15 December
Local Date: Dec 14 2024 |
Local Time: 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Glenn Mandziuk is the Chief Executive Officer of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance – the leading global network in responsible hospitality. He is an internationally recognised CEO with over 25 years of leadership experience in advancing sustainable practices in tourism, hospitality and economic development, and establishing strategies and programmes that inspire responsible growth. Prior to becoming CEO of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, Glenn was President and Chief Executive Officer of Canada’s Thompson Okanagan Tourism Region (TOTA) with its 4,000 industry stakeholders. Glenn’s leadership resulted in the organisation being recognised as a global champion of excellence and innovation in sustainable destination management and responsible industry development practices. The team received recognition from the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), World Travel Awards, and Responsible Tourism Institute’s Biosphere Gold Certification – a first in the Americas. In addition, the UNWTO awarded TOTA Quest Certification for excellence in leadership, execution and governance capacities – only the third such recognition for a destination management organisation bestowed in the world. Glenn has 10 years’ experience in the hospitality industry in family-owned and operated hotels and resorts and holds a Master of Environmental Design degree majoring in sustainable tourism planning. He is also a director on the Board of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and the Responsible Tourism Institute. |
Rooms Division Manager Since received a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Italian Studies from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, jumped into hospitality industry and started a career as bell attend in Hilton Tokyo bay. Gained experiences successfully at luxury and large hotels and resorts of the Hilton group, Conrad and its flagship, Hilton at 8 locations (Tokyo Bay, Sydney, Melbourne, Bali, Singapore, Bangkok, Tokyo and Odawara). Also, had unique background in various rolls through multiple departments such as Rooms and F&B operations as well as Commercial (revenue and reservation) and has finished the group’s “fast track GM program.” After spent 17 years career in Hilton group, took new challenge of InterContinental Hotels Group at ANA Intercontinental Beppu Resort & Spa as Rooms Division Manager to lead the highly motivated team to maximize individual capability as well as established diversity and inclusion with demonstrated experience across the world. |
RIKIO KUBO CEO of Matsuhide Inc. Rikio Kubo was born in Usa City, Oita Prefecture in 1957. From 1981 he ran a jazz cafe in Oita City. In 1988, he entered the ryokan business by renting the building Oita Bereaved Family Hall ''Seikai'' from the Oita Prefectural Federation of Bereaved Family Associations and restructured its management. The facility was purchased in 1993 and reopened in 1994 as''Shiosai no Yado Seikai.'' In 2016, he bought land that had been used as a recreation facility by Kyushu Electric Power Co., in Beppu and opened GAHAMA terrace as a seaside villa resort while keeping the original building. In 2019, the sky building SEIKAI that has a suite with a swimming pool and the 10-story tower building GAHAMA were constructed, and the total facility rebranded as the "AMANE RESORT."He will continue to expand and renovate the resort complex and improve its services by developing it as a high-level hot spring ryokan resort in Beppu. |
Dr. Kazem Vafadari is Director of International Center for Asia Pacific Tourism (iCAPt); and Academic Director of the Kunisaki City Research Center for world agriculture heritage in Oita, Japan. He is a Professor and Vice Dean for International Affairs, College of Sustainability and Tourism at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU). He worked with United Nations University and Kanazawa University in Japan before joining APU in 2011. He is an expert on sustainable tourism, natural resource management and tourism applications of agriculture heritage landscapes. His research background also includes community building, rural revitalization and destination branding. |
Glenn Mandziuk Panelist | |
Haruna Yoshimi panelist | |
Rikio Kubo Panelist | |
Kazem Vafadari Moderator | |