Dr. Govers to speak on destination branding at Cinnamon Future of Tourism Summit

The Cinnamon Future of Tourism & Responsible Travel for Driving Revenue summit, organised by Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, will be held on 28 September, at the Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo, to mark the occasion of ‘World Tourism Day’. 

The summit is generating intense buzz and excitement ahead of the event and will feature an eminent panel of global industry speakers who are expected to enthrall the audience with their keen insights into the future prospects and trends in the industry.

Global experts on tourism and responsible travel and heads of sustainability in key travel organisations will be imparting their wisdom and knowledge at the conference. One of the high profile speakers at the conference is Dr. Robert Govers, who is an independent advisor for national, regional and city government administrations and a visiting scholar at various institutions in Belgium, The Netherlands, Italy and Dubai. 

The eminent Dr. Govers also teaches Place Branding on the UNESCO World Heritage at Work Master program in Torino, Italy and is co-editor of the quarterly journal, Place Branding and Public Diplomacy. The theme of his talk at the conference is ‘Destination Branding & its importance for the Future of Tourism’.

The noted speaker is expected to touch on the key aspects of destination branding, an important factor for developing Sri Lanka’s branding to the world. Despite several branding efforts, an enduring identity has remained elusive for Sri Lanka thus far. Dr. Govers will explain in detail how a destination that boasts a compelling, distinctive and authentic image does not have to worry about the tough competitive nature of the tourism market, chiefly because its reputation provides it with room to manoeuvre. 

Once too often, destination marketing campaigns are based on shallow or hollow me-too strategies with corresponding meaningless logos and slogans. Dr. Govers will explain how this is completely counterproductive in an era where we aim for responsible travel and genuinely exceptional tourism experiences for uniquely demanding customers, not for creating myths or hype that will end in disappointment, either on the demand side or the supply side of the business. 

With Sri Lanka tourism poised at a momentous juncture in its history as it gears up to meet its target of 2.5 million tourists by 2016 year-end, this conference will offer insights into how the island can ensure its efforts produce the maximum results. Dr. Govers will also touch on other facets of the industry, such as responsible travel and generating revenues.

The other eminent speakers  at the conference include April Rinne - Adviser to the World Economic Forum and an academic; Chris Seek - Founder & CEO of Solimar International, engaged in environmental conservation and cultural heritage preservation; Dr. Ian Yeoman - the world’s only professional futurologist specialising in travel and tourism, and author of popular book “2050 - Tomorrow’s Tourist”; Oliver Hua - Managing Director, Booking.com, APAC; Prof. Dr. Roland Conrady - Director, ITB Berlin, and researcher on air travel, e-business and tourism, President of the German Society of Tourism Research (DGT) and author; Prof. Sarath Kotagama - Head of Dept. Zoology, University of Colombo and award winning ornithologist in Sri Lanka; René Massatti - TrendOne; Prof. Mohan Munasinghe - Founder Chairman - MIND Colombo; Shabori Das - Euromonitor, Senior Research Analyst; Wilhelm K. Weber – Partner, Swiss Hospitality Solutions AG, Lecturer at University of Salzburg & specialist in Hotel Technology and Hospitality Management. 

These distinguished speakers will cover a wide range of themes such as Current and Future Trends in Tourism & Importance of Responsibility, The World in 2025 - Traveller Journey, Destination Branding and its importance for the Future of Tourism, The Sharing Economy: Transforming Tourism, Sustainability for Sri Lanka and much more. They will also be participating in interactive panel discussions giving the audience an opportunity to engage the speakers and gain more insights.

This inaugural ‘Future of Tourism & Responsible Tourism for Driving Revenue’ Summit, conceptualised and hosted by Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, reflects the hotel chain’s commitment to a sustainable tourism future. 

This is one of many other pioneering efforts by Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts to focus the spotlight on Sri Lanka as a destination and serving to create a buzz about the island’s tourism offering. The conference is powered by SriLankan Airlines, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Sri Lanka Convention Bureau (SLCB), Sri Lanka Tourism Promotions Bureau (SLTPB) and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.