Cinnamon Future of Tourism Summit to explore technology, innovation and authenticity

The Cinnamon Future of Tourism Summit will be held on 26 September as a one-day conference that will deliberate and draw examples from the best practices around the world on the theme ‘Innovation, Technology and Authenticity’. 

The topics will focus on practical solutions to the evolving challenges of the hospitality and tourism industry delivered by a high profile panel of international speakers.

Acclaimed travel writer and industry leader on travel and tourism trends and destination development, Doug Lanksy will deliver the keynote address on the theme ‘Making Destinations Ready for the Future.’ Other eminent speakers at the conference include Sanjay Nadkarni who will speak on the use of customer data for innovation to deliver a superior customer experience and revenue enhancement, and Jereon Gulickx, who will elaborate on changing the hospitality landscape of the future to make your hotel profitable. Editor for CNN Travel, Brekke Fletcher will speak on Understanding Tomorrow’s Traveller, while Roy Graff will elaborate on the Future of Chinese Outbound Tourism and opportunity in Sri Lanka. Other topics at the conference include disruptive innovation, the future of hotel revenue, fighting for your market share, digital and influencer marketing trends, selecting the right technology and investing in innovation. 

Having successfully established its credentials as a valuable thought leadership event for the travel and tourism industry in 2015, the summit takes place bi-annually and encourages Sri Lankan and regional participation. This year’s summit is expected to attract 400 participants. 

Commenting on the Future of Tourism Summit 2017, Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts Brand Marketing Head Dileep Mudadeniya explained, “The 2017 summit in particular will be a pivotal one because it brings an eminent panel of speakers under one roof to share their knowledge and insights about the industry. We are hopeful that the dynamic sessions by the speakers will create new opportunities for participants in their respective businesses. 

Cinnamon has always used a sustainable approach and we believe that by strengthening the industry, we are ultimately strengthening Sri Lanka as a destination that is evolving fast to meet emerging expectations of tourists.”

With responsible travel and tourism gaining momentum, it is crucial that the industry is aware and educated of the best practices to be adapted. Technology and innovation are vital for the development of brands and adopting to global standards. 

The summit serves as a platform for the industry in Sri Lanka and the South Asia region to optimize their potential and awareness of such trends.