David Y. Ige

HONOLULU – The theme of this year’s Global Tourism Summit – Charting the Course – points to the ever-present need for destinations and travel suppliers to continuously balance the power of tourism’s popularity worldwide with its impact on residents and communities.

The summit’s four keynote speakers (see below) will address tourism’s economic influence globally – as well as its challenges – as airlines, accommodations and activities adapt to emerging industry trends and evolving consumer interests in the competitive world of destination travel and hospitality.

Presented by the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), the Global Tourism Summit takes place October 1-3 at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu. The need to strive for sustainable tourism, the significance of Hawaiian culture, Hawaii’s global marketing programs in 2019, and new travel innovations will be showcased in thought-provoking sessions, presentations and panel discussions.

George D. Szigeti, HTA president and CEO, noted, “The Global Tourism Summit’s overriding objective is focusing on how tourism can continually be improved for everyone’s benefit, both in Hawaii and around the world. We have four outstanding keynote speakers who will address topics important to anyone who cares about tourism and its future.”

The summit’s four keynote speakers, the schedule for their presentations in general sessions, and a summation of their topics, are as follows:

Stephen England-Hall, Chief Executive, Tourism New Zealand
Monday, October 1, 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Topic: For Global Good: The Transformative Power of Tourism
Tourism is a global driver of economic development, a vehicle for building understanding, generating wealth and a force for sustainable growth – while also creating challenges for residents and communities. A well-designed visitor economy has the power to make positive global change.

Susie Vowinkel, Industry Director for Travel, Google
Tuesday, October 2, 9:00-10:00 a.m.

Topic: Travel in the Age of Assistance
In the Age of Assistance, consumers are expecting every brand to leverage technology to provide them with helpful, personal and frictionless experiences. This is especially true in the travel industry.

Chris Malone, Managing Partner, Fidelum Partners
Tuesday, October 2, 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. (Luncheon)

Topic: The HUMAN Brand: Building Guest Loyalty in the Digital Age
Research shows people relate to companies, brands and destinations similar to how they perceive, judge and behave toward one another – based on warmth and competence. Many widely accepted travel and hospitality practices are at odds with our natural triggers of engagement, trust and loyalty. Attendees will be inspired to challenge conventional wisdom and change how they interact with guests.

Michael Dominguez, Senior Vice President and Chief Sales Officer, MGM Resorts International
Wednesday, October 3, 10:00-11:00 a.m.

Topic: Connecting the Dots: What Does All the Disruption Mean from a Strategic View
The travel world has become more complex with factors like cyber security, meetings advocacy, behavioral changes and health and wellness growing in prominence. Learn about the latest trends in the hotel industry and gain a better understanding of the economic environment and how structural changes will have an impact in 2019 and beyond.

Participants can register online for the Global Tourism Summit via the dedicated website, www.globaltourismsummithawaii.com, and choose from one of several options that features savings for groups, students and faculty, as follows:

Individuals: Full Summit Registration, October 1-3: $425
Group Package (Minimum of 8 people): Full Summit Registration, October 1-3: $2,600 total, a savings of $100 per person. Groups can mix and match different attendees during the conference.
Students and Faculty Members: Full Summit Registration, October 1-3: $150
Students: 1-Day Summit Registration (Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday): $50
Individuals: 2-Day Summit Registration, October 1-2: $315
Individuals: 2-Day Summit Registration, October 2-3: $295

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Editor’s Note:
Headshots of the keynote speakers are available for download at: https://bit.ly/2wUlYuL

About the Hawaii Tourism Authority
The Hawaii Tourism Authority is responsible for strategically managing the State of Hawaii’s marketing initiatives to support tourism. HTA’s goal is to optimize tourism’s benefits for Hawaii, while being attentive to the interests of travelers, the community and visitor industry. Established in 1998 to support Hawaii’s leading industry and largest employer, HTA continually strives to help ensure the sustainability of tourism’s success.

For more information about HTA, please visit www.hawaiitourismauthority.org. Follow updates about HTA on Facebook, Twitter (@HawaiiHTA) and its YouTube Channel.

Media Contacts:

Charlene Chan
Director of Communications
Hawaii Tourism Authority
808-973-2272 (o)
808-781-7733 (m)
[email protected]

Patrick Dugan
Anthology Marketing Group
(808) 539-3411 (o)
(808) 741-2712 (m)
[email protected]