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Sustainable tourism is a transversal topic, this is the main reason why I decided to share more about events and conferences of the industry. Urban tourism and its potential for more sustainable and inclusive cities will be the major focus of the 7th UNWTO Global Summit on Urban Tourism (16-19 September 2018) in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The Summit aims to set out a vision looking to 2030 for this rapidly-growing tourism segment.

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The Summit also embraces the growing segment of youth travel through the UNWTO Global Youth Summit on Urban Tourism side-event (18 September).

As stated in UNWTO press release

The Summit, the first of its kind in North-East Asia, is designed to encourage new strategic approaches to the challenge of a growing tourism sector and its impact on urban destinations, through sharing of innovative ideas and experiences.

Innovative approaches to competitiveness in urban destinations, technology’s impact on urban tourism, rejuvenation of cities, and increasing inclusion in city development are among the topics to be featured.

The provisional program includes:
Keynote Address by Mr. B. Joseph Pine II, Cofounder of the Strategic Horizons LLP

High Level Panel: Urban Tourism in 2030

The panel will provide a policy discussion on urban tourism in view of the New Urban Agenda (HABITAT III) and the new dynamics and trends in demand and supply, notably by fostering exchanges of experience and mutual learning on sustainable urban tourism policies and practice.

SESSION 1: Looking Towards 2030: An Innovative Approach to Competitiveness in Urban Destinations

This session will explore how urban tourism needs a new thinking to optimize the needs and expectations of the new customer through innovation and technology in the areas of data collection, planning, development, governance and management.

SESSION 2: The 4th Industrial Revolution Shaping the Future of Urban Tourism

This session will focus on the current opportunities and challenges presented by technology, new platform tourism services, the transformation in new business models and labor force and mobility patterns. Under a ‘2030 vision’ for urban tourism, the panel will discuss the ways to maximize the positive impact for the visitor and the local community while minimizing the undesirable consequences of tourism in urban areas. As a key concept, Smart
Cities will also be illustrated through successful cases.

On Tuesday Morning (18th of September) an interesting One-on-One Interview by Rajan Datar, Host of BBC Travel Show with Lauren Sorkin, Managing Director, Asia Pacific,100 Resilient Cities initiative, pioneered by The Rockefeller Foundation.

Followed by SESSION 3: Urban Tourism and the Rejuvenation of Cities
Tourism in urban areas creates spatial dynamics for transforming the urban landscape through the rejuvenation of public space, public infrastructure and connectivity, development of local amenities and recreational facilities and hence builds a quality visitor experience while safeguarding and enhancing the quality of life for the local community. This session will showcase urban destinations which have achieved success in this regard.

I am very pleased to see Italy represented by Giovanni Andrea Martini, President of Municipality of Venice,
Murano, Burano at SESSION 4: Fair and Inclusive Tourism: Building cities for all
In the framework of the annual ‘Seoul International Fair and Sustainable Tourism Forum’, which has been hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in collaboration with the UNWTO, and organized by the Seoul Tourism Organization since 2016, this session will provide a global insight on how to adopt a local approach to economic and social development in urban destinations by integrating the local community and its components along the tourism value chain.

The full provisional program can be found here (click the link to open the pdf file)

Kuala Lumpur_6th summit_-2 urban tourisn - Case buenos aires _sustainable tourism world S.Tou.W.

The 6th Global Summit on Urban Tourism, co-organized by MOTAC, and UNWTO, is being held in Kuala Lumpur from December 4-6 2017. During the summit, Ms. Esencan Terzibasoglu, Director of the Destination Management and Quality Programme at the UNWTO, released the UNWTO-WTCF City Tourism Performance Research. Representatives of 5 cities including WTCF city members Buenos Aires, Hangzhou, Cape Town and Turin interpreted the report during the summit.

The conclusions from the previous edition (6th) of UNWTO Global Summit on Urban Tourism can be founded here (click the link to open the pdf) 

 

Are you interested to know more?
Ask  #STouW by Sara Vitali about: 

#sustainabletourism consultancy, 
#socialmedia strategies for tourism sector & linked sustainable, responsible, green or eco businesses; 
#sustainabledevelopment through tourism. 
http://sustainabletourismworld.com/sara-vitali-stw-founder/