The 5th World Tourism Forum Lucerne presents a packed programme
Publisher: World Tourism Forum Lucerne,
500 participants from tourism, business, politics, science and finance from 75 countries spanning three generations will meet tomorrow at the 5th World Tourism Forum Lucerne. Today, Wednesday, a selected expert group gathered to take part in a Think Tank to discuss the most pressing questions facing tourism both today and in the future.
The 5th World Tourism Forum Lucerne will again bring together international top speakers who on this occasion will be focusing on the forum’s title, “stay relevant in uncertain times!”. On 4 and 5 May 2017, prominent figures from the worlds of politics, business, finance, science and the international tourism industry will discuss the latest topics in tourism. It will explore how to succeed in today's international climate, which is characterized by rapid changes and instability.
Amongst the impressive array of absorbing speakers will be Simon Anholt (Independent Policy Advisor on National Identity & Reputation), who has advised more than 50 countries on their "competitive identity". Best-selling author, Dr. Jason Fox (Head The Cleverness), will show how progress can be achieved. Other exciting speakers include Rasoul Jalali (general manager Uber), Isabel Hill (Director of the National Travel and Tourism Office, US Department of Commerce), Ann Sherry (Executive Chairman Carnival Australia), John Perrottet (World Bank senior tourism specialist), Teo Ah Khing (Chairman Desert Star Holdings) and Jürg Schmid (CEO Switzerland Tourism). Within the framework of the opening session, Swiss Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann will address the Forum’s 500 participants from 75 countries. "The continually increasing number of participants and the increasing international resonance shows us that we are on the right path with the forum's orientation and meet the needs of different sectors," explains Martin Barth, President and CEO of the World Tourism Forum Lucerne.
Before the forum, today, Wednesday, a Think Tank took place, with 60 selected experts. In various sessions, they devoted themselves to the questions that are the most important for tourism today, but also for the future. The brainstorming event, orchestrated by world-renowned ‘experience engineer’ David Pearl, was a new departure for the Forum, injecting fresh creativity to the debate, where participants from the travel industry, academia, government, investment and other areas interacted closely by means of ‘networking picnics’, a ‘question café’, a ‘stimulus session’ and further discussions walking the grounds of the venue, the majestic Villa St Charles Hall in Meggen, Lucerne.
This ‘Think Tank Family’ approach produced, in a fun and invigorating way, many questions, discussions and suggestions for the way forward in pressing areas. CEOs, professors, ministers, researchers, lecturers, advisors and others connected with the travel industry discussed such aspects as the rights of travel versus the impacts of travel; attracting and training the talent to create the leadership of tomorrow; how the tourism industry can ensure it gets the prominence it deserves; creating new models of collaboration to work more effectively, and how tourism can help the world balance the competing demands of effective security with freedom of movement.
Parallel to the Think Tank, other side events took place today, including the first-ever Start-Up Innovation Camp, with the support of the Start-Up Innovation partner The Kenyan Tourist Board. In total, 170 young companies from 50 countries submitted their business models. The four most promising companies from the four categories "Transaction", "Destination", "Hospitality" and "Impact" were invited to Lucerne and presented their companies to a professional Start-Up jury of tourism experts, business angels and investors. The four winners of their respective categories present their business models on May 4 and 5 to the 500 forum participants. In addition, each of the four companies will be honored with the "Start-Up Innovation Award 2017" endowed with prize money of CHF 20,000 (£156,000/$202,000) and will receive professional coaching over the next two years.
Contact:
World Tourism Forum Lucerne
Prof. Martin Barth, President & CEO
T: +41 41 228 99 80
martin.barth@wtflucerne.org
www.wtflucerne.org
PrimCom
Simon Benz
T: +41 44 421 41 28
s.benz@primcom.com