West Country Tourism Conference

The popular West Country Tourism Conference returns to Westpoint alongside the Source Trade Show on 4 to 5 February 2025, with two ‘extended mornings’ of topical presentations.  

The event is for all types of tourism and hospitality business, with topical updates, news, ideas and insights.

Info will be added here later in 2024, in the meantime see below for information about the 2024 event.

Speakers include the following:

TUESDAY 6 FEBRUARY - TOURISM PRIORITIES, EXCELLENCE, ACCESSIBILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

• Amanda Winwood, Made for Life Organics - "Wellness Tourism. The Future."
• Rosie Radwell, MD, Marsham Court Hotel - "On becoming England's first 'Changing Places' hotel"
• Lyndsey Turner-Swift, Deputy England Director, VisitEngland - "National Priorities - The Year Ahead"
• Alistair Handyside, Chair, Professional Association of Self-Caterers (PASC) - "2024, A Year of Change"
• Richard Toomer, Director, The Tourism Alliance - "2024, The Changes We Seek"
• Andy Banner-Price, The 25 B&B - "The Essentials of B&B Success"
• Kris Hall and Mica Maurtua, The Burnt Chef Project - "Impact on Mental Health in the Hospitality Industry"
• Tom Ross, CEO The PIG Hotels - "The PIG, six years on"
• Andy McNulty, Touch Stay - "The Communication Guests Expect (& How It Can Drive Revenue)"
• Steven Core, VoltShare - "EV Charging for Tourism"
• Laura McFadyen and Steve Panton, Stephens Scown - "Employer Essentials in 2024 – HR and Regulatory Update”

WEDNESDAY 7 FEBRUARY - MARKETING, SOCIAL, PR AND AI

• Alastair Banks, Optix Solutions & Your Digital Future - "AI within Marketing - Beyond the Content"
• Kate Doodson, Joint CEO, Cosmic - "What's New for Tourism in 2024"
• Amanda Lumley, CEO, Destination Plymouth - "Creating a Tourism Data Hub for the South West"
• Wendy Harris, CEO, Anytime Booking - "Travel booking trends, tips and 2024"
• Verity Slater, Stephens Scown - "The Journey to B Corp"
• Lawrence Palk and Aaron Learnihan, Wildanet - "The importance of digital connectivity in Tourism"
• Mark Worden, Director, MiHi Digital - "Encouraging repeat bookers, creating advocates and building your brand for 2024"
• Amy Ralston & Thomas Chartres-Moore, Stephens Scown -"Would you accept a booking from AI? And other head scratching questions about technology in hospitality"
• Neil Warren, Living Options Devon - "Five Ways to Attract the One in Five (Accessing the Purple Pound)"
• Hannah Morgan & Eloise Ansell, NFU Mutual - "Cybercrime and AI, How You Can Manage the Risk"
• Mark Durber and Pete Stevens, Clockwork Marketing - "Sustainable Marketing In Practice"

The Conference will start at 09.30 each day and conclude with a pasty or pie lunch at 13.30. Bookings have now closed, for any late availability please contact us via email at awards@services4tourism.co.uk.