8th unwto
global summit on
urban tourism
Nur-Sultan, Republic of Kazakhstan
In line with the United Nations New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, the creation of ‘Smart Cities’ holds enormous potential to generate a positive impact on citizens’ lives and visitors’ experiences by making cities more livable, manageable, sustainable and accessible.
Smart cities can help provide better opportunities for boosting sustainable socio-economic development, employment, infrastructure development and strengthen resilience. What are smart cities all about and what does this mean for city tourism? A smart city and a smart destination means placing innovation, technology and resources at the disposal of developing integrated, sustainable and accessible urban settings for the benefit of its citizens and visitors. A smart city goes beyond the use of innovation and technology tools to improve urban life, it means rethinking urban development and planning and putting community and local engagement at the center of any conversation about economic growth and sustainability
The Meetings industry, which includes amongst others, meetings, conventions and congresses, is today recognized as a promising segment by destinations who acknowledge its potential for fostering socio-economic development, recognizing it as a great ally in the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs´).
This Masterclass, organized by ICCA and UNWTO Academy, will give the opportunity to participants to get access to free Executive Education training delivered by ICCA experts and enhance their expertise on the Meetings industry. It will serve as a platform to explore the potential of this segment and equip all participants with the necessary knowledge and skills to further develop it in their destinations, while harnessing the many opportunities it offers for advancing the competitiveness of the destination.
UNWTO – ICCA Masterclass is addressed to industry professionals and government officials from Kazakhstan Tourism Administration, private companies, associations and academia who have or will have responsibilities in the tourism sector of their country related to the area of Meetings industry.
In an increasingly urbanized world, where cities have become platforms for innovation and change, the development and management of smart destinations has become either a reality for many cities or an envisioned goal in the future. In this discussion, Mayors from around the world will share insights on how to translate a smart city into a smart destination.
Moderator: Ms. Sandra Carvao, Head of Tourism Market Research and Competitiveness
10:30 – 11:00 Keynote Speech by Ms. Signe Jungersted, CEO & Founding Partner, Group NAO
11:00 – 11:30 Coffee breakAccording to SEGITTUR a smart destination is “an innovative tourism destination, based on state-of-the-art technological infrastructure, which ensures the sustainable development of the tourism territory, making it accessible to all, facilitating the interaction and integration of the visitor with the destination, increasing the quality of the visitor’s experience and improving the quality of life of the residents.” This session will focus on the five pillars of a smart destination (innovation, technology, accessibility, governance and sustainability) to discuss how cities can become smart tourism destinations.
Moderator: Ms. Edurne Vidal, Smart Destinations Program Manager, SEGITTUR
The session will analyze in which ways technology can help cities to be better prepared and develop and manage tourism in a holistic manner. Innovative and technological solutions in tourism come with the promise of creating future-ready solutions tailored to a destination’s current and future needs. At the same time, collaboration between the public and private sector in the area of technology are increasingly helping cities to anticipate and solve urban challenges and realize “what works”.
Moderator : Ms. Signe Jungersted, CEO & Founding Partner, Group NAO
Panellists:An accessible urban destination is a key requirement of any successful smart city strategy. This session will look into how accessibility in urban destinations is advancing thanks to the increased awareness of the opportunities it brings and to the emergence of new innovative solutions. Experiences and best practices will be presented with the goal of sharing best practices and further advance accessibility in urban destinations across the world.
Introduction of the UNWTO Accessible Destination Award by Ms. Sandra Carvao, Chief of Tourism Market Intelligence and Competitiveness, UNWTO
Presentation and Moderation: Mr. Martín Heng, Accessible Travel Manager, Lonely Planet.
Panellists:13:20-13:30 Conclusions byMs. Sandra Carvao, Chief of Tourism Market Intelligence and Competitiveness, UNWTO
For additional information, contact: botagoz@welcometoastana.kz
For registration, please, contact: zhakupova@welcometoastana.kz
1. Medical tour:
10.00-11.00 Presidential hospital
11.15-12.15 Corporate Fund University Medical Center
12.30-13.30 National Research Cardiac Surgery center
13.45-14.45 National Center for Neurosurgery
10:00-11:00 Nazarbayev University
11:15-12:15 Astana Hub
12:30-13:30 Nur-Alem
Starts at 10
During the tour, guests will travel through the streets, city avenues, plunge into
the history of the birth, development of the Bozok fortress, Akmola fortress, the
merchant city of Akmolinsk, the bread city of Tselinograd, the capital (Astana) –
Nur-Sultan.
Begins at 8
A day-tour includes climbing Mount Bolektau (146 m), visit the cultural and
historical site of the glade of Abylai Khan and drive along the Khan’s pass to the
“Rakushka” observation deck.
Guests have a unique opportunity to visit the Neolithic museum complex – the
Botai-Burabay Museum.