Malaysia To Host World Tourism Conference 2013

MALAYSIA TO HOST WORLD TOURISM CONFERENCE 2013

PUTRAJAYA, 11 JULY 2013 - The Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia together with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the State Government of Melaka will be organising the World Tourism Conference at the Equatorial Hotel in Melaka from 21 to 23 October 2013.

Themed "Global Tourism: Game Changers and Pace Setters", the conference is expected to bring together world leaders in tourism, high-level policymakers, specialists and experts from both the public and private sectors to share experiences, put forward valuable ideas and provide guidance for tourism development.

Therefore, WTC 2013 should be attended by all travel and trade members in Malaysia such as hoteliers, tourism officers, airlines and airports representatives, tour operators, tourism product operators, and also students, as they'll get the opportunity to connect, share and learn at this prestigious event.

Being one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Malaysia, Melaka is the perfect venue to host WTC 2013. This historic city has developed over 500 years of trading and cultural exchanges between East and West in the Straits of Malacca. The influences of Asia and Europe have endowed the town with a specific multicultural heritage that is both tangible and intangible. In brief, Melaka has a unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia.

The main objectives of World Tourism Conference 2013 are to discuss and address current and relevant issues related to the tourism industry. The key areas for discussion will be:

Beyond Mass Tourism: how destinations can prosper with higher yield markets by capitalising on niche products which are priced correctly and targeted to the right markets.
Innovative Marketing: the importance of creating innovative products and a strong brand identity to develop dynamism and continuous progress in the industry.
Directions for Tourism Product Development: exploring the potential of tourism products such as homestay and its variants, domestic tourism, as well as youth and Gen-Y travellers, and synergies between conservation and commercial viability.

Over the three-day conference, 10 specific and topical subjects will be presented by authoritative individuals and acknowledged experts including the Head of Travel Google (United States) Mr Rob Torres, the Chief Executive Officer of Korea Tourism Organisation (South Korea) Mr. Lee Charm, the Chairman of VisitBritain (United Kingdom) Right Hon. Mr. Christopher Rodrigues CBE, the Vice-Chairman of China National Tourism Administration (China) Mr Du Jiang, the Chief Executive Officer of Air Asia X Sdn Bhd (Malaysia) Mr. Azran Osman Rani and the Managing Director of Tourism Australia Mr Andrew McEvoy.

Registration for World Tourism Conference 2013 is now open. Please visit http://www.wtc2013malaysia.com for more details.

For further information on World Tourism Conference 2013, please contact conference coordinators:-

Mohd Akmal bin Abdol Malik
Strategic Planning and International Affairs Division
Ministry of Tourism Malaysia
Level 13, No.2 Tower 1
Jalan P5/6 Precinct 5
62200 Putrajaya
Tel : +603-8891 7402
Fax : +603-8891 7365
Email : akmalik

Ms. Christine Brew
Senior Programme Assistant
Regional Programme for Asia and the Pacific
World Tourism Organization
Calle Capitan Haya, 42
MADRID 28020, Spain
Tel: (34-91) 5678192
Fax: (34-91) 5713733
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Last updated : 23 April 2014