The Gold Coast is playing its own part with the G20 this week, with the hosting of two Griffith University-led events.
Griffith Institute for Tourism and Griffith’s Tourism Confucius Institute will host the first G20 East-West Dialogue on Tourism and the Chinese Dream in Surfers Paradise from November 13-15.
The high-level, bilateral discussions will bring together more than 100 representatives of Australian and Chinese government, education and research institutions, and the tourism industry at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Queensland industry leaders will be among the speakers, including Ross Gregory, Tourism and Events Queensland; Paul Donovan, Queensland Airport, Paul Martyn, Deputy Director-General, Department of Tourism, Events and Small Business; John Chan, Gold Coast Tourism Corporation and Darren Scott, Director, Economic Development and Major Projects, Council of City of Gold Coast who will explore the Gold Coast’s Chinatown project.
There will also be a significant contribution by international tourism experts from China, New Zealand, Australia and the United States. A panel of industry and government experts will carry out a 90-minute analysis of tourism investment and product development and marketing on Friday afternoon, November 14.
A robust debate
“We want a robust debate about the opportunities and challenges involved,” Professor Becken, Director, Griffith Institute for Tourism, said. “The role of Chinese tourism on the Gold Coast is complex.
“How Gold Coast operators plan and manage their product specifically for the Chinese tourist is crucial.
“We know the Gold Coast is a destination of choice for the Chinese but this trend will only be maintained and capitalised upon through strategic product and marketing strategies. It is important to understand Chinese tourists and their needs.”
The Chinese Dream, espoused by President Xi Jinping, encourages greater engagement between China and other nations through international trade and economic development.
“These terms of engagement will be up for discussion at the Brisbane summit in November, and they also link the tourism industry and the global economy.”
The G20 Interfaith Summit is also due to be held at the Crowne Plaza and will focus on howprotecting religious freedom could boost the economy.
The three day Summit will be hosted by Griffith in the immediate wake of the G20 Leaders Summit fromNovember 16-18, with international dialogue around economic development, religious freedom and social cohesion at its core.
Leading religious commentators from Australia and overseas will attend the forum, which is supported by the Queensland Government, and the International Consortium for Law and Religion Studies.
Among the delegates confirmed are Dr Brian Grim, a world-respected expert on religious freedom and business. Others include Dr W Cole Durham, managing editor of the Harvard Law Journal, RMIT’s Professor Des Cahill, renowned advocate for multiculturalism and the promotion of respect between religious communities, and the Australian Human Rights Commissioner, Tim Wilson.
Find out more about the G20 East-West Dialogue on Tourism and the Chinese Dream here. Register to attend here.
For more information on the G20 Interfaith Summit, visit http://www.griffith.edu.au/conference/g20-interfaith-summit