05 December
Local Date: Dec 05 2023 |
Local Time: 7:30 am - 9:30 am
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Mr. Xu Jing is a former regional director of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and an independent tourism specialist on Asia based in Madrid. At present, he is Vice Chairman of the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre (Macau), a member of the Mekong Tourism Advisory Group and sits on the expert committee of the International Mountain Tourism Alliance. Xu Jing began his career in tourism at the China National Tourism Administration where he was in charge of international relations. He joined the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in 1992. Over the years, his areas of responsibilities included the preparation and the organisation of most UNWTO’s technical and institutional activities in Asia and the Pacific. He served as Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific of UNWTO from Dec 2003 to Jan 2020. In addition to his regional responsibilities, he had worked as UNWTO’s Executive Secretary of the General Assembly and the Executive Council from Jan 2014 to Dec 2017. Xu Jing holds a Master Degree in Tourism Management from the University of Surrey, United Kingdom and majored in English language and literature in the Beijing International Studies University of China |
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Prior to retirement, Dr. Ong Hong Peng served as Secretary General, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Malaysia for eight years. He also served as Chairman of UNWTO Regional Commission for East Asia and the Pacific (2011-2013) and Head of National Tourism Organisation (NTO), Malaysia (2008 -2016). As Head of NTO, Dr. Ong contributed towards the formulation of the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan 2011-2015, ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan 2016 – 2025 and ASEAN Socio-cultural Community Blueprint 2025.Currently, Dr. Ong is a freelance consultant and was involved in a number of projects such as International Rural Tourism Development Study, Tourism Planning and Development Study of Ziyuan County, National Tourism Policy Study of Malaysia Pangkor Island Strategic Plan. He holds a Masters in Economics from Hiroshima University, Japan and Ph.D. in Economics from Michigan State University, USA. |
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Mr. Madan Prasad Bezbaruah, retired as the Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. After retirement he served as Banking Ombudsman for the Reserve Bank of India and also as Member, North Eastern Council (in the rank of Minister of State). The World Tourism Organization appointed him as Honorary Permanent Representative “in recognition of the valuable contribution made to the development of tourism”. He served for several years as member of the Strategic Group of UN-WTO and was Chairman of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). He has authored the report on Indian Outbound Tourism for UN-WTO, and SASEC Regional Tourism for ADB. He was National Consultant of ADB’s SASEC Tourism Development Project, phase I and II, and UN-WTO’s project on Development of Coastal Tourism in the states of West Bengal and Orissa. Mr. Bezbaruah has written three books- ‘Indian Tourism: Beyond the Millennium”, “The Guest is God-Reflections on Tourism” and “Frontiers of New Tourism” and is the Chief Editor of five-volume encyclopedia- “Fairs and Festivals of India.” He secured a first-class master’s degree in economics from the Delhi School of Economics and the Master of Public Administration degree from Harvard University, USA. |
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Mr. Li Hong is a former Director General of the Hangzhou Municipal Tourism Commission, Zhejiang Province of China, who retired at the end of 2018. During his position as head of tourism under the Municipal Government of Hangzhou from 2004 to 2018, he endeavored, together with his team, to make the city of Hangzhou one of the best tourism destinations for both domestic and international tourists. This was evidenced by the fact that Hangzhou was awarded as the Best Tourism City of China 2006 jointly by UNWTO and China National Tourism Administration (CNTA). At present, Li Hong serves as a specialist on the Specialists Board of China Tourism Group (CTG), an expert member of the Think Tank of Cultural & Tourism of Zhejiang Province and an adviser to the Government of Hangzhou Municipality. In addition, as guest professor, he regularly lectures in various training programs conducted in universities and colleges for tourism professionals from governmental departments as well as from industries. |
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eaking market (mainly USA, CANADA, New Zealand and Australia) and B2C online travel Web site. He dedicated himself to establish JTB Japan Inbound B2C Web site “JAPANiCAN.com” as one of the founder. He was also working at United Nations World Tourism Organizations as the senior officer at Regional Programme for Asia and the Pacific to assist the member states and the UNWTO affiliate members in Asia and the Pacific region from 2014 to 2017. Now, he has been assigned as Chief Research Office since April 2017 in Tokyo. |
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Gary Bowerman is Director of Check-in Asia, a travel intelligence and strategic marketing firm with bases in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Kuala Lumpur. He co-hosts The South East Asia Travel Show, founded Asia Pacific Travel & Tourism Report and is author of The New Chinese Traveler: Business Opportunities from the Chinese Travel Revolution, published in 2014. A member of the Mekong Tourism Advisory Group, Gary has worked with leading hotel groups, tourism boards, OTAs and travel organisations, and produced White Papers on the travel economies of South East Asia, Australia, China, India, Japan, Myanmar, Malaysia, Laos and Macau. A regular media commentator on Asian travel economics and consumer trends, Gary has spoken at various travel industry conferences and webinars, including events in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Shanghai, London and Madrid. |
![]() | Xu Jing Moderator |
![]() | Ong Hong Panelist |
![]() | Madan Prasad Bezbaruah Panelist |
![]() | Li Hong Panelist |
![]() | Junichi (Jack) Kumada Panelist |
![]() | Gary Bowerman Panelist |