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The Tourism Summit 2023 Speakers

This year's Summit is curated from a line-up of captivating and inspiring speakers who have extensive expertise and experience in hospitality and tourism.

These speakers are highly knowledgable individuals and have profound perspectives to ignite contemplation, conversations and transformation as we explore tourism for good together.

SEE THE PROGRAMME

Geoff Holt MBE DL

Director of Wetwheels Solent CIC

Geoff became an inspiration to millions around the world first when he completed his ‘Personal Everest’ challenge by sailing 1,445 miles, solo, around Great Britain in a fragile 15-foot dinghy and again in 2009/10 when he captivated audiences around the globe with his arrival in Tortola at the helm of ‘Impossible Dream’ having sailed unassisted across the Atlantic.

Geoff is a disability sports ambassador who has inspired countless others. He has faced and overcome adversity, challenged limits and inspires others to adopt a positive attitude. Geoff’s personal philosophy of ‘no excuses’ lies at the heart of his story: motivating others to live life to the full and conquer challenges no matter what they may be. He hopes that his voyages will inspire others to push their own personal boundaries.

Geoff is the Director of Wetwheels Solent, the original regional operator for the national power boating charity Wetwheels Foundation.

The Sea & Me: Turning a Passion into a National Success Story

Having broken his neck and becoming paralysed from the chest down at the age of 18, Geoff became an inspiration to millions around the world first when he completed his ‘Personal Everest’ challenge by sailing 1,445 miles, solo, around Great Britain in a 15-foot dinghy and again in 2009/10 when he captivated audiences around the globe with his arrival in Tortola at the helm of his 60ft catamaran ‘Impossible Dream’ having sailed unassisted across the Atlantic Ocean.

He has faced and overcome adversity, challenged limits and inspires others to adopt a positive attitude no matter what challenges they face. More recently, Geoff founded the Wetwheels Foundation which provides barrier-free power boating experiences for disabled people around the UK including the south-west with Wetwheels south-west launched in Falmouth in the summer of 2020 and Wetwheels Torbay due to launch in Torquay in the Spring of 2024. Wetwheels provides high-value offshore boating experiences for more than 10,000 people a year, enriching coastal communities across eight locations in the UK.

With his life experience and commercial background in marketing working for Deloitte, Geoff has proven to be an asset to any event, delivering a thought provoking and extremely moving presentation.

Simon Numphud FIH

Managing Director at AA Media Ltd

Simon has spent his entire career in the hospitality industry, from managing hotels and restaurants through to the last twenty-five years with AA Media. As Managing Director, he is responsible for both AA Hotel and Hospitality services and VisitEngland Assessment services. This includes the various AA and VisitEngland classification and award schemes which in total numbers over 8,000 hospitality businesses.

Wider industry involvement includes Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality, Fellow of HOSPA, member of the South West Board of Hospitality Action and Ambassador, Room to Reward Ambassador and regular judge for various national hospitality awards. Simon is passionate about mentoring, having been a mentor for Oxford Brookes University hospitality management students, having studied hospitality there himself during his formative years.

Own your narrative!

Kalkidan Legesse MBA

Social Entrepreneur and Founder of Sancho's & OWNI

Kalkidan Legesse, renowned marketing expert Drapers 30 under 30, Vogue Magazine 100 Innovator, Business Insider 42 under 42, and advocate for diversity and inclusion is a social entrepreneur who works to deliver scaling businesses that are environmentally sound and socially inclusive.

In a world facing climate change, failures of leaderships, and systematic inequity, Kalkidan is passionate about and advocates for intersectional environmentalism, anti-racism and effective social leadership.

Through her dynamic storytelling and thought-provoking examples, Kalkidan will empower you to challenge the status quo and think beyond stereotypes.

Kalkidan Legesse is an Associate with Devon Diversity Consultants specialising in business and inclusion.

Promoting Inclusive and Sustainable Tourism: A Blueprint for Devon's Global Majority Tourism

Kalkidan will delve into three crucial aspects:

1. Practicing Anti-Racism in Business Design and Marketing: she will discuss strategies to eliminate bias and promote diversity in marketing and business practices. This includes embracing cultural sensitivity, representation, and authenticity to attract a diverse range of tourists.

2. Global Majority Tourism for Devon: exploring how Devon can become a welcoming destination for travellers from the global majority, focusing on creating culturally inclusive experiences and supporting local businesses to thrive.

3. Creating Safe Environments for Employees of Colour: Kalkidan will address the importance of safety and inclusion for people of colour in the tourism sector, offering practical advice on fostering an environment where everyone feels welcome and valued.

Chris Woodfield

Better Business and Futures Lead at Tyf Adventure

Chris Woodfield is the Better Business and Futures Lead at TYF Adventure, a leading outdoor and adventure education provider and sustainability advisory business within the tourism industry.

Chris is passionate about the importance of nature connection in facilitating transformational change for people and planet. He is the Co-Founder of Aber Food Surplus, a food systems change not-for-profit in Aberystwyth, West Wales and he’s recently finished facilitating a Future Leaders programme on the Low Carbon Devon project at the Sustainable Earth Institute at the University of Plymouth.

He’s excited about systems thinking, collaboration, regenerative leadership, and bold imagining to co-create the response needed to rise to the climate and nature challenge, is the B Corp Co-Chair for Wales and a Climate Fresk and Carbon Literacy facilitator.

Exploration of the Three Horizons Framework

The Three Horizons Framework is a futures thinking and planning tool to enable forward-thinking imagination to co-deliver the future we would like to see.

(Horizon 1) is where we are today, business as usual, the dominant system at play, the need for the current system to change.

(Horizon 3) is the vision of the future, where we would like to be - in this case a regenerative tourism grounded in sustainability, authenticity and inclusivity…

(Horizon 2) is the transition, ideas and innovations of how we get from where we are now to where we would like to be. H2+ are transformative innovations. H2- are sticking plasters.

Chris will lead us through a series of interactive and participatory workshops exploring the Three Horizons and an opportunity to take away some practical actions for your business.

Dr Natalie Semley

Senior 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.

Re-imagining Education: Where are you on your journey?

As we develop our sustainability mindset, we look for inspiration and direction from leaders. As a business leader, we transform our learning into our organisation, and we do this to develop our team and to motivate them to work well for the good of the business (and the planet).

However, to enable this transformation to happen we need to pay attention to ourselves in the first instance. We need to become aware of our needs for personal growth, development, and accomplishment. Together we can then reimagine education, consider our scope for personal development, and share our success stories – to lead our businesses towards the future.

Katri Hastings

Sustainability Consultant at Bioregional

Katri is a sustainability consultant at Bioregional who specialises on carbon and net zero. Bioregional is a value driven not for profit sustainability consultancy with two specialisms, Sustainable Business and Sustainable Places.

The business team supports organisations with net-zero carbon, as well as plan and implement an innovative sustainability strategy that covers all aspects of ESG. The Places team work with companies in the built environment and local government to create homes and communities that make it easy to live a sustainable lifestyle.

Katri’s work includes conducting corporate carbon footprints, modelling carbon reduction scenarios, generating carbon reduction action plans and sustainability strategies. Her experience is focused on retailers, the food and drink industry and real estate.

Tourism, Sustainability and Net Zero: Why we should all be thinking about it and how to get started

Katri will be talking about how Net Zero and wider sustainability impacts the tourism sector. Discussing both the risks and opportunities of our need to meet sustainability goals such as Net Zero by 2050. She will cut through some of the jargon to offer practical advice on how to get your company going on embedding sustainability into your business strategy. From the necessary, but often hard to start, monitoring and reporting to target setting and action planning.

Caroline Benjamin MSOFHT

Director at Food Allergy Aware

Caroline founded Food Allergy Aware Ltd in 2013 to enable the food service business to understand and embrace the Food Hypersensitive (FHS) customer. We develop solutions to give businesses the tools, knowledge and expertise to not only manage allergen processes and the labelling regulations, but to take it to the next level and offer a positive customer journey for the FHS diner. In 2019 Caroline won the SOFHT ‘Company of the Year Award’

Caroline and colleague Sally Trice worked together to develop the resources for the RSPH level 2 Food Allergen Management Training, and has developed bespoke inhouse workshops for her clients appropriate to their operation.

Caroline has written various articles for many industry publications including Garden Centre Forum, and The Caterer, she has also spoken at various events on the topics of Food Allergen Awareness within the food service industry.

Caroline is currently working with Jacqui McPeake on the Near Miss Reporting Campaign, they formed Hospitality Allergen Support UK, to highlight the importance of managing hazards and risks specifically related to allergen management, and how Near Miss reporting and root cause analysis can ensure a safety for the FHS customer, and prevent a fatality from occurring check out via HASUK.co.uk

Keeping your Food Hypersensitive customer safe

Caroline will explore how hospitality can provide a safe customer journey for the Food Hypersensitive Customer (FHS) through understanding how to communicate, including the full customer journey from booking to feedback, discussion on disclaimers and reviewing case studies when it has gone wrong – also a witness impact statement recording to understand when a customer has a reaction it not just when it happens it can live with them for a long time and cause anxiety.

Neil Warren

Countryside Mobility Project Manager at Living Options

From work with regional tourist boards promoting sustainability to his current role with disability charity, Living Options, Neil’s career has been spent exploring how tourism can be a benefit rather than a burden. He’s even worked in Central Asia developing community based tourism.

His current role at Living Options focusses on the award-winning Countryside Mobility service which, each year, partners with outdoor attractions enabling thousands of locals and visitors to access beauty spots with friends and family.

He also supports the wider work of Living Options to support the visitor sector to achieve their desire to become more accessible, focusing on training, auditing, advice and the development of alternative format resources. Alongside his work with Living Options, Neil delivers videography, training and consultancy for the tourism sector as a freelancer.

Photo Credit: tomgphoto

Ramping Up Your Accessibility

There’s more to accessibility than wheelchairs and ramps. And whatever you do don’t pull the alarm cord – who knows what will happen!

Understanding the breadth of accessibility provides both challenges and opportunities for tourism businesses.

Exploring what this means in practice should start with people rather than kit. Drawing on the latest market research, business best practice and lived experiences, we’ll see how staff confidence and customer communication is key to providing the welcome that you’d hope for.

Becky Craven

Photographer

Becky Craven is a professional photographer and marketing strategist who empowers entrepreneurs and businesses to build their brands, grow followers on social media and discover their path to profitability.

With a Master's degree in photography and a strong track record of creative and strategic delivery, Becky has more than two decades of experience helping businesses create compelling image-driven stories to market their work.

Her portfolio includes collaborations with global brands such as Nestle, BBC, Virgin, and Timberland, as well as boutique national brands like Unique Homestays, Chilly Bottles, Conker Gin, and Dorset Tea. With a focus on luxury rental properties and ethical food and drink producers, Becky has established herself as a trusted partner for hospitality, tourism, and interior design businesses. Her work often showcases the stunning South West as a must-visit destination.

As an accomplished speaker and educator, Becky has spoken at universities, public gatherings and corporate settings and her talks focus on the intersection of photography and marketing. She specialises in demystifying complex technical issues and making professional-grade photographs and videos accessible to everyone, often with just your smartphone.

Born and raised in Devon, Becky has also spent time supporting businesses in Sydney, Australia, and loves getting out on her surfboard whenever she gets the chance!

Why use a thousand words when a single picture will sell it?

Today’s traveller is taking more photos and videos than ever before, which they broadcast on their personal channels to millions of people all over the world. The visual narrative that you create on your website and social platforms is part of your marketing message, but how often are you focusing the value of consistency and using all photos and videos as a way to promote a more ethical and sustainable tourism business?

Becky’s talk will focus on the intersection of photography and marketing in tourism. She specialises in demystifying complex technical issues and making professional-grade photographs and videos accessible to everyone, often with just your smartphone.

Steve Cooper

Business Development Specialist at Acronyms

Steve Cooper is a Business Development Specialist at IT support company Acronyms, where he specialises in the hospitality, leisure, and tourism sectors.

Originally from Kidderminster but with a history in hospitality, Steve packed the car with his beloved guitars (and his wife and son) and moved the family to Cornwall.

Steve now helps businesses leverage technology so they can emerge successfully from the recent difficulties experienced by those in tourism. He works alongside his clients to understand their challenges and provide them with cost-effective solutions that help them towards their long-term goals.

Working with clients across the sector, he’s seen first-hand the industry’s difficulties but also the opportunities waiting to be explored. He’s finding that cloud technology is allowing tourism businesses to push forward quickly, whilst being financially responsible and providing a positive customer experience.

Sustaining the Future of Tourism with Cloud Technology

The tourism industry is still shaking from an unprecedented couple of years. Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic and now the cost-of-living crisis have all fundamentally shifted the tourism industry in the UK. The impact of all, often combined, is still causing the industry a unique set of challenges.

In his talk, ‘Sustaining the Future of Tourism with Cloud Technology’ Steve Cooper of IT support company Acronyms will look at how cloud technology can help the industry overcome these challenges across three core dimensions – people, finance and the environment.

Discover how cloud technology serves as a transformative force, enabling tourism businesses to achieve sustainability across these three dimensions. Using practical examples, Steve will illustrate how cloud solutions can enhance customer experiences, streamline operations, and optimise resources, all while reducing environmental footprint and being aware of the unique and difficult context surrounding the tourism sector at present.

Jamie Venter

Media and Production Manager at Soundview Media

Jamie’s keen eye for detail and attentiveness makes her perfect for organising Soundview's productions and media. As well as being an expert on Soundview Media's new server, she comes up with brilliant solutions to all production needs.

When it comes to Soundview’s sustainability journey, Jamie is the company’s guiding light. She monitors and records our carbon footprint, helping us towards our 2030 net zero target. She is also responsible for attaining the certification for our carbon neutral productions. As a person who has had to overcome barriers to access, Jamie is a champion of inclusion and diversity and is keen to implement practices to increase accessibility for all.

Inclusion Isn’t optional

We believe that by including everyone’s talents, it enriches all of our lives and makes what we do better. Our mission is to put people first, so the team at SoundView have researched and developed best practice for creating accessible content. In our talk we'll share our expertise to give you some simple and cost effective ways to make your online content more inclusive, attracting more customers.

Gareth Allen

Founder at Soundview Media

Gareth believes that a great story is best told responsibly. Through his illustrious career and a journalist, broadcaster and film-maker he's championed diversity and sustainability, and that commitment to putting people and planet first is ingrained in SoundView.

A passion for inclusion and innovation, means that SoundView has been an early adopter of immersive technologies, recognising their potential to reach and connect with diverse and underrepresented audiences.

He’s set a target for the business to reach net zero by 2030, working in partnership with SoundView’s clients to deliver Albert certified carbon neutral productions.

Inclusion Isn’t optional

Pete Stevens

Head of Marketing at Clockwork Marketing

As the head of marketing at Clockwork Marketing, Pete’s responsibilities span all Clockwork’s unique clients. This includes overseeing their successes and ensuring every client receives exceptional service, the best marketing tools and creative thinking across all departments and projects.

Pete’s experience covers a variety of marketing roles within various service industries, spanning more than 20 years in both client-sided and agency positions. This includes high-end banks, government agencies, local authorities up and down the country, and numerous 4 and 5 star boutique and resort hotels. He regularly shares his insight with the industry at high-profile events.

Marketing with Purpose

66% of millennials would rather buy from ethical and sustainable businesses. But why does this matter?

We’ll explore the intersection of business purpose and online marketing and the positive impact it can have on the tourism industry. Diving into behaviour trends, search data and real-life examples, we’ll highlight the importance of communicating why people should believe in your business, what you do, and how this can meet the demands of tomorrow’s travellers and lead to “tourism for good”.

Mark Durber

Marketing Manager at Clockwork Marketing

Mark is a leading hospitality digital marketing expert specialising in Search Engine Optimisation and paid channels. He has experience working across numerous hospitality businesses, helping them to achieve excellent rankings in Google. As marketing manager for Clockwork Marketing, he is responsible for positioning Clockwork as the leading digital marketing agency for hospitality in the UK.

In 2022 he also was a key figure in launching an exciting new service called GuestNet. GuestNet builds on Clockwork Marketing’s 30 years of hospitality marketing. It empowers hospitality businesses to learn how to do hospitality digital marketing with helpful training videos, marketing templates and regular community group calls.

A new tourism community starts here With change for a brighter tomorrow - tourism for good.