Date, Time and Venue
Date: 14/03/2018
Day: Wednesday
Time: 1pm – 4 pm
Venue: Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, G17 Lecture, Theatre 4
RSVP: noel.scott@griffith.edu.au by 10 March, 2018

Griffith Institute for Tourism at Griffith University and the Saudi Cultural Mission in Canberra are pleased to organise a seminar entitled “Tourism in Saudi Arabia – Challenges and Opportunities” on 14 March 2018 at Griffith University – Gold Coast Campus.

Saudi Arabia is currently relatively undeveloped as a visitor hub, but initiatives by the Saudi government have begun exploiting its untapped potential as a tourist destination.

Saudi Arabia welcomes 18 million visitors per year, the overwhelming majority of whom are pilgrims visiting Islam’s holy sites of Mecca and Medina. The government of Saudi Arabia plans to increase the annual number of visitors to 30 million by 2030. New tourist attractions and resorts are planned on the islands of the Red Sea coast. Speaking to CNN, Prince Sultan Bin Salman, head of the Saudi Tourism and National Heritage Commission, said: “The targets are people who want to literally experience this country and the grandness of this country”. This seminar will discuss the challenges and opportunities for the Saudi government in increasing tourism under the following themes:

  • Australian international partnership and investments in tourism and how it can be imitated in Saudi Arabia – Samples and cases.
  • Tourism – achieving government policy objectives.
  • Developing tourism human resources: entrepreneurial, managerial and vocational skills
  • Bridging the gap between the education system and the job market in the Saudi tourism industry
  • Importance of the economic and experiential impacts of the Australian tourism industry and its share of the Australian labour market and the economy.
  • Building cooperation amongst tourism destination stakeholders.
  • A sustainable industry – managing tourism environmental impacts.

About the Speakers

[author title=”Noel Scott” image=”https://sacm.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/scott.jpg”]Is Professor of Tourism at Griffith University and Deputy Director of the Griffith Institute for Tourism (GIFT). He has worked as a tourism researcher for 24 years and has led research and consulting projects in tourism branding, destination management, tourism experience design and China tourism. Clients included the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Australia Awards Indonesia and Sri Lanka, Government of Fiji, Tourism and Events Queensland, and City of Gold Coast.  [/author]

[author title=”Alsini” image=”https://sacm.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/a.jpg”]Is the Dean of the Faculty of Tourism at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah. He is also the Managing Director of Bait Alseyaha for Consulting & Training. Dr Alsini has a PhD degree in Hospitality Management from Surrey University, UK. He holds a proficiency certificate in Hospitality Management from Ecole Hotelier De Lausanne, Switzerland. He is also a certified consultant in International Etiquette & Protocol from the Protocol School of Washington. Dr Alsini is a judge for Hotelier MiddleEast Awards since 2014. He is also a member of the board of directors of Dhyafat Albalad Alameen Company, owned by the Saudi Investment Fund and the Municipality of Holy Makkah, which focuses on hospitality and tourism developments in the Makkah region. [/author]

[author title=”Daniel Gschwind ” image=”https://sacm.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/gschwind.jpg”]Is the CEO for the Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC). Daniel is a Director of the National Tourism Alliance (NTA) and represents QTIC on various committees and advisory boards including the National Tourism Forecasting Committee, the Tourism Research Advisory Board, and the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre (RRRC).[/author]

[author title=”Christopher Warren ” image=”https://sacm.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/warren.jpg”]Is an international expert in Responsible Tourism for Accommodation Providers applying technology and creativity to develop innovative sustainable solutions. The innovative techniques are a result of 14 years analysing guest behaviour first hand, drawing on his international marketing career, including living in Saudi Arabia, running two successful pioneering companies and sharing his PhD research insights.[/author]

[author title=”Andrew Sinclair ” image=”https://sacm.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Untitled-1.png”]
Is the founder of Tourism Partners. With more than two decades working in the tourism industry at regional, state and international levels, there isn’t much Andrew doesn’t know about tourism marketing. Andrew is commercially savvy with a strong track record at the regional, state and national tourism level, with travel retail, wholesale and inbound tour operators, and he has lived and worked internationally. He is a great communicator and knows how to successfully interact with a broad range of stakeholders, teams and local communities at both the B2C and B2B levels. And first and foremost, Andrew and his team are committed to ensuring his clients achieve their goals.

[/author]

[author title=”Rafiah Yahya ALMATHAMI” image=”https://sacm.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Rafiah.png”]

Is a PhD candidate at the Department of Tourism, Sport and Hotel Management, Griffith Business School. Thesis title: “Challenges and Opportunities of Empowering Women in Projects within the Saudi Arabian Entertainment Industry”

Bachelor and Master of Business (Management) from Queensland University of Technology, Business Faculty, School of Management.

Seminar Speech Title: “Challenges and Opportunities of Empowering Women in Tourism in KSA”

[/author]

[author title=”Fatimah Yahya ALMATHAMI” image=”https://sacm.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Fatimah.jpg”]

Is a PhD Candidate at the Information and Communication Technology at Griffith University. Thesis title: “Enhancing the Retention of Working Women in Information Technology Industry, Increase Diversity Inclusion to Empower Women in Saudi Arabia”

Bachelor of Arts (Information Technology and International Relations) – School of IT and Electrical Engineering. University of Queensland

Master of Computer Science – School of IT and Electrical Engineering. University of Queensland

Seminar Speech Title: “Information Technology as an approach of promoting Tourism”[/author]

[box type=”info” align=”alignleft” class=”” width=””]About Griffith Institute for Tourism

Established in 2014, the Griffith Institute for Tourism (GIFT) supports the expertise and research performance in tourism of Griffith University. Our mission is to undertake and disseminate world leading research in tourism, to affect both an academic and external impact. The Institute develops and fosters international collaborations and provide support to members to achieve research excellence and sustainability. Through its strategic partnerships, GIFT’s structure and research programs are designed to ensure high industry and policy relevance. See https://www2.griffith.edu.au/institute-tourism[/box]