TMI Hot Topic 2024

'A Greener Future' -

Developing Sustainable and Inclusive Destinations
Speakers

 


Andrea Nicholas CEO Green Business UK Ltd

Co-founder of the Green Tourism Certification Programme during the past 27 years Andrea has assisted in development of green networks and certification programmes throughout the UK and in Europe, New Zealand, Sweden, Canada and Africa.  The Green Tourism Programme started in 1997 and has expanded to cover all of the UK & Ireland with over 3000 members.  Andrea is a member of the Tourism & Hospitality Leadership Group for Scotland, a Carbon Commissioner for Edinburgh and Chair of the Scottish Excellence Awards.

Rachel McCaffery Sustainability Lead – VisitEngland

Sustainability Lead at VisitEngland, Rachel McCaffery, has 20 years experience working with tourism businesses, governments and international organisations on sustainable and regenerative tourism development and practical implementation.

An international expert on sustainable tourism, Rachel has played a key role in the creation of a number of industry tools in use worldwide, including the European Travel Commission’s Handbook on Sustainable Tourism Implementation for NTOs, the Travelife Certification for Accommodations and ABTA’s Global Guidance on Animal Welfare.

Ross Calladine Accessibility and Inclusion Lead for VisitEngland

Ross Calladine is the Accessibility and Inclusion Lead for VisitEngland, developing and leading initiatives that help tourism businesses and destinations tap into the high value, growing accessible and inclusive tourism market.

As an authority on accessible tourism, Ross was appointed Disability and Access Ambassador for Tourism by the UK Government in January 2022. Ross regularly speaks at industry events, including UNWTO Conferences on Accessible Tourism, World Travel Market, ITB Berlin and Destinations for All World Summits.

Richard Veal  Managing Director - Simpleview Europe

Richard has been at the forefront of developing digital marketing platforms and services to destinations for over 20 years, initially as New Mind and now as Managing Director of Simpleview Europe. 

Simpleview provides solutions for destinations of all sizes and budgets. Our clients range from national tourism organisations including Visit Scotland, Visit Norway and Visit Northern Ireland to destination marketing organisations including Visit Bristol and Bath, English Riviera, Visit Brighton, Visit Isle of Man, Visit Isles of Scilly and Visit Manchester to name a few. 

Catriona McLees -  Head of Marketing & Communications  North York Moors National Park Authority

Catriona spent many years as a marketing consultant before combining her passion for the environment and business, delivering an economic development project for the Peak District National Park Authority. It was here Catriona’s love for the tourism sector was ignited and she subsequently spent four years as Welcome to Yorkshire’s Sustainable Tourism Manager, responsible for encouraging businesses and visitors to take more action in the field of sustainable tourism, before moving to the North York Moors National Park in 2011. 

Catriona now heads up the National Park Authority’s work on marketing and regenerative tourism, overseeing their s106 funded tourism activity, which includes a partnership with VisitEngland, while encouraging visitors to care for and enjoy the National Park’s special qualities responsibly.

Becky Frall - Head of Tourism at West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC)

Becky Frall is the Head of Tourism at West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC). She has over 20 years’ experience in the visitor economy sector, starting her career in economic development consultancy. She is passionate about curating the visitor experience and linking the many agents involved with this across the region. Becky has recently led the WM destinations to create a second Destination Development Partnership – the West Midlands DDP - and working closely with the LVEPs, VisitEngland and DCMS plans to demonstrate the value of direct government funding for the visitor economy.

Through a comprehensive delivery programme with our partners, we aim to generate sustainable growth of inbound and overnight stays in the business and leisure tourism sectors, to increase dwell-time and value to the West Midlands. We will introduce regenerative tourism principles to partners and suppliers and will support their adoption, and these will be woven through our own policy, procurement and practice.

 Becky is also a director of The Tourism Management Institute, the association for tourism & destination professionals, and sits on the West Midlands Tourism and Hospitality Advisory Board.

Jo Dilley - Managing Director, Visit Peak District & Derbyshire

Jo joined Visit Peak District & Derbyshire in 2005 as an independent consultant specialising in securing external funding and writing strategy. Jo was made Managing Director in 2014, and since then has strengthened Visit Peak District & Derbyshire’s position within Derbyshire, building strong strategic partnerships and ensuring the sector is recognised as a key deliverer of economic growth, offering great jobs and careers for people living in the area. Her passion now is to help businesses flourish as we work towards a more sustainable tourism offer, maintaining the high value of the sector whilst limiting the impact it has on our special places.

 

Thomas Loughlin Sustainable Programme Manager - Booking.com 

Thomas Has Been Working in the Travel and Hospitality Industries for 19 Years. Following the Completion of a Masters in Tourism and Business from Dublin Institute of Technology, Thomas Moved to the USA to Work for One of the USA's First LEED  Accredited Hotels. At Booking.com, Thomas Focuses on Product Innovation/Development, Working to Help Both Partners and Customers on Their Sustainability Journeys

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Jo Williams  - Partnership Manager, Experience Sussex

 

Jo Williams is a highly experienced professional in the travel and tourism sector with over 30 years of experience. She has worked in various roles focusing on destination management, development, and marketing at national, regional, and local levels. Jo has a deep passion for sustainable tourism, putting this into direct practice during her time at the South Downs National Park as Sustainable Tourism Lead and with various Sustainable tourism consultancy services undertaken in Asia and Africa, including being the lead trainer for Travelife certification for Myanmar tour operators.   In a recent role, Jo successfully led Experience West Sussex Partnership for the past five years. Currently, she is engaged in setting up a new visitor economy development program for Sussex -  Experience Sussex which is co-funded by East and West Sussex County Council. Over the last twenty years, her work has been heavily influenced by her commitment to developing a more responsible tourism sector, shaped by a Responsible Tourism Management Masters  and more recently, her participation in a Power of Place Regenerative Approach course offered by Really Regenerative.

 


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Full Programme

Hot Topic 2024

 

For further information and any queries please contact  ghaynes@tourismse.com