Transforming tourism for people, planet, and prosperity

October 26-28, 2023 | Guilin, China

Speaker slides have been added to each session. Scroll down to download.

Sustainability in tourism relies on the implementation of sustainable tourism policies, engagements of local communities, the promotion of sustainable practices in businesses, the heightening of tourist awareness, and collaborations among tourism stakeholders. 

Balancing preservation, people, and productivity can support the industry's long-term viability and contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Through preserving natural and cultural resources, promoting the well-being of local communities, and fostering positive social and cultural transformation in destination societies, tourism can create a positive and long-lasting impact on productivity and quality of life of both tourists and locals. 

Aiming to serve as a knowledge platform for National Tourism Administrations, National Tourism Organizations and Destination Management Organizations, government officials, NGOs, industry practitioners, and academics to share trends and insights, research findings and practices, this year’s forum intends to deliver on the following objectives:

  • To explore innovative approaches and best practices for balancing preservation, people, and productivity in sustainable tourism. 

  • To foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing among stakeholders in the tourism industry. 

  • To promote awareness and education about sustainable tourism among forum attendees and the broader general public.

Thank you all for joining us in Guilin, China!

Download the group photo >

October 25, 2023: Registration

Registration

Venue: Shangri-la Hotel Guilin

All day

October 26, 2023: Technical Sessions

0800 - 0900

Registration

Technical Session 1:  Rethinking Tourism in Post-Pandemic Times: Understanding and Adapting to New Trends.

0900 - 1000

Moderator:

Eunji Tae
Officer of Regional Department for Asia and the Pacific, UNWTO

Panelists:

Michel Julian
Senior Officer of Tourism Market Intelligence and Competitiveness, UNWTO

Olivier Ponti
Vice President, ForwardKeys

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Haesook Ma
Deputy Director, Tourism Big Data Strategy Team, Korea Tourism Organization

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1000 - 1015

Coffee Break

1015 - 1215

Technical Session 2:  Exploring Sustainable Tourism Development: Leveraging China's Tourism Potential

Shanhua Xiong
Vice President of Beijing Minsheng Think Tank and Consulting Co. Ltd / Director, Tourism and Culture Research Center/ Former Deputy Director General, Marketing &International Department of China National Tourism Administration

Moderator:  

Rudy Van Der Ween
President, Inland Waterways International (IWI)

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Panelists:

Guocai Ren
Senior Vice President, Joyu Lvmama Group China

Youhong Wu
Researcher from Institute of Investment Research at the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research

Chao Zhang
Senior Marketing Lead, China, Airbnb

1215 - 1400

Lunch

Technical Session 3: Digital Frontiers: Leveraging Technology for Sustainable Tourism

1400 - 1530

Pavnesh Kumar
Sustainability and Social Responsibility Program Head, PATA

Moderator:

Panelists:

Leo Liu
Vice President for Business Development, Public Sector, Mastercard

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Anthony Hoglund
Vice President & General Counsel, Asia Pacific, Amadeus Asia, Ltd

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1530 - 1545

Coffee Break

Cathy Hsu
Chair Professor of Hospitality and Tourism Marketing, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

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Samson Chan
Director, Business and Partnership of Vpon Big Data Group

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1545 - 1730

Technical Session 4: Empowering People in Tourism

Moderator:

Honggen Xiao
Professor, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Panelists:

Nicholas Thomas
Associate Professor, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

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Changrong Ling
Professor, Tourism Management Department, School of Business, Guangxi University

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Simon Tian
Chief Executive Officer, Menduner & Huomiaoer

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Khalid Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti
General Manager of Katara Cultural Village Foundation, QATAR

1800 - 1930

Welcome Dinner

2000 - 2200

Technical Tour: Visit Guilin Intangible Culture Heritage Experience Museum

October 27, 2023: Plenary Sessions

0800 - 0900

Registration

Opening Ceremony

0900 - 0930

Moderator: Representative of Guilin

Beka Jakeli
Director of External Relations, UNWTO

Peter Semone
Chair, PATA

Dr. Kaye Chon
Dean and Chair Professor, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Qingwang Miao
Vice Chairman, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region people’s Government

Representative from Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China

0930 - 1015

Keynote Session

Jigang BAO
Director of Monitoring Center for UNWTO Sustainable Tourism Observatories in China, Professor, Deputy Director of the Economics and Management Department, Director of Tourism Development and Planning Research Center of Sun Yat-sen University, Winner of the 16th Ulysses Prize awarded by UNWTO

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1015 - 1045

Group Photo & Coffee Break

1045 - 1200

Panel Session: How to Work Together to Get Prepared for a Better Future?

Moderator:

Michel Julian
Senior Officer of Tourism Market Intelligence and Competitiveness, UNWTO

Panelists:

Akiko Hagiwara
Principal Country Specialist, Asian Development Bank

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Lyublema Dimova
Senior Research Manager, European Travel Commission

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Fency Sivadasan
Senior Manager-Research, Sarawak Tourism Board

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Kanan Aliyev
Officer, Tourism Market Intelligence and Competitiveness Department, UNWTO

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1200 - 1430

Lunch

Panel Session:  Empowering Local Economies: Financial and Digital Literacy for Sustainable Tourism

1430 - 1545

Pavnesh Kumar
Sustainability and Social Responsibility Program Head, PATA

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Moderator:

Panelists:

Ida Ayu Danik Suardhani
BA Manager SUSTOUR Project, Sustainable Tourism Destination Development – SusTour

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Peter Wong
Senior Director, Corporate Communications, Visa China

Eunji Tae
Officer of Regional Department for Asia and the Pacific, UNWTO

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1545 - 1600

Coffee Break

Concluding Keynote Presentation: Sustainable Travel Behaviour Post-COVID-19

1600 - 1645

Haiyan Song
Associate Dean and Chair Professor, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

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Closing Remarks

1645 - 1745

Moderator: Representative of Guilin

Beka Jakeli
Director of External Relations, UNWTO

Peter Semone
Chair, PATA

Dr. Kaye Chon
Dean and Chair Professor, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Representative of Guilin

Representative of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region’s Department of Culture and Tourism

1800 - 2000

Dinner

October 28, 2023: Technical Tour

  • 08:00
    Gather at the lobby of Shangri-la Hotel

    08:00-08:40
    Take Coach to INTEGRAL-ESQUEL'S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GARDEN

    08:40-10:30
    Visit Integral(Esquel Textile Industrial Park)

    10:30-11:30
    Take Coach to Yangdi Pier

    12:00-14:00
    Take a cruise to explore the Lijiang River.

    14:00-14:30
    Arrive at Nanxunmen Pier, then visit West Street

    14:40-15:10
    Take Coach to Ruyi Peak

    15:30-17:30
    Visit Ruyi Peak

    17:30-18:00
    Transfer to Gouweiwang Restaurant前

    18:00-19:00
    Dinner

    19:30-20:40
    Enjoy the Large Guilin Scenery Live show - Impression of Liusanjie

    21:00-22:30
    Back to Shangri-la Hotel

  • 08:30
    Gather at the lobby of Shangri-la Hotel

    08:30-10:00
    Take coach to Longji Rice Terraces Scenic spot

    10:20-11:00
    Visiting the China Long Hair Technology Museum

    11:00-12:00
    Watch the show of Long Hair Yao, a unique cultural trail of the Yao ethnic group.

    12:00-13:00
    Lunch

    13:00-13:40
    Head to Dazhai Village, which has been selected by UNWTO as the 'Best Tourism Village

    14:00-15:30
    Stroll through Dazhai Village, including taking the cable car to the No.1 Viewing Platform

    15:30-17:30
    Back to Guilin


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