“Gracious Hospitality and Tourism towards 2030” is the theme of the conference organised by Dusit Thani College in Bangkok Thailand. Rapid expansion is putting pressure on infrastructure and destinations amid calls to boost spending and better manage tourism ‘flows’ to ensure long-term sustainability. Balancing the needs of the host population and the needs of visitors will be critical for the success of the future. Asian Hospitality and Tourism is often seen as offering superior experiences to visitors and guests. Within the Thailand and the Dusit Thani Hotels and College context, Gracious Hospitality and Tourism is emblematic of the experience co-creation. This conference will adopt an inclusive approach and focus on the opportunities and challenges of Gracious Hospitality and Tourism We would analyse a range of hospitality and tourism businesses and organisations and explore dynamic innovations to maintain competitive advantages. The conference will have a strong future focus towards 2030 and will explore how we should develop research and innovation to improve the co-creation value for all.
CONFERENCE THEME
Gracious Hospitality and Tourism towards 2030 is the theme of the conference organised by Dusit Thani College in Bangkok Thailand. WTTC estimates that travel and tourism stimulated the economy by generating more than US$7.6 trillion globally and supporting more than 292 million jobs, or one in 10 jobs worldwide. The sector has grown faster than the global economy consistently over the last six years. The world tourism and hospitality gravitates in Asia as the industry is booming, buoyed by changing lifestyles, rising incomes, low-cost air transport, as well as China’s and India’s growing outbound market. In 2016 Asia and the Pacific led growth of +8% across regions in both relative and absolute terms, recording 24 million more international tourist arrivals in 2016 to total 303 million. Growth was strong in all four subregions, with Oceania receiving 10% more arrivals, South Asia 9% more and North-East Asia and South-East Asia both
8% more (UNWTO). International tourist arrivals is set to increase by 43 million a year on average to reach 1.8 billion by 2030.
Thailand alone is expected to see visitor numbers rising from 32 million at present to 50 million by 2021. This offers immense opportunities for economic growth, employment and regional development especially in poor regions. However the rapid expansion is putting pressure on infrastructure and destinations amid calls to boost spending and better manage tourism ‘flows’ to ensure long-term sustainability. Balancing the needs of the host population and the needs of visitors will be critical for the success of the future. The tourism industry ecosystem emerges and requires management and marketing innovations as well as sustainable planning and development to ensure the long term prosperity of the destination. More importantly there is a huge need to develop the human capital and educate the work force of the future to cocreate tourism experiences as well as to manage international talent towards global solutions.
Asian Hospitality and Tourism is often seen as offering superior experiences to visitors and guests. Within the Thailand and the Dusit Thani Hotels and College context, Gracious Hospitality and Tourism is emblematic of the experience cocreation. Hospitality infused with authentic Thai values ensures the relentless focus on guest experience as part of Thai heritage. Kindness, compassion, and care are all in the DNA, and inspire the same distinctive service at each Dusit branded property worldwide. Thai hospitality is epitomised by graciousness, offering courteous, kind, and pleasant, courteous, polite, civil, chivalrous, well mannered, mannerly, decorous, tactful, diplomatic; kind, benevolent, considerate, thoughtful, obliging, accommodating, indulgent, magnanimous, friendly, amiable, cordial, hospitable experiences. This is often in contrast to different styles of hospitality and tourism found around the world.
Dusit Thani College, Bangkok, Thailand, 29 Nov - 1 Dec 2017