The 2013 Governor's Conference on Tourism, the only statewide event of its kind, will be held at the Samoset Resort in Rockport January 31. Online registration for the event is now open at www.mainetourismconference.com.

The 2013 conference theme is Innovate & Differentiate: A Strategy for Success. The agenda will include a report from the Maine Office of Tourism, four workshop sessions, a trade show and the Maine Tourism Awards luncheon. 

The keynote presentation, How to Avoid the Biggest Mistakes in Travel Marketing, will be given by award-winning author and travel expert, Doug Lansky.

The annual, day-long conference provides professional development sessions, valuable networking and the opportunity to meet with tourism professionals. Attendees and workshop leaders represent all segments of the tourism industry.

Conference workshop sessions will address research and how to use the data effectively, engineering experiential travel products, the impact of small screens (such as tablets and smart phones) on tourism marketing and social media techniques and tips.

The $50 early-registration fee for attending the conference and awards luncheon has been extended to December 27. After that date, the registration cost increases to $75 per person.

For more information and to register, go to www.mainetourismconference.com.

The Governor's Conference on Tourism is a project of the Maine Department of Economic & Community Development's Office of Tourism and numerous sponsors.