Oct 12, 2016
PROMINENT SPEAKERS AT WORLD TOURISM CONFERENCE 2016
PUTRAJAYA, 12 October 2016 – The upcoming World Tourism Conference (WTC) 2016 in George Town, Penang, will feature an impressive line-up of local and international speakers, representing the who’s who of the tourism industry.
As in previous years, the fourth edition of WTC will bring notable speakers to present cases that have achieved excellence within the tourism industry so that they can serve as examples and lessons for the rest of the country. The speakers will address various issues based on their respective areas of expertise, in line with the theme “Tourism Delights: Delivering The Unexpected”.
- Gerald LawlessChairman, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)
Session 1: Tourism a Sunrise Industry? Now and Beyond
Topic: Tourism Future Trends Beyond 2030
Gerald Lawless started his career with Forte Hotels which culminated in him setting up and growing Forte’s operations in the Middle East. After a 23-year career with Forte Hotels, he joined Jumeirah in 1997 and helped establish it as one of the premier luxury hotel brands in the world. Taking on the challenge of launching Burj Al Arab, the world’s most luxurious hotel, Mr. Lawless went on to become President and Group CEO of the Jumeirah Group. At the beginning of 2016, having served for 18 years at the helm of the Jumeirah Group, Mr. Lawless assumed a new leadership position responsible for tourism and hospitality in Dubai Holding, the Group’s parent company. He is also Chairman of the World Travel and Tourism Council. - Tan Sri Francis Yeoh
CEO, YTL Corporation
Session 2: Tourism Experiences: Breaking New Grounds
Topic: Luxury Hospitality from YTL’s Experiences
- Nina Freysen-Pretorius
President, International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA)
Session 2: Tourism Experiences: Breaking New Grounds
Topic: Global MICE Destinations: Strategize and Reinventing the Industry
Nina Freysen-Pretorius has 25 years’ experience in the conference industry. She started her own company in 1997 organising corporate events and conferences, which has evolved to specialise in national and international association conferences, as well as association management. Nina is passionate about conferencing and lives up to her company’s mission and vision of “bringing people together to learn and aspire”.In a highly competitive industry, Nina has proven to be one of the top PCOs in South Africa, as well as an ambassador for business tourism whilst attending overseas conferences and shows. On 2 November 2014, Nina was voted as the President of the ICCA board and currently serves on the ICCA Management and Finance Committee. - Dato’ Sri Idris Jala
CEO, PEMANDU
Session 3: Tourism: Prospering Communities, Endless Opportunities
Topic: Optimising Economic Transformation in the Tourism Industry
- David Chapman
Director General, World Youth Student and Educational (WYSE) Travel Confederation
Session 3: Tourism: Prospering Communities, Endless Opportunities
Topic: Youth Tourism and Volunteer Tourism: New Source of Growth
Having trained with a top London and International Hotel group, David worked at some of the best hotels in Europe including Grosvenor House, The Waldorf and the George V in Paris before becoming General Manager of a number of the UK’s top country house hotels. In 2007, David was appointed as COO and Deputy Director of International Students House in London joining the Executive Board of WYSE in 2012. In 2013, he was appointed as Director General of WYSE Travel Confederation and has taken the Confederation through a major reorganisation of the membership, events and finances. David is a Chartered Manager and Fellow of the Chartered Managers Institute as well as a Member of the Institute of Hospitality.
- Jonathan Hyong-Joon Kim
Chief Creative Officer, Signal Pictures
Session 4: Tourists First: Maximising the Power of Marketing
Topic: Destination Branding: Learning from the Hallyu Effect
Veteran producer Jonathan Hyong-Joon Kim has served two terms as the Chairman of the Korean Film Producer's Association. With a career in the Korean film industry that spans over 27 years, Kim has produced over 20 motion picture films. His 2004 blockbuster "Silmido" recorded 11 million box office tickets sold, representing one-quarter of the South Korean population. In 2004, Kim was awarded the Daejong Award for Best Executive Producer, the Korean equivalent of Oscar. An Advisor to Korea-EU Committee on Cultural Cooperation, a member of Korea-Japan Culture Exchange Committee and an International Advisor to the Asian Film Awards (AFA), Kim has also been an advocate of intra-Asian co-productions. He is currently the Chief Creative Officer at multinational production company Signal Pictures.
Other speakers include:
- Tan Sri Dr. Ong Hong Peng
Secretary General of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia
Topic:Tourism Future Trends Beyond 2030: Megatrend-lens: Targeting and Matching Tourism Demand - John Kester
Director of Tourism Market Trends Programme, UNWTO
Topic: Tourism Future Trends Beyond 2030 - Prof. Dr. Amran Hamzah from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
Topic: Sustainable Tourism & Conservation Initiatives Lower Kinabatangan Sabah Malaysia - Peter Semone
Chairman of PATA Foundation
Topic: Rural Tourism: Delighting Tourists, Prospering Communities - Jackson Pek
Vice President and General Counsel, Asia Pacific, Amadeus Asia Limited
Topic: Innovative Marketing: Big Data Approach - Helena Egan
Global Director Industry Relations, TripAdvisor
Topic: TripAdvisor: Discovering Tourism Delights - Dr. Dzahar Mansor
National Technology Officer, Microsoft Malaysia
Topic: The 4th Industrial Revolution – Opportunities and Challenges
WTC 2016’s theme “Tourism Delights: Delivering The Unexpected” is certainly appropriate as tourists are becoming increasingly demanding and sophisticated in their requirements, hence the challenge for successful tourism business is to fulfil customers’ expectations, and surprise them on the upside by delivering the unexpected.
It is for the industry players to be able to understand the current tourism trend, anticipate future directions, and respond appropriately by walking the extra mile to fulfil tourist expectations by providing excellent products and services. The business that succeeds in the future will always be the one focused on the maxim of “Tourists First.” The innovations and areas of excellence could be in the areas of tourism policy, innovative products, marketing, service quality or corporate strategy.
The World Tourism Conference 2016 is organised by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC) in George Town, Penang, from 17 to 19 October.
The conference will bring together world leaders in tourism, high-level policy-makers, specialists and experts from the public and private sectors, academicians and representatives from the media to exchange ideas and experiences, update their knowledge, and expand the existing network for future tourism growth and development.
ENDS
For more media releases, media info and media features on Malaysia’s tourism industry, kindly visit the Media Centre of Tourism Malaysia’s website at http://www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my/
MALAYSIA TOURISM PROMOTION BOARD OR TOURISM MALAYSIA is an agency under the Ministry of Tourism & Culture, Malaysia. Tourism Malaysia focuses on the specific task of promoting Malaysia at all levels. Since its inception, Tourism Malaysia has grown by leaps and bounds and it has emerged as a major player in the international tourism scene. In 2015, Malaysia registered 25.7 million tourist arrivals and RM69.1 billion in receipts.
Through the Tourism NKEA (National Key Economic Area), collaborative efforts between the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, other Government agencies and the private sector have been enhanced to help secure Malaysia’s position as a leading tourist destination and achieve the country’s target of 36 million tourist arrivals and RM168 billion in receipts by 2020.
The targets set under the Tourism NKEA will be achieved through the implementation of twelve Entry Point Projects (EPPs) clustered under five themes: Affordable Luxury; Nature Adventure; Family Fun; Events, Entertainment, Spa and Sports; and Business Tourism.
Press contact:
Media Relations Unit:
Mohd Libra Lee Haniff, Corporate Communication Division
Tel: +603-8891 8752
Email: mohdlibra@tourism.gov.my
Editorial Unit:
Anis Rozalina Ramli (Ms), Senior Editor, Corporate Communication Division
Tel: +603-8891 8759
Email: anisramli@tourism.gov.my
