ITSC 2019 Post-Event

ITSC 2019 Post-Event 

The inaugural Investing in Tourism Sustainability Conference (ITSC) www.investingintourism.com – held from 30 May to 1 June at Bulgaria’s leading Sunny Beach Helena Resort focusing on new investment opportunities in the Country and neighbouring Southeast Europe destinations was jointly organized by the Ministry of Tourism of Bulgaria and London-based ITIC and Invest Tourism.

The Conference hosted by the Minister of Tourism H.E. Nikolina Angelikova under the Advisory Board Co-chairmanship of Dr Taleb Rifai, Former Secretary-General of the UNWTO and members of the conference organizing committee comprising of Mr. Gerald Lawless (Board Member of Dubai Expo2020,Temes Group, Greece and former President and CEO Jumeirah Group), Mr. Ibrahim Ayoub, Group CEO of Daiichi Display Ltd, ITIC Ltd & Invest Tourism Ltd, Skal President London Paul Hoskins and Mr. Phillip Cash, Director of Daiichi Display Ltd was hailed a great success bringing together thought-leaders, keynote speakers and 270 delegates from Bulgaria and Southeast Europe’s tourism and hospitality sectors, international investment institutions, hotels, airlines, project owners and environmental sustainability advisors.

Moderated by BBC broadcaster and journalist Rajan Datar, the ITSC included presentations and panel discussions with the tourism ministers from Albania, Algeria, Egypt, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Secretary General of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, alongside tourism, aviation, cruise and hospitality experts from the United Kingdom, Europe, China, Canada and the USA.

In addition to key investment opportunities the Conference featured project case studies and insights into global tourism trends, environmental impacts, human resources, education, training and manpower development. Preparing Bulgaria and the Southeast European region for the next phase of visitor expansion.

In her welcoming remarks Bulgaria Minister of Tourism H.E. Nikolina Angelkova stated that “Tourism to the Southeast Europe has grown rapidly in the last five years with over 120 million tourists in 2018 with total tourism receipts of USD 118.8 billion, accounting for around 11.7% of total GDP for the Southeast European countries.

Bulgaria alone attracted over 9.2 million tourists with 2018 total tourism receipts at US$7.6. Moreover, the enormous development potential remaining untapped within Southeast Europe presents great opportunities for new investment with travel and tourism, acting as the prime engine of future economic growth. Also, as a model of development that can promote self-employment among local communities throughout Bulgaria and the Southeast European destinations.

Other presentations featured HRH Princess Dana Firas, President of the Board of Directors of Jordan’s Petra National Trust and a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, Dr. Taleb Rifai, Former Secretary-General of UNWTO, Ms. Susanna Saari former Skal International World President, Mr. Christopher Rodrigues, Chairman of the Port of London Authority, Mr. James Hogan of Knighthood Capital, Mr. Gerald Lawless WTTC Ambassador and former President/CEO of Dubai’s Jumeirah Group.

Skal Sofia, Bulgaria members were present during Conference plenary, breakout and business-to-business sessions at which delegates learnt many new insights into the value of branding and focused marketing promoted through a good balance of traditional media editorial coverage, social media exposure and advertising.

Delegates and tourism officials alike were encouraged by breakout session speakers to look to the long term with clearly defined goals where a destinations identity, image and perception are involved. While taking into account cultural and heritage considerations and the impacts on people – both national residents and visiting tourists.

Communications, transport connections and the easing of entry regulations in the Region were discussed with officials urged to look to the wider opportunities where travellers, particularly from source markets such as China and North America, are more likely to book multi-destination Southeast Europe trips where, for example, visitor arrivals into one country will then go on to travel through two, three and more countries in the region before departing for home.

Greater regional and marketing co-ordination and cooperation amongst Southeast European countries was one of the major take-aways brought to light by each of the breakout sessions. It also included a well-attended session on the need for human resource education and training programmes headed up by Sk. Susanna Saari.in her capacity of Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Engineering and Business, Turku University of Applied Sciences (TUAS) – Finland.

B2B – Business-to-Business – speed networking on the last day of the Conference lead to numerous project development and investment opportunities being brought together with valuable connections being forged between delegates seeking investment partners and investors looking for new projects.

Throughout the Conference delegates were well entertained and which included a spectacular gala evening and dinner hosted by H.E Minister Angelikova, featuring special cultural performances from Bulgaria’s national dancers, musicians and singers.

The second ITSC – Investing in Tourism Sustainability Conference – is scheduled for May 2020.

For more information please contact:

Mr. Ibrahim Ayoub   Mr. Paul Hoskins
Group CEO or Director
e: [email protected]   e: [email protected] / m. +44 (0)7974 187 571
118 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5EA    
t. +44 (0) 207 101 0688    
www.investingintourism.com    
www.itic.uk    

About the Organisers

International Tourism Investment Corporation Ltd a London-based company which owns ITIC, facilitates challenging dialogue between tourism industry leaders and stakeholders on the sustainable development of tourism and travel and collaborate with governments, investors and project owners to create joint ventures that invest in developing innovative tourism and travel facilities, infrastructure and services that benefit all stakeholders, especially the host countries and their peoples. Our team does extensive research work, and we provide valuable content, insights and market intelligence on tourism investment opportunities in regions we operate. Complementing our conferences and investment services, we produce high quality corporate documents and publications, and promotions for our clients that add value and enhance profile of their brands.

ITIC delivers annual Global tourism investment conferences in collaboration with government tourism ministries and agencies that provide a forum for delegates to interact with tourism and travel, and financial services industry leaders and policy makers to discuss topical issues, challenges and future trends in the sustainable development of tourism and travel. It also provides a platform for project owners/developer to engage with potential investors.

The company has successfully produced the launch of the International Tourism & Investment Conference (ITIC) on the 02 November 2018 in London www.itic.uk/videos and also successfully organised the Investing in Tourism Sustainability Conference (ITSC) in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria on the 31 May 2019 in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria www.investingintourism.com.

Launch Event

The official Launching of the International Tourism & Investment Conference (ITIC) on 02 November, 2018 at the InterContinental Park Lane, London.

 

The International Tourism and Investment Conference 2019 was successfully launched on the 02 November 2018 at the InterContinental Park Lane, Mayfair, London in the presence of Her Excellency Mrs Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, President of Malta who graced the event and under the leadership of Dr Taleb Rifai, Chairman of ITIC Advisory Board and former Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). ITIC 2019 is an initiative of Daiichi Display Ltd, conceived and headed by its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ibrahim Ayoub.

The function has the participation of Tourism Ministers namely: Honourable Najib Balala, Minister of Tourism and Wildlife of Kenya, and Vice-Chairman of ITIC, Honourable Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism of Jamaica, and President of the Global Tourism Resilience Centre and Crisis Management, and Honourable Konrad Mizzi, Minister of Tourism of Malta. The event was widely attended by representatives of the diplomatic corps, other distinguished personalities, CEOs of the tourism industry, bankers and representative of a few financial services companies. There was also presence of journalists from the specialised and international media to cover the launch event.

H.E. The President of Malta, Mrs Marie-Louis Coleiro Preca, delivered a highly inspiring keynote address on that occasion and lauded the efforts of the organisers to build synergies among the various tourism players across the globe (https://president.gov.mt/press-centre-statement/keynote-speech-delivered-president-malta-marie-louise-coleiro-preca-international-tourism-investment-conference-itic-london-2-november-2018/). The Chairman of ITIC Advisory Board, Dr Taleb Rifai delivered the welcome speech for that occasion and he also centred his speech around the need for innovation in tourism through partnership and synergies. Mrs Isabel Hill, Director of Travel & Tourism Office, USA, also delivered a speech on the occasion. Mrs Daniela Wagner, Director of International Partnerships at Jacob Media Group, UK, was the MC of the ceremony. The official launching was immediately followed by a brief presentation of Tourism in Malta by the Minister of Tourism of Malta and high-level panel discussions moderated by Mrs Anita Mendiratta, Founder and CEO of Cachet Consulting and Lead Consultant of CNN International T.A.S.K group. The panellists for the round table discussions comprised eminent personalities, namely: H.E. Mrs Marie-Louise Coliero Preca, President of Malta, Hon. Najib Balala, Minister of Tourism and Wildlife, Kenya, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism, Jamaica, Mr Gerald Lawless, former Chairman of the World Travel and Tourism Council and former CEO of Jumeira Group, Dubai, Mr. Saleh Said, CEO of Penny Royal Ltd promoter of a tourism village in Zanzibar.

ITIC 2019 will take place in November 2019 in London and will see the participation of high calibre speakers from various parts of the world. It will be attended by about 500 delegates: tourism project owners and promoters having live and bankable projects, tourism experts, investors, funding agencies, private equity firms, technology experts and journalists will discuss major issues related to tourism and investment. A special emphasis will be laid of tourism investment in Africa and island destinations.

A Strategic Partnership between ITIC, the Mediterranean Tourism Foundation and the Global Tourism Centre for Resilience and Crisis Management which was agreed on 28 October 2018 in Malta under the Patronage of the President of Malta, was announced on that day. Mr. Ibrahim Ayoub also unfolded the logo of Investourism with its mandate to facilitate and connecting tourism projects in Africa and Island economies to investors and which will henceforth serve as investment facilitator.

ITIC is going to tackle key global tourism issues through its concept Think Tourism 360 and Investourism, its investment tourism platform. The conference will mainly focus on investment through tourism in  Africa and Island economies covering the Caribbean, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, Pacific Ocean and all other islands nations worldwide.

Mr Ibrahim Ayoub, principal organiser and CEO of Daiichi Display Ltd presented the closing speech and a vote of thanks. The ceremony ended in a very cordial atmosphere set around a lavish buffet dinner that regrouped all VIPs and guests altogether at the InterContinental Park Lane Hotel, London.

ITIC has the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and Skal International as Supporting Partners and Jacobs Media Group, Travel Weekly, ETN Eturbo news, Africa Business, Africa Banker, New African Woman and The New African as Media Partners.

The ITIC Advisory Board also met earlier on that day at the InterContinental Park Lane Hotel, London, under the chairmanship of Dr Taleb Rifai.

Registration of participants and sponsors for ITIC 2019 can be made online at www.itic.uk .

Please click to download pictures.

Please click to view video of the Launch Event.

For more information please e-mail the Organiser of ITIC Mr. Ibrahim AYOUB

London 15 November 2018

H.E. Nikolina Angelkova

H.E. Nikolina Angelkova
Minister of Tourism
of the Republic of Bulgaria

Nikolina Angelkova has graduated the Harvard Business School – Boston, the USA under the programme for management personnel “Leadership Development”. Angelkova has also obtained an MA in Law from the University of National and World Economy in Sofia, Bulgaria, graduating with a diploma with honours under the specialty “Business Management” at the Post-Graduate Institute of the University of National and World Economy.

Angelkova has specialized in financial management of the EU Structural Funds, European Law and Regional Policy and Structural Funds Institute of Public Administration in Maastricht, and the Regional Institute for Administrative Reform in Nantes, France.

From 2002 to 2006 Nikolina Angelkova was assigned for a chairperson of the Association for Legal Development and Legal Counsel to the Parliamentary Committee on Regional Policy and Public Works. From 2005 to 2007 she was a trainee in Directorate-General for the Environment of the European Commission and an adviser to the head of the Bulgarian delegation in the EPP Group in the European Parliament, where she worked in the field of regional development, transport and the environment.

Within the period 2005-2010, she was the owner of Nikolova and Partners Consult, and Director-General of Herchesa Bulgaria Ltd. (2007-2009) and Director of Helektor Bulgaria Ltd. (2009-2010).

In 2010-2011, Angelkova was a Head of Control, Communication and Coordination Unit to the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works. In 2011, she was a member of the Management Board of the Road Infrastructure Agency, and up to 2013 she was a Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works in charge of European affairs, relations with international institutions, European Territorial Cooperation and Strategic Planning of Regional Development; National contact person for the Danube Strategy.

Within the period 2013-2014, she was adviser of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria for European regional cooperation.

In March 2014, Angelkova was chosen as one of the 214 young global leaders of the Community of Young Global Leaders of 2014 (Young Global Leaders). The prestigious honours are awarded by the World Economic Forum and are recognition for f the excessive achievements in the management and leadership both on professional and social level.

Nikolina Angelkova is an Interim Minister of Transport, Information Technologies and Communications in the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria with a caretaker Prime Minister Prof. Georgi Bliznashki.

Minister of Tourism since November 7, 2014 till January 27, 2017.

Appointed as a Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria on May 4, 2017.