From October 25th to October 27th, 2023, ITB Asia took place at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. This event, which takes place every year and serves as a B2B trade show and convention for the travel industry, was organized by Messe Berlin (Singapore) and supported by the Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau.
Sharing valuable insights into the importance of standard, GSTC General Manager Roi Ariel gave a talk about “Standards and Criteria for Sustainability in Travel and Tourism” on the main stage. As GSTC acts as an international body providing assurance for sustainable tourism certification, Mr. Ariel explained the importance of certification in providing assurance, with case studies of mandatory regulations and market benefits.
In addition, a session about “Sustainable Business Travel based on GSTC’s Framework” allowed participants to learn from AMEX GBT’s initiatives that highlight sustainable hotels meeting the GSTC Criteria, understand better the GSTC framework for the business travel sector and how AMEX GBT’s commitment to preferring certified sustainable hotels drives change globally. This session was a conversation between Roi Ariel, GSTC General Manager and Vibhav Singh, Principal Consultant, Commercial Lead, Global Business Consulting, from AMEX GBT.
Roi Ariel, GSTC General Manager also moderated the main Sustainability Panel “Navigating the Path towards a Sustainable Future” with the following speakers: Choe Peng Sum – CEO, Pan Pacific Hotels Group; Olivier Berrivin – Vice President APAC, BWH Hotels; Angeline Tan – Senior Vice President, Momentus Hospitality; Reto Kaufmann – CMO, Kuoni Tumlare; and Philipp Bonkatz – General Manager Singapore, Malaysia & Brunei, Lufthansa Group.
ITB Asia brought together industry professionals from around the world that exchanged ideas and insights. Overall it was a collaborative and enriching experience, fostering valuable connections and opening doors for future cooperation. The event showcased the global travel industry’s resilience and adaptability, leaving participants with a sense of optimism for the road ahead.
Besides GSTC General Manager Roi Ariel and GSTC Market Access Manager Rita Kuan, other GSTC Members attended the event, including GSTC Board Member Natalie Kidd, Managing Director Asia at Intrepid Travel, HotelZero, Ascott, TravelPeople, Horus Development & Consulting, Singapore Tourism Board, Sentosa Development Corporation, Resorts World Sentosa, Mandai Wildlife Group, Visit Finland, and more.
