The speakers for this year's Seatrade Med main panel, in association with CLIA Europe and sponsored by Cruise Saudi, were revealed earlier this month.
It will take place on September 14 and will include MedCruise President Figen Ayan, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Managing Director for Europe Marie-Caroline Laurent, MSC Cruises CEO Gianni Onorato, Celestyal Cruises CEO Chris Theophilides, and Costa Cruises President Mario Zanetti. It will be preceded by a speech from Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Group's Cruise Division and CLIA Global Chairman.
The full list of speakers for the event can be viewed HERE
SUSTAINABILITY
On September 14, Ioannis Pappas, Mediterranean Region Director of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), will join 'Destination Stewardship: The Integrity of the Local Community' in the Auditorium to assess how destinations and cruise lines can motivate and engage their passengers in more sustainable tourism practices, while addressing commitments to the destinations visited and their local communities.
The following day in the Auditorium, Marcus Puttich, senior director of port management and operations at TUI Cruises, and Tim Littley, senior director of itinerary planning and implementation at Seabourn Cruise Line, participated in “The complexities of sustainable itinerary planning,” focusing on how itineraries are preparing for onshore energy and other sustainable options, their influence on less sustainable ports/destinations, and how sustainability can impact itineraries.
MARKETING AND TECHNOLOGY
Leah Chandler, CMO Puerto Rico Destination Marketing, Discover Puerto Rico, appears on the panel 'The Great Comeback: Marketing Strategies Behind Reviving Destination Tourism' on September 14 in the “Showcase Deck” that will share the strategies of destinations to capitalize on their offerings amid the pandemic and challenging geopolitical events.
Also on the “Showcase Deck” on the first day, 'Using Smart Technology to Our Advantage: Increase Efficiency and Tackling Overcrowding' will feature Odette McFarlane, Director of Port Operations at Carnival UK, along with Lofti Trabelsi, Director of Port Services EMEA, Royal Caribbean International, on ways that digitalization can be leveraged to help address overcrowding at destinations.
With technology replacing people, for example in checking in and organizing tours, Paul Rutterford, director of operations at Viking Crew, will seek to predict what the future will look like for tour operators and shoreside experiences, and whether technology represents a viable alternative, in the 'Human vs Machine: the Impact of Technology on Shoreside Experiences' conference session on September 15.
LUXURY CRUISES AND YOUNGER TRAVELERS
Mark Robinson, Vice President of Cruise Operations at Scenic Group, and Michael Ungerer, CEO of Explora Journeys, will share their perspectives on the panel “Redefining Luxury Cruises,” taking place in the auditorium on September 14. The panel will examine the evolution of destination immersion as a key indicator of luxury. Other criteria that define luxury cruises, both from an onboard and shore-based perspective, will also be explored in detail.
The insights on “Attracting Millennials to Cruises: The Next Generation” will come from Filippos Venetopoulos, CEO of Variety Cruises, and Tarvo Topolev, CEO and co-founder of RebelRoam, as part of the conference program on September 14. They will help explore ways to experience cruises that can be tailored to millennials, the types of experiences young people are looking for, and how cruise lines and destinations can adapt to this shift, from the shore to onboard the ship.
FOCUSING ON THE MEDITERRANEAN
Aleksander Bienek, Vice President of Marine Operations for Star Clippers, joins the panel “The Changing Geography of the Mediterranean: Adaptation and Improvisation” on September 15 in the Auditorium. The panel will analyze the use of emerging and/or less frequented destinations in itinerary planning, as well as the development of new experiences in the Mediterranean and its adjacent seas. It will also discuss changes in fleet deployment due to the current geopolitical climate and the opportunities and challenges ahead.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Also in the Auditorium on September 15, Dennis Tetzlaff, VP, Fleet Operations and New Build at TUI Cruises, will discuss how to mitigate passenger fears about travel in the current climate, as part of the panel “Health and Safety: Change and Collaboration.” With the industry returning to full capacity, he will consider how cruise lines and ports can work together more efficiently to contribute to seamless passenger experiences, as well as review the challenges that health and safety regulations pose for itinerary planning.
More information about the speakers for 'Are you Fit for 55?' and 'Beyond the Poles: Expedition Workshop' will be available soon.
Registration for the event and exhibition at the Malaga Trade Fair and Congress Centre opened in June.
For more information about Seatrade Cruise Med 2022 and the latest event details, visit www.seatradecruiseevents.com/med
