Tenerife is set to become the world capital of the tourism sector from the 19th to the 21st of June as it hosts the Global Summit Tourism: The State of the Art, the largest global gathering to discuss the current state of the industry on a worldwide level through debates between professionals, institutions, entrepreneurs, and academics. Endorsed by the World Tourism Organization (WTO), this forum, which has not taken place in twenty years, will bring together national and international experts from various fields to talk about the present and the challenges to be faced in the coming years.
The event was presented by the vice president and councillor of the Council, Lope Afonso, and the CEO of Tourism in Tenerife, Dimple Melwani. They were accompanied by the Vice Chancellor for Sustainability and Infrastructure at the University of La Laguna (ULL), Candela Díaz; the specialized professor in the subject from the same institution, Eduardo Parra, and the technical coordinator of the Affiliate Members department of the World Tourism Organization (WTO), Dmitriy Ilin.
The Council, through Tourism of Tenerife, ULL and the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow (Scotland), will bring together the best minds at the Faculty of Economics and Business of the academic institution in Tenerife to analyze the state of the industry in a different, innovative, and collaborative format. The meeting will focus on six main pillars: collaborative and smart governance, new leaderships and sustainable and inclusive growth, labour market and competitive transformation of destinations; tourism space, companies, and people; product, marketing, and tourist intelligence, and digital transformation and digitization. This will be the third forum in history, after those held in 1994 and 2004 in Scotland.
Leading destination. Lope Afonso stated, “We consider ourselves a leading destination, but one that must develop that leadership responsibly to address reflections on the industry’s development and also its imbalances or disorders.” Without neglecting “the issues related to the sector that economic and social realities impose on us.” He mentioned sustainability seen from an environmental, social, and economic perspective. “We also want to be a very important player with a critical spirit in the face of anticipated challenges.” Afonso emphasized the need for awareness campaigns “for tourists and residents” as a way to put an end to the inappropriate behaviours that have become increasingly common in protected natural areas.
The most important event. Dimple Melwani highlighted that this is the most important event held for the Island’s tourism industry, as Tenerife is set to lead the sector as a hub for scientific knowledge. “We will have companies, professionals, and also students studying tourism and other careers,” she appreciated. Besides “very significant figures on a global level in the academic sphere and affiliated members of the WTO in a forum that will be a milestone.” She also referred to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and an action plan to address changes in the sector.
We see ourselves as a leading destination, but with always responsible leadership
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ULL’s commitment. The Vice Chancellor of ULL, Candela Díaz, commented, “We aim to be a global benchmark for intelligent tourist destinations.” She congratulated all the stakeholders who have made Tenerife the venue for this great event and highlighted the Island’s relevance in the tourism industry as an example of a smart destination.
One of the driving forces. Eduardo Parra, Professor of Business Organization, Digital Economy, and Tourism at ULL, brings his 26 years of experience to the table. He stated, “This is a very ambitious project and very important for the Island, having agents from all over the world in the tourism industry here to discuss the challenges of the future.” He emphasized: “We want to position Tenerife as a knowledge hub.” He hinted that “we are at the beginning of the journey, and we have a lot of hard work ahead of us in the next four months, but we will succeed.”
International support. Dmitriy Ilin, on his part, stated, “Today is an important day for Tenerife, including in its event agenda such an important gathering as the Global Summit 2024.” He emphasized the aim to “bring together experts from the academic, business, and governmental sectors to discuss over three days the topics that concern the tourism industry.” They will do so “in a joint search for solutions to the challenges faced by tourist destinations.”
Experts. Contributions to these challenges will be made by academics, tourism experts, entrepreneurs, analysts, government officials, university representatives, R+D+I centres, and tourism associations and organizations. Among them, renowned figures include Dimitrios Buhalis (Bournemouth University), Ion Vilcu (WTO), Youcheng Wang (University of Florida), or Sara Dolnicar (University of Queensland Australia), among others.
The sessions will be distributed among thematic presentations, work sessions, virtual meetings, forums, and workshops. Those interested can find all the information about the event and register on the website tenerifetsa2024.com.
