Located alongside, the Digital Innovation Asia events are deliberately timed to guide into the PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) Annual Summit on April 25-28, so that they can attract around 400 of probably the most senior travel and tourism executives. PATA has partnered with E-Tourism Asia the producer of Digital Innovation Asia (DIA) to stage digital events, which come with the Digital Innovation Asia Awards, Blogger Match-Up Asia, Speak-Up Asia, and the China Boot Camp.
Kicking off Digital Innovation Asia (DIA) on April 23, hosted by ChinaTravelTrends.com, the China Boot Camp helps companies know the way to succeed in and fix with affluent and complex Chinese consumers. With China being the fastest growing source marketplace for many destinations in Asia and around the globe, and the complex social media and digital landscape being essentially the mostsome of the most influential medium in modern China, learning the best way to adapt to marketing to this new group of holiday makers is essential for any travel and tourism organization today.
Followed by the primary Blogger Match-Up in Asia on April 24, hosted by the Aloft Hotel Bangkok, where speed-dating sessions connect bloggers from the region and from around the globe with travel and tourism providers from Asia. Workshops on learn how to deal and leverage citizen journalists provide vital knowledge and insight. A to not be missed session by the second one highest ranked Twitter account in Thailand (@Mr.scotteddy) with over 130,000 followers in precisely three years, will give insights on how even the smallest travel company with low budget may be effective and interesting on Twitter and other social media platforms.
In the evening, the primary Digital Innovation Asia Awards (or DIA Awards) recognize the most effective in digital innovation within the travel and tourism industry from the region. Hosted by Bed Supperclub Bangkok, some of the innovative nightlife entertainment venues in Asia, the awards will recognize within the following categories: “Most Engaging Website,” “Most Viral Campaign,” “Most Creative Use of Technology,” “Most Inspiring Content,” and “Most Innovative Digital Organization.”
The DIA Awards are judged by the brand new Digital Innovation Asia Council, an invitation-only forum of the foremost senior e-commerce executives and digital marketing thought-leaders from hotels, airlines, tourist boards, cruise lines, tour operators, and travel media from all corners of the Asia Pacific region.
On April 25, the 1st Speak-Out Asia, hosted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, will launch at uber-trendy Zuma Restaurant on the St Regis Hotel Bangkok, and emceed by famous blogger, Thai-TV Show host, and co-founding father of travel company Smiling Albino, Daniel Fraser.
The vision of the development is to wow, inspire, engage, and stimulate the audience, feature respected and well-known digital revolutionaries, showcase technology solutions, and source innovations from around the region. Apart from normal online travel conferences, Speak-Out Asia embraces the entire Visitor Economy – meaning it’s not pretty much marketing, sales, and distribution, but a novel forum to have a look at all aspects of tourism, including but not limited to e-visa, mobile crisis management, and social crowd-funding powered micro-financing. Speak-Out Asia will even feature Digital Aid Asia @ Speak-Out Asia. Digital Aid is an initiative to leverage technology in developing responsible tourism. This unique and critical session will analyze how digital and social media can combat human trafficking and child prostitution, an immense issue when tourism is increasing emerging tourism destination. The session is hosted by Destination Innovation Asia CSR partner SISHA.
Mr. Martin J. Craigs, CEO of PATA said: “We are excited to be partnering with E-Tourism Asia, the producer of Digital Innovation Asia. This event is an ideal primer for next gen minded mentors the day before our summit. The growing importance of mobile, digital, and social media in Asia in ‘m-powering’ the total Visitor Economy is among the catalysts of travel and tourism growth inside the region. Speak-Out Asia won’t only be inspirational but may also be thought provoking by raising issues like crisis management, and human trafficking, and the way technology can play an essential role.”
Mr. Suraphon Svetasreni, Govenor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand commented that: “TAT, which has made using social media a concern in marketing Thailand as an awesome tourism destination, is proud to be the rustic host of the 1st Digital Innovation Asia, including the DIA Awards and Speak-Out Asia. Thailand is worked up to welcome digital thought leaders from the region and world wide. Exchanging ideas with bloggers and influencers on social media platforms on the Blogger-Match-Up is the future of any travel and tourism organization, being it small or large.”