travel conference israel

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LET'S MEET AGAIN

Join us at IMTM TLV 2024, the International Tourism Market, where industry connectivity and visibility reach their peak, offering an unmatched platform for meetings, sharing, and discovering new travel destinations for the eager Israeli travelers.

What is this event?

Set in the vibrant city of Tel Aviv, this premier gathering is designed to connect you with the heart of the industry. From showcasing your services at The Expo TLV Center to engaging with one of the world’s most travel-savvy markets, IMTM 2024 is your gateway to the Israeli traveler, eager for their next adventure.

How will it work?

IMTM 2024 provides a dynamic platform for professionals to showcase their destinations, engage in meaningful dialogues, and stay updated with the latest trends through meetings and seminars.

Our format ensures that, despite uncertainties, we move forward, adapting and innovating to maintain IMTM as the definitive meeting place for the travel and tourism community.

INTERNATIONAL TOURISM EXHIBITION

IMTM 2024 – A true market place for Mediterranean travel, IMTM features dozens of country pavilions and is host to thousands of tourism professionals from Israel and abroad. 

National & Regional Tourist Offices, Conference Centers, Hotels, Spa & Golf Resorts, Cruise Lines, Car Rental Companies, Airlines, Ground Agents, Tour Operators, Destination Management Companies, Trade Associations, Trade Publications and Technology Providers

EXPAND YOUR NETWORK

Capture the attention of a global audience to connect and communicate with vendors and clients. Solidify the relationships built and reinforce your industry presence during the IMTM 2024 event on April 3-4 (Wednesday – Thursday), 2024, in Tel Aviv.

* Registration is required

By Public Transportation

Rakevet Yisrael | The University train station is near the Tel Aviv Convention Center Rakevet Yisrael website

Egged | Bus number 521 – Egged website  

Dan | Buses numbers 12, 22, 40, 89, 189, 389 – Dan website 

Metropolin | Buses numbers 47, 48, 247 from Tel Aviv center and Raanana/Kefar Saba/Herzliya/Ramat Ha’Sharon, Metropolin website Kavim | Bus number 137, Kavim website

Ayalon Darom | For those arriving from the north exit left at the Rokach interchange 

Ayalon Darom | For those arriving from the south exit right at the Rokach interchange Exit at the Convention Center 

interchange and follow the signs

OPENING TIMES

Tourism Professional Market

Wednesday, April 3  |  10:00-19:00

Thursday, April 4  |  09:00-18:00

General Public

Wednesday, April 3   |  14:00-19:00

Thursday, April 4   |  14:00-18:00

The International Tourism Exhibition will take place on April 3-4, 2024 in Pavilion #2 at The Expo Centre, Tel Aviv.

IN-PERSON EXHIBITION

Wednesday, April 3  |  10:00-19:00

Thursday, April 4  |  09:00-18:00

Wednesday, April 3 |  14:00-19:00

Thursday, April 4 |  14:00-18:00

USEFUL LINKS

Exhibition Options | Accommodation

Travel | Visas | Visit Tel Aviv

IMTM SECRETARIAT

• Underline all links
• Improved text color contrast
• Yellow/Black color contrast
• Stop all automatically moving elements
• Accessibility Statement (in Hebrew)

Conferences

Conference, exhibition, company event, business event |Medical, academic, scientific, tourism | North, South, Center | A boutique conference, a multi - participant event | Invited guests, broad audiences |ORTRA's event calendar has it all. But what does it mean? After all, the world of events is vast and endless. We invite you to join us and have your conference added to our calendar and together we will break new boundaries, connect people and organize wonderful events

Displaying events from

Eilat-Eilot 10th Renewable Energy Conference 2024 *Date Updated*

February 27 - 29, 2024

Dan Eilat Hotel

• Event website

Virtual Forum of The Israel Society for the Lliver Study Meeting

March 19th, 2024

The Annual Meeting of the Association of CF

March 27th, 2024

Crowne Plaza Tel Aviv City Center

The Annual Conference of the Israeli Sleep Research Society

March 28 - 30, 2024

VERT Lagoon Netanya

IMTM 2024 – The 30th International Mediterranean Tourism Market

April 3 - 4, 2024

Expo Tel Aviv, Pavilion 2

The 13th Israel Machine Vision Conference & Exhibition – IMVC 2024 *Date Updated*

April 8th, 2024

Expo Tel Aviv Pavilion 10

The Annual Meeting of the Association of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition

April 11th, 2024

Council for a Beautiful Israel Conference Center

ISCR&IIS Joint Immuno-Oncology Meeting in Memory of Prof. Ronnie Apte

April 17 - 18, 2024

Ben Gurion University - Faculty of Health Sciences

Law, Climate & Sustainability Conference

May 8th, 2024

Bar Ilan University

Israel Society for Clinical ‎Pediatrics

May 9th, 2024

Pavilion 10, Expo TLV

37th Immunogenetics & Histocompatibility Conference (EFI) *Canceled*

International Convention Center Jerusalem

Annual SPHERE Conference in honor of ‎Ruth Salzman

May 22nd, 2024

Golden Crown Hotel & Convention Center

The Israeli Association of Landscape Architects – A Place to Dream

Client Story

May 30th, 2024

Board of Governors – Solidarity Board 2024

June 2 - 5, 2024

הטכניון חיפה

Annual Conference of the Israel Heart Society & the Israel Society of Cardiothoracic Surgery

June 3 - 4, 2024

Graduation Ceremony at Bar Ilan University

June 19 - July 10, 2024

IEEE COMCAS 2024 *Date Updated*

July 9 - 11, 2024

David Intercontinental Hotel, Tel Aviv‎

July 9th, 2024

Daniel Herzliya Hotel

INTERSPEECH 2024

September 1 - 5, 2024

KOS - Greece

Israel Society for the Liver Study

September 5 - 7, 2024

Dan Caesarea Hotel

ISGCT ‏2024‏

September 18th, 2024

ANU Museum, Tel Aviv University

Rothschild Prize Research Symposium

September 18 - 19, 2024

National Library of Israel, Jerusalem

September 29 - October 4, 2024

MiCo Milano, Italy

The Seventh Israeli Hackathon

October 29 - 30, 2024

Shenkar College of Engineering, Design and Art

56th Conference of the World Society of Poultry Science *Postponed*

November 24 - 26, 2024

Dan Panorama Tel Aviv

Neural Circuits and Behavior in Fish 2024 Meeting

December 8 - 11, 2024

Queen of Sheba Hotel, Eilat

Alpha Omega Jerusalem, 2024

December 24 - 28, 2024

Privacy Overview

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• Deutsch (CH)

Top 10 tech conferences in Israel in 2023

1. dld tel aviv innovation festival: join one of the biggest innovation festivals in the world.

• Dates: 1-3rd February 2023
• Location: Tel Aviv
• Cost: Price on request

2. Cyber Week Israel: the place to be for all things cybersecurity

• Dates: 26-29th June 2023
• Location: Tel Aviv University
• Cost: Free!

3. Clean Tech 2023: the tech conference for water technology, renewable energy, and recycling

• Dates: 27-28th June 2023
• Location: Jerusalem
• Cost: US $28

TravelPerk's Meetings & Events team can help you book venues and get exclusive discounts on group travel

4. mixiii health-tech.il 2023: healthcare, life sciences, and technology under one roof.

• Dates: 7-8th November 2023
• Cost: US $233

5. Future of AI: embrace the power of AI, data, and machine learning

• Dates: 4-5th July 2023
• Cost: US $290

6. ROBOTICS 2023 Israel: be amazed at all the advancements in robotics

• Dates: 16th May 2023
• Speakers: Prof. Amir Shapiro, Davide Boaglio, Yair Gozlan, Fabrice Boisset, Doron Gur, Carlos Benaim, and Dany van Gelder

7. Israel Mobile Summit: must-attend event on all things mobile tech

• Dates: 29th June 2023
• Cost: US $217

8. Military and Aviation Exhibition Expo Tel Aviv: must-see military and aviation tech advancements in Israel

• Dates: 20th November 2023

9. Israel Crypto Conference: all there is to know about blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies in one event

• Dates: 30th May 2023
• Location: Tel Aviv-Yafo
• Cost: US $85

10. Node.TLV: the place to be for backend developers and NodeJS users

• Dates: 28th June 2023
• Cost: US $247

Unleash your curiosity and embark on an extraordinary journey through Israel’s tech conferences

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International travel conferences events in Israel

Axis Tel Aviv 2024: Startups. Investors. Corporations..

Tue, May 21, 8:30 AM

Peres Center for Peace and Innovation

NodeTLV '24

Tue, Jun 25, 8:00 AM

David Intercontinental

ReactNext '24

Mon, Jun 24, 8:00 AM

Tel Aviv Mezuzah Project: Let's Hang!

Tue, Jun 11, 7:00 PM

Your Own Home Needing a Mezuzah in Tel Aviv

Al, Data Privacy, and Technology for the Modern Legal Counsel

Barnea Law Firm

Tel Aviv Tech Connect

Wed, Sep 25, 7:00 PM

Shavuot Fire Israel Tour June 9-19, 2024

Sun, Jun 9, 8:00 PM

Ben Gurion Airport

INVITATION: Mobileye CEO @Soho House, 7pm Wed May 22

Wed, May 22, 7:00 PM

Tel Aviv Yom HaShoah Community Ceremony & in-English Survivor Testimony

Sun, May 5, 7:30 PM

Ben Yehuda St 86

Science Fiction in Jerusalem Outdoor Escape Game: Historic Cultures

Tomorrow at 12:00 PM + 107 more

Tower of David

Tel Aviv - Trail of Independence - Outdoor Escape Game

Tomorrow at 12:00 PM + 83 more

The Mosaic Fountain‬

ISTQB® Foundation Exam and Training Course - Tel Aviv

Monday at 9:00 AM + 26 more

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Jaffa Outdoor Escape Game: The Gatekeeper’s Journey (Tel Aviv)

Tomorrow at 12:00 PM + 91 more

David Razi'el St 25

*NEW* MINDSHOP | Design Thinking: The HolyGrail of Innovative Products

Wed, Apr 17, 7:00 PM + 172 more

Mindshop Online Classroom

Climate Techies Tel Aviv Sustainability Member Meetup

Mon, May 20, 7:00 PM + 1 more

Open source, Digital marketing

Mon, May 27, 9:00 AM

Shibolet & Co.

Virtual Speaking Masterclass Tel Aviv

Thu, May 9, 9:00 PM + 7 more

Virtual Speaking Masterclass Haifa

Popular events.

TOUR AND CONFERENCE

Walk the streets of Jerusalem. Pray in the garden of Gethsemane. Stand on the Mt. of Olives where the Lord will return. Have morning revival by the Sea of Galilee. Pray fighting prayers at Armageddon.

SORRY TOUR NOW FULL

Day one – 28 april,  friday – arrival day.

Meals included: Dinner Check in available from 15:00 Overnight in Jerusalem

Day Two –29 April, Saturday – Jerusalem

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Israel Museum – model of 1st Century Jerusalem and the Shrine of the Book Dead Sea scrolls exhibit. Visit Bethlehem The Garden Tomb Mt. of Olives –  panoramic views of Jerusalem, the Holy City, this is where the Lord ascended from and to where He will return. Walk via “Palm Sunday Road” Prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane Overnight in Jerusalem

Day Three –30 April, Sunday – Jerusalem

Meals included: Breakfast and dinner Temple Mount – visit and explore the site where the Temple once stood. Western Wall Davidson Archeological Center – the archeological park south of the temple mount. See the Southern Steps where pilgrims would ascend to the temple and see the pile of stones thrown down at the destruction of the temple in 70 AD (Matthew 24:2). Temple Institute – see the preparations for the rebuilding of the temple. A visit to the site of the Upper Room mentioned in Acts 1 and 2. Kokia House  – see the film – “The All-inclusive Land” and learn about the seven species in Deuteronomy 8:8 Early dinner at the hotel. Meeting Overnight in Jerusalem

Day Four – 1 May, Monday – Dead Sea

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Qumran – discovery site of the Dead Sea scrolls – the oldest known bible manuscripts Ein Gedi Dip in the Dead Sea Overnight in Jerusalem

Day Five – 2 May, Tuesday – Jerusalem to Tel Aviv

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch,  and dinner Yad Vashem – Holocaust Memorial Museum Tour the ancient port city of Jaffa including the house of Simon the Tanner . Tel Aviv ‘White City’ – a walking tour. Overnight in Netanya

Day Six – 3 May, Wednesday – Coastal Plains and Nazareth

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Caesarea maritime – where Cornelius was baptized and where Paul was imprisoned and declared he was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. Megiddo – Armageddon Nazareth Village  – a recreation of a village from the time of Jesus. Overnight in the Galilee

Day Seven – 4 May, Thursday – the Galilee and Golan Heights

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Jeep ride  –  a special jeep tour of the Golan Heights learning about life on a kibbutz, local agriculture and the current geopolitical situation in the area along the Syrian border. Tel Dan Banias ( Caesarea Phillippi )  –  the site of one of the sources of the Jordan River and where the Lord unveiled Himself as the Christ and where He spoke concerning the building of the church. Evening – Conference schedule begins Overnight in Galilee

Day Eight – 5 May, Friday – Conference

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Conference Schedule Overnight in Galilee

Day Nine – 6 May, Saturday – Conference

Day ten – 7 may, sunday – the galilee.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Jordan River Capernaum –  Jesus resided here (Matt. 4:13) and a large part of His ministry took place in and around Capernaum including His declaration in John 6 about the bread of life. Boat sail on the Sea of Galilee Mt. Beatitudes – the traditional site where the Lord spoke the ‘Kingdom Constitution’ in Matthew 5-7. Overnight near Jerusalem

Day Eleven – 8 May, Monday – Depart

Meals included: Breakfast Depart Israel or continue with the optional extension tour to Jordan.

Why not extend your trip with this tour of Jordan taking in wonders of the ancient world and more Biblical sites.

Day One – 08 May, Monday – Jordan Tour Begins

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Leave hotel in Jerusalem Cross the Allenby border to Jordan Wadi Rum – once in Jordan you will drive down to the stunning Wadi Rum – Lawrence of Arabia country – for a jeep ride in the desert with local Bedouins. Overnight in Aqaba

Day Two – 9 May, Tuesday – Petra

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Visit Petra – you will spend the entire day exploring this wonder of the ancient world Overnight in Amman

Day Three – 10 May, Wednesday – Israel

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch Mt. Nebo  –  where Moses first stood and Jehovah showed him the good land. Drive to the Allenby border and cross to Israel. Transfer to Jerusalem or to Ben Gurion Airport for departure. 

NOTE : If you want to leave directly after the Jordan trip, you can book your ticket from Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv,  any time after 8:00pm on the final day.

Tour Includes

• Accommodation, with breakfast and dinner
• Fully Air-conditioned transportation in Jordan and Israel
• Professional Jordanian tour guide
• All tour site entry fees
• Border Taxes
• Meals as stated on the itinerary

Tour Excludes

• Visa to Jordan (when prior visa is required based on citizenship)
• Lunches – unless specifically mentioned on the itinerary
• Extra activities in Petra – i.e. camel or horse rides.
• Hotel on the night of day three after returning from Jordan.

Please review the itinerary when purchasing your flights. Rooms one night before the tour (pre-stay) and one night after the tour (post-stay) are an additional cost and are subject to availability.

The airport for your arrival and departure is Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv . This is approximately 30 minutes from Tel Aviv and 50 minutes from Jerusalem by car. There are airport shuttles and taxis. We will send more information about how to get from the airport to your hotel closer to the time of the tour.

Arrival Time

The first date of the tour is arranged as an arrival day only, so there is no need to arrive before this date, unless you want to. Check-in at the hotel will be from 3:00pm. Hotel rooms the night before the arrival date are an additional cost and are based on availability.

Departure Time

If you are not joining the Jordan extension, you can leave any time on the departure day – the last date listed on the itinerary. There are no tour activities scheduled on this day. The check-out time from the hotel will be 11:00am. If your flight is later you will need to leave your room but will be able to leave your bags securely at the hotel if you want to go out.

Israel Tour : 28 April – 8 May 2023 Jordan Extension: 8 – 10 May 2023

Israel : $2205 Israel & Jordan: $2985

• Seven day tour of Israel
• Professional certified tour guide
• Fully air conditioned tour bus
• Unique 150 page tour book –  Touring Israel According to the Vision of God’s Economy
• 3 day International blending conference
• Airport transfers
• Lunches unless mentioned in the itinerary
• Tips for guides, drivers and hotel staff (see the ‘Money Matters’ in the Helpful Information section below for details.)
• Air tickets
• Any costs related to government or airline mandated Covid-19 testing and other Covid-19 related requirements

Any Questions?

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Helpful Information

Important information.

Travel Insurance It is required that you take out travel insurance for your trip. For further information please refer to our Terms and Conditions.

Passport Copy JJ Travel requires that you send us an electronic copy of your passport prior to travel. This is in the event of an emergency or loss of your passport, while on the tour. It is also a requirement that you bring a copy of your passport with you and keep it in a place separate from your actual passport.

Itinerary Pace In order to see all the sites and get the maximum from the itinerary the tour must maintain a certain pace. In the interest of everyone on the tour we ask that you cooperate with the tour guide and tour leader to keep the schedule.

Payment Unless otherwise agreed pre-payment is required by bank wire or credit card.

Accommodation

Check-in Check-in time is usually around 15:00. If you arrive significantly before this time and want access to your room it may be that you have to pay for an additional night. Check-in times on the Sabbath (Saturday) can be significantly later than 15:00.

Extras It is your responsibility to settle the bill for any ‘extras’ (drinks, WiFi, additional meals etc.) upon checking out of the hotel. If for any reason a bill is not settled JJ Travel will request payment from you and add a 5% handling fee.

Solo Travellers Unless otherwise stated, all tour prices are based on two people sharing a room. If you are travelling alone you have the option of paying a ‘single supplement’ for sole occupancy of a room. If you are unable to pay the single supplement we strongly encourage you to find someone to accompany you on the tour. If neither of those are an option, we will do our best to place you in a room with another participant on the tour of the same gender. However, we cannot guarantee that this will be an option. If we are able to find a roommate for you, this will be your roommate for the duration of the tour as changes to room arrangements during the tour are not typically possible.

Upgrades At some hotels, it may be possible to request an upgraded room. If the option is not available to you at the time of booking please contact us for more information.

Arrival Information

Passport and Immigration Control All travelers must ensure they hold a passport that is valid for at least 6 months at the time of traveling to Israel. At passport control you may be questioned regarding your visit to Israel, answer simply and truthfully. State that you are coming on a tour of Israel and if necessary, present your documents from JJ Travel showing that you are attending a tour. Passport control will give you a small blue and white piece of paper, this is your permission to stay in Israel (instead of a stamp in your passport). It is important to keep this with your passport you may be required to present it to officials while in Israel and when you leave the country.

The Sabbath and Religious Holidays

The Sabbath begins just before sunset on Fridays and ends just after sunset on Saturdays. Stores and some restaurants begin closing on Friday afternoon and will not open again until Saturday night or Sunday morning. Similarly, public transport is also very limited during this time. The extent of this depends on the location, for example, it is most noticeable in Jerusalem, but it applies across Israel. Similar circumstances apply to some of the religious holidays. If you are in Israel when this happens you will be informed beforehand.

JJ Travel provides each participant a tour book - Touring Israel According to God's Economy - to accompany the tour. The tour book brings to life the Biblical sites and puts each place into the context of our daily Christian experience.

Electrical Items

The electrical supply in Israel is 220V AC. The plug type is a 2-pin (European) style. It is advisable to purchase an adapter prior to your trip if you need one. Most hotels provide hairdryers and have 110/220 electric shaver outlets. Please be aware if you are traveling from the USA or another country that uses 110V you will need to bring appliances that can be switched to 220V or bring a transformer. Chargers for laptops, phones, cameras etc. are generally fine as they have the transformer built-in. If you are in any doubt about your appliances check before you leave.

Wifi and Internet

Most hotels provide free Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi will be available on JJ Travel tour buses. During the tour there may be WiFi access at various restaurants and coffee shops, but when out of the bus during the day access to Wi-Fi will be limited.

Money Matters

The national currency in Israel is the New Israeli Shekel (NIS). Each Shekel is divided into 100 Agurot (singular Agura). NIS bills are in denominations of 20, 50, 100 and 200. Coins are in denominations of 1, 2, 5 and 10 Shekels and 10 and 50 Agurot.

Credit Cards

Standard international credit cards are accepted throughout Israel. There will be some small vendors that do not accept credit cards and will require cash. To ensure your card will work while in Israel contact your card provider prior to departure.

Money Exchange and ATM’s

It is advisable to have your money needs taken care of before the start of the tour, although money can be changed at the airport on arrival. However, if you are arriving in a large group please be aware that this can take time. There will also be opportunities to change money at the hotel (this can be expensive) or in the cities you are staying in. The most simple and convenient way to get Shekels is to use a bank ATM machine with a credit card. The rates at these are often favorable. However, please note that tour itineraries are full and time is very limited. You can calculate the value of your currency in Israeli Shekels at www.xe.com. We recommend that you have at least 350 Shekels (approximately $100) before the start of the tour.

Emergency Fund

We strongly recommend that you have you have access to an emergency fund of approximately $200 while on your trip.

It is recommended and customary to tip the guides and drivers for the tour. We suggest $5 per person per day for the guide and $4 per person per day for the driver. This can be in USD ($) or Shekels. Our suggestion is that this is organized and collected as a group. It can be given daily or as a lump sum at the end of the tour. JJ Travel or your tour leader may help facilitate this by collecting the money, but it is paid directly to the guide and driver.

The tour transport will be an air-conditioned bus. Significant amounts of time will be spent on the bus and the driver, who works in coordination with the guide, is an important part of the tour. Depending on the size of the tour there may be very few empty seats so you should expect to sit next to someone. If you suffer from travel sickness please bring appropriate medication with you.

Meals Included To see specifically which meals are included as part of your tour package please refer to the itinerary.

Breakfasts Hotel breakfasts in Israel are buffet style. There will be a wide selection of salads, breads, pastries, eggs etc. along with tea, coffee, and juice.

Lunches Lunches that are included as part of your itinerary will vary in type but will be a good-sized meal. Soft drinks to accompany these meals are usually an extra to be paid for by you in cash. When lunch is not included as part of your package you will be taken to a place where you can purchase your own lunch. Lunches can vary in price depending on the type and quantity of food but it would be safe to budget the equivalent of $10-$15 (USD).

Dinners Dinners in the hotels will generally be buffet style with a choice of meats, rice, pasta and potatoes etc. and a large selection of salads. Typically water, tea, and coffee are included but other beverages such as soft drinks will be extra and charged to your room. Eating out in the evening will vary in price depending on the type of food. You can pay around $10 for street food (falafel, kebab etc.) up to $20-$30 or more for a sit down meal.

Snacks Due to the physical nature of the tour it is advisable to have snacks with you. The days start early and are active and it can feel like a long time from breakfast to lunch.

Departure Information

Upon departure you should plan to be at the airport three hours before your scheduled flight time. As part of the security process you will be asked some simple questions when you leave Israel. Answer truthfully, accurately and to the point. If you are travelling with others on a flight, for security reasons, it is advisable that you check-in together.

It is a legal requirement that all tours in Israel have a professional Israeli-registered guide. These guides undergo an extensive education program in history, archeology, geology, flora and fauna and more. At JJ Travel we choose the guides that we work with very carefully. Guides may be Jewish, Arab, believer or non-believer, but all guides are selected based upon our understanding of the participants of the tour and of the specialist nature of the tours we conduct. The guides fulfill two main functions. First, they take care of the group while touring, not only making sure that everyone is safe and well and that the schedule is maintained, but also that everyone is enjoying the tour. Secondly, the guide provides an explanation of the various tour sites.

What to Bring

We recommend that you travel light – one suitcase and one bag to use daily on the tour. You will move hotels during the tour and so being able to move your luggage around easily and pack and unpack quickly will be much more convenient.

• Passport and copy of passport.
• Visa (if necessary).
• Airline tickets.
• JJ Travel booking confirmation document.
• A photocopy of your passport. Keep this in a different place than your passport. In this way should you lose your passport you will have this copy.
• Travel insurance documents.
• Comfortable walking shoes.
• Day bag – a small bag or backpack for use during the tour.
• Water footwear – if you are planning to take a dip in the Dead Sea you will need footwear you can get wet. The ground in and around the Dead Sea can be very uncomfortable to walk on with bare feet.
• Umbrella or waterproof coat (winter months). Between the November and March it is possible to get caught in rain showers while on the tour.
• For other clothing items please refer to the information on the weather and climate in Israel for the time of year that you are travelling. It is important to note that a significant amount of time on the tour is spent outside.
• Due to the religious sensitivity of some tour sites, females need to have some form of clothing that will cover the knees (skirt or trousers) and also cover the shoulders. In some places males are also required to wear long trousers. This only applies to a few days on the tour and you will be informed ahead of time by your guide or tour leader.
• Insect repellent.
• Water bottle – bottled water can be bought, but it is convenient to have a refillable bottle.
• Camera/cell phone/tablet for pictures. Don’t forget the charger or spare batteries. Extra memory cards can also help – you will want to take a lot of photos.
• Electrical adapter – see the information below.

Cell Phones

There are a number of options available to you if you would like to have cell phone access whilst in Israel.

• Rent an Israeli phone or purchase an Israeli SIM card. SIM cards can be purchased at the airport in the arrival hall or in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv.
• Use your own cell phone as it is with your current number. You may need to speak to your provider to ensure this will work and check to see if you can purchase a special plan. This is often an expensive option but maybe necessary if you need to keep your current number.
• Ask for an Israeli number from your current provider.

In general Israel enjoys warm dry summers (April-October) and mild winters. More specific information can be found in the tables below. A current weather forecast can be found on the Israel Meteorological Service website.

Monthly temperatures by region (min/max)

Average monthly rainfall (mm).

As part of the registration process, you will be asked some simple medical/health-related questions. This information is treated in the strictest confidence. In some cases, JJ Travel may deem a person's health condition unsuitable for a given tour. If you have any questions regarding these matters please do not hesitate to contact us.

Conferences & Conventions In Israel

Conferences, Conventions and Professional Meeting Development and Management Services

Leverage the Experience, Quality and Reputation of Our Conventions & Conference Division For Your Next Professional Meeting In Israel

About Our Conference In Israel Services

For scientists, physicians, academicians or any other groups interested in organizing a professional conference in Israel, Galilee Travel’s strategic partner, Diesenhaus-Unitours, offers its Conference division services as a total conference development and execution solution. 

Diesenhaus Unitours Conferences works with prospective conference organizers, professional associations, trade groups and academic institutions from the initial concept phases, managing the development of venues and the actual events themselves including ancillary activities such as tours throughout Israel for participants and their families. 

Diesenhaus uses the latest state-of-the-art technology to process many organizational functions simply and efficiently over the internet from Israel to anywhere on the globe.

What We Offer

Locating the perfect venue in Israel for conferences. 

Constructing a balanced budget and on-going control of outlays.

Site Search services. 

Negotiating competitive costs from all suppliers.

Cooperating with Sponsors and allied organizations. 

Organizing and executing Conference Registrations. 

Planning and negotiating accommodation provisions. 

Reservations for accommodation according to personal preference and availability.

Assistance with airline and international travel.

Planning & managing the physical aspects of a conference venue including meeting hall layouts, seating, podiums and lighting.

Planning and managing meal and catering services.

Managing abstract submissions and their compilation and publication. 

Developing scientific programs for conferences. 

Planning and operating social activities and ancillary events. 

Designing and preparing signage and participant tags. 

Development & procurement of promotional materials.

Organizing multi-media equipment for conferences including on-site technicians. 

Organizing simultaneous translations for participants.

Arranging professional, multi-lingual hostesses to cater the conference and all ancillary events.

Creating professional, commercial exhibitions including enrollment of exhibitors.

Recent Diesenhaus Conference Projects

Opening Session of the 6th Congress of the Federation of 

Israeli Societies For Experimental Biology

Nobel Prize winner Professor Ada Yonath at the 2011 Federation of the 

Israel Societies For Experimental Biology Conference In Eilat, Israel

The 74th Conference of the Israel Chemical Society

David Intercontinental Hotel, Tel-Aviv, Israel

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The Israel Association of Travel Agencies and Consultants was established in 1909 (hereinafter – “ The Association “). The association aims to improve and strengthen the travel industry, to expand its member’s knowledge and use of advanced methods, to improve its member’s welfare and to protect consumers’ rights regarding tourism services.

The Association unites approximately 400 travel agencies and about 4,500 tourism consultants in Israel and represents their interest, challenges and needs to the Israeli parliament (Knesset), government-institutions in Israel and abroad, public organizations, foreign embassies and consulates, etc.

On the legislative level, the Association takes an active part in the lawmaking process concerning tourism laws and regulations (including consumer-protection laws and regulations regarding tourism services). The Association is an active participant in Parliament (Knesset) committees and professional meetings in various government offices and regulators in order to promote the travel industry. At present, the Association is working to obtain government funding to promote inbound and domestic tourism.

In the educational arena, the Association acts for its members by providing them with various professional training programs and seminars. The Association also cooperates with academic institutions by developing grants and scholarships programs to promote academic and empirical research in the field of tourism.

The Association promotes Mediation and Conflict Resolution between travel agents and consumers using “The Committee of Public Inquiries” (hereinafter – “ The Committee “). The Committee holds a formal procedure for raising any grievance towards Associations’ members, by their clients, regarding the services they received (or failed to receive), quality of said services, etc. The Committee’s services are offered to Associations’ members’ clients free of charge and include either mediation or arbitration – depending on the parties’ wishes.  

Globally, the Association represents its members in international organizations led by The European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Association (hereinafter – “ ECTAA “) – where the Association’s CEO acts as a member of The Air Matters Committee. In addition, on 2014, the Association signed on behalf of its members on The Global Code of Ethics for Tourism (hereinafter – “ GCET “) and is working to promote green and sustainable tourism and to eradicate sex tourism and other negative and insufferable phenomena.

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Conferences

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City Express Travel & Tours has created the perfect blend of your conference and a Holy Land tour experience; bringing the Bible to life every step of the way!

As your “go-to” logistical team we’re here to book the flights & hotels, provide shuttle service, event registration, equipment and stage set-up, and more. Our well experienced team on the ground in Israel is ready to handle all of the details, so you can focus on your conference goals.

Conference Experience

Plan your conference at least 1-2 years in advance.

Our team books your conference attendees’ flights using our airline partnerships, booking from any U.S. city to Israel.

Fly stress-free knowing that every detail of travel has been coordinated perfectly.

Upon arrival our team on the ground will arrange quick and easy shuttles to/from the hotel for all of your conference attendees.

Our on the ground team is excited and ready to welcome your attendees to the Holy Land Conference!

We will help coordinate Registration, including providing name tags, brochures, & all material printed for you IN Israel and ready when you arrive!

A conference in Israel is unique because your experience can be tailored to host in historic Biblical sites…like the 7th Century Roman Amphitheater in Caesarea.

Everything you need from speakers, to mics, projector screens, lighting, and more; we have all equipment here for you to use to make your Holy Land Conference run smoothly.

50 or 500 attendees; our on the ground team can handle the logistics of coordinating all of your daily/nightly events, food & beverage needs, and any other request you have.

Our hotel & conference facilities provide excellent food, giving you a “Taste of Israel” in every bite. Special dietary needs will always be accommodated!

With all of the logistics from A-Z handled by our team, you can focus on your conference goals.

Our passion is to make your Holy Land Conference an unforgettable and life- changing experience; bringing the Bible to life every step of the way.

Think israel. visit israel. let’s explore together..

City Express Travel & Tours is here to be your group’s 1-stop-shop for tours in “The Land Where Yeshua Walked.”

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ISRAEL TRAVEL ALERTS & SAFETY INFORMATION

During these challenging times, we in Israel stand together with you, the American people, offering our prayers and support, united in the hope for a brighter, better tomorrow.

ISRAEL TRAVEL ALERTS & SAFETY INFORMATION

In order to remain fully informed, below is the updated information about the ongoing situation in Israel with regard to the CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19).

LATEST INFORMATION FOR TOURISTS TO ISRAEL ON THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19):

Tourists looking to travel to israel:.

At the moment, and until further notice, entry to Israel will be refused to non-citizens or non-residents of Israel arriving from anywhere in the world. In exceptional cases, one may apply for approval of the Foreign Ministry subject to proof of the ability to remain in self-isolation for 14 days.

Tourists who are currently in Israel:

• Visitors who are currently in Israel will not be allowed to continue with their planned visit and are requested to stay in their hotel and plan their departure from Israel as soon as possible.
• For now, hotels will continue operating according to the new regulations. This means, no more than 10 people in one area and maintaining a safe distance of 6.5 feet (two-meters) between each person.
• If you’ve been required to enter self-isolation , you must report it to the Ministry of Health:   https://govforms.gov.il/
• If you develop a fever of 100.4F (38C) or higher, a cough, trouble breathing, or other respiratory symptoms, you must immediately enter self-isolation and call the 101 MDA Emergency Services Hotline for medical advice.
• It is absolutely forbidden to enter clinics or hospitals if you are showing any of the above symptoms!

General guidelines for all those staying in Israel:

• For the latest information on coronavirus cases in Israel, please refer to the Department of Health's website .
• The Israeli Government is monitoring the outbreak closely and has implemented temporary measures including border restrictions for travelers from around the world.
• Commercial establishments and entertainment venues will be closed including:
• Shopping malls (except for supermarkets, pharmacies, and places that provide TA food services)
• Discos, bars, pubs, and dining establishments, including hotel dining (excluding TA food services)
• Banquet halls
• Gyms and swimming pools, water parks, zoo, safaris, petting zoos
• Ritual baths (men), and bathhouses
• Cinemas, theaters, and other cultural establishments
• Amusement facilities and amusement parks
• Businesses for non-medical treatment of the human body
• Exhibition halls and fairgrounds
• Public boats
• Heritage sites
• Prayer and religious ceremonies can be conducted in groups of up to 10 people, with 6.5 feet (2 meters) between people and no more than 2 groups at a time.
• Prohibition of visits to welfare, nursing, or healthcare facilities serving as homes for their residents, with the exception of a maximum of one caregiver, preferably a permanent caregiver.
• Regarding visits to hospitals and institutions:
• Visits to hospitals and senior facilities should be avoided.
• If a caregiver is needed, one caregiver must suffice.
• People showing symptoms are not permitted to accompany patients or visit institutions for seniors.
• Medical staff responsible for treating patients can only gather for work purposes in groups not to exceed 15 people.
• Seniors and patients: It is recommended for those aged 60 and over and those with chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, respiratory disease or immunosuppression, avoid crowds and contact with people who have returned from any destination abroad, those who show symptoms, or people who are suspected of being infected, while maintaining their routine.

Public transport: The Ministry of Health recommends avoiding public transport.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• I am a tourist in Israel and I am concerned that I may have COVID-19, where should I go?

If you have a fever of 100.4F (38C) or higher, cough, trouble breathing, or other respiratory symptoms, you must immediately enter self-isolation and call the 101 MDA Emergency Services Hotline for medical advice. Do not go to an HMO clinic or emergency ward.

• I already have a trip booked for April and May, should I cancel my reservations?

At the moment, entry to Israel will be refused to non-citizens or non-residents of Israel arriving from anywhere in the world. In exceptional cases, one may apply for approval of the Foreign Ministry subject to proof of the ability to remain in self-isolation for 14 days.

• Are there any tourist sites, museums, institutes, and/or cultural spaces closed? Are restaurants and bars operating as normal?

Currently, commercial establishments and entertainment venues are closed. Please see the above list for details and exceptions.

• Are any upcoming events or conferences canceled? If so, which ones?

No events of more than 10 people are permitted in Israel.

• Will upcoming religious ceremonies still take place as regularly scheduled (Passover, Easter, etc.)?

Prayer and religious ceremonies can be conducted in groups of up to 10 people, keeping 6.5 feet (2 meters) from one person to another and no more than 2 groups at a time.

• What are the restrictions regarding local travel throughout the country?

The Ministry of Health recommends avoiding public transport.

No gatherings of more than 10 people are permitted.

• When will Israel be open to incoming visitors again? At this moment there is not a known date in which Israel will be open to incoming visitors.

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Sar-El Tours & Conferences

Sar-El Tours & Conferences has been a leading incoming tourism agency in Israel for nearly 30 years, providing impeccable travel services for Christian pilgrims and tourists from all around the world. Specializing in faith Journeys focused on biblical themes, we provide comprehensive A to Z service from planning to operating every aspect of your trip. Our company also operates business excursions, professional delegations, conferences and conventions not only in Israel but regionally as well.

With a strong faith-based and professional executive team, Sar-El Tours is known worldwide for its impeccable service and commitment to customer satisfaction. Our team will work with you to customize a perfect itinerary that will match your expectations and budget, placing our experience, commitment, size and cost-effective solutions at your service.

From the humble beginning of a husband and wife team nearly 30 years ago, Sar-El Tours & Conferences has risen to a leading position in the tourism industry. Today our company provides comprehensive services with its own transportation fleet of buses and vans, hotels, restaurants, media services and complimentary educational division. Our vision is to bridge the gap between Israel and the nations, strengthen ties between people of faith and encourage the personal faith of our clients.

Our Managers

Samuel Smadja

Uri Avrouskine

Kurt Kaufman

Ezra Baruch

Israel Marans

Rodney Gilah

Yinon Ben-Hod

Daniela Epstein

Richard Van Der Beek

Ella Schleifer

Ibrahim Vidal

Virginia Syvan

Reuven Doron

Ronni Epstein

Professional Services

• 29 years of impeccable service
• Over 1,000,000 satisfied visitors
• Operating an average of 3,000 groups per year
• Valued clients
• Customized itineraries for Christian churches & ministries, universities, governments, embassies, medical journeys, agriculture delegations, start-ups, business trips and more.

Adding Value To The Group

Sar-El Tours & Conferences was the first company in the Sar-El Group, being faithful to our core values for nearly 30 years. Sar-El Group has grown and expanded its services to complement our original vision, and we have accomplished this through Sar-El Groups' privately owned hotels, transportation fleet, media and production teams, restaurants, VIP services, educational division and more.

65 Best Tourism Industry Events & Travel Conferences 2024/25

Looking for the top travel conferences 2024 has to offer? If you’re working in the tourism industry and you haven’t booked a ticket to one of the many events, what are you waiting for? Not only are these events an excuse to get out of the office and network with like-minded people, but they’re also great opportunities to learn more about travel and tourism.

Travel conferences are great for making new deals, discovering up-and-coming innovations, learning new skills, or just some good old networking. And there are some really exciting travel and tourism conferences in 2024 that exemplify the importance of travel .

We’ve put together this comprehensive list of conferences happening all over the world in the next year. Have a look at which ones you don’t want to miss and start planning your trip now.

Best Travel Industry Conferences 2024/25 by Month

January: Fitur – International Tourism Trade Fair

February: Travel & Adventure Show

March: B Travel Trade Show

April: World Travel Market

May: Tbex San Sebastian Spain

June: ITT Conference

July: Web in Travel (WIT)l Conference

August: Global Business Travel Association Conference

September: World Youth and Student Travel Conference

October: TBEX Africa

November: The Phocuswright Conference

December: International Luxury Travel Market – Worldwide

Fitur — International Tourism Trade Fair

Dates: 24 – 28 January 2024

Location: Madrid, Spain

Fitur is held every year in Madrid. It is one of the biggest tourism fairs in the world and an ideal gateway to Latin American markets. Fitur draws an international crowd of tourism professionals and travellers alike. It provides a platform to develop strategies for consumer demand and communication.

The first three days of the conference are for trade visitors only, with doors opening to the public on Saturday and Sunday. Visitors can use this conference to network with other tourism professionals and travellers, as well as gain new insights and knowledge in the industry.

Find more info here

Matka — Nordic Travel Fair

Dates: 19 – 21 January 2024

Location: Helsinki, Finland

Being the largest travel conference in Northern Europe and the Baltic Region, Matka attracts over 1000 exhibitors annually. These exhibitors travel to Finland from more than 80 different countries, allowing for a diverse crowd. The conference is open to the public and trade buyers, with two days solely dedicated to the professionals.

The main aim behind Matka is for tourism trade professionals to learn about new products and services. As well as make valuable connections, and gather information on the ever-moving innovations of the travel industry.

Travel & Adventure Show

Dates: 13 – 14 January 2024

Location: Chicago, USA

Dates: 20 – 21 January 2024

Location: Denver, USA

Dates: 27 – 28 January 2024

Location: New York, USA

Dates: 3 – 4 February 2024

Location: Los Angeles, USA

Dates: 17 – 18 February 2024

Location: Phoenix, USA

Dates: 24 – 25 February 2024

Location: Washington DC, USA

Dates: 9 – 10 March 2024

Location: Atlanta, USA

Dates: 16 – 17 March 2024

Location: San Francisco, USA

Dates: 23 – 24 March 2024

Location: Dallas, USA

The Travel and Adventure Shows are a series of exhibits that take place across the USA. So American visitors have the option to catch the business travel conferences closest to them.

Discover new travel destinations across the globe, and take the chance to rub shoulders with some big travel celeb names. These travel events bring tourism businesses and the public together.

Dates: 19 – 21 February 2024

Location: Melbourne, Australia

This is the Asia Pacific region’s leading meetings and event industry trade conference. Decision-makers in the event industry engage with each other during this three-day event to share, connect, and do business.

The 2024 AIME is preparing to be one of their biggest yet as they celebrate their 30th birthday. They expect to host 400 buyers and 2000 visitors from around the world, making it a business tourism conference of 2024 you won’t want to miss.

Business Travel Show

Dates: 28 – 29 June 2024

Location: London, England

The largest business travel conference in Europe will be back in 2024. This conference is very business-oriented, so it’s the perfect place to find suppliers and network.

It also offers the opportunity to grow your business knowledge. This is the type of travel industry networking event that will challenge you and teach you to innovate and grow.

Travel Technology Europe

Despite only lasting two days, this is one of the top travel tech conferences in 2024. The event draws in over 5000 attendees and more than 30 conference sessions. It’s focused on technological development in our ever-growing industry.

Travel professionals looking for technological solutions to the industry’s current problems can find all the latest findings at this conference. It’s a gathering place of refreshing ideas and exciting opportunities.

Dates: 5 – 7 March 2024

Location: Oman

The ITB conference is the perfect place for B2B travel trading and gives visitors a taste of future travel and tourism trends. From panel discussions to keynote speakers, there is no better place to get an inside scoop on the year’s upcoming trends.

The three-day conference is exciting and informative, a great way to get exposure to the respective markets and the ideas that are shaping them.

Women’s Travel Fest

Dates: 3 – 5 March 2024

The Women’s Travel Fest is a conference just for ladies who love travelling. It’s been growing since 2013 and has become the largest women-in-travel summit. Join more than 30 amazing female speakers and network with other like-minded women.

This conference is an incredible opportunity to make good connections and upskill in all the right areas. The aim of this travel convention in 2024 is to connect, support, and inspire women to travel the world safely. It is undoubtedly one of the best tourism fairs in the world for solo female travellers.

Web in Travel (WiT)

Date: 5 – 6 July 2024

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Date: 27 July 2024

Location: Penang, Malaysia

Date: 2 – 4 October 2024

Location: Singapore

Date: 2 November 2024

Location: Seoul, South Korea

For anyone interested in travel technology, distribution, and marketing, this conference will bring it all into one room. Join the masses as you get the opportunity to meet with others in the travel-tech and marketing space and gain new insights into the industry.

While the event occurs in several live locations throughout the year, it’s also one of the few travel technology conferences offering a virtual space. So you can connect with travel and marketing gurus from across the world.

Select Traveller Conference

Dates: 17 – 19 March 2024

Location: Buffalo Niagara, New York

This conference aims to boost the relationship between travel clubs and travel loyalty programs. If you are in the industry and hoping to increase your club membership or add value to your loyalty program, this is the place to be.

B Travel Trade Show

Dates: 15 – 17 March 2024

Location: Barcelona, Spain

The tourism trade show is a great all-around travel trade fair. You’ll learn a lot, be introduced to world-class products and ideas, and socialise with industry leaders. It’s Southern Europe’s biggest travel event, with over 24,000 visitors annually, so expect a crowd.

Travel Technology Initiative

Dates: 20 March 2024

TTI continues to establish and maintain technology standards within the travel industry. This conference is the main event of the year, where all the big travel tech names come together. Learn about the technological trends that will affect your business and the greater travel industry.

Travel and Words

Dates: 12 – 14 November 2024

Location: Missoula, Montana

This is a conference built on passion and voluntary work. The Travel and Words event is a great place for travel bloggers , writers, and destination marketers to get together. Here, they can discuss the future of travel marketing in media and print.

Its focus is on freelance travel writers in the Northwest, making it ideal for exposure to potential new markets.

International Luxury Travel Market – Worldwide

Dates: 19 – 22 June 2024

Location: Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

Dates: 18 – 21 September 2024

Location: Baha Mar, The Bahamas

Dates: 4 – 7 December 2024

Location: Cannes, France

Dates: 7 – 10 May 2024

Location: São Paulo, Brazil

The ILTM conferences showcase the ultimate luxury travel brands to handpicked travel advisors in different regions. It is here that luxury and travel combine to display fantastic holiday opportunities in each country.

Simply put, it’s one of the best international travel events of the year for luxury marketers and business owners.

World Trade Market

Dates: 6 – 8 November 2024

Dates: 2 – 4 April 2024

Dates: 10 – 12 April 2024

Location: Cape Town, South Africa

Dates: 6 – 9 May 2024

Location: Dubai, UAE

WTM hosts thousands of travel professionals in multiple locations each year.

The Latin America WTM showcases the best of Latin America to the rest of the world. Travel agencies, service providers, and travellers themselves all congregate together to see the best of Latin American Tourism.

WTM Africa does much the same, except for the African Continent. All tourism industry people, from hotel owners to tour guides and everyone in between, will meet under one roof to share and expand their network and knowledge.

WTM London celebrated 40 years in 2020 and will host many travel and tourism professionals in 2024. Here, you can connect and mingle with the industry’s head runners, as well as learn more about the world of travel and tourism.

International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association Global Convention

Dates: 4 – 7 October 2024

Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico

The IGLTA tourism convention exists to connect the LGBTQ+ community with gay-friendly travel and tourism brands, suppliers, and buyers. There are interesting educational workshops and numerous networking receptions for all attendees.

IGLTA also runs events around the world for LGBTQ+ travellers and promotes equality and safety within the tourism industry.

Skift Forum

Dates: 26 – 28 September 2024

Dates: 12 – 14 December 2024

The Skift Global Forum 2024 provides a space for innovative leaders in travel and tourism to come together and share, gain, and develop new ideas. With research-driven actionable insights, amazing speakers, and an excellent opportunity to network, it’s one of our favourite travel marketing conferences in 2024.

Women in Travel Summit

Dates: 12 – 14 April 2024

Location: Salt Lake City, USA

This is a wonderful conference for women in the travel and tourism industry. There will be brands, influencers, and creators.

Visitors can attend workshops and talks on travel directed specifically to the ladies. It’s A great opportunity for travel writers and influencers who want to expand their monetization strategies and learn from others.

Africa’s Travel Indaba

Dates: 9 – 11 May 2024

Location: Durban, South Africa

Africa’s tourism and travel industry are showcased well at this annual event, with exhibitor booths for travel services and product suppliers. Buyers, media, and the public can enjoy a first-row seat to the best that Africa has to offer.

This conference is geared more towards businesses (like tour operators and travel agents) than travel writers.

Digital Travel Summit 2024

Dates: 12 – 13 September 2024

Location: South Carolina, USA

One of the best tourism conferences for travel executives, Digital Travel, caters to their niche perfectly. With big keynotes and small face-to-face discussions around customer engagement and personalization, you’re bound to come away with creative new strategies to grow your business.

We Are Africa

Enjoy the luxurious side of African tourism as this event hosts both an African and International audience. It focuses on rebranding Africa as a top luxury destination with exciting investments and lavish products.

Tourism & Leisure Studies Conference

Dates: 14 – 16 June 2024

Location: Granada, Spain

This conference offers a space for travel industry professionals to discuss matters within the industry. Past, current, and future trends, issues, and innovations are presented and debated with like-minded individuals.

This is a great space for those looking to change their business model and adapt to relevant tourism in the new decade.

IPW Conference

Dates: 3 – 7 May 2024

IPW is where US travel exhibitors connect with travel buyers and media from more than 70 countries.

This is one of the best tourism events of 2024 that showcases products and builds relationships. It’s a national showcase of what America has to offer and brings in a great deal of tourism to the country.

Global Business Travel Association

Dates: 13 – 15 August 2024

Location: Toronto, Canada

Dates: 22 – 24 April 2024

Visit Canada’s largest conference for business travel and management professionals. As it attracts over 900 attendees, the event is a fantastic way for travel innovators to showcase their latest products and services to industry professionals.

It’s comparatively small in scale to other travel events of 2024, making it best for networking.

Keyframe 23 by Traverse

Dates: 13 – 16 April 2024

Location: Malta

This travel conference is aimed at bloggers, influencers, YouTubers, and other content creators. The vibrant festival combines travel and technological innovation. Digital content creators from around the world will gather to learn, progress, and develop new ways to show off the world of travel.

ITT Conference

Dates: 5 – 7 June 2024

Location: Doha, Qatar

The Institution of Travel and Tourism conference is held each year to provide a space for all those in the tourism industry to discuss and share.

You can find guidelines on how to be a professional in the industry, as well as support and advice on your travel career. You can also enjoy some networking with others in the industry.

Future Travel Experience

Dates: 19 – 21 September 2024

Location: California, USA

Dates: 8 – 9 November 2024

Learn more about the future of travel and hear from hundreds of airline and hotel representatives. Whether you attend the global travel industry event, the Asian event, or both – there is much to learn and many faces to network with.

As the name suggests, it is all about forward-moving tech and industry.

Digital Travel Summit EU

Date: 15 – 16 November 2024

All things digital and travel combine perfectly in this two-day event held in London. Along with industry-leading speakers, there are workshops, presentations, and small group sessions. There are also over 400 other digital travel professionals to network with.

Global Travel Marketplace

Date: 18 – 20 July 2024

Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

This travel conference is an appointment-only event connecting influential travel advisors with travel suppliers. It’s small-scale and tends to lead to many exciting new business deals.

TECNZ Tourism Conference

Dates: 8 –11 August 2024

Location: Rotorua, New Zealand

TECNZ Tourism Conference is for anyone interested in making partners and learning about New Zealand’s tourism innovations and trends.

Inbound 2024

Dates: 5 – 8 September 2024

Location: Boston, Massachusetts

Inbound is a yearly conference where big ideas are shared and expanded. It’s all about actionable strategies for growth and improvement. And with nightly parties, you’re likely to make good friends with your new connections.

Massive and exciting, it can be a little daunting. But there’s a surprising opportunity to make close connections and brainstorm your niche challenges.

Travel Writers and Photographers Conference

Dates: 10 – 13 August 2024

Location: Corte Madera, California

More niche than most options on our list, this conference is the perfect place for all travel writers and photographers to come together and expand their knowledge and skills.

Hosted by Book Passage, there is a world of knowledge to be shared over the 3-day event. With workshops, panels, and evening activities, you’ll come away with actionable insights and a lot of new contacts.

PATA Travel Mart

Dates: 4 – 6 October 2024

Location: New Delhi, India

The Pacific Asia Travel Association hosts the PATA travel mart each year. The role of PATA in tourism is essential, allowing sellers, buyers, and other industry professionals in the Asia-Pacific region to meet, greet, and network.

There is also a public day when traders can meet visitors and exhibit their products.

Travel Mart Latin America

Dates: 20 – 22 September 2024

Location: TBD

This is a long-standing conference showcasing Latin American tourism. It’s a great place for tour operators, wholesalers, meeting planners, and incentive companies to meet and share their businesses.

Travel Mart is also an expo of all travel and tourism opportunities in Central and South America.

World Youth and Student Travel Conference

Dates: 12 – 15 September 2024

Location: Lisbon, Portugal

This conference is a must for professionals who work in youth and student travel. It hosts over 150 buyers, represents 100 countries, and offers workshops and networking events aplenty, making it a conference worth your time.

Vestnorden Travel Mart 2024

Dates: 17 – 18 October 2024

Location: Reykjavik, Iceland

This is an extremely important trade show for the North Atlantic region. It allows B2B trading and networking for all travel professionals in and around Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroes Islands.

TBEX Africa, North America, and Europe

Dates: 17 – 20 July 2024

Location: Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Dates: 28 – 31 May 2024

Location: San Sebastian, Spain

TBEX has quickly become the largest conference and networking event for content creators, travel brands, and industry professionals. Partnering with fantastic destinations across the globe and attracting hundreds of delegates each year. This is a great place to network and do business.

It’s one of the best travel and tourism conferences in 2024, with the fantastic convention occurring in Africa, North America, and Europe.

Luxury Travel Advisors Ultra Summit

Dates: 20 – 22 June 2024

Location: Scottsdale, Arizona

This is a great international tourism conference for travel agents to attend to network with suppliers and learn more about the industry. It’s also a fantastic opportunity for exhibitors to showcase their businesses and what they offer.

TTG Travel Experience

Dates: 11 – 13 October 2024

Location: Remini, Italy

Anyone looking for a gateway to the Italian travel market should attend the TTG conference. With over 130 countries being represented, this is considered the largest B2B trade conference in Italy.

International Tourism Film Festival

Dates: 24 – 27 October 2024

Location: Caldas Da Rainha, Portugal

This unique event brings travel filmmakers and businesses together, showcasing industry greats and newcomers alike. It’s not a travel conference we all need to attend, but if you have a special talent for promotional travel films or are looking for someone who does, check it out.

GBTA + Conference 2024

Dates: 14 – 16 November 2024

Location: Hamburg, Germany

It’s one of the top business travel conferences in 2024 for B2B exposure. You’ll learn about the latest trends in tourism and make valuable new connections.

Phocuswright Conference

Dates: 13 – 16 November 2024

This is a great place for travel leaders and influencers to meet and discuss the latest innovations in the travel and tourism industry.

Top Travel and Tourism Conferences 2024/25

2024 is an exciting year for travel, with new solutions and innovations constantly breaking ground and a global public itching to explore.

Are you planning to attend any of these conferences? You may just see our team at a few of them too! So maybe, see you there.

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Travel conference disinvites israeli delegation due to a ‘campaign of intimidation’ against staff.

This is at least the second time this month that anti-Israel activists have targeted staff of a major event

BY Daniel Ben-David

• Anti-Israel activism

The Israeli stand at last year's conference (TravMedia)

A travel media agency overseeing one of the largest tourism networking conferences in the UK has been forced to disinvite Israel’s Ministry of Tourism from appearing due to threats made against its staff.

This year’s IMM conference, located at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster, will be held on February 19-20 and connects travel writers with tourism boards from around the world.

TravMedia, the agency responsible for the conference, announced on X/Twitter Monday that Israel’s Government Tourist Office are “no longer attending IMM 2024.” They added that despite striving to “remain neutral in matters of geopolitics,” in the run up to this year’s IMM members of their staff “have been subject to a campaign of personal intimidation and harassment.

“The safety and wellbeing of our staff remains our priority and it has therefore necessitated this decision,” the company said.

TravMedia declined to comment further when approached.

We announce today that Israel Government Tourist Office are no longer attending IMM 2024. TravMedia connects destinations and brands globally with a diverse community of media, and we strive to remain neutral in matters of geopolitics, providing a service to help travel writers… pic.twitter.com/lkXxp27Ps0 — TravMedia UK (@TravMedia_UK) February 12, 2024

Director of UK & Ireland at the Israeli government’s Tourism Office, Michael Ben-Baruch, told the JC that they had been made aware “of the severity of the situation on [Monday] via several calls with TravMedia,

“Trav Media shared with us the harassment they experienced from people on social networks and private messages and how threatened they felt, which we took seriously.

“It is disappointing to learn that violent and threatening behaviour has caused this outcome. It was not an easy decision but ultimately, we consider TravMedia a close industry partner and we look forward to working together in the future.”

Earlier this month, a West End theatre cancelled an event featuring author Douglas Murray over threats made to venue staff from anti-Israel activists.

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Are you looking for the best conference and events as per your topic of interest in Israel? International Conferences Alerts can help out. Our all-in-one conference platform offers the latest updates on upcoming international conferences in Israel for 2024. Scholars, academicians, Ph.D. candidates, scientists, and researchers can attend these conferences to find new prospects and build relationships with industry experts. We offer complete details on Israel conferences, including dates, venues, and speakers, so you can prepare early and explore the academic hub.

By attending these conferences, you can get the latest updates on industry innovations, to stay updated with the trend. At International Conference Alerts, you can find conferences as per months, dates, and topics. We offer conference listings for all subjects, including healthcare, engineering, finance, etc. You can subscribe to our email alerts and get instant updates on upcoming Israel conferences as per your interest. Furthermore, you can also add/promote any event to our diverse conference listings. With our extensive subscriber base, you can expect better exposure for your Israel conference.

Are you looking for the best conference and events as per your topic of interest in Israel? International Conferences Alerts can help out. Our all-in-one conference platform offers the latest updates on upcoming international conferences in Israel for 2024. ... Scholars, academicians, Ph.D. candidates, scientists, and researchers can attend these conferences to find new prospects and build relationships with industry experts. We offer complete details on Israel conferences, including dates, venues, and speakers, so you can prepare early and explore the academic hub.By attending these conferences, you can get the latest updates on industry innovations, to stay updated with the trend. At International Conference Alerts, you can find conferences as per months, dates, and topics. We offer conference listings for all subjects, including healthcare, engineering, finance, etc. You can subscribe to our email alerts and get instant updates on upcoming Israel conferences as per your interest. Furthermore, you can also add/promote any event to our diverse conference listings. With our extensive subscriber base, you can expect better exposure for your Israel conference. Read More

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Helping the travel industry recover from coronavirus

June 22-26, 2020.

Thank you for making the conference such a success! Here's what you're saying: 

"It was a tour de force—amazingly rich content and a real planning feat.  Thank you so much for reinventing the idea of a travel conference in such a vital and modern way."

"This has been such an inspiring and priceless week. Thanks to all of you who worked for making it comes true!"    "One of the best panel discussions I've attended this year.  Great job!"

"The entire team did an AMAZING job last week on the online conference.  We were so thrilled to be able to participate, and I am sure everyone thought it was a major success."

"I have to say that the organization of NTC was perfect — informative content, meaningful conversations in a collaborative environment, precision in the event management, and inspiring discussions without missing on the opportunity to have some fun, too!" "Thank you to everyone for a great week. It was wonderful to see so many people from great brands and to learn about what the new travel landscape will look like. Congrats!" " I have really enjoyed this conference and I want to thank you all for organizing a welcome respite from so much bad news. It is wonderful to know travel has a gorgeous new horizon and we can still explore this planet of ours."

"What an accomplishment! You really tackled the current state of travel from all angles. Such impressive presentations and productive dialogue."

See you at the next one! 

Jack Ezon, Pavia Rosati, Shivani Vora

The New Travel Co-Founders  

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

Panels, presentations, connections.

Welcome to The New Travel , a virtual conference designed to help the travel industry navigate Covid-19, and specifically the next six months of travel. 

TNT is  a collaborative event uniting travel companies (hoteliers, destination marketers, DMC, cruise lines, travel networks) with travel media and luxury travel advisors to better understand how the industry is adapting and shifting to fit evolving needs and to help revive the industry — and chart a course for a brighter future. 

TNT’ s focus will be boutique, independent, and luxury properties and offerings.

We have three main goals:

Share information, experience, and strategies through panels addressing changing needs and emerging trends, such as health and safety, service, and reopening plans;   

Give travel companies a forum to update media and advisors about their status and news, through live presentations and a shared database;   

Reconnect with each other, after months of isolation, through happy hours. We miss our travel pals!

TNT will take place the week of June 22, with a flexible schedule designed to let attendees pick and choose their most relevant sessions. 

Although recovery remains a moving target, and definitive answers are all but impossible to find, the more informed we are, the better our decisions can be. 

TNT ’s panels will address topics and share strategies that have emerged as critical as the virus leaves no facet of the travel experience untouched. Among the topics covered: 

Safety : How will companies — and travelers — know something is “clean” and “safe” and how will this message be conveyed to clients?

Service : What is high-touch service in a no-touch era? How will amenities — valet, spas, gyms, minibars — change? How will food + beverage service evolve? How will technology help address these issues?   

Privacy : Is this the year everything goes private, from planes to hotels, as guests try to limit their exposure to strangers? 

Money Matters : Is travel going to be cheaper or more expensive?

Trends : What’s the future of cruising? Business and events? What kinds of trips to travelers want now, and how can we use recovery to build a better future?

Scroll down to the PANELS section to see specifics and times.

CONFIRMED MODERATORS

Jeffries Blackerby , Departures

Paul Brady , Travel + Leisure

Julia Cosgrove , AFAR

Mark Ellwood , Conde Nast Traveler and Robb Report 

Christina Ohly Evans , Financial Times/How To Spend It

Brekke Fletcher , CNN

Erin Florio , Conde Nast Traveler

Lebawit Lily Girma , @sunandstilettos

Klara Glowczewska , Town & Country

Farhad Heydari , House of Heydari Jacqueline Gifford , Travel + Leisure

Jen Murphy , Journalist

Louise O'Brien , Langham Hotels 

Wendy Perrin , WendyPerrin.com

Pavia Rosati , Fathom and The New Travel co-creator

Shivani Vora , CNN and The New Travel co-creator

Arnie Weissmann , Travel Weekly 

DeMarco Williams , Forbes Travel Guide 

PRESENTATIONS

9 a.m. - 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.

All times are EST.

Travel companies (hotels, cruise lines, destinations) will host 20-minute conversations with media and advisors to share news and updates. Sessions will be moderated and include questions from the audience. The schedule will be published as soon as it's finalized. 

CONFIRMED EXHIBITORS

1 Hotel South Beach · 

Acqualina Resort & Residences on the Beach ·

Adams & Butler Britain & Ireland ·

Adare Manor ·

Adventure Women · 

The Alpina Gstaad ·

AMAN ·

andBeyond ·

Andronis Exclusive· 

Angama Mara ·

ÀNI Private Resorts ·

Aqua Expeditions ·

Aspen, Colorado ·

Auberge Resorts Collection ·

Awasi - Relais & Chateaux · 

Baha Mar, Nassau Bahamas ·

Beau-Rivage Palace Lausanne Switzerland · 

Belmond ·

Big Five Tours & Expeditions ·

Brush Creek Ranch · 

Canaves Oia Resorts, Santorini ·

Cap Maison Resort & Spa, St Lucia and  Baoase Luxury Resort, Curaçao ·

Capri Palace ·

Carillon Miami Wellness Resort · 

Casa Angelina - Amalfi Coast ·

Casa de Campo Resort & Villas ·  

Castel Hoertenberg · 

Catalina Island Company · 

Classic Journeys · 

The Colony, Palm Beach ·

Cuvée ·

Discover Long Island · 

Dream Hotel Group ·

Eden Roc Cap Cana · 

Eluxit ·

Esprit Saint Germain Paris ·

Faena Hotel Miami Beach · 

Finca Cortesin Hotel, Golf & Spa & Residences ·

Four Seasons Hotel New  York Downtown ·

Francis Ford Coppola's Hideaways – Belize, Guatemala and Italy · 

GEMS Holdings Ltd. (Secret Bay, Dominica and Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort) · 

Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Lake Como ·

Gray & Co. Private Active Trips · 

Gritti Palace · 

Hartling Group / The Palms & The Shore Club ·

Heckfield Place · 

Hotel Byron ·

Hotel d'Angleterre, Copenhagen · 

Hotel Esencia ·

The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa · 

Iconic Luxury Hotels - Chewton Glen, Cliveden House, The Lygon Arms, 11 Cadogan Gardens ·

IHG ·

Index Select DMCs - Cuba Candela and Experience Morocco ·

Israel My Way · 

Jade Mountain Saint Lucia ·

KANAVA Hotels & Resorts, Santorini & Paros ·

KOALA · 

Lily of the Valley · 

Made for Spain and Portugal · 

MAI10 · 

Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como & Mandarin Oriental, Milan ·

Marriott Vacation Worldwide  ·

Masseria San Domenico and Borgo Egnazia · 

Meadowood Napa Valley ·

Medjet · 

Micato Safaris ·

Nantipa – A Tico Beach Experience and Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa ·

Nevaeh Villa & Quintessence Hotel ·

Nomadic Expeditions and Three Camel Lodge · 

NoteWorthy ·

Omnitrak Group Inc. ·

One&Only Resorts · 

Orania.Berlin · 

Palmasola Villa ·

Paragon 700 Boutique Hotel & SPA ·

Post Ranch Inn ·

Quirk Hotel Charlottesville - The Lytle Park Hotel Cincinnati - THesis Hotel Miami · 

The Ranch Malibu · 

Rancho Bernardo Inn and Surf & Sand, Laguna Beach · 

Red Carnation Hotels ·

Relais & Châteaux ·

Remote Lands · 

Rocco Forte Hotels · 

Rosewood Hotel Group ·

Rosewood Little Dix Bay ·

Round Hill Hotel and Villas · 

The Royal Portfolio ·

Scott Dunn · 

Sea Song Tours – Turkey  · 

Selected Escapes, including The Point Resort and The Wickaninnish Inn ·

Shangri-La Group ·

Silversands Grenada ·

Singita ·

Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas · 

SKIUSA - Global Ski Experts ·

Small Luxury Hotels of the World · 

Sofitel Legend Santa Clara ·

Soneva · 

Sonoma County Tourism ·

The St. Regis Rome ·

Timbers Resorts · 

Travel Beyond ·

Triple Creek Ranch Relais & Chateaux, A Montana Hideaway ·

Ultima Collection · 

Uniworld ·

Vacations By Rail · 

VeniVidiParis · 

Viceroy Resorts of the Caribbean · 

Villas of Distinction · 

Visit Baja California Sur ·

VisitBritain ·

VisitDenmark US · 

W South Beach · 

Wagstaff Media & Marketing and Steller.co ·

WIMCO Villas ·

Yonder 

HAPPY HOURS

What’s a conference without catching up with old friends and making new ones?

In that spirit, we will organize post-session happy hours. Check the schedule for details.

In addition to attending panels, journalists and advisors will be encouraged to schedule one-on-one follow-ups with the companies that most interest them. 

SHARED INFORMATION DATABASE

TNT will remain a resource long after the event has ended by giving all participants access to a shared information database, where travel company information is organized by location, company, and interest to be easily accessible for future use by media and advisors. 

THANK YOU, SPONSORS!

Platinum Sponsor

Gold Sponsors

Travel companies will host 20-minute conversations with media and advisors to share updates and news. Sessions will be moderated and include questions from the audience.

$500 - SOLD OUT

_____________

Travel industry professionals and advisors have access to all presentations and panels.​ Ticket codes cannot be shared. ​

Media will have access to all presentations and panels.

Ten percent of ticket fees will be donated to

Saira hospitality, a non-profit transforming the way hotels, connect with local communities through education. .

Cancellation / refund policy:

If the event is cancelled for any reason, registration fees will be fully refunded.

Shipping / fulfillment policy: 

This is a virtual event. "Tickets" for the event, which will occur all week per the schedule below, will be sent before the event via email.

Links for the webinars were emailed to attendees on June 19, and updates are sent daily.

If you didn't see the email, please check your spam folder.

Pre-registration is not necessary for any events.

MONDAY, JUNE 22, 2020

9 a.m. - 11 a.m. EST

Exhibitor Presentations

9:00 - 9:30 – Heckfield Place Olivia Richli, General Manager

9:15 - 9:45 – Canaves Oia Resorts, Santorini, Greece

Markos Chaidemenos, Managing Director

9:30 - 10:00 – Paragon 700 Boutique Hotel & Spa

Rachele Belladelli

9:45 - 10:15 – Baha Mar, Nassau Bahamas

Graeme Davis, President

10:00 - 10:30 – Omnitrak Group, Inc.

Chris Kam, President of Omnitrak Group, Inc.

10:15 - 10:45 – Quirk Hotel Charlottesville -

The Lytle Park Hotel Cincinnati - THesis Hotel Miami

10:30 - 11:00 – Rosewood Hotel Group

Roselle Roces, Director of Global Sales, Rosewood Hotel Group

10:45 - 11:00 – Marriott Vacations Worldwide

Ed Kinney, Global Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Communications

11 a.m. - 3 p.m. EST ​

Panel Discussions

Theme: Safety + Service

(Scroll for panel descriptions.)

Presented by

11:00 - 11:40 – What’s High-Touch Service in a No-Touch Era?

Juan Carlos Abello · Founder and CEO, Nuvola

François Delahaye · COO, Dorchester Collection Tammy Pahel · VP of Spa Operations, Carillon Miami Wellness Resort

Moderator: Klara Glowczewska · Executive Travel Editor, Town & Country

11:45 - 12:25 – Transportation: How Can We Get There Safely?

Vincent Frascogna · Vice President, Americas, Etihad Airways

Scott Gorenc · Studio Design Director, Corgan

Scott Keyes · Founder, Scott's Cheap Flights

Rebecca Payne · Senior Product Manager, Uber

Moderator: Mark Ellwood · Contributing Editor, Conde Nast Traveler

and Editor-at-Large, Robb Report

12:30 - 1:10 – Travel as a Force for Good

Harsha Chanrai · Founder, Saira Hospitality

Beks Ndlovu · Founder and CEO, African Bush Camps and Professional Guide

Carmen Portela · Co-Founder, Local Guest

Justin Wateridge · Managing Director, Steppes Travel

Moderator: Lebawit Lily Girma , Journalist and Author, @sunandstilettos

1:15 - 1:55 – At Your Service: The New Food and Beverage Scene

Andrew Carmellini · Chef/Owner Locanda Verde and The Dutch NYC

Daniel Hostettler · Managing Director, Ocean House

and President, Relais & Châteaux North America

Lydia Forte · Group Director of Food & Beverage, Rocco Forte Hotels

Amir Nahai · CEO Food & Beverage and Lifestyle, Accor

Moderator: Jen Murphy · Journalist a nd former travel editor, Food & Wine

2:00 - 2:40 – How Will Travelers Protect Themselves —

And Will Governments and Travel Companies Help Them Do It?

Siobhan Byrne Learat · Founder & CEO, Adams & Butler

John Gobbels · VP & COO, Medjet

Alison Metcalfe · EVP, Tourism Ireland and Chair of USA Chapter, European Travel Commission

Maribel Rodriguez · SVP Membership & Commercial, World Travel and Tourism Council

Moderator: Arnie Weissmann · Editor in Chief, Travel Weekly     

3 p.m. - 5 p.m. EST

2:45 - 3:15 – Belmond Ltd. 

Samantha Strawford

3:00 - 3:30 – Post Ranch Inn

Mike Freed, Managing Partner

3:15 - 3:45 – Adams & Butler Britain & Ireland

Siobhan Byrne Learat, CEO & Founder

3:30 - 4:00 – The Alpina Gstaad

Mariano Tribelhorn

3:45- 4:15 – Iconic Luxury Hotels - Chewton Glen, Cliveden House,

The Lygon Arms, 11 Cadogan Gardens

Shawn Rettstatt, President & Owner of Selected Escapes

4:00 - 4:30 – Timbers Resorts

Austin Watkins

4:15 - 4:45 – Selected Escapes, including The Point Resort and The Wickaninnish Inn

4:30 - 5:00 – Wagstaff Media & Marketing and Steller.co

Maïté Conway Ross, Managing Partner, Wagstaff Media & Marketing

Pete Bryant, Co-Founder and CEO, Steller

4:45 - 5:15 – Shangri-La Group

Sam McDiarmid, Assistant Vice President, Global Luxury Sales

Angel Wan, Account Director, Global Luxury Sales (Americas)

5:00 - 5:30 – Round Hill Hotel and Villas

Josef Forstmayr, Managing Director

5:15 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. EST ​

Social Media Workshop

5:15 - 6:00 – C-Suite Social: Mastering Social Media from the Corner Office

Catherine Colford · Managing Director, Maverick Creative 

Jennifer Hawkins · Founder and CEO, Hawkins International 

Meg Towner · Digital Director, Hawkins International 

TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 2020

9 a.m. - 6 p.m. EST

9:00 - 9:30 – VisitDenmark US

Mette Cordt-Bergholt, Marketing Manager, VisitDenmark Matt Orlando, Chef-Owner, Amass Restaurant, Copenhagen 9:15 - 9:45 – Aqua Expeditions Francesco Galli Zugaro, CEO & Founder 9:30 - 10:00 – Rocco Forte Hotels Sir Rocco Forte 9:45 - 10:15 – Auberge Resorts Collection Mike Minchin, CMO 10:00 - 10:30 – Finca Cortesin Hotel, Golf & Spa & Residences Javier Rivadulla, Director of Sales & Marketing Magdalena Sanchez, Assistant DOSM 10:15 - 10:45 – Orania.Berlin Jennifer Vogel, Hotel Manager 10:30 - 11:00 – One&Only Resorts Brett Armitage, Chief Commercial Officer 10:45 - 11:15 – Adare Manor Gillian Griffin, Assistant Director of Sales 11:00 - 11:30 – Travel Beyond Craig Beal, Owner Kota Tabuchi, Managing Director, Africa Dianna Upton, Product Manager, Asia Jennifer Gillmore, Product Manager, Latin America 11:15 - 11:45 – NoteWorthy Nicola Butler, Owner and Managing Director 11:30 - 12:00 – Made for Spain and Portugal Virginia Irurita, Founder, Executive Partner 11:45 - 12:15 – andBeyond Nicole Robinson, CMO 12:00 - 12:30 – Visit Baja California Sur,

Representing the Regions of Loreto, La Paz and Los Cabos Jesus Ordoñez, General Director 12:15 - 12:45 – Vacations By Rail Heather Leisman, President, Vacations By Rail Todd Powell, President, Global FIT 12:30 - 1:00 – Hotel d'Angleterre, Copenhagen Lucas Johansson, General Manager Michael Halsall, Director of Sales & Marketing 12:45 - 1:15 – Gritti Palace Federica Oriente, Director of Sales Cyndy Cruikshank, Director of Marketing 1:00 - 1:30 – Discover Long Island Kristen Jarnagin, President & CEO

1:15 - 1:45 – Beau-Rivage Palace Lausanne Switzerland Nathalie Seiler-Hayez

1:30 - 2:00 – Cap Maison Resort & Spa, St Lucia along with Baoase Luxury Resort, Curaçao Rufus Gobat, Cap Maison Resort & Spa, St Lucia Oliver Zahn, Baoase Luxury Resort, Curaçao

1:45 - 2:15 – Israel My Way – Customized Tours Yoav Gal, Owner & CEO

2:00 - 2:30 – The Ranch Malibu Lisa Boolootian, Director of Operations Melissa Newman, Director of Guest Relations Melissa Amerian, Director of Marketing and Public Relations  

2:15- 2:45 – Eden Roc Cap Cana Rosalynn Castillo, Director of Sales & Marketing  

2:30 - 3:00 – NoteWorthy Nicola Butler, Owner and Managing Director  

2:45 - 3:15 – Hartling Group / The Palms & The Shore Club Karen Whitt, Vice-President Sales and Marketing  

3:00 - 3:30 – J ade Mountain Saint Lucia Karolin Troubetzkoy

3:15 - 3:45 – Carillon Miami Wellness Resort Patrick Fernandes, Executive Managing Director  

3:30 - 4:00 – Faena Hotel Miami Beach Scott Geraghty, Chief Operating Officer  

3:45- 4:15 – Aspen, Colorado Eliza Voss, Director of Marketing, Aspen Chamber Resort Association  

4:00 - 4:30 – The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa Seliece Caldwell Womble, Director of Marketing  

4:15 - 4:45 – Nevaeh Villa & Quintessence Hotel

Tania Rydon, Nevaeh Villa Dave Lyon, Quintessence Hotel  

4:30 - 5:00 – Hotel Esencia Manuel Sillas, Hotel Manager  

4:45 - 5:15 – Small Luxury Hotels of the World Kenan Simmons, VP of Americas Dana O’Malley, PR Director Americas  

5:00 - 5:30 – KOALA

Mike Kennedy, Cofounder and CEO  

5:15- 5:45 – Eluxit Bahar Schmidt

Jason Schmidt  

5:30 - 6:00 – Rosewood Little Dix Bay Brad Simmons, Director of Sales and Marketing  

5:45 - 6:15 – Relais & Châteaux Philippe Gombert, International President of Relais & Châteaux Brian Young, Managing Director, Castle Hill, Newport, Rhode Island

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2020

9:00 - 9:30 – Kanava Hotels & Resorts, Santorini & Paros Kalia Konstantinidou, Vice President

9:15 - 9:45 – SKIUSA - Global Ski Experts Eduardo Gaz  

9:30 - 10:00 – Belmond Andrea Filippi, VP Global Sales Annette Kishon-Pines, Director of Global Sales: The Americas  

9:45 - 10:15 – Gray & Co. Private Active Trips Julia Hayhurst, Director of Operations

Carolyn Werry, Director of Travel  

10:00 - 10:30 – Espirit Saint Germain Paris François Souman, Manager  

10:15 - 10:45 – Mandarin Oriental, Milan  Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como Luca Finardi, Mandarin Oriental Milan Samuel Porreca, Mandarin Oriental Lago di Como  

10:30 - 11:00 – Yonder Freyr Thor, Co-Founder and CEO of Yonder Global, PBC 10:45 - 11:00 – Ultima Collection Xavier Giammettei

11 a.m. - 3:25 p.m. EST ​

Theme: Travel Trends at Risk

11:00 - 11:40 – Will Independent Hotels Lead or Lag?  

Liz Biden · Owner & Founder, The Royal Portfolio Anthony Champalimaud · General Partner, Troutbeck Valentina De Santis · Owner & CEO, Grand Hotel Tremezzo Shannon Knapp · President & CEO, Leading Hotels Moderator: Jeffries Blackerby · Editor in Chief, Departures  

11:45 - 12:25 – How Will Group, Business, and Event Travel Change?  

Guerdy Abraira · Destination Wedding Planner, Guerdy Design Mike Garrow · Director of Sales, Meadowood Anne Mansfield · Vice President, Sales - Americas, Four Seasons Susie Piegza · Co-founder, Classic Journeys Moderator: DeMarco Williams , Managing Editor, Forbes Travel Guide 

12:30 - 1:10 – What's the Future of Communal Spaces?

Ori Kafri · Owner, JK Place Hotels Aliya Khan · VP of Design - Lifestyle Brands, Marriott International Karin Salinas · Chief Marketing Officer, BahaMar Moderator: F arhad Heydari · Founder and CEO, House of Heydari  

1:15 - 1:55 – What's the Future of Cruising?

Chris Austin · Senior Vice President, Global Sales and Marketing, Seabourn Cruise Line Ben Lyons · CEO, EYOS Expeditions Mary Jean Tully · Founder & CEO, Tully Luxury Travel Moderator: Paul Brady · Arti cles Editor, Travel + Leisure  

2:00 - 2:40 – We Can’t Forget Sustainability 

Mike Freed · CEO, Post Ranch Inn Xenia zu Hohenlohe · Partner and Founder, Considerate Group Gregory Miller · Executive Director, Center for Responsible Travel (CREST) Nicole Robinson · Chief Marketing Officer, andBeyond Moderator: Julia Cosgrove · VP, Editor in Chief, AFAR Media  

2:45 - 3:25 – How Can We Keep Travel Accessible?

Mitchell Hochberg · President, Lightstone Group and Developer, Moxy Hotels Jane Mackie · SVP, Global Marketing - Luxury and Upscale Brands, IHG Fern Ottavio · Sales and Marketing Manager, TAP Air Portugal Cherae Robinson · Founder, Tastemakers Africa Moderator: Erin Florio · Travel News Director, Conde Nast Traveler

3:30 p.m. - 6 p.m. EST

3:30 - 4:00 – Medjet Sheri Howell, Marketing and Communications, Medjet Paul Goodall, Travel Agency Sales Advisor, Medjet  

3:45- 4:15 – Triple Creek Ranch Relais & Chateaux, A Montana Hideaway Jennifer O’Donohue, Brand and Communications Director  

4:00 - 4:30 – Meadowood Napa Valley Jennifer Chiesa, Director of Public Relations Danielle Lucas, Director of Strategic Partnerships  

4:15 - 4:45 – The Colony, Palm Beach Bruce Seigel, General Manager Elisabeth Munder, President of Luxury Ink (PR firm)  

4:30 - 5:00 – Acqualina Resort and Residences on the Beach Mauro Pinho, Director of Sales and Marketing  

4:45 - 5:15 – Silversands Grenada Narelle McDougall, General Manager  Francine Stewart, Director of Sales and Marketing  

5:00 - 5:30 W South Beach

Rick Ueno – General Manager 

Claudia Marulanda – Director of Transient Sales

5:15- 5:45 – Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Nicolas Pesty  

5:30 - 6:00 – Scott Dunn John Spence  

5:45 - 6:15 – Cuvée

Christa Weaving, VP Marketing

Kristin Westberg, VP of Global Client Experiences

Crystal Cisco, Senior Destination Manager, Vail Valley

6 - 7 p.m. EST

Happy Hour!

Hosted by Kendall-Jackson

one of America’s most beloved wineries

Join Kendall-Jackson Winemaster Randy Ullom as he conducts

an interactive virtual wine tasting with three of Kendall-Jackson’s premium,

high-quality wines from California’s cool coastal climates. Caroline Schnapp,

social media editor for Food & Wine, will moderate the tasting.

Randy will also discuss Kendall-Jackson’s Wine Estate and Gardens,

one of Sonoma’s most sought after wine and culinary experiences.

All registered attendees of The New Travel Conference received an email

with a special discount code for the wines.

THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2020

9:00 - 9:30 – Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Lake Como Valentina De Santis, Owner and CEO  

9:15 - 9:45 – Masseria San Domenico and Borgo Egnazia Valeria De Luca, Sales Manager

9:30 - 10:00 – VeniVidiParis Sarah Bartesaghi Truong, Founder and CEO  

9:45 - 10:15 – Casa Angelina - Amalfi Coast, Italy Annarita Aprea, Director of Sales & Marketing

10:00 - 10:30 – Soneva Sonu Shivdasani  

10:15 - 10:45 – Sea Song Tours – Turkey Karen Fedorko Sefer, Founder/CEO  

10:30 - 11:00 – Red Carnation Hotels Jonathan Raggett, Managing Director at Red Carnation Hotels  

10:45 - 11:15 – IHG ​ Jane Mackie, SVP, Global Marketing-Luxury and Upscale Brands

11 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. EST ​

Lunch + Learn Workshops

11:00 - 11:40 – How to Speak to Millennials

Maita Barrenechea · Founder/Owner, Mai 10  Gwen Kozlowski · President, Exeter International  Jennifer Virgilio · Partner, Queen of Clubs Mei Zhang · Founder, WildChina Moderator: Wendy Perrin · Editor in Chief, WendyPerrin.com  

11:45 - 12:25 – How to Communicate During a Crisis

Peggy R. Bendel  · President, Bendel Communications International

Hugh Riley  · Partner, The Portfolio Marketing Group and

former Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization

Allison Sitch · Vice President, Public Relations, The Americas,  Marriott International

Anne-Laure Tuncer  · Director USA, Atout France

Moderator: Louise O’Brien , Regional Director of Public Relations, The Americas –

Langham Hospitality Group

12:30 - 1:10 – How to Make Travel More Welcoming to Black People

Kellee Edwards · Travel Host, Travel + Leisure and Travel Channel Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon · Journalist and Host, JetSetSarah.com Milton Howery III · Director of Public Relations, Memphis Tourism Kim Jamieson · Director of Marketing, Columbia Metropolitan Airport Travis Levius · Journalist, Video Producer, and Consultant Moderator: DeMarco Williams , Managing Editor, Forbes Travel 

1:15 p.m. - 6 p.m. EST

1:15 - 1:45 – Index Select with Cuba Candela and Experience Morocco Tyler LaMont, Partner at Index Select Danielle Dormand, Partner at Index Select Hicham Alaoui, Co-founder of Experience Morocco Chad Olin, Founder of Cuba Candela  

1:30 - 2:00 – Castel Hoertenberg Rachele Belladelli  

1:45 - 2:15 – Micato Safaris Dennis Pinto, Managing Director

Liz Wheeler, Director of Global Operations

Emily Baldwin, Director of Communications

Amanda Mulhearn, Strategic Business Manager

2:00 - 2:30 – VisitBritain Julia Gordin, Senior Communications Manager, U.S.  Tara Barnes, Travel Trade Manager, Eastern and Central Region  

2:15- 2:45 – 1 Hotel South Beach Fernando Cerna, Director of Sales and Marketing

Vanessa Longette, Director of Environmental Health and Safety

2:30 - 3:00 – Remote Lands Catherine Heald Melisa Novick  

2:45 - 3:15 – GEMS Holding Ltd. - Representing Secret Bay

and Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort Dinesh Kissoon, General Manager Gregor Nassief, Owner Rachel Johnson, PR  

3:00 - 3:30 – AdventureWomen Judi Wineland, Owner Nicole Wineland-Thomson, Owner & Director of Programming Erica Landerson, Owner &General Manager  

3:15 - 3:45 – Uniworld Ellen Bettridge   

3:30 - 4:00 – Villas of Distinction Steve Lassman, Vice President  

3:45- 4:15 – Awasi - Relais & Châteaux Matías de Cristóbal, General Director and

member of the Relais & Chateaux Executive Committee

4:00 - 4:30 –  Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown – A Lifestyle Destination Michael Law, Senior Director of Marketing  

4:15 - 4:45 – Catalina Island Company Dave Stevenson, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Catalina Island Company

4:30 - 5:00 – Sonoma County Tourism Birgitt Vaughan, Director of Global Media Relations Todd O'Leary, Vice President, Marketing and Communications  

4:45 - 5:15 – Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas Elena Black, Vice President, Marketing Communications

5:00 - 5:30 – Singita Kendra Vellante  

5:15- 5:45 – Viceroy Resorts of the Caribbean Karen Giordano, Regional Director of Sales Tim Luksa, Regional Director of Sales and Marketing Ruth Chaves, Associate Director of PR and Marketing  

5:30 - 6:00 – MAI10 Maita Barrenechea, Founder and Owner

5:45 - 6:15 – Dream Hotel Group Katie Fontana, Vice President, Communications and PR

A Cocktail Tour Around the World

Join us together with some of the world’s finest brands  for a spirited journey around the globe.

  Take a guided tour of Italy, Mexico, and France to learn  about their most famous spirits and signature cocktails.     Join in — or simply sit back and enjoy!

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2020

9:00 - 9:30 – The Royal Portfolio Liz Biden, Founder and CEO Matt Biden, Managing Director Simon Mandy, Director of Sales and Marketing  

9:15 - 9:45 – Angama Mara Nicky Fitzgerald, CEO and Owner  

9:30 - 10:00 – Palmasola Villa Lillian Aviles, Director of Sales and Marketing  

9:45 - 10:15 – Hotel Byron Salvatore Madonna, Hotel Owner  

10:00 - 10:30 – WIMCO Villas Heather Warburton, Director of Branding and Client Communications Stiles Bennet, President and CMO  

10:15 - 10:45 – Brush Creek Ranch Schelby Merrill, Leisure Director of Sales  

10:30 - 11:00 – ÀNI Private Resorts Ira Bloom, CEO

Christian Gomez, Marketing Manager

10:45 - 11:00 – Classic Journeys

Edward Piegza, Founder

Theme: Travel Trends of Tomorrow

(Scroll for details.)

11:00 - 11:40 – Getting Back to Nature: Travel That’s Good For You  

Björn Boyer · Owner, Eastwind Debbie Braun · President & CEO at Aspen Chamber Resort Association Kellee Edwards · Travel Host, Travel + Leisure and Travel Channel Neil Jacobs · CEO, Six Senses James McBride · Partner & CEO, Nihi Sumba Moderator: Jacqueline Gifford · Editor in Chief, Travel + Leisure  

11:45 - 12:35pm – What Are the Travel Trends for Summer and Beyond?  

Jack Ezon · Founder, Embark Beyond and Co-Founder, The New Travel Deborah Yaeger Fleming · CEO & Partner, Acqualina Resort &

Residences on the Beach Rainer Jenss · President & Founder of Family Travel Association Jer Goss · President, GossRV Moderator: Shivani Vora · Contributor, CNN and Co-Founder, The New Travel  

12:30 - 1:10 – How Can Travelers Feel Authentic and Local Now?  Nicola Butler · Managing Director and Owner, NoteWorthy Andrea Filippi · Vice President of Global Sales, Belmond Virginia Irurita · Founder, Made for Spain and Portugal Paul Melhus · Founder and CEO, ToursByLocals Moderator: Brekke Fletcher · Executive Editor of Travel, CNN Digital  

1:15 - 1:55 – Macro to Micro: Is Everything Going Private?  Doug Gollan · Aviation Expert and Founder, Private Jet Card Comparisons Christian Gómez · Marketing Director, ÀNI Private Resorts Catherine Heald · Co-founder and CEO, Remote Lands Mike Williams · Executive Vice President and COO, Brush Creek Ranch Moderator: Christina Ohly Evans · US Correspondent, Financial Times / How to Spend It  

2:00 - 2:40 – Opportunity in Crisis: A Second Chance to Do It Bette r  

Chip Conley · Founder, Modern Elder Academy and

Strategic Advisor for Hospitality & Leadership, Airbnb Zim Flores · Founder, Italicist and Founder & CEO Emeritus, Travel Noire Bruce Poon Tip · Founder, G Adventures Olivia Richli · General Manager, Heckfield Place Moderator: Pavia Rosati · Founder, Fathom and Co-Founder, The New Travel

3 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. EST

2:45 - 3:15 – Lily of the Valley Loïc Frésard  

3:00 - 3:30 – Big Five Tours & Expeditions Ashish Sanghrajka, President  

3:15 - 3:45 – Rancho Bernardo Inn and Surf & Sand, Laguna Beach Helen McCabe-Young  

3:30 - 4:00 – Capri Palace Ermanno Zanini, General Manager and Regional VP for Italy and

Spain for Jumeirah Hotels  

3:45- 4:15 – Nantipa – A Tico Beach Experience and Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa Mario Mikowski

4:00 - 4:30 – Casa de Campo Resort & Villas Richard Rodriguez, VP Sales & Marketing, N.A.  

4:15 - 4:45 – Andronis Exclusive George Filippidis, General Manager

4:30 - 5:00 – Nomadic Expeditions and Three Camel Lodge Jalsa Urubshurow, Founder and CEO  

4:45 - 5:15 – Francis Ford Coppola’s Hideaways – Belize, Guatemala and Italy Christine Gaudenzi, Director of Sales and Marketing  

5:00 - 5:30 – Aman Julien Surget, General Manager Amangiri Anna Nash, Chief Communications Officer  

5:15- 5:45 – The St Regis Rome Claudio Cadeddu, Director of Sales and Marketing Giuseppe De Martino, General Manager

5:30 - 6:00 – Finca Cortesin Hotel, Golf & Spa & Residences

Javier Rivadulla, Director of Sales & Marketing

Magdalena Sanchez, Assistant DOSM

MONDAY, 6/22: SAFETY + SERVICE Presented by Medjet

What’s high-touch service in a no-touch era.

11:00 - 11:40 ET

Service — warm, willing, always available, personal but never intrusive — is a key component of almost every aspect of the hotel experience. How will social distancing affect it? Will customers be asked to disclose health information before arrival? What will touchless reception feel like? How can staff offer a welcome smile through a mask? What happens to amenities like coffee-table books, mini-bars, gyms, spas, and honor bars? Which tools, technologies, and solutions will help hotels manage operation by minimizing staff and guest interaction — while still catering to guest needs?

Juan Carlos Abello · Founder and CEO, Nuvola François Delahaye  · COO, Dorchester Collection

Tammy Pahel · VP of Spa Operations, Carillon Miami Wellness Resort

Moderator: Klara Glowczewska · Executive Travel Editor, Town & Country

Transportation: How Can We Get There Safely? 

11:45 - 12:25 ET

Drive market has emerged as the short-term winner, as cars feel like a more controllable transportation option. But airlines will remain an essential part of the travel experience, as protocols will have to change. How will air travel change? Are low-cost carriers still viable, and what will long-haul travel look like? Will ride-sharing services become even more popular and how will their safety protocols change? 

Vincent Frascogna  · Vice President, Americas, Etihad Airways

Scott Gorenc · Studio Design Director, Corgan

Scott Keyes · Founder, Scott's Cheap Flights

Rebecca Payne  · Senior Product Manager, Uber

Moderator: Mark Ellwood · Contributing Editor, Conde Nast Traveler and Editor-at-Large, Robb Report

Travel as a Force for Good

12:30 - 1:10 ET

If the travel industry is collectively responsible for 10 percent of the world's jobs and contributes trillions to global GDP, how can companies ensure that they are doing what they can to have a positive impact? This impact can be considered holistically — through hiring practices, interactions with their communities and the environment, as well as internally and with the industry at large.

Moderator:  Lebawit Lily Girma , Journalist and Author, @sunandstilettos

At Your Service: The New Food and Beverage Scene 

1:15 - 1:55 ET

How will food and beverage programs evolve and how will food safety be executed and communicated? Will hotels abandon breakfast buffet? Will guests prefer to dine in-room instead of in dining rooms? Will servers wear masks? Will menus have to be disposable and/or digital? Will there be added food waste with these new procedures?  Can hotel restaurants and bars still be local hot spots? 

Daniel Hostettler  · Managing Director, Ocean House and President, Relais & Châteaux North America

Lydia Forte · Group Director of Food & Beverage, Rocco Forte Hotels

Moderator: Jen Murphy · Journalist and former travel editor, Food & Wine

How Will Travelers Protect Themselves — And Will Governments and Travel Companies Help Them Do It?

2:00 - 2:40 ET

For a period of time, safety will be the primary consideration for many travelers. What are the implications for consumers, the travel industry and governments? If Covid-19 is a “known risk,” will travel insurance companies offer products covering its potential impact on trips? Will travelers need to document that they are Covid-free before traveling? When and how will borders reopen, and will citizens of certain countries be selectively refused entry?  

Siobhan Byrne Learat  · Founder & CEO, Adams & Butler 

John Gobbels  · VP & COO, Medjet

Moderator: Arnie Weissmann  · Editor in Chief, Travel Weekly

WORKSHOP: C-Suite Social: Mastering Social Media from the Corner Office   

5:15 - 6:00 ET

Hospitality brand teams are shrinking, but staying at the center of the conversation has never been more important. The C-Suite is in the drivers seat right now to steer and execute social media strategy.  Twitter Chats, Instagram Stories, #campaigns, Influencers, TikTok and YouTube - its dizzying.   Here, the experts will help you quickly understand, prioritize and master the platforms that will help you reach your target guests and shine in the New Travel marketplace. 

Jennifer Hawkins ·  Founder and CEO, Hawkins International 

Meg Towner · Digital Director, Hawkins International  

WEDNESDAY, 6/24: TRAVEL TRENDS AT RISK

Will independent hotels lead or lag.

11:00 - 11:40 ET

Privately owned hotels have certain advantages over their corporate peers — a more local focus, nimbler operations. But will a global crisis make certain things harder for hotels that don't enjoy the corporate advantages that chains have? Or will being independent give them an edge in turbulent times?  What are independent hoteliers doing to adapt and thrive in the new normal?

Liz Biden  · Owner & Founder, The Royal Portfolio

Anthony Champalimaud  · General Partner, Troutbeck

Valentina De Santis · Owner & CEO, Grand Hotel Tremezzo Shannon Knapp  · President & CEO, Leading Hotels

Moderator: Jeffries Blackerby  · Editor in Chief, Departures

How Will Group, Business, and Event Travel Change?

How will group travel change in an era that requires social distancing? The implications are considerable for different kinds of travelers and needs. Will Zoom calls replace cross-country meetings for businesses? Will couples reconsider destination weddings? Will travelers feel comfortable signing up for group trips with strangers? Or will travel companies adapt with innovative new solutions for groups?

Guerdy Abraira  · Destination Wedding Planner, Guerdy Design

Mike Garrow · Director of Sales, Meadowood

Anne Mansfield · Vice President, Sales - Americas, Four Seasons

Susie Piegza · Co-founder, Classic Journeys

Moderator: DeMarco Williams , Managing Editor, Forbes Travel Guide 

What's the Future of Communal Spaces?

12:30 - 1:10 ET

Just as hotel lobbies were becoming the new town hall, attracting guests and locals and encouraging their interaction, social distancing became the new norm. How will hotels have to adapt their public spaces — the lobby, the pool, the lounge, the co-working areas? How can hotels adapt their design and programming to meet immediate challenges and set the stage for future innovation? 

Ori Kafri  · Owner, JK Place Hotels

Aliya Khan · VP of Design - Lifestyle Brands, Marriott International

Karin Salinas · Chief Marketing Officer, BahaMar

Moderator: Farhad Heydari  · Founder and CEO, House of Heydari

What's the Future of Cruising?

The cruise industry was hit hard and early in the coronavirus crisis. But cruisers are an incredibly loyal constituency and have already booked their 2021 vacations. Could the cruise industry end up in a better position as travel resumes, given how controlled, checked, and vetted everything is on board? How will the industry change in response to the customers coming back— and how will it get new cruisers who aren’t already fans? 

Chris Austin  · Senior Vice President, Global Sales and Marketing, Seabourn Cruise Line

Ben Lyons  · CEO, EYOS Expeditions

Mary Jean Tully · Founder & CEO, Tully Luxury Travel

Moderator: Paul Brady  · Articles Editor, Travel + Leisure

We Can’t Forget Sustainability 

As "responsible tourism" becomes shorthand simply for tourism, sustainability will be an even more critical part of the conversation. How can travel companies start making changes now to meet the needs of the future? How should travel leaders best use this time as an opportunity to reevaluate and approach systems in a way that can have long-term benefits on the environment and their bottom lines?

Mike Freed  · CEO, Post Ranch Inn Xenia zu Hohenlohe  · Partner and Founder, Considerate Group

Gregory Miller  · Executive Director, Center for Responsible Travel (CREST)

Nicole Robinson  · Chief Marketing Officer, andBeyond

Moderator: Julia Cosgrove  · VP, Editor in Chief, AFAR Media

How Can We Keep Travel Accessible?

2:45 - 3:25 ET

Before coronavirus froze everything, travel was the world's fastest growing industry. In 2019, it surpassed expectations set by the UNTWO, with 1.5 billion individuals traveling internationally, showing ten years of growth. This is in part due to the significant gains in the economic space in the past two decades: budget-friendly airlines and hotel brands launching spinoffs to appeal to younger, intrepid travelers. But with the noise circulating right now suggesting that private and exclusive will be the rising trend in travel in the near future, how can we ensure travel remains democratic and accessible?

Mitchell Hochberg  · President, Lightstone Group and Developer, Moxy Hotels

Jane Mackie  · SVP, Global Marketing - Luxury and Upscale Brands, IHG

Fern Ottavio · Sales and Marketing Manager, TAP Air Portugal

Cherae Robinson · Founder, Tastemakers Africa

Moderator: Erin Florio  · Travel News Director, Conde Nast Traveler

THURSDAY, 6/25: LUNCH + LEARN  WORKSHOPS

How to speak to millennials.

11:00 - 11:40 ET

Younger travelers will be back on planes and exploring the world sooner than older ones. And luxury trip-design firms that would like to win over the 30- and 40-year-olds may want to rethink old notions of what travelers are looking for. Now more than ever, millennials want itineraries that reflect inclusivity and social awareness, enabling them to connect with different peoples, give back to communities, find common ground, and bring home new insights. Equally important for trip-planning firms is to reexamine how they work: The Silicon Valley set in particular can get frustrated by legacy trip-planning practices that they view as antiquated, non-transparent, and hopelessly manual. To gain the trust and business of millennials and tech moguls, here are steps to consider. 

Maita Barrenechea · Founder/Owner, Mai 10 

Gwen Kozlowski · President, Exeter International 

Jennifer Virgilio · Partner, Queen of Clubs

Mei Zhang · Founder, WildChina

Moderator: Wendy Perrin · Editor in Chief, WendyPerrin.com

How to Communicate During a Crisis

​It’s not a question of  if  your business will face a crisis, but  when . Whether the crisis is environmental, political, personal, or Covid-19, it is important to know how to communicate with your audience across all your platforms: your website, your social media channels, your public statements, and staff and client conversations — as well as when and if to pivot your communications to address current events and social issues. This panel will explore how others have fared and what the appropriate messaging is, and will provide a toolbox of strategies so you’re prepared for what’s over the horizon.

Peggy R. Bendel · President, Bendel Communications International

Hugh Riley  · Partner, The Portfolio Marketing Group and former Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization

Moderator: Louise O’Brien , Regional Director of Public Relations, The Americas – Langham Hospitality Group

How to Make Travel More Welcoming to Black People

12:30 - 1:10 ET

True hospitality must mean equality. But too often, the travel industry — and especially the luxury travel industry — disproportionately caters to white audiences. This conversation will explore how the entire industry can learn to be more inclusive, understanding, and proactive.

Kellee Edwards  · Travel Host, Travel + Leisure and Travel Channel

Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon  ·  Journalist and Host, JetSetSarah.com

Milton Howery III · Director of Public Relations, Memphis Tourism

Kim Jamieson · Director of Marketing, Columbia Metropolitan Airport

Travis Levius · Journalist, Video Producer, and Consultant

Moderator:  DeMarco Williams , Managing Editor, Forbes Travel Guide 

FRIDAY, 6/26:  TRAVEL TRENDS OF TOMORROW

Getting back to nature: travel that’s good for you.

11:00 - 11:40 ET

Will a nature-based vacation involving mountain hikes, farm stays, and tented camps hold more appeal than a crowded art museum or urban high-rise? Early indicators say yes, as travelers are right now looking for getaways that boost their mental and physical well-being by being in the great outdoors. Wellness travel was already on the rise: now it's here to stay, and environment, as always, plays a key part. Hotels can be a part of this new, relevant conversation. Many have implemented new outdoor activities, meditation exercises, and opportunities for family bonding on hikes, swims, and bike rides, as part of their reopening strategy. How do they continue to stay ahead of the curve and attract this new, outdoor-minded customer?

Björn Boyer  · Owner, Eastwind

Debbie Braun · President & CEO at Aspen Chamber Resort Association

Kellee Edwards · Travel Host, Travel + Leisure and Travel Channel

Neil Jacobs · CEO, Six Senses James McBride · Partner & CEO, Nihi Sumba

Moderator: Jacqueline Gifford · Editor in Chief, Travel + Leisure

What Are the Travel Trends for Summer and Beyond?

Travelers are looking for new vacation options, with demand increasing for alternative accommodations like houseboats on lakes, RVs in parks, tricked-out buses for road trips. If drive-market trips are the buzzword for the near future, can regional hotel partnerships and programs turn competitors into collaborators? How will family travel change and what are the opportunities — at the kids’ clubs, in the pools, in the dining rooms?

Jack Ezon  · Founder, Embark Beyond and  Co-Founder, The New Travel

Deborah Yaeger Fleming · CEO & Partner, Acqualina Resort & Residences on the Beach Rainer Jenss  · President & Founder of Family Travel Association

Jer Goss · President, GossRV

Moderator: Shivani Vora  · Contributor, CNN and Co-Founder, The New Travel

How Can Travelers Feel "Authentic" and "Local" Now? 

How are tour companies, guides, and hotels reinventing the guest experience and changing their offerings? How can DMCs help clients feel “local” when they cannot get too close to the culture? How will this impact drivers and guides and private access experiences? 

Nicola Butler  · Managing Director and Owner, NoteWorthy

Andrea Filippi  · Vice President of Global Sales, Belmond

Virginia Irurita · Founder, Made for Spain and Portugal

Paul Melhus · Founder and CEO, ToursByLocals

Moderator: Brekke Fletcher  · Executive Editor of Travel, CNN Digital

Macro to Micro: Is Everything Going Private? 

Presented by frette.

As consumers look to control their travel experience — by limiting the number of people they are exposed to and creating personal travel bubbles — there has been increased demand for private jets and hotel buyouts. What are the risks here? Does this mean that hotels will only cater to the ultra-wealthy? Isn’t it an illusion to think that their friends are “safe” because they are friends? Can “private” be accessible to travelers who are not rich? 

Doug Gollan · Aviation Expert and Founder, Private Jet Card Comparisons

Christian Gómez · Marketing Director, ÀNI Private Resorts

Catherine Heald · Co-founder and CEO, Remote Lands

Mike Williams  · Executive Vice President and COO, Brush Creek Ranch

Moderator: Christina Ohly Evans · US Correspondent, Financial Times / How to Spend It

Opportunity in Crisis: A Second Chance to Do It Better

If this forced pause has given us breathing space to reconsider the impact we have on the world and what really matters to consumers, what can we do better in the future? How can we address issues around sustainability, overtourism, and inclusivity — and at the same time consider aspects of the luxury travel experience that should be tossed or reinvented from scratch? In short, what does a bold vision for the future of travel look like?

Chip Conley ·  Founder, Modern Elder Academy and Strategic Advisor for Hospitality & Leadership, Airbnb

Zim Flores · Founder, Italicist and Founder & CEO Emeritus, Travel Noire

Bruce Poon Tip · Founder, G Adventures

Olivia Richli  · General Manager, Heckfield Place

Moderator: Pavia Rosati  · Founder, Fathom and Co-Founder, The New Travel

Embark Beyond

Pavia rosati, shivani vora.

Alice Marshall Public Relations · BPCM · The Brandman Agency

Hawkins International ·  Laura Davidson Public Relations

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Promo Communications ·  Wagstaff Media + Marketing · WEILL

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• Israel-Hamas War
• Exclusive: Google Workers Revolt Over $1.2 Billion Contract With Israel

I n midtown Manhattan on March 4, Google’s managing director for Israel, Barak Regev, was addressing a conference promoting the Israeli tech industry when a member of the audience stood up in protest. “I am a Google Cloud software engineer, and I refuse to build technology that powers genocide, apartheid, or surveillance,” shouted the protester, wearing an orange t-shirt emblazoned with a white Google logo. “No tech for apartheid!” 

The Google worker, a 23-year-old software engineer named Eddie Hatfield, was booed by the audience and quickly bundled out of the room, a video of the event shows. After a pause, Regev addressed the act of protest. “One of the privileges of working in a company which represents democratic values is giving space for different opinions,” he told the crowd.

Three days later, Google fired Hatfield.

Hatfield is part of a growing movement inside Google that is calling on the company to drop Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion contract with Israel, jointly held with Amazon. The protest group, called No Tech for Apartheid, now has more than 200 Google employees closely involved in organizing, according to members, who say there are hundreds more workers sympathetic to their goals. TIME spoke to five current and five former Google workers for this story, many of whom described a growing sense of anger at the possibility of Google aiding Israel in its war in Gaza. Two of the former Google workers said they had resigned from Google in the last month in protest against Project Nimbus. These resignations, and Hatfield’s identity, have not previously been reported.

No Tech for Apartheid’s protest is as much about what the public doesn’t know about Project Nimbus as what it does. The contract is for Google and Amazon to provide AI and cloud computing services to the Israeli government and military, according to the Israeli finance ministry, which announced the deal in 2021. Nimbus reportedly involves Google establishing a secure instance of Google Cloud on Israeli soil, which would allow the Israeli government to perform large-scale data analysis, AI training, database hosting, and other forms of powerful computing using Google’s technology, with little oversight by the company. Google documents , first reported by the Intercept in 2022, suggest that the Google services on offer to Israel via its Cloud have capabilities such as AI-enabled facial detection, automated image categorization, and object tracking.

Further details of the contract are scarce or non-existent, and much of the workers’ frustration lies in what they say is Google’s lack of transparency about what else Project Nimbus entails and the full nature of the company’s relationship with Israel. Neither Google, nor Amazon, nor Israel, has described the specific capabilities on offer to Israel under the contract. In a statement, a Google spokesperson said: “We have been very clear that the Nimbus contract is for workloads running on our commercial platform by Israeli government ministries such as finance, healthcare, transportation, and education. Our work is not directed at highly sensitive or classified military workloads relevant to weapons or intelligence services.” All Google Cloud customers, the spokesperson said, must abide by the company's terms of service and acceptable use policy. That policy forbids the use of Google services to violate the legal rights of others, or engage in “violence that can cause death, serious harm, or injury.” An Amazon spokesperson said the company “is focused on making the benefits of our world-leading cloud technology available to all our customers, wherever they are located," adding it is supporting employees affected by the war and working with humanitarian agencies. The Israeli government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

There is no evidence Google or Amazon’s technology has been used in killings of civilians. The Google workers say they base their protests on three main sources of concern: the Israeli finance ministry’s 2021 explicit statement that Nimbus would be used by the ministry of defense; the nature of the services likely available to the Israeli government within Google’s cloud; and the apparent inability of Google to monitor what Israel might be doing with its technology. Workers worry that Google’s powerful AI and cloud computing tools could be used for surveillance, military targeting, or other forms of weaponization. Under the terms of the contract, Google and Amazon reportedly cannot prevent particular arms of the government, including the Israeli military, from using their services, and cannot cancel the contract due to public pressure.

Recent reports in the Israeli press indicate that air-strikes are being carried out with the support of an AI targeting system; it is not known which cloud provider, if any, provides the computing infrastructure likely required for such a system to run. Google workers note that for security reasons, tech companies often have very limited insight, if any, into what occurs on the sovereign cloud servers of their government clients. “We don't have a lot of oversight into what cloud customers are doing, for understandable privacy reasons,” says Jackie Kay, a research engineer at Google’s DeepMind AI lab. “But then what assurance do we have that customers aren't abusing this technology for military purposes?”

With new revelations continuing to trickle out about AI’s role in Israel’s bombing campaign in Gaza; the recent killings of foreign aid workers by the Israeli military; and even President Biden now urging Israel to begin an immediate ceasefire, No Tech for Apartheid’s members say their campaign is growing in strength. A previous bout of worker organizing inside Google successfully pressured the company to drop a separate Pentagon contract in 2018. Now, in a wider climate of growing international indignation at the collateral damage of Israel’s war in Gaza, many workers see Google’s firing of Hatfield as an attempt at silencing a growing threat to its business. “I think Google fired me because they saw how much traction this movement within Google is gaining,” says Hatfield, who agreed to speak on the record for the first time for this article. “I think they wanted to cause a kind of chilling effect by firing me, to make an example out of me.”

Hatfield says that his act of protest was the culmination of an internal effort, during which he questioned Google leaders about Project Nimbus but felt he was getting nowhere. “I was told by my manager that I can't let these concerns affect my work,” he tells TIME. “Which is kind of ironic, because I see it as part of my work. I'm trying to ensure that the users of my work are safe. How can I work on what I'm being told to do, if I don't think it's safe?”

Three days after he disrupted the conference, Hatfield was called into a meeting with his Google manager and an HR representative, he says. He was told he had damaged the company’s public image and would be terminated with immediate effect. “This employee disrupted a coworker who was giving a presentation – interfering with an official company-sponsored event,” the Google spokesperson said in a statement to TIME. “This behavior is not okay, regardless of the issue, and the employee was terminated for violating our policies.”

Seeing Google fire Hatfield only confirmed to Vidana Abdel Khalek that she should resign from the company. On March 25, she pressed send on an email to company leaders, including CEO Sundar Pichai, announcing her decision to quit in protest over Project Nimbus. “No one came to Google to work on offensive military technology,” the former trust and safety policy employee wrote in the email, seen by TIME, which noted that over 13,000 children had been killed by Israeli attacks on Gaza since the beginning of the war; that Israel had fired upon Palestinians attempting to reach humanitarian aid shipments; and had fired upon convoys of evacuating refugees. “Through Nimbus, your organization provides cloud AI technology to this government and is thereby contributing to these horrors,” the email said.

Workers argue that Google’s relationship with Israel runs afoul of the company’s “AI principles,” which state that the company will not pursue applications of AI that are likely to cause “overall harm,” contribute to “weapons or other technologies” whose purpose is to cause injury, or build technologies “whose purpose contravenes widely accepted principles of international law and human rights.” “If you are providing cloud AI technology to a government which you know is committing a genocide, and which you know is misusing this technology to harm innocent civilians, then you're far from being neutral,” Khalek says. “If anything, you are now complicit.”

Two workers for Google DeepMind, the company’s AI division, expressed fears that the lab’s ability to prevent its AI tools being used for military purposes had been eroded, following a restructure last year. When it was acquired by Google in 2014, DeepMind reportedly signed an agreement that said its technology would never be used for military or surveillance purposes. But a series of governance changes ended with DeepMind being bound by the same AI principles that apply to Google at large. Those principles haven’t prevented Google signing lucrative military contracts with the Pentagon and Israel. “While DeepMind may have been unhappy to work on military AI or defense contracts in the past, I do think this isn’t really our decision any more,” said one DeepMind employee who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to speak publicly. “Google DeepMind produces frontier AI models that are deployed via [Google Cloud’s Vertex AI platform] that can then be sold to public-sector and other clients.” One of those clients is Israel.

“For me to feel comfortable with contributing to an AI model that is released on [Google] Cloud, I would want there to be some accountability where usage can be revoked if, for example, it is being used for surveillance or military purposes that contravene international norms,” says Kay, the DeepMind employee. “Those principles apply to applications that DeepMind develops, but it’s ambiguous if they apply to Google’s Cloud customers.”

A Google spokesperson did not address specific questions about DeepMind for this story.

Other Google workers point to what they know about Google Cloud as a source of concern about Project Nimbus. The cloud technology that the company ordinarily offers to its clients includes a tool called AutoML that allows a user to rapidly train a machine learning model using a custom dataset. Three workers interviewed by TIME said that the Israeli government could theoretically use AutoML to build a surveillance or targeting tool. There is no evidence that Israel has used Google Cloud to build such a tool, although the New York Times recently reported that Israeli soldiers were using the freely-available facial recognition feature on Google Photos, along with other non-Google technologies, to identify suspects at checkpoints. “Providing powerful technology to an institution that has demonstrated the desire to abuse and weaponize AI for all parts of war is an unethical decision,” says Gabriel Schubiner, a former researcher at Google. “It’s a betrayal of all the engineers that are putting work into Google Cloud.”  

A Google spokesperson did not address a question asking whether AutoML was provided to Israel under Project Nimbus.

Members of No Tech for Apartheid argue it would be naive to imagine Israel is not using Google’s hardware and software for violent purposes. “If we have no oversight into how this technology is used,” says Rachel Westrick, a Google software engineer, “then the Israeli military will use it for violent means.”

“Construction of massive local cloud infrastructure within Israel’s borders, [the Israeli government] said, is basically to keep information within Israel under their strict security,” says Mohammad Khatami, a Google software engineer. “But essentially we know that means we’re giving them free rein to use our technology for whatever they want, and beyond any guidelines that we set.”

Current and former Google workers also say that they are fearful of speaking up internally against Project Nimbus or in support of Palestinians, due to what some described as fear of retaliation. “I know hundreds of people that are opposing what’s happening, but there’s this fear of losing their jobs, [or] being retaliated against,” says Khalek, the worker who resigned in protest against Project Nimbus. “People are scared.” Google’s firing of Hatfield, Khalek says, was “direct, clear retaliation… it was a message from Google that we shouldn’t be talking about this.”

The Google spokesperson denied that the company's firing of Hatfield was an act of retaliation.

Regardless, internal dissent is growing, workers say. “What Eddie did, I think Google wants us to think it was some lone act, which is absolutely not true,” says Westrick, the Google software engineer. “The things that Eddie expressed are shared very widely in the company. People are sick of their labor being used for apartheid.”

“We’re not going to stop,” says Zelda Montes, a YouTube software engineer, of No Tech for Apartheid. “I can say definitively that this is not something that is just going to die down. It’s only going to grow stronger.”

Correction, April 10

The original version of this story misstated the number of Google staff actively involved in No Tech for Apartheid. It is more than 200, not 40.

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Write to Billy Perrigo at [email protected]

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Paddy Cosgrave returns as Web Summit CEO after resigning over Israel/Gaza controversy

Paddy Cosgrave, the co-founder of the Web Summit tech conference, is returning to his role as CEO after resigning in October over controversial statements he made about the Israel/Gaza war last year on social media. Rumors of his return began to surface over the weekend; Cosgrave confirmed the move in a post on X today .

Notably, in his announcement, Cosgrave does not make any mention of the politicized remarks he made that led to his departure less than six months ago (with the social media posts he wrote at the time deleted as well, aside from his public apology ). Instead, Cosgrave goes for de-escalating, announcing plans for a shift in focus to “smaller” groups.

“As Web Summit becomes bigger, our aim should be to make it smaller for our attendees. More intimate. More convivial. More community focused,” he writes.

In doing so, the move is reminiscent of Mark Zuckerberg’s shift to “community” at Facebook in the wake of the social network’s huge post-2016 election scandal (Cambridge Analytica, election manipulation, congressional hearings and the rest).

Smaller groups, of course, give a larger entity — whether it is a social network or an event — a way to cater to different agendas and opinions. As with Facebook, the emphasis on community might be a counterweight to Web Summit’s bigger business aim: scale; in Web Summit’s case, growing its conference empire by getting as many people and companies as possible paying to attend its events.

In a subsequent post on the company’s blog , Web Summit outlined its new focus on targeting smaller communities, likely as a method to extract more value out of its events — both in terms of their ability to attract lucrative sponsorships, but also to make the large, sometimes unwieldy, conferences more valuable to individual attendees: “ Over the last year we have tested small prototype meetups for attendees in similar industries like product engineers or marketing leads. All of these were facilitated through our Web Summit app… Our software, our design, our production and all teams and elements of Web Summit will expand to help make this worthwhile mission a reality.”

Web Summit runs a number of very large, global, tech conferences, the best known and biggest of which is in Lisbon, which in recent years attracted upwards of 70,000 attendees. The list also includes smaller, invite-only events under brands including F.ounders for later-stage founders, and other similar events.

Its flagship event went through a tumultuous period last year after it was engulfed in criticism from its large tech sponsors, who pulled out of the Lisbon Web Summit, just weeks out from it taking place, in the wake of Cosgrave’s remarks.

The controversy started when, shortly after October 7, the day of the Hamas massacre of Israeli citizens, Cosgrave posted data on X pertaining to the human cost of the Israel-Palestine conflict between 2008 and 2023, but — inexplicably — omitted any mention of the tragic events (and casualties) of that weekend.

Cosgrave also posted support for the Irish government’s criticism of Israel’s implied plans to cut off water and electricity to Gaza as part of its plans for the war.

(Later, Israel indeed did cut off water and electricity to Gaza, and the country’s government has been accused, by a vote in the UN’s Human Rights Council most recently , of actions that could amount to war crimes.)

Cosgrave tweet

In the face of an outcry, Cosgrave continued to double-down in subsequent posts.

This was the last straw for many of Web Summit’s speakers, with the loudest voices of criticism coming from Israel-based VCs and founders, who were then joined by several influential U.S.-based tech founders and investors.

Large sponsors, including Microsoft and Google, then pulled out of the conference.

Under pressure, Cosgrave apologized for offense caused by the posts and resigned as CEO.

Scrambling in the lead-up to the Lisbon event, Web Summit quickly appointed former Wikimedia CEO Catherine Maher as Cosgrave’s CEO replacement, even as Cosgrave retained an 80% ownership of the business.

It was a very short tenure: Maher left Web Summit a few months later for the CEO role at NPR, leaving Cosgrave’s company rudderless once again, setting the stage for Cosgrave’s return.

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Joint Statement on Meeting of the U.S.-Israel Strategic Consultative   Group

Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan together with Secretary of State Antony Blinken convened the Strategic Consultative Group (SCG) with Israeli counterparts today by secure video conference.  The Israeli side was chaired by National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi and Minster for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer.  Both sides were represented by experts and senior officials from across their respective inter-agencies.  The two sides over the course of two hours had a constructive engagement on Rafah.  They agreed that they share the objective to see Hamas defeated in Rafah. The U.S. side expressed its concerns with various courses of action in Rafah.  The Israeli side agreed to take these concerns into account and to have follow up discussions between experts, overseen by the SCG.  The follow up discussions would include in person SCG meeting as early as next week.

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