel agents, tour operators and meeting professionals through networking, conversations, and in some cases, pre-scheduled appointments. It’s a chance to showcase San Diego alongside partners and connect with potential clients in targeted markets.
CLIENT EVENTS AND ROADSHOWS (GROUP MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS):
These events are 3-hour luncheons or evening receptions hosted in key markets across the US, bringing together local meeting and event planners with San Diego sales partners for networking, presentations, food and beverage, raffles, and engaging activities. Designed to generate future business for San Diego, they offer partners a co-host opportunity to connect directly with potential clients. Client events consist of 1 - 2 receptions in the same city, typically on the same day, while Roadshows span multiple markets over the course of a week and may also include sales calls, though not guaranteed.
CONFERENCES (GROUP MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS):
This co-host opportunity offers the chance to engage with clients at a conference through a mini tradeshow, dinner or reception, while also benefiting from educational programming. It combines meaningful client connections with industry insights and visibility alongside San Diego partners.
MEMBER EVENT SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
The San Diego Tourism Authority presents relevant and timely event programming for our Members and community stakeholders each year. These events are made possible by the support of our sponsors.
Tourism is vital to the economic health of San Diego, accounting for one in eight jobs, and $14.3 billion in visitor spending. Taxes generated by hotel stays put more than $417 million into city and county budgets to support essential services for our community.
Please Contact for Inquiries: BHilemon@SanDiego.org
ANNUAL MEETING
San Diego, CA
Members gather for a formal keynote presentation highlighting sales and marketing direction for the coming year.
MEMBER EVENT
San Diego, CA
Learn from industry experts and expand your network at our series of events.
San Diego, CA
Celebrate the impact of the travel and tourism industry in San Diego.
Brian Hilemon SENIOR DIRECTOR OF MARKETING PARTNERSHIPS
San Diego, CA
Score a hole-in-one by reaching key decision makers in a relaxed and fun atmosphere.
Click below to access our full Sponsorship Opportunities Guide and learn how you can make the most of your membership with the San Diego Tourism Authority.
ACCESS
TOURISM DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Tourism Development marketing targets both travel agents and tour operators planning travel for their clients. These savvy professional travel planners deliver an estimated 2 million hotel room nights to San Diego each year—including many international visitors. The SDTA engages with an active account list and coordinates a robust outreach program both on a domestic and international level.
Benjamin Eastman
SENIOR DIRECTOR OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT
Please Contact for Inquiries: BEastman@SanDiego.org
October 20 - 23, 2025
London
Meet with U.K. & European buyers for a week of B2B meetings, networking, and education.
$4,750 registration TRADESHOW BRAND USA TRAVEL WEEK
January 2026
Los Angeles, CA
Networking with major Asian tour operators and travel agencies based in Los Angeles, California.
October 20 - October 24, 2025
Brisbane, Melbourne & Sydney
Appointments with major travel advisors and travel agencies in Australia.
$3,000 day SALES CALL
January 2026
Los Angeles, CA
One of the largest travel wholesalers in the US, offers vacation packages to destinations worldwide.
November 10 - 14, 2025
Tokyo
Appointments with major travel advisors and travel agencies in Japan. $2500 SALES CALL
January 2026
Los Angeles, CA
Networking dinner with major tour operators and receptive operators in Los Angeles, California.
March 2026
London
Appointments with major travel advisors and travel agencies in the United Kingdom.
VCA LUXURY FORUM
March 22 - 24, 2026
Lake Tahoe, CA
Meet 1-on-1 with travel agents selling luxury vacations and educate them on your product.
April, 2026
Mexico City, Puebla & Oaxaca
Appointments with major tour operators and travel agencies in Mexico City, Puebla & Oaxaca.
May 2026
Ogden, UT
Travel Agency leader on family vacation packages. Call center training.
May 18 - 22, 2026
Ft, Lauderdale, Florida
Largest Travel Trade event in US. More than 5000 attendees including 1400 International buyers and media.
June 2026
Los Angeles, CA
Appointments with major Japanese tour operators and travel agencies in Los Angeles, California.
June 2026
Toronto & Montreal
Appointments with major travel advisors and travel agencies in Toronto and Montreal, Canada.
June 2026
Hamburg, Hannover & Cologne
Visit and train product managers and sales agents at major German tour operators selling vacations to the US.
GROUP MEETINGS & CONVENTION OPPORTUNITIES
The San Diego Tourism Authority Sales Department creates relationships with meeting and event professionals, C-Suite executives and stakeholders at some of the largest corporations and organizations all over the world. San Diego is the perfect mix of beauty and brains for business travelers who want to extend their trip and take in all the region has to offer.
After reviewing the calendar, please submit an interest form to let us know which events you are interested in attending next year (section 2) and/or which local events you are interested in hosting (section 3).
Interest Form
Please Contact for Inquiries: KKnaack@SanDiego.org
MIDWEST ROADSHOW
January 26 - 30, 2026
Minneapolis, MN and Kansas City, KS
February 2026
Scottsdale, AZ
This event focuses on third party planners from HelmsBriscoe and HPN.
Kali Knaack DIRECTOR OF
EVENT MANAGEMENT
February 24, 2026
New York City, NY
$3,000 ROADSHOW
March 2026
Atlanta, GA & Nashville, TN
$3,000 ROADSHOW SOUTHEAST
EVENT
$2,250
March 12 - 13, 2026
Denver, CO
$2,000 TRADESHOW Opportunity to foster the growth of the meetings and events industry.
$1,500 CONFERENCE
March / April 2026
Chicago, IL
Chicago Cubs game
$4,000 CLIENT EVENT
April 2026
Seattle , WA $2,250
September 22 - 25, 2026
Sacramento & San Francisco, CA
April 12 - 15, 2026
Newport Beach, CA
$3,000
August 18 - 19, 2026
Los Angeles & Orange County, CA $3,000
September 28 - October 2, 2026
Manhattan, NY and Philadelphia, PA $3,500
September 29, 2026
Denver, CO CLIENT
August 15 - 18, 2026
Indianapolis, IN NO
Thousands of associations and industry partners gather to exchange knowledge, resources, strategies, solutions, and more.
October 13 - 15, 2026
Las Vegas, NV
The largest trade show for the global meetings, events and incentive travel industry.
$7,875
November 17, 2026
Washintgon, D.C. $2,500
December 3, 2026
Chicago, IL
December 19 - 11, 2026
Chula Vista, CA
December 15 - 16, 2026
Sacramento, CA
Premier networking event for the association community on the West Coast!
$850 CLIENT EVENT
$2,100 CLIENT EVENT
$2,000 TRADESHOW
* Fees, locations, and event dates are subject to change. Co-host fees do not include travel / accommodations, unless otherwise noted. Co-hosted client events and roadshows may also include sales calls organized by the National Sales Director.
