Financial Times

Major tourism conference in Colombo from Oct 4-6
A major international tourism conference takes place in Colombo in October at a time when the country needs to project itself as a positive tourism destination after the tragedy of the tsunami.

The HCIMA International Conference is a national event jointly organized by the HCIMA Sri Lanka chapter, Ministry of Tourism, Sri Lanka Tourist Board, Ceylon Hotel School Graduates Association, Tourist Hotels Association of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators, and Sri Lankan Airlines.

HCIMA is the professional association for managers in the hospitality, leisure and tourism industries and is the only internationally recognized hospitality management organization, with 27 UK regional branches and 17 international groups. “Trends and Challenges in Hospitality Management” is the theme of the 2005 conference.

Organisers are hoping to attract at least 200 foreign delegates from all over the world and a minimum of 150 local delegates, who are top decision makers in the hotel and tourism industry.

The last HCIMA international conference was held in Cyprus in 2003. Anura Lokuhetty, Chairman of the Organizing Committee said that hosting a conference of this nature would “ undoubtedly enhance the inputs to the much wanted requirements of quality human resource to the hospitality industry.”

Here are brief profiles of the panel of top speakers:
Birger Backman is the Senior Advisor to the Board of the United Federation of Travel Agents’ Associations (UFTAA), having retired from the CEO position he held from 1997 to 2004.

He is currently the President and Acting Chairmen of TTPC - the policy corporation behind the dot.travel initiative. Petra Clayton is the Director of Marketing & Communications of the HCIMA.

Guy Crawford is the Chief Operating Officer of Jumeirah. Before taking up his assignment in Dubai in 2002, he held the position of Managing Director for Macdonald Hotels in the United Kingdom where he managed a portfolio of over a 100 hotels.

Renton de Alwis has 30 years experience in international tourism management, marketing, communications and human resources management. He was Vice President-Asia of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), CEO of the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore, CEO/Secretary General of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourist Board.
Antonio Fernandes is a Manager of the Alpha Flight Services at the Heathrow Airport, UK and the Chairman of HCIMA – London, the largest HCIMA branch in the world. Corazon F. Gatchalian is a professor of Hospitality Management at the University of the Philippines, where she also serves as the Chair of the Department of Hotel Restaurant and Institution Management.

Nina Hamid is the Managing Director of FoodSafe International, a training and consultancy company based in Botswana, specialising in food safety, nutrition and health promotion and hospitality management. Nigel Hemmington is Professor and Head of Services Management, Bournemouth University, UK.

Yeoh Siew Hoon has covered the travel industry in Asia/Pacific for more than 20 years, editing various publications such as TTG Asia, Travel Asia and Travel Weekly. She now runs her own venture, SHY Ventures Pte Ltd.
Joanne Jung-Eun Yoo PhD is an assistant director of Strategic Intelligence Centre, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

Param Kannampilly holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Hotel Management & Catering Technology, and is a Fellow of the HCIMA. He is the promoter of Concept Hospitality Limited and a Director of Kamat Hotels (India) Ltd and the HIMCO (India) Ltd. Mumbai.

Richard Kotas is Emeritus Professor of Schiller International University.
Dominic Mason has management roles in travel publishing, destination marketing and tourism brand consulting. His area of specialty is destination branding, having been involved in macro branding initiatives for both Singapore and Australia.

David I. McMillan is CEO of the International Hotel & Restaurant Association.
Paddy Mitchell is an experienced international business executive with extensive multi unit experience of owned, managed and franchise hotels in Europe and the Americas.

Robin Morden is the President of HCIMA
David Pantin is Chief Executive of Unique Hotels of the World, an international hotel company operating on four continents.
Cindi Reiman is the President and Founder of the American Hospitality Academy (AHA).

Philippe Rossiter is the Chief Executive of the HCIMA.
Chandana Jayawardena is a Professor, Hospitality & Tourism Division, Niagara College, Canada.

The conference will be opened by President Chandrika Kumaratunga. Conference details are available on www.hcimasrilanka.org or at the Conference secretariat -- HCIMA Sri Lanka International Group, C/o Lanka Exhibition & Conference Service (Pvt) Ltd 4th Floor, Automobile Association Building, No.40, Sir Mohamed Macan Marker Mw, Colombo 3. Tel: 2390560-2 Fax : 2390563 E-mail : lecsyamuna@sltnet.lk

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