Back to Contents Thursday’s Conferences
So what made the last ever Thursday at WTM London so great? Over the next few pages we will bring you all the highlights but firstly, three conferences are worthy of mention:
• Holidays Matter Annual Conference: This conference brought together industry partners, charities and researchers to make connections, share best practice and find out how to help people who cannot afford an annual break.
• The Institute of Travel and Tourism - Future You Conference: In its 6th year at WTM London, Future You
introduced a new careers initiative for students of travel and tourism, and it provided delegates with an unparalleled opportunity to hear from the sector’s rising stars and leading figures. • HSMAI Europe Digital Marketing
Responsible Tourism
RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AND SNOWSPORTS When: 10:30-11:30 Skiing, snowboarding and sleigh rides are growing in popularity and this panel, chaired by Dr Xavier Font, Leeds Becket University, looked at some of the environmental and social impacts that the development of snow-based tourism has in the mountains and frozen places visited in winter by tourists. Thanks to the four panellists, Marion Telsnig, Crystal Ski Holidays, Julie Jenkins, Saalbach Hinterglemmer Touristik GmbH, Austria , Daniel Elkan, Snowcarbon, and Niina Pietikäinen, Harriniva Hotels & Safaris, who described what their business or destination has done to reduce the negative impacts of snow-based tourism.
FRESHWATER AND MARINE CRUISING
When: 11:45-12:45 This session, chaired by Harold
Goodwin, WTM Responsible Tourism Advisor and Manchester Metropolitan University, brought together experts to discuss sustainability and the effects of cruising, a sector that has been growing rapidly. There is some good sustainability practice but there is also a great deal of criticism of the negative social, economic and environmental impacts of cruising. The panellists, Lucienne Damm, TUI Cruises, Petra Blinnikka, JAMK University of Applied Sciences, Jyväskylä, and Rachel Bell, Lake District Estates, Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway & Ullswater ‘Steamers’, described what their business has done to reduce the negative impacts of cruise-based tourism.
CAN YOU TASTE THE DIFFERENCE? When: 13:00-14:00 The final responsible travel session had all the ingredients for a tasty debate, as it covered the issues of food and drink on holiday. The consumption of local food and drink, the added value which tourism can bring to a local producer, can play a significant part in maintaining local traditions and growing the local economy. It is argued that you can ‘taste the difference’ when you enjoy a responsible tourism experience or facility. Thanks to the speakers Salli Felton, Travel Foundation, Taste of Fethiye, James Chilton, Irish Centre for Responsible Tourism, Rethink Tourism, Glynn O’Leary, Transfrontier Parks, Destinations Baleni Salt, Jonathan Wilson, Hilton Worldwide, and Robin Barden, Edge Brewing Barcelona, Crafty Beer Tours & Xarxa Turisme Responsible, who discussed why local authentic food and drink is of growing importance.
Register your interest forWTM London 2016 47
Conference: The 4th annual HSMAI Europe Digital Conference was, for the second time, held at WTM London, focusing on what does OTA consolidation mean for the hotel industry among other interesting topics.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73