As the world wrestles with the challenges and opportunities within culture and heritage tourism, a groundbreaking leadership summit emerges to break new ground. The World Tourism Association for Culture and Heritage (WTACH) is spearheading this annual initiative, with the inaugural meeting scheduled for 24-25 September in the historic city of Valencia, Spain.

The summit assembles an impressive roster of speakers from diverse backgrounds, including national government entities, heritage organizations, academia, and private sector representatives. Delegates from around the globe will converge for a day and a half in the city recently designated Europe’s Green Capital for 2024.

An ambitious agenda awaits the summit’s attendees, focusing on forming viable businesses and enhancing livelihoods for people in heritage communities tied to tourism. The delegates will explore various facets of cultural and heritage tourism, including investment opportunities in heritage destinations, the delicate balance between tourism growth and heritage conservation, and global trends influencing the sector.

A selection of speakers will exchange ideas at the inaugural summit on culture and heritage in tourism, which will take place in Valencia, Spain 24-25 September.

This groundbreaking initiative is hosted by the WTACH in collaboration with Visit Valencia, further solidifying Valencia’s commitment to sustainable and responsible tourism. Nigel Fell, CEO of WTACH, stated, “We believe that focused efforts can improve the lives and wellbeing of local communities and custodians through better implementation of best practices.”

The summit’s international guest speaker lineup is nothing short of impressive. Among the speakers confirmed so far are:

• Rajan Data – BBC, London as Key Moderator
• Dawn Drew – Summit MC, Global Tourism Destination Specialist – New York
• Anne Grady – Senior Advisor to the European Parliament – Brussels
• Imad Barrakad, Chairman SMIT (Morocco Agency for Tourism Development) – Rabat, Morocco
• Bruce Poon Tip – Founder G Adventures, Toronto
• Karl Burrows – Head of Maori Tourism Development – Tourism New Zealand – Auckland
• Debbie Flynn – Managing Partner and Global Practice Leader – Finn Partners – London
• Emma Nardi – President, International Council of Museums (ICOM) – Rome
• Judy Kepher-Gona, Founder, Sustainable Travel & Tourism Agenda – Nairobi
• Scott Wayne – President – SWA Development – Sustainable Destinations – Washington DC
• Nada Hosking – National Geographic Explorer & Social Impact Leader – Austin, Texas
• Miguel Angel Perez – Brands & Markets Director, Visit Valencia, Valencia

WTACH Chairman, Chris Flynn, said the Global Leadership Summit aims to attract various stakeholders, including government representatives, tourism boards, private sector decision-makers, community representatives, NGOs, and the media. “With the summit theme ‘Celebrating our Past – Securing our Future,’ our program encourages attendees to contribute to new directions, priorities and attitudes towards culture and heritage in tourism,” Flynn said.

The summit, which concludes on 25 September, offers an additional training session on the 26th for culture and heritage tourism practitioners, with limited availability for only 25 participants. For those interested in registering for the event, an early bird offer is available until 7 July via the official website wtachgls.com.

The summit promises a rich platform for crucial discussions and actions in cultural and heritage tourism, with the backdrop of beautiful Valencia ready to inspire all attendees. It’s an innovative step towards a more sustainable, responsible, and inclusive global tourism industry.

Written by: Bridget Gomez

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