The third day of Velo-city 2019 ends with an engaging discussion: ‘Cycle Tourism’!

Tourism is one of the world's largest economic sectors, supporting one in 10 jobs (319 million) and generating 10.4% of GDP globally. The tourism industry nevertheless faces some significant challenges, including unsustainable transportation patterns, overtourism in major destinations and seasonality, for which cycling tourism can provide solutions. This growing segment of the market already contributes over €40 billion to the European economy alone and most destinations now provide offers and products to encourage visitors to discover their attractions more sustainably by bike.

The discussion in this plenary session is a central aspect of all conference sub-themes: ‘Environment and Infrastructure’, ‘Health and Social’, and ‘Technology, Intelligent Transport Systems and Data Analytics’.

Joining this plenary to discuss the role that cycling tourism and active tourism generally can play in tackling some of the challenges of the tourism sector will be:

Orla Carroll (Fáilte Ireland) is Director of Product Development at Fáilte Ireland. She joined Fáilte Ireland in 2008 after working for over 10 years in the Telecommunications Industry. As Director of Product Development, Orla has responsibility for leading the development and implementation of strategies which support the sustainable development of tourism to Ireland.

Zurab Pololikashvili (UN World Tourism Organization)  is Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) since 1 January 2018 after being elected by the 22nd Session of UNWTO General Assembly. He was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the Kingdom of Spain, the Principality of Andorra, the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria and the Kingdom of Morocco and Permanent Representative of Georgia to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) up to December 2017.

Virginia Sullivan (Adventure Cycling Association) is the Director of Travel Initiatives at Adventure Cycling Association, North America’s only organization dedicated to bicycle tourism and travel with 53,000 members from across the world. Programs Ginny manages include officially designating cross country bicycle routes into the U.S. Bicycle Route System, co-leading the Amtrak Bicycle Task Force, working with the National Park Service and State Park systems on bicycle tourism amenities and accommodations, and advocacy for safety by improving bicycle passing and distracted driving laws and inclusive transportation policy.

Adam Bodor (European Cyclists’ Federation) is currently the Advocacy and EuroVelo director of the European Cyclists’ Federation. He holds a master’s degree in geography and economics, worked earlier as the managing director of an industrial park, project manager on the Budapest University of Technology and Economics and as an independent consultant on EU Funds. His cycling career started as a board member of ECF in 2004 and he was the first “ministerial commissioner responsible for cycling” and the co-chair of the inter-ministerial working group for cycling in Hungary form 2005 to 2010.

Brendan Griffin (Irish Minister of State for Tourism and Sport) is Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport with special responsibility for Tourism and Sport. He is a TD for Kerry since 2011 and previously served as a member of Kerry County Council representing the Dingle Electoral Area. Brendan is married to Róisín and lives with their two sons on the foothills of the Sliabh Mish Mountains on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry.

Join the debate at Velo-city 2019! Click here to register for the conference.

'Cycle Tourism' Plenary will take place on Thursday, June 27th 2019 at 17.00-18.00.
For more information on the Velo-city Programme, Exhibition and Registration go to: https://www.velo-city2019.com 
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