Business leaders, politicians and government officials will come together to “exchange knowledge and share solutions” at tomorrow’s Visitor Economy Summit.
The Jersey Hospitality Association said discussions will focus on whether the Visitor Economy Strategy is “moving forward”, and if the Future Economy Programme is “leading the Island in the right direction”.
Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham and Minister for Sustainable Economic Development Kirsten Morel will be attending.
Speakers from the tourism, travel and virtual economy industries include:
- Evelina Hederer, Director of Business Development for Europe, Middle East & Asia at Expedia Group
- Tom Jenkins, CEO of the European Tourism Association
- Manila Di Giovanni, Founder and CEO of DWorld, the world’s first virtual economy
- Corrine Kiabski, former Communications Director for Tourism and Congresses, Government of Monaco
Malcolm Lewis, Chair of the JHA, said that the hospitality industry is “at the heart of Jersey” and is “vital for the success of other sectors”.
“Our industry provides some of those essential ingredients that make living in Jersey such a privilege. It’s time to understand that and to find ways to guarantee our economy is supported properly.
“That’s why we have assembled two panels to discuss current progress on developing the visitor economy and what future growth could look like.”
Ana and Marcus Calvani, Co-CEO’s of the JHA, commented: “We have brought together a stellar line up of experts whose combined knowledge of international tourism would be hard to match.
“This will be all about where the future opportunities of Jersey’s visitor economy can come from to benefit all of us in Jersey, whether it’s to visit your local pub or restaurant or to bring in visitors from around the world.
They added that the summit will bring “critical insights” in online booking platforms, “set jetting” and “foodie travel trends”, as well as discuss what is “holding tourism back”.
They added: “The virtual economy and VR and AR travel are also areas that we could be exploring and using to Jersey’s advantage.
“This is going to be an informative and thought-provoking day that’ll bring some of Jersey’s brightest business and political leaders together to take the island forward.”
