The 13th UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook was held in Guilin, China on 17-19 October 2019. Jointly organised by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the forum was co-organised by the Guilin Municipal People's Government and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region's Department of Culture and Tourism in collaboration with the SHTM.
To advance the mission of promoting tourism as a
driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability, and in consideration of differences in tourism development and the status of tourism within the development strategies and agendas of developed and developing economies, the forum took the theme "Beyond Gateways: Dispersal Policies, Capacity Management, and Rural Tourism". It provided a platform for government officials, representatives of NGOs, industry practitioners and academics to share their perspectives,
research findings and best practice.
The forum was opened on 17 October, with the session "Setting the Scene: From Data to Insights – Identifying and Analysing Tourism Market Trends". This was followed by a workshop entitled "Capitalising on Big Data: How Can Destinations Benefit from the Digital Revolution?", moderated by Dr Sangwon Park, SHTM Associate Professor. The session featured Dr Park, who spoke on the topic "Using Big Data for Community Tourism Development"; Ms Brigitte Loehl,
Marketing Director, Travel Audience and Amadeus for Destinations, Spain; Mr Santi Camps, CEO, Mabrian; and Mr Alexander Rayner, CEO, Amadeus Smartdata Travel. Featuring renowned industry leaders and prominent scholars, two technical sessions were held on the same day, entitled "Integration with Cultural and Creative Industries" and "Applications of Data Analytics for Tourism Dispersal". The latter was moderated by Dr Honggen Xiao, SHTM Associate Professor.
Held on the second day, the
forum's opening ceremony was moderated by Mr Bai Songtao, Deputy Secretary, Guilin Municipal Committee of the CPC, and officiated by Mr Zhao Leqin, Deputy Director of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region People's Congress, Secretary of the Guilin Municipal Committee of the CPC, and Director of the Guilin Municipal People's Congress; Mr Manuel Butler, Executive Director of the UNWTO; Mr Trevor Weltman, Chief of Staff of PATA; Professor Kaye Chon, SHTM Dean, Chair Professor and Walter Kwok
Foundation Professor in International Hospitality Management; Mr Li Jiangang, Level-1 Inspector, Bureau of International Exchanges and Cooperation, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, PRC; and Mr Li Bin, Vice Chairman of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
The keynote sessions and panel session that followed provided ample opportunities for practitioners and academics to exchange views on various aspects of the forum's theme. Moderated by Mr Javier Ruescas, Senior Specialist, Tourism Market Intelligence and Competitiveness, UNWTO, the Opening Keynote Session was entitled "Setting the Scene: Managing Sustainable Tourism Growth". The day also featured a panel session entitled "How Much Over is Overtourism?", which was moderated
by Mr Trevor Weltman of PATA. The day closed with the Concluding Keynote Session entitled "Tourism Growth with Capacity Management", during which Professor Haiyan Song, SHTM Associate Dean, Chair Professor and Mr and Mrs Chan Chak Fu Professor in International Tourism, gave a speech entitled "Regional Tourism Growth in the Lens of PATA Visitor Forecasts".
The forum was closed on 18 October by Mr Hwang Haeguk, Deputy Director of the Regional Department for Asia and the Pacific, UNWTO; Mr
Trevor Weltman of PATA; Mr Wei Fengyun, Member of the Standing Committee, Director General of the Publicity Department of the CPC Guilin Municipal Committee and Vice Mayor of Guilin; and Dean Kaye Chon of the SHTM. The School is privileged to be playing a key role in defining the roadmap for tourism, and will continue its efforts to lead the tourism sector into the future.
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