Your Skift Live experience is what you make of it. Drive real business results by being purposeful, engaging, and leveraging the events’ resources to fuel your future growth.
As a travel industry professional, your time is valuable. Attending a Skift Live event means investing that time in your knowledge and future business strategies, and you deserve an impactful experience that keeps you ahead in a competitive landscape.
Skift Live is a series of premier global events that unite travel industry CEOs, pioneers, and thought leaders. At our Forums and Summits, insights are shared, trends are analyzed, and meaningful connections are forged.
You engage with the brightest minds in travel, tourism, aviation, hospitality, and beyond. Skift Live events are renowned for delivering cutting-edge content that shapes the future of the global travel landscape.
So, how can you walk away from Skift Live with fresh ideas, actionable strategies, and valuable contacts? Prepare ahead. Engage. Follow-up afterward.
Whether you’re joining the iconic Skift Global Forum, niche events like the Skift Aviation Forum, or our targeted summits, these 10 tips will help you make the most of your Skift Live experience.
Establishing specific goals ensures that your attendance is purposeful and impactful. Before stepping into a Skift Live event, take a moment to reflect on what you hope to achieve.
By outlining your objectives, you can prioritize sessions and networking opportunities that align with your professional goals. Plus, sharing these objectives with fellow attendees can spark conversations and lead to collaborative discussions.
Knowledge of the event layout allows you to strategize your schedule effectively.
Familiarize yourself with the event agenda, the speakers, and the session topics. Skift often publishes pre-event content, including interviews, podcasts, and articles that give a sneak peek into what the speakers and panelists will be discussing.
For instance, if you’re attending the Skift Global Forum, which brings together the biggest names in travel innovation, knowing who’s speaking and what they’ve done in the past will give you a framework to formulate better questions or start more engaging conversations during the Q&A.
Networking is one of the primary benefits of attending travel industry events. Your elevator pitch serves as a concise introduction that can leave a lasting impression on potential contacts.
Keep your pitch brief (~30 seconds) and focus on who you are, what you do, and what you’re looking to achieve.
One week before the event, scope out the attendee list on the event app and identify a few key people or companies you’d like to meet.
Send them a note in the app and suggest grabbing coffee if in-person, or scheduling a 15-minute chat after the event.
Social media is a powerful tool for amplifying your presence and connecting with others. Engaging on platforms like LinkedIn or Instagram can enhance your visibility during Skift Live events.
Use the event-specific hashtag – #SkiftLive and tag @Skift to join the conversation, share your insights, and connect with other attendees. Don’t forget to strike a pose in front of the iconic Skift signage.
Remember, don’t just share; interact. Tag speakers and fellow attendees in your posts to foster connections. Respond to their insights, and consider initiating conversations around topics of mutual interest.
Many of Skift’s larger in-person events offer a dedicated app to enhance your experience. Skift Live app allows you to view the schedule, participate in polls and Q&A’s, and, most importantly, connect with other attendees.
Make sure you download the app and familiarize yourself with its features ahead of time. The app is also an excellent place to message other attendees, post questions, and join in on discussions happening in real time.
Pro Tip: Check the app for exclusive content or deals from sponsors that may not be advertised elsewhere during the event.
Event app will be available 1-2 weeks before each event.
Networking isn’t confined to formal sessions; coffee breaks, cocktail hours, and meals are prime times for forging relationships. These relaxed environments allow for more casual conversation, making it easier to connect on a personal level.
Leverage the opening receptions at our flagship events to break the ice before the big day.
Approach individuals you respect or wish to collaborate with and be open to spontaneous conversations. Bringing business cards can help facilitate connections, making it easy for others to follow up with you later.
Consider inviting someone you’ve just met to join you for coffee or lunch, as this can lead to more in-depth discussions.
With the wealth of information shared at Skift Live events, it’s tempting to start penning an encyclopedia. However, instead of trying to jot down everything, focus on capturing key takeaways, actionable ideas, and notable quotes.
Highlight trends or strategies that align with your objectives for the event, so your notes are not only comprehensive but also practical for future reference.
Consider summarizing your notes after each session, which will help reinforce your learning and clarify your action points.
Skift events often provide session recordings, post-event, and editorial coverage during the event. Take advantage of these.
Even if you attend a session in real time, rewatching it can reveal new details you may have missed. Subscribe to Skift Pro for unlimited access to our web coverage, and subscribe to Skift’s YouTube channel to review these recordings and take additional notes on insights that resonate with you.
Discuss these insights with colleagues or fellow attendees to foster collaborative learning and exploration.
Don’t let the connections you make at Skift Live events fade after the last session. Following up with speakers and attendees reinforces the relationships you’ve established and opens the door for future collaboration.
Nobody likes a spamy message. Highlight what resonated with you and suggest a follow-up call or meeting. This genuine outreach can lead to valuable partnerships down the line.
Reflecting on your experiences helps to integrate new knowledge and strategies.
After an event, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the information you’ve absorbed. To avoid information overload, schedule dedicated time to process what you’ve learned and brainstorm how to apply it.
Pro Tip: Identify your top takeaways and create an action plan for implementing them in your business. Share these takeaways with your team in a follow-up meeting, encouraging broader application of the insights gained.
The travel industry evolves rapidly, and so do the discussions at every Skift Live event. Each one builds on the insights of previous forums, making it important to stay up-to-date.
If you found value in one event, chances are you’ll benefit from the next. Look ahead at the upcoming Skift Live calendar and determine which future events align with your business needs.
Discuss the upcoming events with your network, as this can lead to collaborative attendance and shared insights (and group ticket discounts!).
By planning ahead, you ensure that you never miss an opportunity to stay informed, innovate, and connect with the best minds in travel.
Skift Live events are not just about learning; they’re about connecting with peers, potential partners, and even competitors. The travel industry thrives on relationships, and this is your chance to foster new ones.
From attending keynotes and participating in breakout sessions (when available) to networking with global leaders, there’s an abundance of opportunities at your fingertips.
Remember, your Skift Live experience is what you make of it – so be intentional, stay curious, and take action long after the event ends.
The future of travel unfolds at Skift Live. Are you on the frontline?
