Leading cultural figures will convene in Jerusalem for the International Tourism Conference Jerusalem 2011. The first of its kind, the conference will take place from March 29 – 31, 2011 at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem (ICC), with Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu presiding at the opening ceremonies.
International participants include: Chris Matthews, NBC & MSNBC Television News Anchor; Thomas Campbell, Director of the Metropolitan Museum, New York; Jesus Perezagua, President of Fox International Channels Europe; William (Bill) Roedy, Chief Executive, MTV Networks International; Gloria Guevara, Minister of Tourism of Mexico; Mr. Zoltan Somogyi, Executive Director, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO); Sean Kell, Senior VP & GM, Global Online & Customer Marketing – Expedia, Inc.
Israeli conference participants include: Stanley Fischer, Governor of the Bank of Israel; Stas Misezhnikov, Israel’s Minister of Tourism; James Snyder, former Deputy Director of the Museum of Modern Art in New York and now Director of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem; Meir Brand, Google’s Regional Director for Israel, Greece & South Africa; Hannah Munitz, General Director of the Israel Opera, Tel Aviv – Yafo; and Architect Moshe Safdie.
Bringing an international focus to bear on the theme of Tourism in a Global World, the program will include panels on: branding cities, the media’s role in generating tourism, tourism and sustainable development, cultural tourism, innovation in modern hotel design, and how technology has changed the tourism business today.
Viewing tourism as a source of potential economic growth for Israel, the conference was organized in association with the City of Jerusalem, The Jerusalem Development Authority, Ministry of Tourism of Israel, ICC Jerusalem International Convention Center, Israel Hotel Association, Israel Incoming Tour Operators Association, and Office of the Prime Minister. The event is an effort to initiate non-political dialogue illustrating and branding Jerusalem as an International tourist destination and convention center.
“The International Tourism Conference, is the first of a continuation of conferences that we plan to host in Jerusalem, explains Stas Misezhnikov, Israel’s Minister of Tourism, “This forward-looking gathering offers participants a unique international forum, which will discuss the most current buzz topics of the tourism sector; featuring leading industry experts and real-experience discussions covering all aspects of innovation, market trends, new technologies, and opportunities impacting tourism.”
Detailed information is available on the International Tourism Conference Jerusalem 2011 site.
