Tina Liadis

Director, GeoEx

Tina has logged 34 years working in the travel industry, 18 of which have been with Geographic Expeditions (GeoEx) focusing primarily on Asia. She’d adept at planning behind-the-scenes looks at museums and historic sites, conversations with local experts or lecturers, receptions at galleries and exhibitions, meetings with artists, and private dinners at amazing locales. Tina takes great pleasure getting to know the local people she visits, and their mythologies, writing systems and handicrafts — in particular the silk weavings of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, the lacquerware of Myanmar, and the batiks of Indonesia.

What Does The Future of Travel Look Like for The World?

15:15 - 16:00

New travel markets emerge from shifts in culture, spending habits and the quest for novelty. Yet how do we spot the signs of new desires and destination appetites? Our Amplify panel will get right into it. Debating cultural nuances, booking patterns, hunting for preferences, and challenges in honeymoon, solo and family markets, our travel gurus will strengthen your ability to find trends and serve them before your competitors catch up.

Bill Barnett

Founder & Managing Director, C9 Hotelworks

Bill is a globally-recognized hospitality, tourism and real estate advisor, as well as a foremost expert in brand residencies. With over 39 years’ experience in the Asia-Pacific region, he has an extensive background in hotel operations, development and asset management. Career highlights include senior roles at international hotel chains and publicly-listed companies. He’s developed successful residential projects in Thailand, and is currently involved in several property tech startups. To date, Bill has written four books on travel, property and hotels — Slave to the Bean, Collective Swag, It Might Get Weird and Last Call. He is the Founding Advisor of the Phuket Hotels Association and leads Asia’s preeminent annual sustainability event PHIST (Phuket Hotels Islands Sustaining Technology).

5 Ways to Rethink Hospitality

14:00 - 14:15

People versus product. The designs we take for granted. Your sustainability masterplan, with an economic imperative. Bill Barnett believes that any lines we use to define a hotel can and should be erased. His boundary-pushing Amplify slot will give you five methods for rethinking the hotels you own, the teams you inspire, and how back-of-house staff can support it all. Bill will examine lessons learnt from retail and daily design recreation, stripping away preconceptions of a space and the people within it.

Serge Dive

CEO & Founder, This is Beyond

Serge is the mastermind of This is Beyond, a company dedicated to creating transformative communities for high-end travel brands. After launching and selling ILTM Cannes in 2008, he has gone on to help redefine luxury travel by founding several movements tailored to niche corners of the industry. His event portfolio includes Further East, PURE Life Experiences, LE Miami, We Are Africa, SET and Do Not Disturb.

A Quarter of a Century In Extraordinary Shows: My Lessons & Revelations

17:15 - 18:00

Gary & Sam Benchighib

Founders, Sungai Watch

Gary Bencheghib is a filmmaker and environmental activist. He founded Sungai Watch in 2020 to combat environmental pollution in Indonesia. His initiatives include garbage-floating barriers and cleanups, alongside innovative recycling projects through Sungai Design. In 2022, he earned the Ramon Magsaysay Award — Asia's Nobel Prize — for his battle against plastic pollution in Indonesia.


Sam Bencheghib, a 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia alum, founded Sungai Watch in 2020 to clean up rivers in Indonesia. Sungai Watch has installed 300 floating barriers in rivers that have removed 5.2 million pounds of (mostly) plastic waste. Sungai Watch now employs 150 people and plans to expand to rivers in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. Sam is also part of talks with government officials and non-profits to expand into the Philippines, India, Vietnam, Colombia and Kenya.

From River Plastic to Furniture Fantastic

15:15 - 16:00

Join the Bencheghib brothers for an incisive gaze at Sungai Watch’s waste transformation processes. Every day, Sungai Watch collects upwards of 4,000 kgs of plastic from Indonesian rivers, which they carefully sort, wash and process into beautiful furniture. Sam and Gary will guide you through the entire waste lifecycle, from collecting and sorting plastics to the design and craftsmanship that make each piece truly one-of-a-kind. Learn how innovation and sustainability meet as they demonstrate the unique techniques and creativity that go into crafting these exclusive furniture pieces, blending environmental impact with functional art.

Charlotte Heyman

Regional Manager, Mr & Mrs Smith

With over a decade of experience in luxury hospitality, Charlotte's journey began in France, where she studied History of Art in Paris before moving to London to start her career in the industry. She now lives in Singapore, where she’s spent the last nine years cultivating a deep understanding of the Asia-Pacific market. As a key figure at Mr & Mrs Smith, Charlotte has been instrumental in curating the Asia Pacific collection, adding more than 100 properties across the region. Today, she oversees partnerships and drives growth, always seeking out new opportunities to expand the platform’s reach.

What Does The Future of Travel Look Like for The World?

15:15 - 16:00

New travel markets emerge from shifts in culture, spending habits and the quest for novelty. Yet how do we spot the signs of new desires and destination appetites? Our Amplify panel will get right into it. Debating cultural nuances, booking patterns, hunting for preferences, and challenges in honeymoon, solo and family markets, our travel gurus will strengthen your ability to find trends and serve them before your competitors catch up.

Doris Goh

VP Commercial, COMO APAC

​​Doris has an illustrious career spanning more than 20 years in the hospitality industry. Her work has been recognised on the Power 100 list of the most influential hospitality leaders, as the recipient of CMO Asia’s 2016 Leadership Excellence award for 50 women leaders, and as one of 18 nominees for high-achieving businesswomen in the 2017 Great Women Of Our Time awards. A noted pioneer and thought leader in luxury and responsible tourism, she fronts COMO Hotels’ mission to drive transformative journeys in wellbeing and meaningful travel.

What Does the Future of Travel Look Like for APAC?

14:15 - 15:00

Whenever we think we’ve drawn a clear line to the horizon of APAC travel, something erases it. There are so many countries, tastes, cultural factors and generational differences at play that the future always seems hard to grasp before it changes again. Yet in this main stage session, you’ll hear from five experts and how they’re charting a way forward — one they can trust. From the reasons why travellers prefer certain experiences in your region, to the burgeoning expectations of Gen Z guests and how hotels are serving them with innovative luxury concepts, there’s a wealth of knowledge to take and run with. Erica Fong (LUXE City Guides) will be chairing a diverse panel hailing from China, Myanmar, the Maldives and beyond.

Andrew Thacker

Founder & Managing Director, Katana

A creative entrepreneur and brand strategist, Andrew established Katana in London and Beijing, then Tokyo, working with hospitality and lifestyle brands across the world. Over two decades, he’s been instrumental to the likes of Éclat Hotels and Parkview Green, One&Only, Rocco Forte, SLH, Soho House, Villa Treville, and brands like Goop, to name a few. The Tokyo branch was established in partnership with Hoteres and Taro — Japan’s leading hospitality media — to support local brands with their international ambitions. Amidst his projects with high-end travel markets, Andrew co-founded Gilpin’s Gin (crowned World’s Best Gin in 2014) and Educate Private, a private education consultancy supporting HNW clients in London, Beijing and Tokyo

Masterclass: Your Brand in 2025 & Beyond

14:00 - 15:30

Branding. It means many things to many people, particularly depending on where you sit in the value chain. Visions, missions, values, personalities, personas, influence, needs, wants, desires, archetypes . . . It’s enough to drive a marketer mad. In response to an increasingly complex, fractured and saturated industry, we have created increasingly complex systems to try and find order in the chaos. In reality, all these items have one thing in common: the customer. Your guest. This session examines the evolving travel branding landscape, how recent events are accelerating change, and how you can apply these tools more effectively to speak to your guests, so they speak for you.

Ivory Vogt

Climate Action Lead, SEASTORIA

Ivory is a social entrepreneur who aids businesses and organisations taking climate action. Her experience includes measuring the carbon footprint for over 100 businesses in travel, shipping, media, associations, and events industries, supporting them on everything from action and metrics to climate risk assessments and due diligence on green investments. Additionally, Ivory was an Article 6 negotiator for Palau at COP27 and spoke at the UN Ocean Breakthrough at COP28. She continues to advise island governments and international agencies on sustainable tourism, youth, oceans, islands and climate change.

Asia’s Overtourism Problem: Where It’s Heading & How to Solve It

15:15 - 16:00

Too many tourists are wreaking havoc on Asia’s most beloved destinations. From the beaches of Bali to the ancient streets of Kyoto, overcrowding is not only degrading our environment, but also disrupting local cultures and economies. Overtourism is more than just a buzzword — it’s a crisis, a source of erosion and suffocation. A radical rethink is due. Our panel is ready to reveal how your business can fight back against one of the biggest issues of our time. Whether you’re interested in smarter destination management, visitor flow controls, community-first solutions or more robust policies to encourage travellers off the beaten path, take a seat. This electrifying discussion will cut through the noise, offering real solutions to a new era of sustainable travel.

Erica Fong

Freelance Writer, Editor & Content Strategist

Erica is a professional writer, editor and content strategist based in Hong Kong. Originally from Vancouver, Canada, she has over a decade of experience in leadership positions within Asia Pacific’s top luxury lifestyle titles, including Regional Managing Editor at Lifestyle Asia and Head of Digital Content at Tatler Asia, Hong Kong. Since starting her own content studio in 2019, she has produced content for the likes of LUXE City Guides, South China Morning Post, Tatler Asia, CNA Luxury and DestinAsian, while offering bespoke content solutions for a variety of corporate and lifestyle clients.

What Does the Future of Travel Look Like for APAC?

14:15 - 15:00

Whenever we think we’ve drawn a clear line to the horizon of APAC travel, something erases it. There are so many countries, tastes, cultural factors and generational differences at play that the future always seems hard to grasp before it changes again. Yet in this main stage session, you’ll hear from five experts and how they’re charting a way forward — one they can trust. From the reasons why travellers prefer certain experiences in your region, to the burgeoning expectations of Gen Z guests and how hotels are serving them with innovative luxury concepts, there’s a wealth of knowledge to take and run with. Erica Fong (LUXE City Guides) will be chairing a diverse panel hailing from China, Myanmar, the Maldives and beyond.

Edwin Briels

Managing Director, Exploration Travel Thailand

Edwin has been crafting experiences for travellers to Myanmar and Thailand for over two decades. He’s always hunting for new paths, people and stories to bring these destinations to life. For Edwin, luxury is a very personal thing — touching emotions while recognising that you can’t find it elsewhere.

What Does the Future of Travel Look Like for APAC?

14:15 - 15:00

Whenever we think we’ve drawn a clear line to the horizon of APAC travel, something erases it. There are so many countries, tastes, cultural factors and generational differences at play that the future always seems hard to grasp before it changes again. Yet in this main stage session, you’ll hear from five experts and how they’re charting a way forward — one they can trust. From the reasons why travellers prefer certain experiences in your region, to the burgeoning expectations of Gen Z guests and how hotels are serving them with innovative luxury concepts, there’s a wealth of knowledge to take and run with. Erica Fong (LUXE City Guides) will be chairing a diverse panel hailing from China, Myanmar, the Maldives and beyond.

Jenny Zhao

Head of Leisure Travel, WildChina

During her 15 years at WildChina, Jenny has travelled far and wide, visiting many wonderful places and surveying most of the brand’s experiences. Her favourite trips include trekking through the ethnic minority villages of remote Yunnan, making a pilgrimage to Everest Base Camp, dancing with a local family on the Silk Road, and touring the ancient financial capital of China, Pingyao. Day to day, Jenny leads WildChina’s leisure team, exemplifying the epitome of customer service, expertise and client care. Outside of work, Jenny’s secret passion is experimenting with new drinks by blending various types of tea. She insists that her family members sample her creations, but only allows for positive feedback.

What Does the Future of Travel Look Like for APAC?

14:15 - 15:00

Whenever we think we’ve drawn a clear line to the horizon of APAC travel, something erases it. There are so many countries, tastes, cultural factors and generational differences at play that the future always seems hard to grasp before it changes again. Yet in this main stage session, you’ll hear from five experts and how they’re charting a way forward — one they can trust. From the reasons why travellers prefer certain experiences in your region, to the burgeoning expectations of Gen Z guests and how hotels are serving them with innovative luxury concepts, there’s a wealth of knowledge to take and run with. Erica Fong (LUXE City Guides) will be chairing a diverse panel hailing from China, Myanmar, the Maldives and beyond.

Ian Kusuma

Director of Marketing & Communications, Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach

An avid traveller who’s into running, HYROX, watching movies and finding hidden gems he can’t wait to talk about, Ian is a consummate moderator for our panel. His marketing and PR skills often draw out his storytelling instincts, while his many years at the heart of brands such as the Hard Rock Hotel Bali and W Bali – Seminyak have provided an inside view on how hotels find a voice and grow an audience.

Reverse Press Conference

16:15 - 17:00

What makes a story worth telling? And how do you make it too good to ignore? Here, we spin the press conference on its head, interviewing some of the brightest, most influential voices in the travel industry so you can find out what they look for in a great news piece. The likes of Scott Campbell (Middle East Traveller), Claire Turrell (National Geographic), Jonny Bierman (Lonely Planet) and Ron Gluckman (Forbes) are ready to share their secrets for getting a story in a magazine, including pitching and sharpening the right angle. Along the way, they’ll also explain how to come up with subject matter, pull your work back into travel trends, and avoid the risk of greenwashing.

Jonny Bierman

Journalist & Founder, Eco Escape Travel

Jonny Bierman is a sustainable travel journalist, guidebook author, and sustainable tourism educator through eLearningU. He connects community, culture, and conservation through written and visual storytelling while showing how tourism can be a regenerative force for good, leaving places better than how we found them. He has worked with and told stories of marine and land-based conservation, indigenous stewardship and tourism, regenerative travel, and science and technology-based sustainability. Jonny actively contributes to Vogue, National Geographic, BBC Wildlife Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler and Lonely Planet.

Reverse Press Conference

16:15 - 17:00

What makes a story worth telling? And how do you make it too good to ignore? Here, we spin the press conference on its head, interviewing some of the brightest, most influential voices in the travel industry so you can find out what they look for in a great news piece. The likes of Scott Campbell (Middle East Traveller), Claire Turrell (National Geographic), Jonny Bierman (Lonely Planet) and Ron Gluckman (Forbes) are ready to share their secrets for getting a story in a magazine, including pitching and sharpening the right angle. Along the way, they’ll also explain how to come up with subject matter, pull your work back into travel trends, and avoid the risk of greenwashing.

Ron Gluckman

Journalist

Ron Gluckman is an American journalist who has been roaming widely around Asia for over 30 years. Previously, he spent a decade with daily newspapers in the USA, before moving to Hong Kong, and later writing in Bangkok, Beijing, Phnom Penh and Jakarta. He specialises in long-form profiles and features on travel and adventure, hospitality, business, arts, architecture, science and the environment. His work has appeared in the New York Times, Time, Forbes, CNN, CNBC, Travel + Leisure, Luxury Escapes, DestinAsian, Hotelier and various other hotel, airline and luxury magazines.

Reverse Press Conference

16:15 - 17:00

What makes a story worth telling? And how do you make it too good to ignore? Here, we spin the press conference on its head, interviewing some of the brightest, most influential voices in the travel industry so you can find out what they look for in a great news piece. The likes of Scott Campbell (Middle East Traveller), Claire Turrell (National Geographic), Jonny Bierman (Lonely Planet) and Ron Gluckman (Forbes) are ready to share their secrets for getting a story in a magazine, including pitching and sharpening the right angle. Along the way, they’ll also explain how to come up with subject matter, pull your work back into travel trends, and avoid the risk of greenwashing.

Sarah Rhodes

Founder, Plastic Free Southeast Asia (PFSA)

Sarah has been working in tourism since 2001 and sustainability more generally since 2015. After completing her training on Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project, she moved to Cambodia to meld her enthusiasm for reducing single-use plastics with her expertise in tourism. This led to Plastic Free Southeast Asia (PFSEA), a business that supports sustainable tourism brands, engaging their team, suppliers and customers while a plan falls into place. Sarah is an independent, trained Blue Consultant for Oceanic Global's Blue Standard, which helps hotels reduce single-use plastics, and is a verified coach for the Travelife Certification program. In Australia, she’s spent time working with Better Business Partnerships while remaining the primary sustainability trainer and advisor for the Sydney Festival.

Masterclass: Make Sustainability Magnetic for Your Staff

16:15 - 17:45

Now — more than ever — the best staff are essential to keep breaking expectations in luxury travel. Staff themselves are also seeking more meaningful work in places that align with their values. In the race for a green light, it’s easy to overlook what your talented teams want and can do for your sustainability targets. In fact, they may already be the solution . . . So, empower your workforce with Sarah Rhodes’ approach to stoking interest, ownership and loyalty, taking you out of the fruitless sustainability loop. This interactive Masterclass generates and tests ideas until you have a practical roadmap for internal inspiration — those that can be used at work, and in everyone’s personal lives.

Scott Campbell

Editor-In-Chief, Middle East Traveller

Scott Campbell is a journalist based between Dubai and London writing for titles such as The Washington Post, The Telegraph, BBC, Condé Nast Traveller Middle East, Harper's Bazaar Arabia, The National and Arab News, as well as the Editor-in-Chief of Middle East Traveller — a publication focusing on luxury hotels for high net-worth travellers from the Gulf region. Scott previously worked advising governments in the UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia on digital and communications strategy, including for key tourism projects under the Kingdom's Vision 2030 initiative. Further experience includes roles as Digital Editor at Time Out Dubai, the launch restaurant reviewer for Time Out Riyadh and a photographer for Getty Images.

Reverse Press Conference

16:15 - 17:00

What makes a story worth telling? And how do you make it too good to ignore? Here, we spin the press conference on its head, interviewing some of the brightest, most influential voices in the travel industry so you can find out what they look for in a great news piece. The likes of Scott Campbell (Middle East Traveller), Claire Turrell (National Geographic), Jonny Bierman (Lonely Planet) and Ron Gluckman (Forbes) are ready to share their secrets for getting a story in a magazine, including pitching and sharpening the right angle. Along the way, they’ll also explain how to come up with subject matter, pull your work back into travel trends, and avoid the risk of greenwashing.

Gabriella Carraro

Fundadora, LUXPERTS

Gabriella has over 25 years’ experience in the tourism and hospitality industry. With a degree in Hospitality from Florida International University and a specialisation in luxury tourism, she’s gained a comprehensive understanding of market trends and their evolving high-end demands. As the founder and leader of LUXPERTS, a consortium of premium independent travel agencies, she strengthens relationships with industry partners and secures exclusive benefits for her members and clients. Elsewhere, she serves as CEO of GC Travel Experience, a company dedicated to offering bespoke consultancy, planning, and management services for luxury travel, catering to sophisticated and discerning clientele.

What Does The Future of Travel Look Like for The World?

15:15 - 16:00

New travel markets emerge from shifts in culture, spending habits and the quest for novelty. Yet how do we spot the signs of new desires and destination appetites? Our Amplify panel will get right into it. Debating cultural nuances, booking patterns, hunting for preferences, and challenges in honeymoon, solo and family markets, our travel gurus will strengthen your ability to find trends and serve them before your competitors catch up.

Chalana Perera

Founder, RETRACE Hospitality

Chalana is an independent hospitality and tourism investment consultant. He advises public, private and non-profit organisations in Sri Lanka, specialising in sustainable travel, destination development and asset management. All of this work is consolidated within RETRACE Hospitality — a group that links investors to projects with high-value, low-footprint potential. After becoming Sri Lanka’s first signatory to Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency and The Future of Tourism Coalition, Chalana was appointed to the Hospitality World Net Panel on Sustainability in 2023.

Asia’s Overtourism Problem: Where It’s Heading & How to Solve It

15:15 - 16:00

Too many tourists are wreaking havoc on Asia’s most beloved destinations. From the beaches of Bali to the ancient streets of Kyoto, overcrowding is not only degrading our environment, but also disrupting local cultures and economies. Overtourism is more than just a buzzword — it’s a crisis, a source of erosion and suffocation. A radical rethink is due. Our panel is ready to reveal how your business can fight back against one of the biggest issues of our time. Whether you’re interested in smarter destination management, visitor flow controls, community-first solutions or more robust policies to encourage travellers off the beaten path, take a seat. This electrifying discussion will cut through the noise, offering real solutions to a new era of sustainable travel.

Mirjam Peternek-McCartney

Founder & CEO, Lemongrass Marketing

Mirjam’s innovative leadership has driven Lemongrass to win multiple awards for the agency’s new approach to travel communications, blending the creativity and storytelling of PR with the strategic strength of data insights. In 2023 Lemongrass became an accredited B Corp and won the prestigious Sunday Times Best Places to Work Award. As one of the industry’s leading figures, Mirjam regularly speaks at global travel events and on industry podcasts. She is also a judge on the EMEA Purpose Awards.

Asia’s Overtourism Problem: Where It’s Heading & How to Solve It

15:15 - 16:30

Too many tourists are wreaking havoc on Asia’s most beloved destinations. From the beaches of Bali to the ancient streets of Kyoto, overcrowding is not only degrading our environment, but also disrupting local cultures and economies. Overtourism is more than just a buzzword — it’s a crisis, a source of erosion and suffocation. A radical rethink is due. Our panel is ready to reveal how your business can fight back against one of the biggest issues of our time. Whether you’re interested in smarter destination management, visitor flow controls, community-first solutions or more robust policies to encourage travellers off the beaten path, take a seat. This electrifying discussion will cut through the noise, offering real solutions to a new era of sustainable travel.

Simon McArthur

Director, SMA Tourism

Simon is known across the world as ‘the Tourism Doctor,’ and it’s easy to see why . . . Since he began to visit struggling destinations, diagnosing their constraints and developing interventions for sustainable, competitive tourism, he’s honed a knack for flipping from destination analysis to bringing plans and products to market. He’s published six books on visitor management, while building models for controlling the impact of travel today. These models have been used in hotspots as far as China, Cyprus, Mozambique, Canada and Australia.

Asia’s Overtourism Problem: Where It’s Heading & How to Solve It

15:15 - 16:00

Too many tourists are wreaking havoc on Asia’s most beloved destinations. From the beaches of Bali to the ancient streets of Kyoto, overcrowding is not only degrading our environment, but also disrupting local cultures and economies. Overtourism is more than just a buzzword — it’s a crisis, a source of erosion and suffocation. A radical rethink is due. Our panel is ready to reveal how your business can fight back against one of the biggest issues of our time. Whether you’re interested in smarter destination management, visitor flow controls, community-first solutions or more robust policies to encourage travellers off the beaten path, take a seat. This electrifying discussion will cut through the noise, offering real solutions to a new era of sustainable travel.

Claire Turrell

Freelance Journalist

Claire is an award-winning journalist based in Singapore. She’s written for numerous international titles, such as Harper’s Bazaar, The Smithsonian, The Guardian and National Geographic. Her own magazine, Travel By Lightfoot, won the MPAS Travel Media award for its print edition, and the Gold NATJA achievement for a digital article. She’s also the CEO of Sweatshop Media, managing lifestyle stories and weekly freelance projects.

Reverse Press Conference

16:15 - 17:00

What makes a story worth telling? And how do you make it too good to ignore? Here, we spin the press conference on its head, interviewing some of the brightest, most influential voices in the travel industry so you can find out what they look for in a great news piece. The likes of Scott Campbell (Middle East Traveller), Claire Turrell (National Geographic), Jonny Bierman (Lonely Planet) and Ron Gluckman (Forbes) are ready to share their secrets for getting a story in a magazine, including pitching and sharpening the right angle. Along the way, they’ll also explain how to come up with subject matter, pull your work back into travel trends, and avoid the risk of greenwashing.

Edmund Morris

Founder, Equator

Equator is an AI startup that's helping travel companies talk about the impacts they have on people and the planet. Edmund loves bringing data to life with animations and other visualisations that make even the most complex topics seem attainable and relatable. He's shared his models and work with Fortune 500 companies, governments, destinations and at events around the world, and has been featured in Forbes and Travel Weekly.

The Best Data You’ve Never Seen

16:15 - 17:00

Discover the trends that will shape the future of tourism through a series of stunning animations and extraordinary data stories. Edmund will explore what the next generation of travellers is looking for in new places, how impact marketing is shaping consumer preferences, the future of short-term rentals, and what overtourism will mean for trip planning.

Ali Nihad

Area Director, Sales and Marketing, IHG Maldives

With 23 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Ali Nihad has honed his expertise in crafting and executing impactful sales and marketing strategies in global markets. Throughout his career, Ali has held several pivotal roles leading marketing and commercial approaches while managing cross-functional teams across multiple resorts. Notably, he was also the Director of Sales & Marketing at Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Bali from January 2019 to January 2021, where he enhanced brand visibility and revenue growth. Ali's strengths lie in sales, marketing, and e-commerce, with a particular focus on trade marketing, channel strategies and market penetration tactics that deliver sustained results.

What Does the Future of Travel Look Like for APAC?

14:15 - 15:00

Whenever we think we’ve drawn a clear line to the horizon of APAC travel, something erases it. There are so many countries, tastes, cultural factors and generational differences at play that the future always seems hard to grasp before it changes again. Yet in this main stage session, you’ll hear from five experts and how they’re charting a way forward — one they can trust. From the reasons why travellers prefer certain experiences in your region, to the burgeoning expectations of Gen Z guests and how hotels are serving them with innovative luxury concepts, there’s a wealth of knowledge to take and run with. Erica Fong (LUXE City Guides) will be chairing a diverse panel hailing from China, Myanmar, the Maldives and beyond.