The silk road debate at wtm

20 Years of Silk Road Tourism: What has been achieved and what’s in store for the future? Plus Speed Networking event.

Acclaimed as the ‘greatest route in the history of mankind’, the ancient Silk Road formed the first bridge between the East and the West, and was an important vehicle for trade between ancient empires of China, Central and Western Asia, the Indian sub-continent and Rome.

2014 marks the 20th Anniversary of the Samarkand Declaration on Silk Road Tourism, a historic declaration that called for the ‘fruitful re-birth of these legendary routes as one of the world’s richest cultural tourism destinations’.

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) will commemorate this important milestone by inviting industry leaders to discuss the achievements and challenges for developing tourism along this internationally acclaimed route. The seminar will look at the relevance of today’s Silk Road, why it is attracting increasing global attention and what is in store for the future.

Speakers include:

• Ms. Alla Peressolova, Head of UNWTO Silk Road Programme
• Mr. Mark Frary, Co-Founder, Travel Perspective
• Mr Tim Williams, Institute of Archaeology, University College London and Director, Ancient Merv Project
• Ms. Helena Egan, Director, Industry Relations, TripAdvisor
• Mr. Adrian Phillips, Managing Director, Bradt Travel Guides
• Ms. Mariana Badias, Head of Strategic Partnerships, Minube

Read the Social Media Report on the Silk Road launched by Travel Perspective for WTM 

Plus, on Monday and Thursday there will be a Silk Road Speed Networking event. –  a not to be missed event that brings together over 1,000 exhibitors and 300 senior buyers interested in networking and doing business on a global scale.

The format allows for 5 minute mini-meetings to discover whether buyers, who are coloured matched to the regions they wish to buy from, and exhibitors have similar business interests that they would like to pursue during the rest of WTM.

Monday, 3 November 2014 – WTM Global Stage, 09:00-10:00

Thursday, 6 November 2014 – WTM Global Stage, 09:00-10:00

Opportunities for Silk Road Exhibitors attending WTM Speed Networking!

By sending UNWTO your company’s contact details and a brief summary (in bullet points) of your latest products and offers, we will make sure that this information reaches interested WTM buyers in advance. Similarly, UNWTO will inform attending Silk Road exhibitors beforehand of the buyers interested in purchasing from the Silk Road. By acting as useful intermediaries UNWTO aims to support beneficial partnerships for the Silk Road and raise the region’s overall name as a dynamic centre for business and investment.

If interested, please send the following information to [email protected] by no later than 30 October 2014:

• Company name and logo
• Main contact details
• Tourism field that your company is specialized in: adventure, eco-tourism, cross-border tourism, etc.
• Main products and offers (brief bullet points)

WTM Speed Networking session you will be attending: Monday 3 November or Thursday 6 November

Valere Tjolle

Great sustainable offers this week: 93% off reports and guides here  Keys to sustainably successful destinations revealed here  Going to WTM, want to attract high value green tourists? here