Speakers from The Tourism Summit 2022

Chris Hines MBE Hon.D.Sc.

Former Sustainability Director of the Eden Project

Chris has been working and campaigning for the environment for 30 years and revels in inspiring positive change.

He was a Co-founder and then Director of Surfers Against Sewage from 1990 till 2000. Regarded as “some of the Government’s most sophisticated environmental critics” by the BBC and “Britain’s coolest pressure group" by the Independent, the SAS helped deliver massive environmental improvements.

Chris was then Sustainability Director at the Eden Project for 5 years. This included conceiving and delivering “Waste Neutral”, an early version of the circular economy and helping embed the triple bottom line of sustainable business practice throughout the organisation.

In 2008 he was awarded an MBE for “services to the environment” in the Queen’s Birthday Honours and an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Plymouth. Surfers Path Inaugural Green Wave Award winner (a global award).

He now aims to deliver positive change by working with clients with a shared vision, including sitting on the BBC’s Sustainability Advisory Group. Chris works on strategic planning, communications, leadership and embedding sustainability principles as part of a profitable business, and strongly believes that business can be a force for good in a challenging world.

Will Higham

Founder, Next Big Thing Consulting

Will Higham gets people thinking positively about the future. He helps them shed old fashioned mindsets and a fear of change. He shows them how to seize the opportunities - and avoid the threats - tomorrow will bring for their business. 

Will is a Behavioural Futurist and global authority on Innovation and Strategy. He predicts what your customers and employees will think, do and demand in future. He helps clients - from Amazon to Vodafone - identify the best strategies to reach them.

Will’s led popular strategic consultancy Next Big Thing for the last 20 years. He is the man who warned the drinks industry of the New Sobriety; saw the Wellbeing Consumer coming a mile off; and championed ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ (‘Dancing with The Stars’) to the BBC. He appears on Netflix’s new documentary series ‘The Future Of’.

Nadia Higham

Co-director, Next Big Thing Consulting

Nadia Higham is an experienced and engaging change management consultant.

She gained her grounding at PwC, excelling in workplace communication strategy.

Nadia specialises in creative stakeholder engagement across complex environments. She has devised award winning workplace campaigns and run workshops for organisations like BP, Royal Mail and Network Rail.

After spending time at a range of management consultancies, Nadia wanted to broaden her change management experience into the futures space.

Nadia joined Next Big Thing in 2015. She brought her understanding of employee change to Will’s knowledge of consumer change.

She oversaw Next Big Thing’s successful expansion into change culture and internal innovation systems consulting.

Nadia understands how to help clients define their own narrative, identify their needs then determine their future in a way that brings people along with them.

Malcolm Bell MBE, FRSA, FTS, FTMI

CEO & Marketing Director, Visit Cornwall CIC

Malcolm Bell led the creation of the new private sector led Visit Cornwall CIC and managed the transition from the public sector to an industry led body in 2014, with the new organisation coming into existence in April 2015.

Prior to the transition, Malcolm had been appointed Head of Tourism for Cornwall on the 1st January 2010. Previous appointments included CEO South West Tourism.

Robin Barker FTMI

Director, Services for Tourism

Robin has broad experience in tourism management, delivery, marketing, and consultancy, following six years as Head of Direct Marketing for Saga Group, nine years running his own marketing services company, two years at National Maritime Museum Cornwall, and five years at South West Tourism as Marketing Director and Deputy CEO.

He is a Fellow of the Tourism Management Institute (FTMI), was TMI President from 2016 to 2019, and remains an active Director. He is also a spokesperson for the South West Tourism Alliance and has served on the Boards of both the Tourism Alliance and Tourism Society.

Robin received an Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award at the South West Tourism Excellence Awards 2016/17.

Deborah Heather

CEO, Quality Int'l Assessment Services (QIAS)

Deborah Heather is CEO of Quality Int’l Assessment Services (QIAS), home of Quality in Tourism (QT). QIAS is an international assessment and accreditation company working across sectors including Tourism, Hospitality, Property and Further Education, primarily assessing quality, compliance and customer service. Deborah has over 25 years of hospitality, tourism and travel experience; an award winning ex-Hotel Managing Director and a graduate of Cornell University General Managers program.  Deborah is Chair of the Tourism Society, on the Board of Visit Isle of Man and Trusted Stays.

QIAS designed and operate a comprehensive set of accreditations and awards underpinned by entry level scheme, Safe, Clean & Legal™. The accreditations include the QT version of Quality Star Ratings, REST, (Responsible, Ethical and Sustainable), WellBMe (Wellbeing and Mental Health accreditation) and F.A.R.E (Food: Authentic, Responsible, Ethical), as well as access and inclusive awards. 

Working towards B-Corp status, QIAS is a consumer focussed 3rd party, independent accreditation body working across the sectors.

Amy Ralston

Solicitor, Stephens Scown

Amy joined Stephens Scown in 2018 and qualified as a Solicitor in 2020, specialising in IP, IT, the delivery of IP Audits and influencer marketing law. 

She runs the firm’s IP Audit offering and leads on the delivery of IP Audit reports, whilst also being well-connected in the innovation and business growth space. She is passionate about helping businesses excel and grow, at the same time as ensuring IP protections are put in place. 

Amy’s work includes advising on the development of software, content creation and contribution agreements; providing bespoke training on IP rights, e-commerce terms, wholesale agreements and social media / influencer marketing law. 

An enthusiastic and engaging public speaker, Amy provides training for her clients on her areas of practice and has spoken at a variety of events, including the Influencer Marketing Show, Influencer360 and was listed on the #TalkingInfluence50 list in 2021. 

Thomas Chartres-Moore

Partner, Stephens Scown

Thomas is a partner and head of the IP and IT team at Stephens Scown.  Working predominantly with national and international businesses on their intellectual property, information technology and data protection, matters. With his extensive experience Thomas also heads up the specialist Food and Drink sector within the firm. 

His work includes (but is not limited to) advising on, reviewing and drafting booking terms, providing training on intellectual property rights, drafting and reviewing white labelling agreements and manufacturing agreements and reviewing technology and software service contracts.

Whilst also being a skilled and engaging public speaker and provides training for clients on his areas of practice.  Outside of work, Thomas is a non-executive director of Food Drink Devon, a not-for-profit organisation set up to help quality food and drink producers based in Devon.

Owner, Mylor Sailing & Powerboat School

Tracey is the owner of Mylor Sailing & Powerboat School, an inclusive sailing & powerboat school for everyone. From absolute beginners to salty seadogs. The sailing school operates alongside Mylor's marina, full-service boat yard and chandlery, its boat and water sports hire, self-catering cottages and two eateries overlooking the Carrick Roads.

Mylor Sailing & Powerboat School was named top Experience of the Year in the awards, run by VisitEngland for more than 30 years to "celebrate and champion innovation, quality and best practice in tourism".

Tracey says "My passion for sailing led me to owning a sailing school for almost 20 years and specialising in being inclusive. I like getting people excited about the things I'm excited about. Though I'm known for this, I have also worked as an accountant and a post 16, college lecturer. I employ around 15 people who are my most valuable resource. 

Outside of the office I love to sail with my family, walk our gorgeous dog and breathe the wonderful Cornish air.  

Lucky wife, lucky mum, lucky boss."

Greg Parsons

Owner & Managing Director, Sharpham Dairy

Greg Parsons is a Food & Drink industry veteran, having worked across hospitality, primary production, manufacturing, sales and marketing, for global brand ‘blue chip’ companies before heading back to Devon via a few SME’s and start up’s, to take over Sharpham Dairy with his wife Nicky.

John West

Trustee, West Bay Discovery Centre

John West’s professional background is Finance, Programme and Business Change Management. He became a trustee of a heritage and tourism attraction somewhat by accident when his wife fell in love with a disused Methodist Chapel in West Bay some 8 years ago.

A business plan and successful funding raising campaign followed, leading to the Chapel being repurposed as a visitor centre, that opened in 2018. These days he’s a trustee of the West Bay Discovery Centre, a multi-award-winning visitor centre located on West Dorset’s Jurassic Coast.

The Centre collected gold in the South West Tourism Excellence Awards in the Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism category, leading to it becoming a winner at the prestigious Visit England Awards.  John has been involved in environmental issues and campaigns since the early 1980s, forming South Dorset Friends of the Earth in 1986,  so its not surprising that the Discovery Centre has a strong sustainability thread running through its operations.

West Bay Discovery Centre has collected several awards for sustainable, responsible, and inclusive tourism. Trustee, John West will give a snapshot of the Centre’s sustainability initiatives and share an outline framework that can be applied more widely. 

Dr Natalie Semley

Lecturer in Sustainable Tourism Management at Falmouth University

Growing up in a traditional seaside resort on the North coast of Cornwall, Natalie Semley has a detailed understanding of the tourism industry. Her career path has taken many turns and her experience varies, from delivering visitor services to working in academia.

Natalie's engagement in industry and academia over the years has helped to establish her passion for, and understanding of, the tourism industry. She has been recognised for her contribution by the Tourism Management Institute and is currently employed as a lecturer in Sustainable Tourism Management.

Prior to this appointment, Natalie worked as the Development Manager for Trenance Cottages Newquay – a registered charity who own and manage a heritage site in Newquay, Cornwall. This role involved marketing management, event feasibility and planning, fundraising, as well as engagement with public and private organisations and individuals – with the main aim to generate a sustainable income to 'keep the cottages alive' for generations to come.

Gareth Allen

Founder, Soundview Media

Engaging storytelling is at the heart of effective business communications. Cut through is crucial in a noisy online and social media world. Gareth will encourage you  to step out of your echo chamber and inspire you to tell meaningful stories that will stand out in the crowd. Be proud of telling stories that matter to you, to me, to our communities, to our planet, because that is what will get people to sit up and take note.

Gareth can’t believe his luck, he’s an amazing career, spanning a three decades, as a radio and television news journalist, producer and director for both the BBC and ITV. He knows how to tell a great story and has won prestigious awards for doing what he loves. Video production is in his DNA. He established Soundview in 2009 and goes by the “Three P’s” mantra: people, pictures and production.

Clare Bushby MIH

Managing Director, Clockwork Marketing

Clare Bushby has spent her entire working life working in the hospitality industry. In Clare’s early career she worked with independent hotels in various roles from reception to duty management, before creating the marketing department at 4-star, Blunsdon House Hotel in Swindon.

In 1992, Clare started Clockwork Marketing, providing marketing support for hospitality businesses. The concept flourished, and the company grew to a team of 18 providing digital marketing, design and branding, website development and gift voucher software to clients throughout the UK. 

When starting the business, Clare's founding principle was her interest in data systems, the insightful information they held and how these data insights can create marketing opportunities to boost bookings. While Clockwork works with clients nationally, supporting the South West Tourism Industry has been a constant.