Tourism
is a powerful tool for reducing poverty, boosting economic growth, building
social progress and ensuring peace. How can the World Bank Group, country
clients and business leaders work together to ensure that tourism contributes
to the World Bank Group’s twin goals of ending extreme poverty and boosting
shared prosperity?
The
World Bank Group organised a Tourism Forum with the themed 'Driving Development
Through Tourism', which was held in Washington DC from the 8-9 December 2015.
The
inaugural World Bank Group Tourism Forum was attended by Dr. Jim Yong Kim, the
World Bank Group President, as well as tourism ministers and other top ministry
officials from across the globe, along with top private tourism industry
players.
The
forum was a gathering of global thought leaders and proven achievers to
identify new ways to channel growth while addressing the challenges and
opportunities of developing the tourism sector in emerging economies.
AirAsia CEO Aireen Omar
Multi
international awards recipient AirAsia from Malaysia was the only airline to be
invited to share its experience in providing affordable travel to connecting
the ASEAN region to the people, growing small and medium enterprises as well as
to how the airline has contributed to development and economic growth.
AirAsia
Chief Executive Officer Aireen Omar, represented AirAsia was one speaker of the
first plenary session moderated by Maggie Lake, CNN Anchor & Correspondent
to discuss the topic on ‘Tourism for Development’. Other panelists during the
plenary session were Sandra Howard, Vice-Minister for Tourism of Colombia; and
Christopher J. Nasetta, President & Chief Executive Officer of Hilton
Worldwide.
Below: Video recording of opening speech by World Bank Group President Dr. Jim Yong Kim and Plenary Session 1 By Sandra Howard, Vice-Minister for Tourism of Colombia;
Christopher J. Nasetta, President & Chief Executive Officer of Hilton
Worldwide; Aireen Omar; AirAsia
Chief Executive Officer; and moderated by Maggie Lake, CNN Anchor & Correspondent.
Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Malaysia Chapter, in collaboration with PATA Headquarters with the support from the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia (MOTAC) and Tourism Malaysia, is organising a Hub City Forum (HCF) themed ‘AEC 2015 – Where is Tourism Heading?
ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) tourism industry is one important sector where there are still some issues
needed to be addressed by the 10 nations in South East Asia. AEC will be implemented
with effect from 1 January 2015 with its objectives to transform the region
into a single market and production base with a high competitive advantage to
make it a stable and prosperous region. This forum may be one last call
and update on how will the AEC affect and impact tourism businesses in the
region and its ASEAN member-country and in particular, Malaysia.
This
is the first time for HCF to be held in Malaysia after it was successfully
held in Singapore, Jogjakarta and Seoul.
Datuk Azizan - Chairman, PATA Malaysia Chapter
The forum will be a good platform for the Malaysia’s industry players to present the issues faced by Malaysia in the making of the AEC and find solutions to chart new paths for growth in the travel and tourism industry.
The forum will be held on 15 October 2014 at The Royale Chulan, Kuala Lumpur and officially launched by the Minister of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia.
Tourism and hospitality industry players, airlines, land transport operators, sea transport operators and those with interest in this industry within the region should attend this last call forum before heading into ASEAN open market AEC to learn and share the experiences to be prepared to face new challenges.
Organising Committee - PATA Malaysia Chapter
Programme on 15 October 2014
8:30 am Arrival of Guests/ Registration
9:30 am Arrival of YB Minister of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia
9:35 am Welcome Remarks by Chairman, PATA Malaysia Chapter
9:50 am Keynote Address by YB Minister of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia
10:15am Coffee Break
10:50am Panel Discussion 1 – Tourism Development Policies under
AEC 2015
Getting ready for influx of tourists: Is Malaysia
ready to welcome the likely
influx of travellers in open
borders?
This panel will explore the role of
policies and regulations
and how it can facilitate the industry’s
development as it
begins in 2015.
Moderator: Datuk Dr Ong Hong Peng, Secretary General, MOTAC
Panelists:
(i) H.E. Le Luong Minh, ASEAN Secretary General
(ii) Representative from Immigration/ Secretary General of Ministry
of Transport, Malaysia
(iii) Mr Eduardo Santander, Executive Director, European Travel
Commission (ETC)
(iv) Mr Andrew Herdman, Director General, Association of Asia
Pacific Airlines
11:50am Panel Discussion 2 – ASEAN Implementation Plan Regional cooperation: Will AEC help to see the emergence of new travel regions?
How does ASEAN benefit to become a community based on three pillars: economic, political and socio-cultural?
This panel will take a look at growing connectivity, crisis management and recovery, multi-country
thematic circuits, integrated products, and aligned accreditation.
Moderator: Ms Sharanjit Leyl (Presenter, BBC World News)
Panelists:
(i) Tan Sri Dr Munir Majid, Chairman of the CIMB ASEAN Research Institute
(ii) Mr Klaus Geil, Head of Sector, External Aviation Policy, European Commission
(iii) Mr Tom Jenkins, CEO, European Tour Operator Association
(iv) Mr Alexander Kesper, Team Leader, ASEAN-EU Management
Programme
(v) Mr Charlie Ballard, Director of Research, TripAdvisor
12.50 pm Luncheon
14.30 pm Panel Discussion 3:
Embracing AEC New Opportunities
ASEAN recognises
the potential opportunities and challenges to the travel and
tourism sector. This panel
will discover the importance of
regional partnership, branding, human capital development
and
sustainability in this rapidly growing Asia market.
Moderator: Mr Martin Craigs, CEO, PATA
Panelists:
(i) Mr Rashid Hasbullah, Deputy Secretary General,
MOTAC
(ii) Mr Lawrence Leong, Head of Singapore Tourism Board
(iii) Mr Pichai Raktasinha, Director for ASEAN, South Asia and South Pacific Market, Tourism
Authority of Thailand
(iv) Mr Rolando Canizal, Assistant Secretary, Department of Tourism Philippines
(v) Mr Sam Cheah, President of Malaysian Association of Hotels
Having been involved for many years in organising events, seminars, conferences and exhibitions, I would like to share my experiences and insights related to the MICE industry, particularly in Malaysia.
I have been freelancing as a photojournalist and contributed to a number of local and international magazines.
As the managing partner of Virgin Communications Sdn Bhd, which has offered public relation advisory services to our contacts, handled media relations and provided contents for publication and online portals as well as organised events, seminars, conferences and exhibitions, the desire to put down my thoughts become all the more keener.
I hope to go beyond my writing to promote business matching between interested parties in MICE and the tourism industry.
