Travel and tourism industry leaders from around the world will converge on Dubai in April for some frank exchanges on realising their potential. But this is no sales conference or marketing seminar. The agenda is a rigorous assessment of the impact travel and tourism has had on the world we live in, and of how far the sector is meeting its responsibilities as a global citizen.
The many strengths of the travel and tourism sector are well-known and well-documented. It creates jobs, it boosts economic and social development, it nurtures the environment and preserves culture – and it provides pleasure to hundreds of millions of customers. Travel and tourism is a human right that is of increasing significance to growing numbers of the world’s citizens – and is going to remain that way.
At the same time, the world is changing rapidly around travel and tourism. The demand for its products and the flow of its customers is constantly shifting. Technology, geopolitics and sustainability pose new challenges every day. And new possibilities emerge from evolving relationships between the private and public sector, and between travel and tourism and the investment community.
It is to make sure that the sector’s own strategies are accurately tuned to changing needs that travel and tourism industry leaders from across the world will be present at the Global Travel & Tourism Summit in Dubai from April 20 to 22. Industry leaders will be joined by senior figures from governments and international agencies, and by innovators from other industries who have achieved world fame for the way in which they have realised their potential.
In this high-level forum, industry executives will take a fresh and candid look at their responsibilities for their business, and for their contribution to the world around them. Leaders of the sector have long recognised their role as world citizens and are now equally determined to share what they are doing to make a difference.
World Travel & Tourism Council President, Jean-Claude Baumgarten said, “The Travel and tourism industry fulfils the aspirations of millions of world citizens who want to travel, to broaden their horizons and encounter different cultures. The leaders that will gather at this year’s Summit are at the very heart of the local challenges on a global scale, as well as being the potential drivers of successful development at all levels of the economy.”
Contributors to the Discussion include:
– HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airlines & Group
– HH Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority
– Sultan bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman, Nakheel Saeed Al Muntafiq, Executive Chairman, Tatweer
– The Honourable Onkokame Kitso Mokaila, Minister of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism, Botswana
– Geoffrey Kent, Chairman, World Travel & Tourism Council, Chairman & CEO, Abercrombie & Kent
– Jean-Claude Baumgarten, President & CEO, World Travel & Tourism Council
– JW Marriott, Jr, Chairman and CEO, Marriott International, Inc
– Joe Sita, CEO, Nakheel Hotels
– Stephen P Holmes, Chairman, President & CEO, Wyndham Worldwide
– Christopher Dickey, Paris Bureau Chief/Middle East Regional Editor, Newsweek
– Arthur de Haast, Global CEO, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels
– Dara Khosrowshahi, President & CEO, Expedia Inc
– Christopher Rodrigues CBE, Chairman, VisitBritain
– Philippe Bourguignon, Vice Chairman Revolution Places LLC, CEO Revolution Places Development
– Stevan Porter, President, The Americas, InterContinental Hotels Group plc
– Rob Webb QC, General Counsel, British Airways
– Alan Parker, CEO, Whitbread plc
– Marilyn Carlson Nelson, Chair & CEO, Carlson
– Gerald Lawless, Executive Chairman, Jumeirah Group
– Sonu Shivdasani, Chairman and CEO, Six Senses Resorts & Spas
– Eric Anderson, President & CEO, Space Adventures
– Nick Fry, Chief Executive Officer, Honda Racing F1 Team
– Bill Reinert, Head of USA Advanced Technologies Group, Toyota
– Professor Norbert Walter, CFO, Deutsche Bank