Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1194291
7 reviewing data," said audience member, Derek A. A. Kirk. Speakers included Todd Larue, managing director RCLCO; Jane Hughson, mayor City of San Marcos; Carl Smart, assistant county manager Alachua County, Florida; Melissa Heuer, head of Public Policy Sonder; and Steven Shur, president Travel Technology Association. The Smart City Policy Summit received numerous acco- lades from speakers and audience members. "The conference was wonderful," said Scott McQuade, president and CEO of the Golden Isles Convention and Visitors Bureau. "It addressed the many challenges that we face as a community and an industry." Smart City Policy Group will host their second summit on short-term rental regulations in Lisbon, Portugal. The discus- sion on short-term rental regulations will continue with a focus on the European, Middle Eastern, and African economy. Smart City Policy Group has ample experience in the short- term rental space. Founded by Matt Curtis, formerly the right- hand to several Austin mayors and Head of Global Affairs and Public Policy for HomeAway and Expedia, SCPG's savvy and seasoned team delivers an unrivaled depth and breadth of expertise. VISIT OMAHA SOCKS IT TO THE COMPETITION Visit Omaha creates ankle high billboards that prove to be more than a fashion statement - they're also a national tourism award winner for the city's official tourism authority. At the national ESTO conference in Austin, TX, held August 17 to August 20, Visit Omaha won a Destiny Award for "Best Printed Collateral Materials." The winning entry, Meet Your Match, stretched beyond the traditional print ad, and used socks as a canvas to promote Omaha as a convention destination to meet- ing planners. Capitalizing on the crazy sock trend, Visit Omaha wanted to capture the attention of meet- ing planners prior to one of the industry's largest trade shows; 200 meeting planners with business that would be a good fit in Omaha were targeted. Each meeting planner was mailed a single sock designed with colorful infographics touting Omaha's attributes. Each sock was attached to a card that read, "Meet Your Match. Bring your sock to the Omaha tradeshow booth to find its match … and meet yours." The purpose of the mailer was to give planners a reason to stop by the Omaha booth, and more than 800 attendees did just that – a record. Infographics depicting Omaha's world-renowned zoo, the airport, convention center, hotels, and Omaha's food scene were all used in the sock design, mixed in with words like "Friendly," "Accessible," and "Entertaining." While Visit Omaha has been a finalist for the ESTO Awards in years past, this is the first time the organization has won an award. Other finalists included Visit Austin and San Luis Obispo County, CA. ESTO is the U.S. Travel Asso- ciation's premier annual learning and knowledge-sharing forum for destination marketing professionals. B M & T ••• September/October 2019 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com