Growing tourism together

Room: B3+B4

Session brief: Following a presentation on the topic of Creating Experiences and Overview of Products created by ATB, participants will be split into groups and offered to Create an Experience using the cluster _ theme _ country of arrival. The workshop will have an interactive atmosphere as each group of participants will receive a chest box filled with items that might represent Azerbaijan. In addition, everyone will get a leaflet with practical information on how to create, promote and deliver the experience. By the end of the session all participants will have fresh ideas on how to create new and unique experiences in Azerbaijan.

Moderators:

• Mark Elliott - Storyteller, writer
• Sakina Asgarova - Industry Associations Manager at ATB

Audience: Travel agencies and tour operators

Room: Auditorium

Session brief: The session will discuss the existing support mechanisms and prospects for tourism in Azerbaijan, the incentive tools used in neighbouring countries, as well as the contribution of international organisations to the development of country tourism at the local and regional levels. Guests from different areas will also seek to find answers to important questions related to tourism.

Moderator:

• Vugar Bayramov – Chairman of the Center for Economic and Social Development

Speakers:

• Niyazi Safarov - Deputy minister, Ministry of Economy
• Kestutis Jankauskas – Ambassador, Head of the EU delegation in Azerbaijan
• Kanan Gasimov – Chief of Staff, State Tourism Agency, Republic of Azerbaijan
• Shennur Aldemir Dogan –Deputy Director General of Investment and Management, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Republic of Turkey
• Onur Adiyaman – Chief Executive Officer, East Black Sea Development Agency, Republic of Turkey
• Sonia Fontaine – Country Director, Representation of the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) in Azerbaijan

Audience: Representatives of state bodies, international organizations and diplomatic missions, tourism entrepreneurs, experts, students, representatives of non-governmental organizations

Room: A6

Session brief: Representatives of Azerbaijan´s most successful and desired hotels share knowledge about the strategic usage of digital marketing, customer engagement activities and how services and processes can be improved by listening to clients. Moreover, ideas for cultural entertainment and better service quality in F&B and reception will be presented by the speakers. The advantages of Azerbaijan´s membership of HOTREC and of the Hotel Stars Union will be further explained by the Azerbaijan Hotel Association.

Moderator:

• Gunay Saglam – Secretary General at Azerbaijan Hotel Association

Speakers:

• Ulviyya Talishinskaya – Director of Marketing Four Seasons Hotel Baku
• Najaf Badalov – General Manager Marxal Resort Sheki
• Max Venturelli – Director of Operations at JW Marriott Absheron Baku

Audience: Hoteliers and representatives of hospitality sector

Room: A6

Session brief: During this interactive session you will learn about the digital marketing environment in the tourism sector and how you can achieve better results with digital performance. Topics will cover identifying your target audience, using all aspects of social media, Google, & Co., identifying key moments along the booking journey and other aspects of relevance for marketing and selling your commercial activity.

Speakers (Scalista):

• Daniel Arroyave - Founder & CEO at Scalista
• Andrew Reinhart - Online Marketing Specialist at Scalista
• Peter Balla - Digital Marketing Specialist

Audience: Tourism industry stakeholders, start-ups, entrepreneurs and students

Room: B3+B4

Session brief: On behalf of the Azerbaijan Convention Bureau the speakers will create an engaging workshop environment in which various topics will be discussed: how can Azerbaijan attract business events? What incentives does the destination offer to meeting planners? What are the strategies and objectives of the Convention Bureau to transform Azerbaijan into a successful business location?

Moderator: Ivo Franschitz – Owner & Managing director of ENITED Business, Business Events Expert

Speakers:

• Sevda Aliyeva – Director of Azerbaijan Convention Bureau
• Henrik von Arnold – Senior Consultant at ENITED Business

Audience: Local, regional & national public and private stakeholders of the tourism and business events industry

Room: Auditorium parquet

Session brief:The national tourism industry requires well trained employees, skilled professionals and reliable statistics for successfully managing its businesses. This session delivers insight into how tourism statistics and research as well as vocational and higher education are linked and how its results can satisfy the tourism industry. Moreover, the speakers will present where the tourism service providers and students can find accurate data, monthly statistical reports, market and industry studies, as well as opportunities for collaboration.

Moderator:Bahar Qaniyeva – Cluster Director of Revenue and Business Development of Absheron Hotel Group

Speakers:

• Nijat Abbasli – Head of Research and Statistics Division at STA
• Huseyn Hasanov - Head of Education and Training Division of Azerbaijan State Tourism Agency Azerbaijan
• Jamaladdin Guliyev – Deputy Head of the State Employment Service under The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Azerbaijan
• Zamin Badirkhanov – Head of the department of the State Agency on Vocational Education under the Ministry of Education
• Yuliya Bajenova – Project manager of GIZ EDVET
• Nigar Baimova – Deputy Director, British Council in Azerbaijan

Audience: University students of all levels, research staff, tourism businesses