Summit challenges tourism industry leaders - think different

TIA Summit challenges tourism industry leaders to ‘think different’

Tourism leaders are being challenged to ‘think different’ at a major Summit on Tuesday (2 October) so as to better place the industry to cope with current challenges and embrace new opportunities generated by a rapidly changing international tourism environment.

The Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) Summit, being sponsored by Westpac and held at Rydges Wellington, is already a sell-out, with 230 tourism industry leaders assembling to actively participate in a range of thought-provoking presentations and interactive debates.

This Summit will be entirely ‘future focused’, with the aim of taking delegates past the mind blocks that may be holding the industry back.

“There is an old saying in sport – if you keep doing the same old things, the same old ways, why would you expect anything other than the same old results. This is equally applicable to tourism,” says TIA Chief Executive Martin Snedden.

“The world of tourism is changing at a great rate. If tourism in New Zealand is to grow and prosper, we must continue to embrace the many opportunities these changes present,” Mr Snedden says.

“Furthermore we will be strongly encouraging our private sector to take primary ownership for stabilising and growing the tourism sector. The public sector has been and will continue to be vital partners and supporters of our industry but ultimate responsibility for success in tourism rests within the private sector.”

Keynote speakers include the CEO of cruise ship operator Carnival Australia, Ann Sherry AO, who will champion the value of cruise ship passengers to New Zealand’s tourism industry and our country’s economy.

Also speaking will be John Lee, CEO of Australia’s Tourism and Transport Forum (TIA’s Australian counterpart), who is well known for his forthright and no-nonsense views on all things tourism. He will share with us how Australia’s tourism industry leaders are facing up to the future.

Six breakout sessions will focus on provocative topics such as taxing visitors to fund tourism, whether or not domestic tourism is undervalued, and the challenge the industry is facing keeping up with and fully embracing rapid technological change.

“These sessions are not designed to be comfortable for anyone. We want attendees to be challenged to ‘think different’ to find solutions to issues which need resolving,” Mr Snedden says.

“Our overarching objective is create a momentum which will drive tourism in New Zealand towards a healthy and vibrant future.”

For more information about the 2012 Tourism Summit, go to: www.tianz.org.nz/main/2012-tia-summit

2012 Tourism Industry Awards
The winners of two Tourism Industry Awards will also be announced at the 2012 TIA Summit. The 2012 PATA Young Tourism Entrepreneur Award and the Horwath HTL Sir Jack Newman Award, which recognises an outstanding contribution to the tourism industry, will be presented.

The Awards are managed by the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA). For more information, go to www.tourismawards.co.nz

ENDS

© Scoop Media