GLOBAL TOURISM FORUM

Date: Oct. 12, 2021
Venue: Sofitel Brussels Europe
Address: Place Jourdan, 1. B-1040 Brussels, Belgium
Capacity: limited to 60 C level leaders and professionals
Topic: Recovery of European and International Tourism

Overview

ABOUT US

World Tourism Forum Institute is reshaping economies through tourism development, in countries where they have an untold tourism story to share. It’s our aim to reduce the negative impact of tourism, by increasing the more positive impact of sustainable development goals in tourism globally. World Tourism Forum Institute is London based think-tank focus on tourism industry and develops projects over economics and investment which are linked with tourism.

World Tourism Forum Institute creates a legacy for the host country, through carefully selected and tailor-made initiatives aiming to promote and support the country’s soft image internationally. These experiences are designed to strengthen the country’s branding abroad through its conference, WTFI’s masterclasses, and international media promotions.

MANIFESTO

Reshaping Economies Through Tourism The main economic advantage of tourism-related activities is that they contribute to developing countries three high priority goals: income generation, jobs, and foreign exchange earnings. The tourism sector will play an important role in this regard as a driving force for economic development. The effect this industry can have depends on the specific characteristics of each country in the various stages of economic development. Given the complexity of tourism consumption, its economic impact is widely felt in other manufacturing sectors, leading to the accelerated development goals in each case.

2021 Agenda

GLOBAL TOURISM FORUM (GTF)

 Message From General Secretary – Taleb Rifai.

« Any partnership, big or small, will work best when there is a shared goal. That is why at WTFI partnerships matter! »

The Global Tourism Forum, or GTF for short, is an international collaboration platform focused on addressing the challenges for the travel industry. Combining the joint efforts of government agencies, industry stakeholders and academia, GTF strives to achieve sustainable development models for emerging travel markets, as well as devising strategies to ensure tourism growth.

Master of Ceremonies:    Sorcha Hellyer / BBC Global News Rep,

Founder and Managing Partner of Image Diplomacy 

10:00-10:05             Opening Remarks by Host: Ismail Ertug / Member of the

European Parliament

10:05-10:15             Opening Remarks by Organiser: Sumaira Isaacs / CEO of

WTFI

10:15-10:35             Video: Dr. Taleb Rifai / Secretary General of WTFI

10:35-10:45             Welcome Speech: David Sassoli / President of European

Parliament

10:45-11:15             Panel I: The Future of Aviation & Next 20 Years / Part 1 

Moderator: Ismail Ertug / Member of the European Parliament

H.E. Mr. Akbar Al Baker / Group CEO of Qatar Airways and

Chairman of Qatar Tourism

11:15-11:40             Panel I: The Future of Aviation & Next 20 Years / Part 2

Moderator: Eric Dresin/Secretary General at ECTAA

Conrad Clifford / Vice President and Deputy Director General of

IATA

Jose Ramon Bauza Diaz / Member of the European Parliament

and Renew Europe Coordinator for the Transport and Tourism

Committee

11:40-12:20             Panel II: Meaningful Tourism in Post-Pandemic Times

Moderator: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt FRGS FRAS /  CEO

of COTRI and Dean of HATT Business School Institute

Prof. Dimitrios Buhalis / Director eTourismLab Bournemouth

University

Saira Akbar / Chief Executive Officer, Global Management

Consultant

Eduardo Santander / Executive Director European Travel

Commission

12:20 – 12:40           Interview: Connectivity as Backbone for Recovery in

Tourism

Moderator: Bulut Bagci / President of WTFI

Henrik Hololei/Director-General of the European Commission’s

department for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE)

12:40-13:15             Refreshment & Family Picture 

13:10-13:35             Panel III: Economical Impact of Women Leaders &

Entrepreneurs

Yulia Stark (Sermyagina), Belgium / President of European

Women Association

Ida Beerhalter (Germany) / Co-Head IOME

Valerie Levine (UK) / Founder and Chief Executive Officer for

EcoGreen Resources Ltd

Swati Mandela / Entrepreneur, Humanitarian International

Speaker, Granddaughter of Nelson Mandela

13:35-13:50             Sustainability and Luxury Travel

Moderator: Neslihan Gundes / Director of Partnerships and

Board Affairs, WTFI

Ahmet Aras / Mayor of Bodrum Municipality, Turkey

13:50:14:30             Ministerial Session

Moderator: Sorcha Hellyer / BBC Global News Rep, Founder

and Managing Partner of Image Diplomacy

Vassilis Kikilias / Minister of Tourism of Greece

Mirela Kumbaro/ Minister of Tourism and Environment of Albania

Clayton Bartolo / Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection

of Malta

14:30-15:05             Keynote: Emerging Tourism Destinations Development and

Investment Index

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt FRGS FRAS /  CEO of COTRI

and Dean of HATT Business School Institute

15:05-15:25             Coffee Break                                             

15:25-15:30             Dialogue GTF and Host Countries      

Bulut Bagci / President of WTFI

Sandiaga Uno / Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of

the Republic of Indonesia

15:30-16:00             Panel IV: Tech innovation & New Digital Transformation of

Travel & Tourism – “Why Must Europe Lead?”

Moderator: Yulia Stark (Sermyagina), Belgium, President of

European Women Ascosation

Josianne Cutajar / MEP, Member of the Industry, Transport &

Tourism Committees

Max Rangeley / Founder of ReboundTag

16:00-16:35             Panel V: Business Events Industry & Recovery

Moderator: Luca Favetta / International Council Member, WTFI

Patrick Bontinck / CEO, Visit Brussels

Stephanie Dubois-Cannon / Head of Event Operations,

SAP

Sven Bossu / CEO, AIPC

Willy Kausch / CEO, K.I.T. Group

16:35-16:55             Keynote: Hospitality Business During The Post Pandemic

Era

Moderator: Bulut Bagci / President of WTFI

Sébastien Bazin / Chairman and CEO of AccorHotels

16:55-17:15             Closing remarks by Host & Organiser 

17:15                         ONLINE SESSIONS

 

Speakers

Ismail Ertug

Member of the European Parliament

Sumaira Isaacs

CEO of WTFI

Dr. Taleb Rifai

 Secretary General of WTFI

David Sassoli

President of European Parliament

Adina Ioana Vălean

 European Commissioner for Transport

Bulut Bagci

President of WTFI

Akbar Al Baker

CEO of Qatar Airways and Secretary-General of Qatar Tourism

Willie Walsh

Director General of IATA

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt

FRGS, FRAS, CEO of COTRI and Dean of HATT Business School Institute

Prof. Dimitrios Buhalis

Director eTourismLab Bournemouth University

Saira Akbar

Chief Executive Officer, Global Management Consultant

Eduardo Santander

Executive Director European Travel Commission

Sébastien Bazin

Chairman and CEO of AccorHotels

Yulia Stark

Belgium / President of European Women Association

Valerie Biden Owens

American political strategist, campaign manager and former educator

Ida Beerhalter

Co-Head IOME

Valerie Levine

Founder and Chief Executive Officer for EcoGreen Resources Ltd

Lazarus Chakwera

President of Malawi

 

Vassilis Kikilias

Minister of Tourism Greece

Mirela Kumbaro

Minister of Tourism and Environment Albania

Sandiaga Uno

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia

 

Valentina Ndou

Ph.D, EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD at The Electronic Journal of Information 

Max Rangeley

Founder of ReboundTag

Paco Ragageles

Founder of Campus Party

Luca Favetta

 International Council Member, WTFI

 

Contact

Inquiries

Contact our media team if you want to be a conference moderator or panelist at

press@worldtourismforum.net +442039953381

Supporting Media

Venue