‘Cinnamon Future of Tourism Summit” opens tomorrow with galaxy of speakers amidst futuristic projections
View(s):Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts are pulling out all stops in hosting the ‘Cinnamon Future of Tourism Summit’ tomorrow where global experts will explore the future trends of tourism as well as responsible travel practices for driving revenue.
To be held at the Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo, to mark the occasion of World Tourism Day, this inaugural summit, according to organisers, is already generating a sense of anticipation and excitement, as it is the first-ever conference of its kind in the local travel and tourism industry.
Prof. Dr. Roland Conrady, Professor in the Department of Tourism and Travel Management at Germany’s Worms University of Applied Sciences since 2002, will be a key personality at the summit. He will deliver the introductory speech about the scope of the conference and provide an overview of the topics that will be focused upon, the organisers said in a media release.
Formerly, Prof. Conrady was Director of the world’s largest tourism convention, the ITB Berlin Convention, since 2004, and is on the supervisory board of several tourism companies.
He also functions as the President of the German Society of Tourism Research (DGT) and is a widely read writer. Other eminent speakers at the conference include April Rinne – Adviser to the World Economic Forum and an academic; Chris Seek – Founder and CEO of Solimar International, engaged in environmental conservation and cultural heritage preservation; Dr. Ian Yeoman – the world’s only professional futurologist specialising in travel and tourism, and author of popular book “2050 – Tomorrow’s Tourist”; Oliver Hua – Managing Director, Booking.com, APAC; Dr. Robert Govers -lecturer of the UNESCO World Heritage Work Master Programme, independent advisor for national, regional and city government administrations and a visiting scholar at various institutions in Belgium, The Netherlands, Italy and Dubai; Prof. Sarath Kotagama – Head of Department Zoology, University of Colombo and award winning ornithologist in Sri Lanka; René Massatti – TrendOne; Prof. Mohan Munasinghe – Founder Chairman – MIND Colombo; Shabori Das – Euromonitor, Senior Research Analyst; Wilhelm K. Weber – Partner, Swiss Hospitality Solutions AG, Lecturer at University of Salzburg and specialist in Hotel Technology and Hospitality Management. “This inaugural Cinnamon Future of Tourism Summit, conceptualized and implemented by Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts, reflects the hotel chain’s commitment to a sustainable tourism future. This is one of many other pioneering efforts by Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts to focus the spotlight on Sri Lanka as a destination and serving to create a buzz about the island’s tourism offering,” the release said.
Supported by SriLankan Airlines in association with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB), the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau (SLTPB), the Future of Tourism summit will help chart a dynamic future for Sri Lanka’s travel and tourism industry, the organisers said.