In an attempt to boost investment for KwaZulu-Natal tourism, some of the world’s top tourism experts will gather at the TIA360 eThekwini Tourism Investment Symposium.
Under the banner “A Dream, a Pipeline and Sustainable Rebirth”, the virtual meeting will take place on Thursday, August 5 from 9am to 6pm.
Discussions among the delegates will aim to help local tourism projects receive much-needed funding and support, by matching them with potential investors and supportive stakeholders.
eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda said: “Despite the recent unrest and destruction in parts of KwaZulu Natal, it is now more important than ever to push ahead with this, to ensure tourism projects receive vital funding and support from supportive stakeholders and potential investors.”
Six sessions, AgriTourism; Community Tourism; Eventing4Tourism; Tech4Tourism; Finance4Tourism and Education4Tourism, will run throughout the day.
Richard Perez, founding director of the Hasso Plattner D-School at the University of Cape Town Business School, will kick off the conference with the keynote address: “Re-imagining Tourism Through Human-Centred Design - Passion for Africa”. Perez is a design thinking specialist whose motivation is to get project teams to innovate.
Chris Flynn, president and CEO of the World Tourism Association for Culture and Heritage Australia, will identify critical trends that have the potential to influence development and expansion.
The UK’s Ged Brown, founder and CEO of Low Season Traveller; Dr Thabo Lehlokoe, co-founder and chairman of Seemahale Investment Corporation, Seenergy and Seemahale Telecoms Proprietary Limited; Award-winning Kenyan, Judy Kepher; Natalia Bayona, leader of the Innovation at the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) will also be among the list of delegates sharing their expertise on the tourism industry.
Closing keynote speakers will be Google South Africa’s head of retail, tech, travel and gaming Linah Maigurira, and Russell Curtis, head of Invest Durban, and Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry board member.
Participation is free and anyone interested in attending can register here