The renowned travel writer and broadcaster Simon Calder has been announced as a keynote speaker at the upcoming Visit Cornwall Tourism Summit.
The event, which will take place over two days (Jan 15-16) at the Alverton Hotel in Truro, will feature a packed programme of expert speakers addressing key challenges and opportunities in the tourism industry.
Calder’s love affair with travel began with a camping trip to the Lake District and the six-year-old Simon was hooked. He learned the fine art of free travel by starting to hitch-hike as a teenager. More than three decades later, he is still thumbing his way around the world.
After becoming travel editor of The Independent, Calder also began to present BBC 2’s Travel Show and contribute to the Holiday programme. He now hosts the Travel Clinic on LBC 97.3, regularly pops up on Radio 4 and comments on travel issues across all the national media.
Also joining Calder on day one is:
- Patricia Yates, CEO of VisitBritain/VisitEngland, providing updates on national tourism priorities and England’s emerging strategy.
- Kate Nicholls OBE, CEO of UKHospitality, discussing the challenges and opportunities facing the hospitality sector.
- Lord Hutton, chair of the Cornwall Economic Forum, outlining Cornwall’s growth priorities and visitor economy opportunities.
- Patrick Richards, founder and director of TerraVerde, addressing the transition to a low and net zero visitor economy.
- A representative from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, to discuss the Government’s priorities for tourism and its recognition of the sector’s vital contribution to the economy.
- Jon Hyatt, chair of Visit Cornwall, and Malcolm Bell, Development lead for the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP), providing an update on the priorities of Visit Cornwall, and an update on the formation of the LVEP.
- Jim Plunkett-Cole, Smart Growth Analytics, offering insights into tourism’s true economic impact in Cornwall.
- Andy Jasper, CEO of the Eden Project, discussing key challenges facing Cornish tourism businesses.
Day two of the summit is dedicated to marketing and digital innovation. Highlights include:
- Tom Chartres-Moore and Amy Ralston, Stephens Scown, exploring the legal considerations of using AI in marketing.
- Chris Thompson, CEO of You Smart Thing, presenting exclusive regional data insights to target marketing effectively.
- Rob Edlin, Niddocks and Visit Cornwall director, offering practical advice on using Visit Cornwall’s website data to refine marketing strategies.
- Robin Tjolle VisitEngland regional development lead for the south west, and Abi Steel, Visit Cornwall Tourism manager, discussing opportunities for Cornish businesses to engage with the travel trade.
- Bethany Allen, Growth Operations manager of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Growth Hub, outlining business support and skills development opportunities.
- Nick Hall, CEO of Digital Tourism Think Tank, showcasing global trends, innovative marketing strategies, and the latest digital tools. Nick will also lead interactive workshops to help attendees apply these tools to their businesses.
Michael Steel, MD of Visit Cornwall, commented: “We are delighted to present an outstanding line-up of speakers at the 2025 Visit Cornwall Tourism Summit. Each brings a wealth of expertise and insight, promising interesting perspectives and discussions for all attendees. This event is a valuable opportunity for Cornwall’s tourism professionals to engage with industry leaders and shape the future of our sector.”
Tickets are now on sale, priced at £55 per person per day, with discounted rates of £39.50 per person per day for Visit Cornwall members. Prices include refreshments and lunch.
For more details, click here.
