Join us for the New Destinations Travel & Tourism Summit
34th Floor, The Shard, London on Thursday, July 3, 2025
Event Information
It’s a new era for the travel industry, and with new destinations come new challenges. Just five years ago, global travel came to a standstill. The pandemic reshaped tourism as we knew it - economically, culturally, and operationally. Now, in 2025, the industry is not only back on its feet, but again breaking records!
Newsweek invites you to the New Destinations Summit: a one-day, invite-only event at London’s iconic Shard. We are gathering the top CEOs, strategists, marketers, innovators and academics from across the travel industry for a day of insights and exchange. From keynote speeches and thought-provoking panel discussions to networking opportunities. Our conversations will focus on:
- The modern traveler: top destinations, emerging trends, shifting expectations
- A resilient industry: new strategies for changing geographies and economics
- Travel’s toughest new challenges: Sustainability, AI, and Regulations
Whether you set the strategy or execute the vision, this is the room to be in if you’re a change-maker in the travel industry. Join fellow executives for a rare chance to get ahead of the curve, build meaningful partnerships, and shape the future of travel.
Speakers
Selahattin Bilgen
CEO of Istanbul Grand Airport
Istanbul is the busiest airport in Europe
Soo Kim
Senior Reporter at Newsweek
Xiaoma
Social Media Influencer.
Xiaoma, Speaks in excess of 30 languages and has over 6.7 million subscribers on YouTube
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull
Senior Editor at Newsweek
René Frey
CEO of Rough Guides and Insight Guides
Professor Xavier Font
Professor at University of Surrey,
Editor in Chief,
Journal of Sustainable Tourism
Paul Griffiths
CEO of Dubai Airports
Steve Hill
President and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
Jane Sun (Virtual)
CEO of Trip.com Group
Simon Calder
Travel Journalist & Broadcaster
Britain’s leading travel commentator
Maeve Scanlon, ESq.
Vice President of Business Affairs, THG
Aaron J. Salā,
PhD, CEO of the Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau
“Global Regenerative Tourism Leader”
Dr. Adil Ali
Head of Travel Content, New Destinations, Newsweek International
Lyn Hughes
Founding Editor, Wanderlust Travel Media
Robin Johnson
Global Marketing Director for Visit Britain
Julia Simpson
President & CEO, World Travel and Tourism Council
Our Partners
İGA (Istanbul Grand Airport) delivering the airport experience of future, today. To be a global hub that offers the most comfortable and seamless travel experience to all its stakeholders around the world.
It was established in 2013 to build and operate Istanbul Airport for 25 years. Located 35 kilometers from the city center, it will have a capacity of 200 million passengers annually when fully completed.
Enter Air is one of Europe’s fastest-growing charter airlines and the largest private carrier in Poland. Founded in 2010, it was profitable from the very first flight. Enter Air now operates a 30-strong fleet serving more than 200 destinations across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. CEO Grzegorz Polaniecki credits the airline’s success to its laser focus on efficiency and on costs.
We're the performers, builders, makers and ambassadors. The workers who make it all work. When we're needed, we stay. When we're done, we play. That's what it takes to keep this the most exciting city on Earth. It's Vegas, baby! And we make anything possible - every night of the week. It may not be our names up in the lights, but what we do is famous.
The Landmark Trust is a UK charity that restores historic buildings—like castles, forts, and cottages—and turns them into holiday rentals. Stays in these unique properties help fund the preservation of Britain’s architectural heritage.
THG Creative is a world leader in experiential design. We collaborate with clients to transform your visions into uniquely creative attractions, exhibits, shows and settings. At the center of it all are your guests, and the right story told in the right way to move and inspire them.
&Beyond are bespoke tour operators. We strive to leave our world a better place than we found it through our Care of the Land, Wildlife and People, and the delivery of guest experiences that go beyond the expected in Africa, Asia and South America. We also own and manage 29 extraordinary lodges and camps across three continents. It is at these touch points where you, as our guest, enable us to positively impact 75 communities and directly conserve our footprint of 1 million acres.
Nikki Beach is our exclusive luxury partner for this event. It stands as a global haven for unforgettable moments, seamlessly blending music, dining, entertainment, fashion, film, and art to create unparalleled celebrations. Beyond travel experiences, Nikki Beach extends its reach with a lifestyle division, featuring boutiques and an e-commerce shop.
The Hawaiʻi Visitors & Convention Bureau (HVCB) works to promote Hawai’i, showcasing the state’s unique culture, natural beauty, and aloha spirit to the world. We foster a regenerative tourism model that balances community desires, economic goals, cultural values, preservation of natural resources, and the needs of the visitor industry to ensure social, environmental, and economic balance for our island home.
Koelnmesse GmbH is an international trade fair and exhibition center located in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With around 80 trade fairs and over 2,000 conferences annually, Koelnmesse is one of the country's largest trade fair organisers and with 284,000 m² exhibition floor area the third largest by area.
Holidays by Turkish Airlines provides solutions for every detail of your next trip. Recently launched by the world’s most prestigious airline, Turkish Airlines Holidays presents a one-stop platform for flights, accommodation, transfers, car rental and insurance, allowing you to plan the optimal holiday, with the assurance of Turkish Airlines.
Audience
Promoted on all Newsweek's Channels
Agenda
Thursday, July 3, 2025
| 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM |
Registration, Breakfast
|
| 9:30 AM – 9:45 AM |
Welcome address by Amit Shah, EVP of Newsweek and keynote remarks by Simon Calder
|
| 9:45 AM – 10:10 AM |
Fireside chat with Arieh Smith (Xiaomanyc), Polyglot and YouTuber (w/ Adil AlI)
|
| 10:10 AM – 10:35 AM |
Fireside Chat with Steve Hill, CEO, Las Vegas Convention & Visitor Authority (w/ Eileen Falkenberg-Hull)
|
| 10:35 AM – 11:00 AM |
Fireside Chat with Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group (Virtual) (w/ Soo Kim- Newsweek Sr Reporter )
|
| 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM |
Networking Break : Mid-Morning Refreshments
|
| 11:30 AM – 12:25 PM |
Panel 1 - New Destinations - Where Next?
Moderator: Simon Calder (Broadcaster) Panelists: We are born with an urge to see what’s over the next hill. Where are we travelling in 2025 and where in the years to come? This panel will explore new horizons and investigate emerging trends. We’ll get a handle on where the travel industry is set to grow and what are the future opportunities for the tourists of tomorrow. Something to think about: |
| 12:25 PM – 12:50 PM |
Fireside Chat with Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai Airports Company (w/ Simon Calder)
|
| 12:50 PM – 1:50 PM |
Lunch & Networking
|
| 1:50 PM – 2:45 PM |
Panel 2 - Preserving Paradise - sustainability and travel
Moderator: Eileen Falkenberg-Hull (Senior Editor, Newsweek) Panelists: This panel will examine how to balance visitor growth with ecosystem and community wellbeing: What innovative practices—from regenerative tourism to data-driven impact tracking—can reduce carbon footprints and protect cultural integrity? How can technology and partnerships drive transparency, accountability and long-term resilience? Join us for actionable insights and case studies on steering travel toward a truly sustainable future. Food for thought: |
| 2:45 PM – 3:40 PM |
Panel 3 - Tomorrow’s Traveller: Economics, Operations and AI
Moderator: Adil Ali (Head of Travel Content, New Destinations | Newsweek) Panelists: This panel will look into the digital transformation. How do we leverage the benefits of AI in tourism? What are the potential pitfalls? How can we enhance the travel experience? How can companies ensure operational excellence in one of the most complex industries in the world whilst utilising new and uncertain technologies? Things to consider: |
| 3:40 PM – 3:50 PM |
Closing remarks from Robin Johnson, Global Marketing Director, Visit Britain and Julia Simpson, CEO, World Travel and Tourism Council
|
| 3:50 PM – 5:00 PM |
Networking, drinks & entertainment
|
Venue
Shangri-La, The Shard, London Bridge
32 London Bridge St, London SE1 9SG
For any questions, please reach out to events@newsweek.com