22 SEMINAR SCHEDULE
Showcase Theatre TUESDAY 25THAPRIL 10:30 - 11:00
Amadeus Payments Keynote Speaker: Shibu George, Business Solutions Manager (e-commerce and Mobile), Amadeus
11:15 - 11:45
Tourism, leisure and Entertainment Potential in the Middle East The Middle East is home to some of the world’s biggest and fastest growing tourist cities. While tourism demand drivers are in place, the changing profile of tourists means stakeholders need to align their offering to ensure the region’s cities are able to capture a growing share of tourism spend. This session aims to provide an understanding of the growth potential from various tourist source markets, explor- ing visitor demographics, spending behaviour, regional leisure offerings and how to package leisure offerings to match the changing visitor profile. Keynote Speaker: Mrinal Anand, Senior Manager, PricewaterhouseCoopers
12:00 - 12:30
Amadeus Technology of The Future Keynote Speaker: Roshan Khan, Director, Technology, Amadeus
12:45 - 13:30 What Does Responsible Tourism Mean for MENA? The business case for responsible tourism and its successes in the region. Hear from businesses about what they do, why they do it and why responsible tourism makes business sense. Moderator: Harold Goodwin, WTM Responsible Tourism Advisor Speakers: Tamara Withers, Corporate Sustainability Manager, WWF; Peter Stubbs, Director of Compliance, Jumeirah Group & Corporate; Warren Baverstock, Aquar- ium Operations Manager, The Aquarium & Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project, Burj Al Arab Jumeirah
13:45 - 14:30
Culture and Tourism The Middle East and North Africa has a rich cultural heritage. A region rich in archae- ology, artefacts and built heritage. As tourists seek meaningful engagement with local cultures, we look at three examples of the ways in which tourism benefits from cultural heritage and contributes to its maintenance. Moderator: Harold Goodwin, WTM Responsible Tourism Advisor Speakers: Arva Ahmed, Chief Executive Muncher, Frying Pan Tourism; Dr PV Ramana Murthy, Senior Vice President, Global Head-Human Resources, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces; Hamad AllHayden, Chairman, Gtek Solar
14:45 - 17:30 Wellness Symposium at Arabian Travel Market Hosted by GWI Rarely has a niche travel segment shown such momentum. Consumers around the world increasingly want their travel to include experiences that improve or maintain their health. The Global Wellness Institute’s research shows that well- ness tourism is already a half-trillion-dollar industry and growing twice as fast as tourism overall. This session is designed for those who want to become more knowledgeable or are just starting out in embracing this valuable sector Moderator: Susie Ellis, Chairman and CEO, Global Wellness Institute and Dr Franz Linser, Founder and CEO, Linser Hospitality GmbH Speakers: Anne Dimon, CEO, Travel to Wellness, Canada; Helen Greenhow, Product Director, Wellbeing Escapes Ltd, United Kingdom; Elisabeth Ixmeier, PhD, Co-Founder & CCO, Healing Hotels of the World, Germany; Ingo Schweder, CEO, GOCO Hospitality, Thailand; Andrew Gibson, VP, Well Being Luxury Brands, Accor Hotels, United Arab Emirates; Dr. Maria Ridao Alonso, Specialist Preven- tative & Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dubai Herbal & Treatment Centre, United Arab Emirates; Paul Hawko, Director of Talise SPA Operations, Jumeirah, United Arab Emirates; Daniella Russell, Managing Director, DR Spa & Wellness Solu- tions, United Arab Emirates
WEDNESDAY 26TH APRIL 10:10 - 10:40
Amadeus and Start Ups Keynote Speaker: Suzanna Chiu, Head of Amadeus Ventures
11:00 - 12:00
TTN and Audience Alive - Pecha Kucha Travel Agent Competition 20 slides, 20 seconds, 20 questions. Aimed at travel agents, companies and desti- nations will be showcased through Pecha Kucha style presentations followed by a 20 question quiz with prizes up for grabs. Moderator: Zamir Uddin, Presentologist at Audience Alive Destinations/Companies: Taiwan Czech Tourism, South Africa, Travelport, Caesars Entertainment
12:30 - 13:00
TravelPass: The Effect of New Business Models on how Air Travel is Purchased Purchasing models are changing, you only need to look at music, films and mobile communications to see subscription as the preferred charging mechanism. Now, it is happening in aviation too. Subscription travel drives higher revenues by capturing a larger share of each customer’s business and is faster, more flex- ible, and easier for the traveller which drives loyalty. Come and hear how it can be deployed. Keynote Speaker: David Taylor, Senior Vice President, Business Development, TravelPass
13:15 - 14:00
Tough Times Ahead for the Airline Industry? 2017 presents a much more challenging picture for the region’s airlines, with politi- cal and economic instability key factors. Industry consultant John Strickland will present an insight into the outlook for airlines in 2017, and the years ahead. Keynote Speaker: John Strickland, Director, JLS Consulting
14:15 - 15:00
Sustainability in MENA 2015-2020 2017 is the United Nations International Year of Sustainable Development through Tourism and in 2020 Dubai will host the Expo 2020 Dubai. One of the three themes of the expo is sustainability,
looking at ways that we can pursue progress without
compromising the fundamental needs of future generations. Panellists will explore what the idea of sustainability means for tourism businesses. Moderator: Harold Goodwin, WTM Responsible Tourism Advisor Speakers: Dr Federica Busa, Director Theme Development, Expo 2020 Dubai: Professor David Russell, The Russell Partnership (UK) Limited; Samantha Annan- dale, CEO, Verde Hotels South Africa; Solaiman Al Rifai, Senior Project Manager, Tourism Development and Investments, Dubai Tourism
15:15 - 15:45
Sabre Hospitality Solutions: The Most Common Pitfalls of Hotel Websites Join us for a deep dive into the digital arena with top digital experts in the hospi- tality industry. If your hotel website is not performing, this seminar is a must. Keynote Speaker: Robert Dawson, Vice President, Digital Experience, Sabre Hospitality Solutions
16:00 - 16:30
How can Destinations in MENA Tap into the Growing Spa and Wellness Market PwC will shed light on potential opportunities and key demand trends to consider within the upcoming regional spa and wellness market. Keynote Speaker: Sanjana Gandhi, Senior Manager-Deals, Strategy (Real Estate and Hospitality), PwC
16:45 - 17:15
NEC Payments: Using Immediate Virtual Payment to Improve Administration, Save Costs and Generate New Revenues Making and reconciling outgoing payments to suppliers in the travel industry can be a costly and time consuming process, and many of the traditional payment methods suffer from operational and cost drawbacks. This presentation will show you how to link an immediate virtual payment to each airline or accommodation booking; capture all of the information that you need to improve reconciliation and business information reporting and turn a cost centre into a revenue stream. Speaker: Nissrin Damdam, Head of Business Development, NEC Payments
THURSDAY 27TH APRIL 10:30 - 11:00
Trip Creator: Trip Planning in the Digital Age What are some of the challenges facing travel agencies, airlines and travellers when planning trips in the digital age? Is it the digital online availability of accomodation, transportation, tours and activities and points of interest, or is the planning itself? What can we do to solve those problems? Keynote Speaker: Jón Árni Bragason, COO, TripCreator
11:15 - 11:45
Development of New Generation Mixed-Used Resorts The development of resorts is a high-risk business and the industry is increasingly competitive. Having excellent facilities is not enough. This presentation aims to explain the way resorts could succeed. Keynote speaker: Christophe de Bruyn, CEO, THR Innovative Tourism Advisors
12:00 - 12:30
Tink Labs/Handy: Smart Technology and the Travel Revolution Travellers want a localised travel experience, with destination information at their fingertips. With advances in smart-mobile technology, hoteliers can empower their guests to do just this, increasing the hotel footprint at the same time. Keynote Speaker: Jean-Pierre Aramouni, Managing Director, Handy/Tink Labs
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