Abta has unveiled more industry bosses as speakers at its virtual Travel Convention, including Carnival UK president Simon Palethorpe and Virgin Atlantic chief executive Shai Weiss (pictured).
The association has also announced that comedian, actor, writer and TV presenter Richard Ayoade will reprise his role as Channel 4’s Travel Man to spend ‘15 minutes in conversation’ with destinations.
Abta announced last month that it will hold a one-day online event on October 14 instead of its planned Marrakech conference.
Palethorpe and Weiss will join a panel of industry leaders discussing how travel businesses have adapted to the climate created by the coronavirus crisis and how they are rebuilding customer confidence.
Another speaker announced on Wednesday (September 2) is James Dalton, director of general insurance policy at the Association of British Insurers.
He will talk at a workshop to help the industry plan for future pandemics, looking at consumer and business insurance policies.
Webcast: Plans for The Travel Convention
With the conference theme of Rebuilding Confidence in Travel, the agenda will also include sessions on Brexit, sustainability and equality, diversity and inclusion.
Highlights include a session called ‘Brexit and the road ahead’, led by Raoul Ruparel OBE, a former special adviser to the prime minister on Europe who is now based in Deloitte’s Global Brexit Insights team. It will be followed by a ‘Brexit preparedness’ workshop.
Another workshop, ‘Tourism for good’, will examine how the industry can use this recovery period to rebuild responsibly and sustainably.
It will feature a guest presentation from Jo Fairley, founder of Green & Black’s, and a discussion led by Susan Deer, director of industry relations at Abta.
Jamie-Lee Abtar, executive director of BAME Women in Travel, will lead a panel discussion, ‘The workforce of the future’, about diversity and inclusion, along with author of The Graduate Jobs Formula, Dr Paul Redmond.
This will be followed by a practical mentor-led workshop called ‘Diversity and equality in practice’.
The Travel Convention will be hosted by ITV News royal editor Chris Ship for the fifth time.
Other speakers already confirmed include Dnata Travel Europe chief executive John Bevan; World Travel & Tourism Council president and chief executive Gloria Guevara; Dr Paul Redmond, Liverpool University director of student experience; and KPMG chief economist Yael Selfin.
To register, visit the travelconvention.com