São Paulo – The Ministry of Economy of the United Arab Emirates and the World Tourism Organization will host, on November 23, in Dubai, the Tourism Innovation and Transformation Forum 2016. It is the first event of its kind held in the Arab country.
The forum will gather experts from the Middle East, Europe and the United States to discuss how innovation is transforming the tourism industry. The use of technology and communication via smartphones and apps to increase the tourist numbers will be one of the topics.
“The concept of tourism has witnessed large developments over the past years which have led to widening its scope to include wide range of activities, initiatives and programs that have been adopted based on future visions and to achieve strategic objectives,” said Sultan Al Mansoori, UAE’s minister of Economy on the event’s website.
“The United Arab Emirates has paid great attention to enhancing its tourism sector which contributes to 8.7% of its GDP and is one of the most important pillars of its economy after oil,” points out Al Mansoori. According to him, continuous efforts are being made to develop the sector based on an innovation national strategy.
The forum plans to gather CEOs and top executives of the sectors of hospitality, aviation, transportation, and tour operators and providers of technological solutions, plus government authorities related to the tourism industry.
Al Mansoori will be one of the speakers in a list that also includes Yousef Tuqan Tuqan, vice president of Brand Marketing and Loyalty of the Jumeirah Group; Jan Lundin, CEO of the Swedish Tourism Innovation Center; Sanjay Nadkarni, Innovation and Research director of The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management; and Guy Hutchinson, COO of the Rotana Group.
Quick info
Tourism Innovation and Transformation Forum 2016
November 23, 2016
Dubai – United Arab Emirates
Information: www.tourisminnovation.ae
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
