Visit Port Aransas to host first regenerative tourism conference for Gulf Coast
PORT ARANSAS, Texas—Tourism professionals from across the Gulf Coast will gather in Port Aransas this month for “Turning the Tide,” a first-of-its-kind summit focused on regenerative tourism. Hosted by Visit Port Aransas, in partnership with Madden Media, the two-day conference will take place Oct. 21–22, 2025, and will offer new strategies for building more sustainable and community-enriching tourism models.
The event will bring together leaders in destination marketing, municipal planning, and parks and recreation to explore how tourism can move beyond sustainability toward regeneration—benefiting not only visitors but also local communities and ecosystems.
“Turning the Tide” will feature expert panels, breakout sessions, networking opportunities, and keynote presentations designed to help attendees develop actionable plans for implementing regenerative tourism in their destinations. Topics will include marketing strategies, case studies, and practical tools for building long-term resilience.
Featured speakers will include Cathy Ritter, founder and CEO of Better Destinations; Aaron Sala, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau; Nate Wyeth, senior vice president of strategy for Visit Bend; Jace Tunnell, director of community engagement at the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University; and Greg Stunz, Ph.D., senior executive director of the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies.
In addition to its educational programming, the conference will showcase local experiences unique to Port Aransas. Attendees can participate in the Sip & Shuck Oyster Cruise aboard the Scarlet Lady, the first oyster farm boat tour in Texas. The summit will close with a candlelit, locally sourced dinner at the Lydia Ann Lighthouse, prepared by chef Matt Axtell, named 2025’s Texas Chef of the Year.