Thursday, 8 April
11h30 – 12h30
Tourism and Biodiversity, Friend or Foe?
Post Covid-19, how can we reset tourism’s relationships with nature to contribute positively to conservation and contribute more significantly to the livelihoods of the communities who bear the opportunity costs of maintaining the wildlife and other species that the tourism industry sells?
Responsible Tourism session
Moderator:
Shaun Vorster, Advisory Board of World Tourism Forum Lucerne & Professor: University of Stellenbosch Business School
Speakers:
Dr. Luthando Dziba, Head of Conservation: SANParks
Prof. Emma Archer, Associate Professor: University of Pretoria
Paul Simkin, Chairman, the Forest
Michael Lutzeyer, Owner: Grootbos Private Nature Reserve
Richard Vigne, Managing Director: Ol Pejeta Conservancy
12h30 – 13h30
Breathing life into events
By using real case studies, this panel will highlight how event and exhibition organisers have responded to the COVID pandemic by reimaging the way that they do events.
Session powered by ibtm AFRICA
Moderator:
Tes Proos, Owner: Crystal Events Africa
Speakers:
Liezel Short, Founder and Owner: LS Event Consulting
Nina Freysen-Pretorius, CEO: The Conference Company
Rudi van der Vyver, CEO: We Are Virtual
13h30 – 14h30
How can tourism create more value for local communities?
Inclusion and reducing poverty are as crucial as tackling climate change and biodiversity loss as post-Covid we struggle to realise the Sustainable Development Goals’ aspirations. We’ve brought together a panel of practitioners to share their experience of how best sufficient we can create sufficient value to raise the living standards of local people in the areas that attract tourists.
Responsible Tourism session
Moderator:
Harold Goodwin, WTM Responsible Tourism Advisor
Speakers:
Adama Bah, Founder, Institute of Travel & Tourism: Gambia
James Fernie, Director: Uthando, South Africa
Rupesh Kumar, State RT Mission Coordinator: Government of Kerala, India
Glynn O’Leary, CEO: Transfrontier Parks Destinations, South Africa
Dr. Salifou Siddo, Chief Executive at SME TradeLinks
14h30 – 15h30
Exclusive-Use Travel: The real deal, or hype?
Exclusive use is becoming an increasingly popular travel trend, particularly in the luxury travel space where friend and family bubbles seek accommodation options for their safe and sole use to limit interactions with strangers. Africa has stepped up and has been quick to provide creative travel solutions to meet the growing demand.
Session powered by ILTM Africa
Moderator:
Sue Van Winsen, Industry Division Leader: Big Ambitions
Speakers:
Maija de Rijk Uys, Managing Director: Go2Africa
Kate Fitzgerald Boyd, Head of Business Development: Angama
Nicky Coenen, General Manager: Last Word Intimate Hotels & Safari Camps.
15h30 – 16h30
Insights to Attract LGBTQ+ Travellers
Community Marketing & Insights (CMI) has been conducting LGBTQ consumer research for destinations, hotel groups and travel suppliers for over 25 years. From a unique research-based perspective, our discussion explores the opportunity to welcome LGBTQ travelers to your destination, as hotel guests or to become new customers of your company. We’ll break some of the myths about the LGBTQ market, and outline practical strategies to successfully outreach to the LGBTQ community.
Introduction:
LoAnn Halden, VP Communications: IGLTA
Speakers:
Thomas Roth, President: Community Marketing & Insights
David Paisley, Senior Research Director: Community Marketing & Insights
Session powered by IGLTA and EQUAL Africa
16h30 – 17h30
Technology – The Next Tourism Competitiveness Edge
Long before the onset of Covid-19, technology played an important role across the travel and tourism value chain, positioning the sector as one of the digitalisation pioneers. With the advent of Covid-19, the pace of innovation and technology adoption in the sector is accelerating, and perhaps much more than before, technology will be the leading driver of the sector’s future competitiveness. How will existing and new technologies drive the emergence and competitiveness of smart destinations and facilitate safe and responsible travel? This session will explore these and related issues.
Session powered by Travel Forward
Moderator:
Septi Bukula, Founder: Seeza Tourism SME Network, South Africa
Speakers:
Pavlína Zychová, Cofounder & CEO: MyStay, Prague
Ben Leon, Board member: Koala Insurance, London
Anna Borduzha, Business Development Manager: Mabrian, Barcelona
