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Marcus Calvani, co-chief executive of the Jersey Hospitality Association previews the organisation’s Visitor Economy Summit, which takes places next week
ON 26 March at the Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel, our island’s economy will come under the spotlight, as the JHA hosts a series of panel discussions, network events and visiting keynote speakers, centred around questions on the future of Jersey’s economy and whether it is heading in the right direction.
Virtual reality, augmented reality, the virtual economy and tourism may seem like strange bedfellows. After all, isn’t hospitality all about experiencing things in “real” life? As a professional working in the visitor economy, my answer to that is 100% yes, or, at least, it used to be.
But if you flip it and accept that there is a growing market worldwide for destinations, attractions, accommodation and venues that can be explored without visiting them, then it makes perfect sense for Jersey to be involved. If it means more revenue and greater global visibility, then we should be all over it.
What’s the difference between VR tourism and simply visiting a website and looking at the photos and customer reviews? Quite simply, it is the immersive experience that’s made possible by technology.
Whether that’s through VR headsets or augmented reality glasses, people all over the world can experience our tourism and hospitality experiences in an exciting and visual way. Take this idea up a notch and bring in a virtual economy across multiple pillars of our economy, and we’re really starting to look at the future.
I’m someone who likes to look ahead at the new possibilities that could set our island apart and draw in interest, and hopefully visitors from beyond our usual markets, and next week this will be among the key topics examined in detail at the JHA Visitor Economy Summit.
Did you know that Singapore, Malta and Monaco and a number of other destinations around the world are already pouring millions into developing a virtual infrastructure that supports a virtual economy? I didn’t either but we are going to be finding out exactly what that is from the founder of a company that is at the cutting edge of the virtual tourism world.
We are excited to be welcoming Manila Di Giovanni, founder and chief executive of DWorld, who will be joined by Corinne Kiabski, a former director of communications for tourism in Monaco, to talk about an area that has enormous potential and which could be perfect for our island, with the endless possibilities provided by super-fast fibre broadband.
It is time to wake up and see what’s out there and how it can tie in with our unique tourism offering and precious way of life. Quite simply, if we don’t act now, we will be left behind, and it’s our responsibility both for now and for future generations to make sure that doesn’t happen.
We will also be delving into data-driven travel trends from Expedia, hotels.com, Vrbo and from the group behind the world’s leading booking platform. Set-jetting and culinary tourism are just two of the topics that Evelina Hederer from the Expedia Group Media Solutions will be discussing.
Tourism destinations succeed because there are coherent visions of what should be achieved and what they should look like. Tom Jenkins, chief executive of the European Tourism Association, will give us the benefit of his wealth of experience in what works and what is holding back tourism destinations, the unintended consequences of government policies, those destinations that have got it right and those that have got it wrong.
Get ready for an all-day event that dives deep into the challenges Jersey’s economy is facing as it gears up for sustainable growth. These are pressing issues that businesses meet daily, and the future prosperity and quality of life to which we all aspire must be meticulously planned.
The sub-sector chairs of the Jersey Hospitality Association will form a panel discussion that investigates the Visitor Economy Strategy, and asks whether it is working and what is being done. This will be followed by a panel of industry leaders from various pillars of the economy who will be discussing our Island’s Strategy for Sustainable Economic Development, the current state of our economy across all sectors and what we all need to be doing to overcome the challenges it’s currently facing. Will there be synergy between hospitality, agriculture, digital, retail, finance and construction as they discuss our economy and where we are heading? Come and have your say and join the conversation.
Join us for an informative, exciting and thought-provoking experience, bringing together Jersey’s top business minds and visionary leaders.
This is your chance to be part of the conversation that shapes our island’s future. A chance to discuss and challenge not only the visitor economy, but all sectors within Jersey’s economy through collaborative thinking – One Island, One Economy. Don’t miss out.
Scan the QR code below to get more information about the summit.
