ICTP President to moderate at Brookes Hospitality Leadership Forum in London

HALEIWA, Hawaii & BRUSSELS, Belgium – The International Council of Tourism Partners (ICTP) is pleased to partner with the upcoming Brookes Hospitality Leadership Forum at the Savoy in London on Friday, May 25, 2012. After the highly-successful inaugural event in 2011, the 2nd edition of the forum will be back at the Savoy.

Turbulent times, driven by global economic uncertainty, bring major challenges for those in leadership. Those who predict changes in the external environment and who adapt business practices accordingly can minimize risks from the economic storm and gain a competitive advantage. At the 2012 Brookes Hospitality Leadership Forum, a collection of innovative thinkers will help us understand the forces that will shape our sector in the years to come. Panel discussions will focus on leadership strategies to steer organizations in times of great uncertainty.

Organized by the Oxford School of Hospitality Management, in conjunction with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, the Brookes Hospitality Leadership Forum brings together industry and academic leaders to discuss overarching themes of strategic importance to the hospitality and tourism industries.

ICTP President, Professor Geoffrey Lipman, will be moderating the Session, “Responsible Business Practice – Moving from old to new forms of capitalism – meeting the Green Growth challenge.”

The forum will incorporate keynote speakers and panel discussions, focused on three themes:

• LEADERSHIP AND TALENT DEVELOPMENT – TRANSFORMATION THROUGH PARTNERSHIP

The potential long-term benefits of partnership between the hospitality industry and higher education are often overlooked or unrealized. A model of cooperation that goes way beyond the provision of graduate talent, to incorporate the application of research expertise across a range of disciplines, can transform business practice and can reinvigorate educational content and delivery.

In this session we will examine the strategic alliance between IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) and Oxford Brookes University, focusing on its true value to the company, its impact on academics, and on how it fuels the enthusiasm and motivation of students, the next generation of industry leaders. A panel discussion will explore frameworks for building and capitalizing on partnerships between industry and education.

• BUSINESS INNOVATION – REIMAGINING THE BRAND

Brands are a crucial part of contemporary hospitality management and have a direct impact on profitability. The last decade has created turbulent times for the hotel sector. Internet and smart phone technology have revolutionized the media and transformed how people communicate. This, coupled with the arrival of new players and new business models, has radically changed both the competitive environment and how customers respond to brands. From a brand management perspective, established players need to be renewed to engage with today’s customers and to avoid commoditixzation.

In this session, we explore how established luxury and innovative hospitality companies have re-imagined their brand to communicate with existing and new target audiences. We will also learn how an iconic British car, the mini, was re-imagined for a contemporary market, with lessons for hospitality managers. Practical examples from industry leaders will help you to reinvigorate your own thinking about brand management.

• RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS PRACTICE – MOVING FROM OLD TO NEW FORMS OF CAPITALISM – MEETING THE GREEN GROWTH CHALLENGE

Historically, growth has been a primary determinant of company success – in some cases the overriding factor. In the past 5 years, this has not only been questioned but issues around, sustainability, equity, clean energy, ethics, inclusion, and even societal happiness have emerged to challenge traditional assumptions.

This session will look at how these changes affect the travel sector generally, and hospitality specifically. It will also identify new models that are coming into play and why travel and tourism companies should be first movers. It will be a Davos Style discussion, with introductory remarks from the panel followed by an interactive exchange with the audience.

The session will be a precursor for Oxford Brookes new Green Growth and Travelism Initiative and will be moderated by its director Professor Geoffrey Lipman.

There will be a strong line up of speakers and panelists, including Will Hutton, Chair of the Big Innovation Centre; Christopher Rodrigues, Chairman of Visit Britain; Ufi Ibrahim, CEO British Hospitality Association; and Michael Nowlis, Program Director of the London Business School. Rates for the Leadership Forum are £255 standard rate and £145 discounted rate, which is for Oxford Brookes University Alumni, Fellows, and Mentors. This includes morning coffee, lunch, afternoon refreshments, and opportunity to enjoy the impressive surroundings of Savoy Hotel, a British icon in the heart of London. The Savoy has undergone the most ambitious hotel restoration in British history and continues a tradition of culinary excellence and great hospitality.

Robert Milburn, hospitality and leisure leader at PwC, said: “We are delighted to be once again sponsoring this important event for the hospitality and leisure sector. The forum promotes the continual training and education in important fields such as leadership, responsible business practice, and innovation. We believe the hospitality and leisure sector will be critical to the recovery of the UK economy, particularly in 2012 when all eyes will be on London for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London 2012 Games.”

For further details of the event, including program, rates, and how to register, please visit: http://hospitality.brookes.ac.uk/leadership-forum/ .

ABOUT OXFORD SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

Te Oxford School of Hospitality Management is ranked number one in the UK for hospitality management education (Taylor Nelson, Sofres, 2011); top in Europe for hospitality research; and top in the world for research productivity (Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, 2012). Set in a historic student city, Oxford Brookes is one of the UK’s leading modern universities and enjoys an international reputation for teaching excellence and innovation, as well as strong links with business and industry. Latest news and information on Oxford Brookes can also be found through Twitter on www.twitter.com/oxford_brookes, via Facebook at www.facebook.com/oxfordbrookes and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/oxfordbrookes Sign up today for the latest information. More information is available on the Oxford School Hospitality Management website http://hospitality.brookes.ac.uk/welcome/ and the Oxford Brookes website at www.brookes.ac.uk .

ABOUT PwC

PwC firms help organizations and individuals create the value they’re looking for. They are a network of firms in 158 countries with close to 169,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, tax, and advisory services. You can tell them what matters to you and find out more by visiting at www.pwc.com.

ABOUT ICTP

The International Council of Tourism Partners (ICTP) is a new grassroots travel and tourism coalition of global destinations committed to quality service and green growth. The ICTP logo represents the strength in collaboration (the block) of many small communities (the lines) committed to sustainable oceans (blue) and land (green).

ICTP engages communities and their stakeholders to share quality and green opportunities including tools and resources, access to funding, education, and marketing support. ICTP advocates sustainable aviation growth, streamlined travel formalities, and fair coherent taxation.

ICTP supports the UN Millennium Development Goals, the UN World Tourism Organization’s Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, and a range of programs that underpin them. The ICTP alliance is represented in Haleiwa, Hawaii, USA; Brussels, Belgium; Bali, Indonesia; and Victoria, Seychelles. ICTP membership is available to qualified destinations free of charge. Academy membership features a prestigious and selected group of destinations. Members of destinations currently include Anguilla; Aruba; Croatia; Grenada; Maharashtra, India; Flores & Manggarai Baratkab County, Indonesia; Iran; Kiribati; La Reunion (French Indian Ocean); Malaysia; Malawi; Nicaragua; Northern Mariana Islands, US Pacific Island Territory; Pakistan; Palestine; Rwanda; Seychelles; Sierra Leone; Johannesburg, Kruger Park & Sandton, South Africa; Sri Lanka; Oman; Tajikistan; Tanzania; Yemen; Zimbabwe; and from the US: California; Georgia; North Shore, Hawaii; Bangor, Maine; St. Louis, Missouri; San Juan County & Moab, Utah; Richmond & Fairfax, Virginia.

For more information, go to: www.tourismpartners.org .