Airline CEOs, Ministers of Tourism and industry leaders confirmed to speak at the World Routes Tourism Summit

Forecasts predict that China will overtake the United States as the world’s largest aviation market by 2030. Professor Dr. Wolfgang Arlt, Director of China’s Outbound Tourism Research will provide delegates with a valuable insight into the changes in China’s outbound tourism market. CEO of China Business Network Travel & Mice and the World Travel Online, Adam Wu will also present delegates with the most cost-effective methods in which to attract more Chinese tourists.

Increasingly, airlines, airports and tourism organisations are working in partnership. Arik De, Head of Commercial, AirAsia X Berhad; Andrew Cowen, CEO, Hong Kong Express; and Edmund Makonda, CEO of Air Zimbabwe will join Alfredo Gonzalez, Vice President, Visit Florida to discuss the importance of these partnerships to travel development. The session will also provide delegates with a greater understanding as to how low cost carriers have played a central role into the development of secondary city destinations and tourism regions.

Industry leaders will discuss key drivers and innovations in destination marketing during panel session 3. Destinations can no longer rely on traditional marketing methods, and must look towards other social and digital marketing strategies. Carol Dray, Commercial Director for VisitBritain and Dr. Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism for Cambodia, will discuss the impact of travel technology on destination marketing and how destinations can keep pace with this rapidly changing market.

Big data can provide destinations with powerful business insights, shaping new strategies and innovations. CEOs from travel technology, tactical intelligence and digital marketing organisations will join Ed Robertson, Editor of Routes News, to look at how the industry currently tracks tourists and how this information can be utilised by the industry.

The summit will also include a number of presentations from leading figures within the industry including David Scowsill, President & CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and Zhu Shanzhong, Executive Director of The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

View the full Tourism Summit programme, including the list of speakers and topics to be discussed on our website.