ITB convention organisers have invited Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) president Shannon Stowell to moderate the session ‘Luxury and environmental sustainability: friends or foes?’.
Stowell, who leads the adventure tourism industry’s global trade association which advocates for the responsible and sustainable development of the growing sector, will navigate discussions about the seeming contradictions between luxury vacations and environmental sustainability.
Session contributors will, in addition to illustrating how luxury and sustainability can be a match for each other, explore how the eco-resorts market segment is developing and discuss whether the pioneering experiences of specific resorts are transferable to the rest of the tourism industry.
“With Shannon moderating, it will be interesting to work out how sustainable product and service concepts can be made attractive for consumers,” says ITB Berlin Convention director Dr Roland Conrady. “He brings with him the perspective of the ATTA’s diverse global membership representing millions of travellers from a progressive tourism sector, which seems to be a critical step in drawing the sustainability approach out of this niche and into the mainstream.”
Session panellists include Enrico Ducrot, managing director, Eco Luxury; José Dominique, managing director, CGH Earth experience hotels, India and a top executive from Temes SA/Costa Navarino.
“For years, the traveller has been moving toward a softer or more luxurious experience. We’ve even seen this in the outdoor activity sector. This makes the subject germane for today’s professionals in the travel space,” said Stowell. “How do we responsibly grow and where do luxury and sustainability work together?”