Abta has issued a last call to register for the Travel Convention in Bodrum at the end of the month, with chief executive Mark Tanzer noting the event comes “at a pivotal moment” for the industry.
The Convention will see a series of presentations on harnessing AI, matching the theme of ‘Unleashing new potential’. Speakers include Wired senior innovation editor Jeremy White, DER Touristik chief digital officer Joao Gonzaga and AI scientist and advisor to governments Inma Martinez.
A morning will be devoted to tackling climate change, from how to accelerate the pace of action to enhancing the industry’s resilience, and there will be two sessions on the latest consumer insights, with the outlook for the UK economy and spending intentions from PwC and a look at holidaymakers’ destination choices from TripAdvisor.
The Travel Convention will be held in Bodrum, Turkiye (Turkey), on October 30 to November 1.
Tanzer said: “This year’s Travel Convention comes at a pivotal moment as we continue to face considerable economic and operational challenges while taking steps to address the ever-more critical challenge of climate change and opening our minds to the transformative power of AI.”
He added: “I’m looking forward to diving into these issues in the wonderful setting of Bodrum and encourage anyone planning to register to do so promptly while spaces last.”
Two sessions will explore recruitment and retention, skills development and creating a more diverse workforce, with a panel of industry experts and a talk by comedian, podcaster and business mentor Cally Beaton.
EasyJet holidays chief executive Garry Wilson will offer insights on the state of the sector and the operator’s plans in an interview with broadcaster Sangita Myska, who will moderate the Convention for the first time.
Other industry speakers include Darrell Wade, co-founder of Intrepid Travel, Arzu Kahraman Yilmaz of the Turkish Tourism Board, Phil Gardner (Ambassador Cruise Line), Abta board member Alisa Pollard (Dnata Travel Group), Matt Callaghan (easyJet Holidays), Lucy Clifton (Flight Centre), Tricia Handley-Hughes (Inteletravel), Mark Duguid (Kuoni), Torey Kings-Hodkin (Royal Caribbean International), and Andrew Swaffield (Virgin Enterprises).
Registration costs £795 for Abta members, and £895 for partners and non-members.
Full Convention schedule here