The capabilities of Crete to be promoted as a conference destination were highlighted by professor Rob Davidson[1], Senior Lecturer in Business Travel and Tourism, who was invited by Trinity International School of Tourism Management to give a lecture on the vital topic “Marketing Destinations and Venues for Conferences”.

The lecture took place at the Creta Maris hotel, in Hersonissos, Crete and was attended by the school’s students and faculty as well as several professionals of the Cretan travel and tourism industry.

In his lecture, Professor Davidson analyzed how the changing demographics of delegates and their needs affect the marketing of conference destinations and venues and emphasized the need of suppliers to demonstrate value in their products and services. Professor Davidson discussed a number of innovative techniques that enable a conference destination and its suppliers to market their products in a way that attracts delegates, while encouraging them to extend their stay at the destination and bring their partners, thus increasing the economic benefits to the destination.

In the lively discussion that followed, Mr. Nikiforos Labrinos, President of the Hoteliers Association of Heraklion, stated that “Trinity and its President, Mr. Nikos Skoulas, have organized once again a very high quality event. I was delighted to be given the opportunity to attend the extremely interesting lecture of Professor Davidson, a world-renowned professor and eminent writer; a guru of the meetings industry. Meetings constitute an important part of the tourism industry, which can decisively reduce the seasonality of tourism in Crete. I also had the opportunity to discuss the important role a CVB plays in the promotion and coordination of the meetings industry with Professor Davidson”.

Mr. Nikos Fountoulakis, Manager of the Creta Maris hotel, stressed that “Professor Davidson’s lecture is of great use for industry practitioners, since it considers numerous innovative ideas that are applicable in our field. With his thorough knowledge and expertise, Professor Davidson definitely captured the audience”.

Mr. Skoulas, Trinity’s President and Former Minister of Tourism, underlined the importance of strategically marketing a conference destination stating that “Crete, an island endowed with unparalleled natural beauty, history and culture, has developed, in the last decade, a sound conference infrastructure which needs to be promoted through strategic and collective marketing procedures. Professor Davidson’s lecture can be used by the business tourism professionals of Crete as a blueprint for the promotion of the island”.

Trinity will continue to invite other international experts to address its students, faculty and members of the profession in order to foster a conference culture and to offer them networking opportunities with industry professionals as Mr. Skoulas said.

[1] Professor Davidson is a teacher of business travel and tourism at the University of Westminster in London, a business tourism industry analyst for Reed Travel Exhibitions and a writer of tourism books. His latest publication is entitled “Marketing Destinations and Venues for Conferences, Conventions and Business Events”, co-written with Tony Rogers, BACD.