THE
Institute of Travel and Tourism will hold its first conference for aspiring
travel professionals in the UK early next year.
The
move follows calls during this year’s main event in Malta for the ITT to be
more inclusive and encourage the participation of new entrants into the
industry (Travel Weekly June 16).
ITT
chairman Steven Freudmann met representatives from Springboard UK, London City
Airport and Travel Weekly last week to thrash out plans for the event,
provisionally due to take place next March.
Springboard
UK will liaise with TTC Training to avoid any clash with its two student
conferences which traditionally take place around the same time of year.
It
was agreed the original idea of a student conference should be broadened to
include any new entrants into the industry keen to develop their careers.
Springboard
UK managing director Anne Walker said: “The conference should be aimed at
aspiring professionals interested in career development. It shouldn’t exclude
older entrants or non-students.”
The
two-day event, which the ITT hopes will attract between 500 and 1,000
delegates, will feature business sessions and a social programme and will be
limited to delegates aged 18 and over.
It will take place at a central UK venue with sessions
on the first afternoon and second morning to enable delegates to reach the
conference from anywhere in the country.