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Minister Mzembi

Adelaide Moyo Business Reporter
TOURISM and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi is set to attend the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Ministers’ Summit scheduled for London on November 3. Minister Mzembi will be part of speakers at the 2015 UNWTO Summit, which will be held at World Travel Market, focusing on destination branding and how it has become an increasingly complex challenge.

Delegates will re-evaluate their structures and strategies to adapt to new market trends created by social media and new business models such as the so-called “sharing economy” and the growing empowerment of consumers. Commenting on the summit, UNWTO secretary general Taleb Rifai said tourism ministers and private sector leaders from around the world will discuss destination branding and new challenges in a changing market.

“The discussion will be further enriched by the participation of more than 150 ministers and aides poised to attend the event. The rise of the new technologies, coupled with the global economic downturn, has brought a paradigm shift as power moves from governments to citizens and from companies to consumers,” Rifai said.

“This change is having a huge impact in the tourism sector and both destinations and companies need to adjust to new challenges.”

World Travel Market London senior director Simon Press said: “the UNWTO and WTM Ministers’ Summit is a fixture in the calendar for ministers and private sector to debate the key issues facing the industry. Destination branding is becoming an even more complex challenge as consumers empowered by new business models such as the sharing economy and social media have an impact on a destination’s brand and reputation.

“I’m delighted WTM is again able to facilitate such an important conversation”. The convention will bring together tourism ministers and leading tourism experts to debate key issues affecting the sector.

Presentations will cover a range of topics including what makes a successful destination brand in today’s globalised media landscape, the link between nation branding and destination branding, the role of social media and consumers’ engagement in destination branding, reputation management and crisis communication, the changing role of destination marketing organisations and the contribution of the creative economy to destination branding.