EVENTS HITEC 2017 The
EVENTS HITEC 2017 The world’s largest hospitality technology show moves to Canada Historically hosted annually in a different city throughout the United States, the largest event by HFTP (Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals) this year heads for the first time to Toronto, Canada, June 26 – 29, with 6,000+ attendees, four days of education and three expo days. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA, HFTP is a global non-profit hospitality association, with several thousand members and stakeholders across the globe, and this year, the organisation decided to break tradition by hosting a total of three HITEC events all taking place outside of US borders – in Toronto, Amsterdam and Dubai. The Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC) is the world’s largest and oldest hospitality technology exposition and conference brand. HITEC offers a unique combination of top-notch education strands, and brings together the brightest minds and hottest technologies from across the globe to one place. The unparalleled event offers attendees essential education, access to top hospitality technology industry experts and the resources to find costeffective ways to improve company bottom lines. Combined with the intimate opportunities to connect with fellow professionals, HITEC has everything to enhance one’s career. HITEC Amsterdam — Building on the expertise of planning and producing the world’s largest hospitality technology show, HFTP is producing a European counterpart on March 28–30, 2017 at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre. The program will begin with preconference programs on March 28, including the successful E20X competition, followed by the full event from March 29–30 featuring exhibits with up to 60 booths, two keynote presentations, 16+ educational sessions and a networking party. HITEC Toronto — The largest event with 6,000+ attendees, four days of education and three expo days. HITEC Toronto is June 26 – 29, 2017 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. HITEC Dubai — Co-produced with Naseba, HITEC Dubai in Autumn 2017 will follow the HITEC Amsterdam format with an education program and exhibits. In addition, HITEC Dubai will feature a summit with one-to-one business meetings that have become the hallmark of Naseba’s platforms. Hoteliers attending the summit portion of HITEC Dubai will be pre-qualified to confirm their purchasing authority, budgets, timelines and solutions of interest Frank Wolfe, CEO, HFTP at HITEC 2016
Hotel & Tourism SMARTreport #34 2017 Spring Edition 11 I AM PROUD TO HAVE HEADED A PROJECT THAT HAS ENHANCED THE ROLE OF TOURISM AND THAT HAS POSITIONED THE SECTOR AT THE CORE OF THE AGENDA 2030 AND THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS. Taleb Rifai Outgoing Secretary-General, UNWTO UNWTO SECRETARY-GENERAL: THE RACE IS ON Exclusive interview with outgoing UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai This is Taleb Rifai’s final year as UNWTO Secretary-General. In this exclusive interview with Mr Rifai, we began by asking him what he saw as being the most important factors affecting the global tourism market today. At UNWTO, we have three major priority areas that coincide with the concerns that the sector faces: technology and its impact in tourism, safe, secure and seamless travel and sustainable tourism. This latter receives a particular attention as we are celebrating the International Year of Sustainable Tourism in 2017, a unique opportunity to advance towards a more responsible sector. You have often spoken in the past about the importance of opening borders. The world seems to be taking a different direction today. How do you feel about that? Building walls will lead us nowhere. We have witnessed a great development of new technologies and security measures and these should be put at the service of all of us so that we travel in a more secure, easy and fast manner. At UNWTO we advocate the role of tourism in bridging us all and in promoting intercultural exchanges, so needed in current times. Moreover, closing borders will have negative impacts first and foremost on those opting for isolationism. How is the Silk Road project impacting tour operators today and what does the future hold? The Silk Road is not a recently created invention. It is a cultural, economic and social Route that has existed for centuries, linking peoples from different backgrounds. It is currently very alive because all humans are seeking for the values that this Route promotes. Our Silk Road Tourism Programme is very strong and is working with 33 countries to advance issues of visa facilitation, product development and marketing of the Silk Road. This is your last year as Secretary-General of the UNWTO. What do you hope to have left as a legacy, and what is your vision for the future of this industry? I am proud to have headed a project that has enhanced the role of tourism and that has positioned the sector at the core of the Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. This is actually what UNWTO had in its objectives for the last decades but we had to advocate the relevance of tourism in current economies in order to get the overwhelming response that we are getting during this International Year
