Expert Speakers Announced for ARIVAL Asia Pacific Event in Bangkok

Speakers from fast-growing tours, activities and attractions sector will chart the future of digital, distribution, local experiences and sustainability

Over 20 expert speakers from leading online and supplier brands have been confirmed for the Arival Asia Pacific in-destination event, which is dedicated to the rapidly changing tours, activities and attractions sector.

The only conference of its kind in Asia Pacific, Arival will take place 24-26 June in Bangkok. The event will address the latest traveller trends, the rapid rise of OTAs, the future of distribution, and local experiences versus traditional tourist attractions, in a sector which is now worth US$170 billion a year, according to Phocuswright.

Some of the key speakers who have been announced so far include Baidi Li, Regional Director (APAC) TripAdvisor Experiences; Wilfred Fan, Chief Commercial Officer, Klook; Joost Timmer, CEO iVenture Card; Blanca Menchaca, Co-founder & CEO, BeMyGuest; Laurent Kuenzle, CEO, Asian Trails; Jeannie Lim, Executive Director, Singapore Tourism Board; Mario Hardy, CEO, PATA; Weiping Liao, Deputy GM, Ctrip; Laura Blackhall, Founder & CEO, Hello! Tours; Lien Nguyen, CEO, I Love Asia Tour and many more.

They will address concerns unique to the in-destination travel sector. “How travellers plan for and book experiences is completely different from how they book hotels and air tickets,” says Douglas Quinby, CEO and co-founder of Arival.

“This is the third-largest and fastest growing sector of travel, and it’s high time operators, in what I call the ‘best part of travel’, had a conference where they can learn about the trends and hear real insights that matter to them,” he says.

Arival in Bangkok will feature tactical workshops and sponsored demo labs from leading technology and distribution companies to help operators learn best practice and grow business.

Arival speakers from leading technology and distribution companies, destination management companies, national tourism organizations, and operators of tours, activities and attractions will address over 400 attendees on subjects such as trends in consumer booking, reservation technology, social enterprise and sustainability, and how to deal with OTAs and the massive changes in the types of experiences travellers want.  

Arival brings to Asia Pacific its successful in-destination event that has already galvanised the sector with conferences in Las Vegas and Berlin over the last two years.

“Foodie tours, day tour operators, activity and experience providers, attractions, parks, events, ground transportation and destinations, can all develop their business by attending,” says Bruce Rosard, COO of Arival.

Early bird rates for the Arival in-destination event in Bangkok are available through 30 April. Register here.