We had been announcing it for days and the time has finally come: tomorrow the Condé Nast Traveler Conversations start , the virtual meeting that analyzes and debates the new tourist reality and that this time has the collaboration of Marriott Bonvoy.
During the days May 11, 12 and 13 , experts from the tourism sector – businessmen, public bodies, journalists and, above all, travelers – will talk about the challenges of a new world. You can buy your ticket here.
Do you want a preview of everything you will learn during these three exciting days? Here are the nine points that every traveler should know to be able to say loud and clear: #YoSoyTraveler
The second edition of the Condé Nast Traveler Conversations arrives
1. THE CHALLENGES OF THE MICE SEGMENT
The Condé Nast Traveler Conversations will kick off on Tuesday, May 11 at 9:30 a.m. with the panel “The Darwin of Events: Redefining MICE Travel”.
MICE is the acronym in English used to define meeting tourism (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions/Events), that is, the business trip.
There is nothing like meeting in person, but for now we have adapted to virtual events, video conferences or hybrids. Which ones will change, which ones will die and which ones will survive? What are the rules of these new digital events?
To analyze all this we will have David Noack Pérez (Madrid Convention Bureau Director), María Rosa Rey (Meetings and Events Director Spain NH hotel Group / Vicepresident Membership MPI) and Ruth Larraz (Sales Director of the Four Seasons Hotel Madrid).
2. GIVE YOURSELF THE YES I WANT: NEW TRENDS AND FORMATS
Many weddings have been postponed or cancelled. But many others have continued to be celebrated, yes, under the premises of a new socialization, which resorts to creativity to adapt to new circumstances and respect the corresponding measures.
Fear of the virus or not being able to enjoy it with total normality? What are the main reasons for cancellations? "Both things, but most of the cases are due to not being able to enjoy the party as it deserves. Even offering security measures, many bride and groom do not want to celebrate it if they have to do without the dance or other special details of the wedding," he says. Cristina Ruiz Montesinos (Casilda Marries) to Traveler.es
"I think this situation has taught us to value what is really important in a wedding: the bride and groom. The guest lists have had to be reduced by obligation leaving aside the commitments. Y, having fewer guests, you can organize the wedding you dreamed of with a smaller budget or use it in the details that, perhaps, in a 'big wedding' you could not afford", continues saying Cristina Ruiz Montesinos.
"The imagination of the bride and groom grows and we see simply special events: a long table where all the guests fit during a meal in the garden, many flowers or personalized centerpieces since the number of tables is smaller, for example. Or a menu that being many you could not even dream of giving. You have to see the positive side of everything," concludes the journalist and director of Casilda se Casa.
They will talk about this "new socialization" on Tuesday 11 at 10:15 a.m. They will meet (virtual) **Cristina Ruiz Montesinos, Eva Iglesias (Director of Colorín Colorado Weddings), Luis de Paz López (Founder of MundoExpedición and BespokeTravelSpain) and Pilar Fernández de Trocóniz (Owner of the Royal Castle of Good Love).
3.THE IMPORTANCE OF TEAMBUILDING AND BLEISURE
After months of teleworking, companies need to rebuild the feeling of team: Is teambuilding an upward trend? And when it comes to business travel: Will it be easier to get people to travel for business if we encourage bleisure? Will travel be the best prize or incentive?
All these topics will be discussed in the conversation “Corporate travel and bleisure. Teambuilding and incentives”, in which they will participate Laura Durán (Co-owner of Día Libre Viajes), René Zimmer (General Manager of Finca Cortesín Hotel, Golf & Spa) and Roberto Castán (Founder of Amarguería).
4.HOW WILL WE TRAVEL THIS SUMMER?
National or international trips? Coast or inland? How to promote the return of the foreign public? What measures and protocols must be followed?
The prospects and the rate of vaccination point to a 2021 marked by travel within the national territory, and to talk about what will happen this summer, in the first meeting on Wednesday the 12th we will have Richard Brekelmans (Vice President of Marriott International for Southern Europe), Belén González del Val (Deputy Deputy Director General of Marketing of Turespaña) and Paloma Utrera (Sales Manager at IBERIA EXPRESS), moderated by Marcelo Risi (Director of Communication of the UNWTO) .
Tenerife
5. THE REINVENTION OF RURAL TOURISM
The unknown Spain is no longer so thanks to rural love that has emerged (and taken shape) during the months in which mobility made us look towards closer and less explored destinations.
Rural tourism is a sector on the rise that has not ceased in its quest for reinvention. The objective? Continue promoting it also in international markets and beyond the summer months.
That eternal summer will be the one they defend and analyze Óscar del Campo (General Manager of Marriott Mallorca), Gregory De Clerck (General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Abama, Tenerife), Elsa Rodríguez (Founder & CEO of Futural Tourism) and Matoses (gastronomic critic); all of them moderated by David Moralejo (Director of Condé Nast Traveler).
It will be at 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday, May 12 in the conversation "Summer is an attitude."
6.IT'S TIME TO RE(DISCOVER) THE CITIES
That exhibition you've been waiting for months, rooftops to have the city at your feet, a hotel spa where you can get all the pampering you deserve, a clandestine cocktail bar that makes you travel with your palate...
It is time for cities to recover their place as a safe destination, and to talk about their attractive proposals, Wednesday the 12th will close with an interesting panel on urban tourism by Diego Cabrera (Bartender and founder of Salmón Gurú), Diego Guerrero (Chef, DSTAgE), Raúl Salcido (General Manager of the Hotel Arts Barcelona) and Gonzalo Maggi (General Manager of the Aloft Gran Vía Madrid hotel).
7. THE PROFILE OF THE DIGITAL NOMAD
Back to the town, to the roots, to the basics. What seemed (almost) impossible before is now the decision that more and more people make every day. Telecommuting has brought a considerable increase in the number of digital nomads and, with them, the revitalization of rural destinations as well as many areas inhabited only seasonally or even uninhabited.
From where do we prefer to telework? A farmhouse, a country house, a hotel facing the sea? Will teleworking serve to promote the digitization of rural areas? How are hotels reacting to this new trend?
They will answer all these questions and many more Carlos Jonay Suárez (Digital Strategy Consultant and Co-founder of Pueblos Remotos), Nacho Rodríguez (Founder of Nomad City) and Raquel Sánchez (Public Relations); in a panel moderated by Gema Monroy (Editor-in-Chief of Condé Nast Traveler). It will be on Thursday, May 13 at 9:30 a.m.
8. ARE COMPANIES PREPARED TO CONTINUE WITH TELEWORK?
The pandemic forced the forced digitization of many companies: some were prepared and others had to improvise.
Is telecommuting here to stay? Are companies ready? The panel "Travel and business culture", which will take place on Thursday, May 13 at 10:15 a.m. and will feature Rocío Abella (partner at Deloitte) will clarify many of the doubts that are being raised right now.
9. SMART DESTINATIONS
Sustainable, interconnected, accessible, efficient, interactive, technological... The cities of the future are getting closer and with them, terms like smart city, 15-minute city or even one-minute city.
There are still many steps and challenges to overcome, but what is clear is that the cities of tomorrow will be smart, fairer, more inclusive and participatory, more digital and more livable.
On Thursday, May 13 at 11 a.m., the Condé Nast Traveler Conversations will conclude with a panel that will talk about that increasingly near future and in which they will participate: Carlos Romero Dexeus (Director of R+D+i of SEGITTUR), Mar Santamaría (Co-founder of 300,000 km/s), Raúl López Maldonado (Delegate Councilor of the Territory Planning Area of the Malaga City Council).
Smart Destination: or how the city will keep you informed, traveler