The TravMedia Summit

James Marshall serves as Vice President, Global Air Account Management, for Expedia Group, one of the world’s largest travel companies, operating more than 200 travel booking sites in more than 75 countries.

In this role James leads the global key account management team, responsible for the airline partner relationships and supports the marketing and distribution of flights and holiday packages globally on a wide portfolio of Expedia’s online travel brands, like Expedia, Hotels.com, Hotwire, Travelocity, Orbitz, ebookers, and Wotif. His role focuses on increasing the visibility and reach of airline partners, attracting high-value customers from around the world to their offerings, and providing unique tools and insights to help them manage and grow their business.

James joined Expedia in 2010 after ten years in a variety of leadership roles with Amadeus IT Group.

James holds an MBA from INSEAD. He also graduated from ESCP Europe where he earned a master’s degree in international management. James maintains triple citizenship from Spain, France and the UK and has lived in Asia for over 25 years. He currently resides in Singapore with his wife and two daughters.

James Gregory Wilkinson is an award-winning TV show host, Editor-In-Chief and global travel expert.

He is the host of the executive travel and lifestyle TV show WAYFARER and Editor-In-Chief of the Wayfarer website and newsletter that was launched in 2017.

WAYFARER Series 1 was broadcast on Sky News Australia (it generated 1.2 million viewers and is still available online at skynews.com.au and Foxtel On Demand) and is about to be broadcast on WestJet in Canada to 25 million passengers.

WAYFARER Series 2 is currently in final production and episodes set to be broadcast will feature Austin, Beijing, Fort Worth, Hong Kong, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, Shanghai and several more global cities to be announced.

WAYFARER Series 3 is currently in production in 4K Ultra HD and destinations will include Paris, Fiji, the Whitsundays in Queensland, Auckland, Sydney, Singapore and several more global cities to be announced.

Each episode showcases some of the best hotels, restaurants, bars, galleries, shops and much more in the world's hottest destinations.

For the last 19 years, James has been the Editor-In-Chief of the Asia-Pacific region's highly respected hotel industry magazine, HM, and its online products.

He is formerly the Travel Editor of Time Out Australia and a Contributing Editor to SPICE magazine and SpiceNews.

From late-2012 to early 2018, James was a regular guest (appearing on over 200 episodes) on the Sky News Business Channel television show 'Business Class', which is now broadcast on Your Money and features airlines, hotels, destinations, travel accessories and much more.

James is also Chair of Laureate Australia Hospitality's Industry Advisory Board and Deputy Chair of the Young Garvan committee at the Garvan Research Foundation.

In 2003, James co-founded the HM Awards (Australasia's largest hotel awards) and in 2010, the AHICE Conference, also the region's largest.

He Chairs the Content Committee for AHICE and is the Chief Judge and co-organiser of the HM Awards.

James has also been a guest on Channel 7's 'The Morning Show', radio 4BC in Brisbane and 3AW in Melbourne, and is formerly the Editor-In-Chief of Hilton, Australian Hotelier, Signature Cocktails and bars&clubs magazines. Prior to this, James was at Courier Newspapers.

James was named 2008 Travel Writer of the Year for Trade / Industry by the Australian Society of Travel Writers, while in 2003, James received the received the Golden Circle Award from Marriott International.

At the 2008 HM Awards, James screened a moving film (that he wrote, filmed, narrated, directed and produced) about the Sala Bai Hotel School in Cambodia that has since raised over 0,000.

In 2010, James was a finalist for Travel Writer of the Year at the National Tourism Industry Awards (NTIAs), presented by AFTA.

Andrew Clark is a video content specialist. For more than 25 years he’s created award-winning work for TV, Streaming Platforms, Brands, Marketers, Agencies and Corporates. He cut his teeth in international TV news as a journalist in the 90s and early 00s, working for CNN and BBC News. In 2006, he joined AsiaWorks, working on documentary, lifestyle, and commercial projects for the likes of the National Geographic Channel, Discovery Networks, Tourism Malaysia, STB, IHG, and Hilton Hotels.

Today he is a Partner at AsiaWorks, a regional agency specialising in creative video production, content strategy, as well as live, interactive, and immersive video experiences. With offices in Singapore, Jakarta and Bangkok, Andrew helps clients produce engaging video content and campaigns that build audiences, sell products and communicate messages, with measurable results.

Born in Mumbai and living in Singapore since she was seven, Anita Kapoor has travel in her blood. This travel host, writer, emcee, and podcaster believes that travel bridges the gap between people and broadens the mind.

In 2003, Anita won the Discovery Travel and Adventure Channel’s search for a Singapore host, which led to her fronting TV shows across the Discovery Channel, TLC, Channel News Asia and as the in-house traveller for hotel group, Starwood, taking her to far flung destinations across Asia and the Pacific.

She has hosted Lonely Planet Stressbuster, Exotic Escapades and Go Asia with Anita Kapoor. She is also a former deputy editor of Harpers Bazaar Singapore.

More recently, Anita has been focused on telling stories about compassion, healing and personal freedom and she is an emerging thought leader on active diversity, equality, inclusion, and mental health. A two-time TEDx speaker and voice-over artist, she also collaborated in a documentary on the state of eldercare facilities in Singapore, after volunteering to live-in for two weeks. Meeting new people and telling their stories is at the heart of everything she does.

Rowena is the digital editor of escape.com.au, the national travel publication for News Corp and Australia’s number one travel media brand. She is responsible for commissioning digital content to inspire Australian travellers who are dreaming, planning or booking a holiday. She also works closely with the Escape weekly print liftout that appears in News Corp’s Sunday metro newspapers around Australia and on the Escape social media channels.

Liz Ortiguera is an industry leader, global citizen, former scientist/engineer and business builder with over 25 years of experience in various industries, including pharmaceuticals, digital start-ups, consumer card and travel/lifestyle.

Liz had a first career as a scientist/engineer with Bell Labs then Merck – at one point conducted breast cancer research. She then worked with American Express for 18 years in three divisions – card, merchant and travel - including leadership of Amex's Travel Partner Network across 28 countries in Asia-Pacific. She was appointed the first female and only the second Asian CEO of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) in its 70+year hhistory and most recently became the first Managing Director of Asia-Pacific and Sr Advisor to the CEO for World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). Concurrently, she founded her own consultancy firm called Bridge XP Advisory which focusses on strategy, marketing and business development advisory.

She has lived and worked in NY, Tokyo and Singapore for multinational companies as well as start-ups and non-profits. She's adept at developing strategies and taking them to implementation and is passionate about innovation, education, sustainability, DEI, and social impact.

As an industry thought leader, general manager, and mentor, Liz shares her experience and expertise across various forums. She believes in driving business growth and innovation while using ethical and sustainable business strategies that consider global concerns.

Liz is an alumni of four universities.- Stanford, Columbia, NYU and The Cooper Union. Her work has been recognized with numerous awards, including an MBA scholarship from Merck, an Amex Leadership Award, and a TDG Humanitarian Award.

In her personal time, she launched Stanford GSB Women's Circles in Asia, conducted disaster relief for Typhoon Haiyan and raised funds to build both a charity hotel and restaurant school in Cambodia and a village for impoverished families in the Philippines.

Nick Wayland pioneered the technology that created global newswire service TravMedia in 1999, and ATE, IPW, Brand USA and SATW press rooms and trade platforms.

TravMedia delivers the world's travel news to more than 25,000 registered travel journalists in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the United Kingdom, Middle East, United States, Canada, Germany/Austria/Switzerland, South Africa, and new in 2014, Brazil. Nick understands the needs of media from his own experience as travel editor of Courier Newspapers for ten years and regular ski contributor to Australia's Sun Herald and Melbourne's Age Newspaper.

His knowledge of the travel industry and his contributions to the market segment are extensive. He is an active member of the Australian Society of Travel Writers and former committee member and co-founded the website. He is an annual judge for the Gourmet Travel Annual Awards and the Australian Hotel Management Awards. His company sponsors the annual ONE Travel Conference Travel Writer award for outstanding work in promoting U.S. travel, the Australian Society of Travel Writers Awards dinner and the British Guild of Travel Writers Awards dinner.

TravMedia are also members of the U.S. Travel Association, with the company powering the online press room for IPW, the most important travel trade convention on U.S. soil. The online press room for the Society of American Travel Writers is now in its fourth year, and TravMedia introduced an appointment setting tool for the Association last year. TravMedia moved into Canada in 2013 with a partnership with the Canadian Tourism Commission for GoMedia Canada Marketplace.

Sister company TravTrade provides the same connectivity and paperless communication for trade shows around the world, through U.S. Travel Associations Online Marketplace at IPW, Brand USA Pavlions at international trade shows , the Australian Tourism Exchange, AIME, and Luxperience, to name a few. Brand USA's extremely successful Megafam trips for travel agents from the UK and Australia in 2013 were powered by TravTrade.

Nick regularly assists tourism colleagues with functions to bring together travel and tourism partners and media, works with international rep firms of major U.S. companies to increase media reach, speaks on the topics of media trends and new technologies, and looks for new ways to connect travel journalists with public relations professionals. His most recent technology allows TravMedia clients to connect and follow travel journalists and buyers, read published articles and provide tailored information for upcoming efforts. Nick splits his time between his Sydney, London and New York offices, and by design never spends an entire cold winter or a hot summer anywhere.

Director of Tourism Garden, Alison was appointed as the official representative of Kyoto City in 2015. Alison has more than 30 years experience in tourism marketing and communications in her home Australia, Europe and Japan. Having spent two decades living and then working in Japan running tourism businesses, she has an in-depth knowledge of Japan and an intimate understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by DMOs of Japan’s major cities and regional destinations. She is passionate about the role of tourism in the maintenance and sustainable evolution of Japanese culture and tradition.

With close to two decades in media (Croatian Radio Television, Croatian News Agency, freelancing on China as journalist and photojournalist among others) and vast marketing experience Franka Gulin has been China based for last 11 years. In 2018 and after her stint at China Media Group in Beijing she was appointed as a first ever Croatian National Tourist Board China representative office director based in Shanghai. She is also holding position of European Travel Commission’s China Chapter Chairwoman and her focus is set as well on long haul tourism travel trends from broader Asia, namely E and SE Asia.

Michael currently oversees Technology and Place Management in Sentosa as the Assistant Chief Executive Officer of Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC). As a member of SDC's senior management team, he is closely involved in the key growth and developmental areas of sustainability and the continual reinvention of Sentosa as a precinct loved by visitors and locals alike.

Prior to joining SDC, Michael served for 28 years in various key Command and Staff appointments in the Ministry of Defence and the Singapore Armed Forces. Apart from being deployed to Afghanistan for seven months, his other highlight was serving as the Chief Artillery Officer.

In his free time, Michael reads, runs, dabbles in coding and tries his best to be a decent golfer.

Todd was appointed Executive Director of the Oregon Tourism Commission (dba Travel Oregon) in June 1996 and was named Chief Executive Officer in September 2004.

In 2003, Todd helped lead an effort to establish dedicated and stable funding for Travel Oregon through a statewide transient lodging tax. This funding has been crucial in Travel Oregon’s ability to grow the state’s tourism economy through innovative destination management, growing international markets, and award-winning advertising campaigns. Tourism, and the small businesses that make up the tourism economy such as restaurants, retailers, and lodging, are now collectively a significant driver of Oregon’s total economy -- prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, visitor spending in Oregon saw ten consecutive years of record-breaking growth. In response to industry needs, Todd worked with industry representatives and state legislators in 2016 to establish a dedicated funding source for the seven regional destination management organizations as well as a competitive grant program. Todd believes that reinvesting in local communities, whether through marketing programs, regional investments or grants are critical to supporting and growing Oregon’s tourism economy for generations to come.

Todd serves as Chair on the Board of Directors for the Corporation for Travel Promotion (Brand USA) by appointment from Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo; is a past chair of the U.S. Travel Association and a continuing board member; is on the National Council of State Tourism Directors (NCSTD); and the Western States Tourism Policy Council (WSTPC). He has served on the National Advisory Committee on Travel and Tourism Infrastructure (NACTTI) and is a past Chair of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (USTTAB), a position he was appointed to in January 2012 after being initially appointed to the board in 2010. Todd was honored by the NCSTD as the State Tourism Director of the Year in 2006 and inducted into U.S. Travel’s Hall of Leaders in 2018.

Mary Li is a renowned entrepreneur and travel industry specialist. Mary has built her career around solving air retailing problems. In 2019, she founded her third travel-tech start-up, Atlas, which represents the evolution of air content enablement. Atlas empowers airlines and travel sellers to better serve traveler preferences through real-time data-led insights and next generation technology.

Prior to Atlas, Mary served as the co-CEO of Mystifly, where she oversaw product development, technology implementation, operations, human resources, and APAC sales based in Bangalore, India. Her first ventures in the flight industry were with Wingon Travel and ASLAN, both of which she led for eight years. During her tenure, she transformed ASLAN from a 40-person offline travel agency into the largest B2B air ticket platform in China. In 2014, ASLAN was acquired by Alitrip (Fliggy), Alibaba's online travel platform.

Mary's passion for travel stems from her firm belief that travel is a transformative experience, enabling us to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of different perspectives, explore diverse cultures and mindsets, and learn to embrace both our differences and similarities.

Lim Ben-Jie is the Head of Global Markets & Partnerships for the airasia Superapp. He previously held the Head of Delivery position and played a crucial part in the setting up of the ride-hailing and food delivery businesses, especially in the formative years of airasia Superapp in 2020-2021.

Ben-Jie was previously airasia group’s Chief of Staff, reporting directly to Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A (AirAsia) since 2016. He joined AirAsia in 2015 under Talent Corp Malaysia’s MyASEAN Internship program, and became part of the Investor Relations department before becoming the youngest Executive Assistant in the CEO’s Office at the age of 23.

Ben-Jie holds a Bachelor’s Degree (Hons) in Finance and Economics from the University of West of England and Taylor’s University. He is also recognised as a Future 50 Emerging Marketeer by The Drum Publication and an Obama Foundation leader.

Josh has spent over 13 years in the advertising, marketing and PR industry exploring the collision of technology, culture and creativity.

With credentials stemming from leading global agencies such as M&C Saatchi, Leo Burnett and BBDO, Josh has partnered with the likes of Virgin Australia, Tourism Australia, Samsung, Telstra, eBay, Google and many more. He's helped demonstrate how to use technology for storytelling; from immersive video for exploring the Australian outback, to wi-fi enabled pepper grinders, forecasting green energy use with IoT devices and even augmented reality filters for naming cows.

Josh also judges for the Webby's and Lovies - Awards that recognises excellence in the digital realm. It sounds elegant, but means he secretly critiques brands on their use of immersive tech, mixed reality, and AI for storytelling. When he’s not surfing the Metaverse, Josh fancies himself a writer. He’s still blossoming, but stays enthusiastic, and rambles about the imaginative world of creative-tech.

Josh has had writing and presenting engagements from AdNews, Mumbrella, VIVID Sydney, and Samsung Talks.

Martha is the Founder and CEO of Singapore based hospitality tech startup, DayAway, an exclusive membership marketplace for accessing daytime experiences and privileges at luxury hotels through a frictionless discovery, booking and redemption platform. Launched in March 2021, DayAway is helping hoteliers engage with guests in new and meaningful ways through their best-in-class inventory management software, luxury branded redemption marketplace and web3 enabled loyalty program. DayAway’s goal is to radically disrupt the global hospitality industry by designing its own market category around the optimisation of hotel facility space and daily guest engagement.

Originally from New York, Martha has over 15 years of experience working with globally recognized luxury brands at the cross section of lifestyle and tech in brand marketing and digital strategy, with a successful track record in go-to-market execution and international expansion. A torchbearer for a digitally empowered future, Martha has a passion for innovation and Web3, and brings a unique perspective and skillset to paving a new path forward for the hospitality industry in a post Covid economy.

Martha started her career in corporate fashion at Ralph Lauren’s global headquarters in New York City and was also an early team member of the Singapore based e-commerce startup Luxola, which later sold to LVMH-owned Sephora.

Nick Wayland pioneered the technology that created global newswire service TravMedia in 1999, and ATE, IPW, Brand USA and SATW press rooms and trade platforms.

TravMedia delivers the world's travel news to more than 25,000 registered travel journalists in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the United Kingdom, Middle East, United States, Canada, Germany/Austria/Switzerland, South Africa, and new in 2014, Brazil. Nick understands the needs of media from his own experience as travel editor of Courier Newspapers for ten years and regular ski contributor to Australia's Sun Herald and Melbourne's Age Newspaper.

His knowledge of the travel industry and his contributions to the market segment are extensive. He is an active member of the Australian Society of Travel Writers and former committee member and co-founded the website. He is an annual judge for the Gourmet Travel Annual Awards and the Australian Hotel Management Awards. His company sponsors the annual ONE Travel Conference Travel Writer award for outstanding work in promoting U.S. travel, the Australian Society of Travel Writers Awards dinner and the British Guild of Travel Writers Awards dinner.

TravMedia are also members of the U.S. Travel Association, with the company powering the online press room for IPW, the most important travel trade convention on U.S. soil. The online press room for the Society of American Travel Writers is now in its fourth year, and TravMedia introduced an appointment setting tool for the Association last year. TravMedia moved into Canada in 2013 with a partnership with the Canadian Tourism Commission for GoMedia Canada Marketplace.

Sister company TravTrade provides the same connectivity and paperless communication for trade shows around the world, through U.S. Travel Associations Online Marketplace at IPW, Brand USA Pavlions at international trade shows , the Australian Tourism Exchange, AIME, and Luxperience, to name a few. Brand USA's extremely successful Megafam trips for travel agents from the UK and Australia in 2013 were powered by TravTrade.

Nick regularly assists tourism colleagues with functions to bring together travel and tourism partners and media, works with international rep firms of major U.S. companies to increase media reach, speaks on the topics of media trends and new technologies, and looks for new ways to connect travel journalists with public relations professionals. His most recent technology allows TravMedia clients to connect and follow travel journalists and buyers, read published articles and provide tailored information for upcoming efforts. Nick splits his time between his Sydney, London and New York offices, and by design never spends an entire cold winter or a hot summer anywhere.

Anthony is Traveller's national travel editor. One of Australia's most experienced travel and tourism editors and writers and the author of two travel books, he is a long-time commentator on travel and tourism issues. He has appeared at many travel and tourism events over the years as both a speaker and a moderator. Anthony is a former deputy editor of The Sydney Morning Herald as well as former editor of the Australian Travel + Leisure magazine. He was the Australia-New Zealand correspondent for Travel + Leisure US.

Coco Marett is a writer and editor who grew up between Hong Kong and Melbourne. She is currently the Regional Lifestyle Editor for Tatler Asia, covering travel for the publication. She is known for her features on unique, under-the-radar properties and destinations, refreshingly candid profiles of influential figures, and is passionate about the areas of sustainability and community engagement within the industry. Most recently, she launched the inaugural Tatler Travel supplement. Follow her on Instagram @cocomarett

Jeninne Lee-St. John, Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia’s editor-in-chief, loves living in Bangkok, though she wishes it were also on a beach. She’s especially interested in food with a good backstory, new ways to define luxury, regenerative travel, wellness from ancient to cutting-edge, and weird wine. Jeninne worked at Time in New York and London, has a masters from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, and a bachelors from Williams College. Born in Washington, D.C., she’s lived in Southeast Asia since 2009, and is known among friends as the queen of bubbles.

Vincent has worked for Robb Report Since 2012. He is in charge of multiple categories, including private jet, airlines, yacht, auto, cruise, travel, hotel and luxury property. Vincent also has a special focus on luxury trains, safaris and new openings.

Paul is a seasoned PR professional who began consulting in 1993, and jointly founded GHC Asia with Lynn Grebstad in 1998. Paul is a graduate in English Literature from Oxford University and a master of the English language with extensive writing and broadcasting experience across Asia and the UK. He is also Asia Pacific Editor for American Express Centurion and Departures Magazines.

Jayne MacDougall is the Executive Director for Phuket Hotels Association, a non-profit organization currently comprised of 93 member hotels. Jayne has previously worked in the hotel industry in Asia (Starwood, Marriott) and has more than 20 years of leadership experience in the areas of hospitality, health and safety, sustainability, disaster management and food safety. Jayne has supported hotels to achieve certification for sustainability, develop systems and documents as well as training materials and conducted numerous trainings for hotel staff and hospitality students.

Living on an Island for many years has made Jayne acutely aware of the environmental challenges specific to islands and the unique opportunity hotels possess to make a positive impact on that environment.

From 2016 to April 2023 Jayne was the Chairperson for the Phuket Hotels Association Environment and Sustainability Committee- (a voluntary position). Phuket Hotels Association became a model of the impact such organizations can have on managing sustainability issues in a destination when joining together. In her role with Phuket Hotels Association Environment and Sustainability Committee, Jayne has spearheaded a plastic reduction program:- creating , training and rolling out training packages for member hotels to utilize at their respective hotels; supporting a collaboration with the US Embassy in Bangkok for a visiting US expert on plastic waste in a two month intensive project in Phuket- gathering data and changing plastic waste behavior ; creating suppliers lists and best practice documents for sharing of alternatives to plastic usage and food waste minimization efforts. Jayne has conducted numerous workshops and events related to sustainability and maintains a passion for being an agent of change. She is also heavily involved in food waste minimization, works with food donation organizations, local recycling and connecting member hotels with local schools with a school organic farming initiative called Green Planet.

In 2021 and 2022, Jayne’s role was as a Senior Consultant to Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)GmbH in a pilot project on Phuket to remove single-use plastic from hotels. The Project was a 3-country project called CAP-SEA ; Collaborative Action to Prevent Single-Use Plastic in Southeast Asia. GIZ provides services in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development.

Jayne is also a board member of Phuket Disaster Resilience Foundation- a non-profit organization, and has been instrumental in the development of Lifesaving and Lifeguard training in Phuket.

Nicole is the Chief Marketing Officer of &Beyond Travel, an impact and conservation-driven travel company that operates numerous lodges and luxury tours across Africa, South America and Asia. She has been at the helm of &Beyond’s marketing team as the CMO for eight years and has been with the company for 24 years. Her role includes responsibility for the implementation, benchmarking and measurement of &Beyond’s future impact goals, including all impact plans, initiatives, reporting and communications.

Established in 1991, &Beyond strives to leave the world a better place by delivering extraordinary travel experiences and care of the land, wildlife and people. &Beyond positively impacts 75 communities and directly conserves its primary footprint of 1 million acres. The company's 2030 vision is to scale its impact through partnerships to support the conservation of an associated 40 million acres of key biospheres and to double its 2020 impact investment while offering discerning travellers a rare and exclusive experience of the world as it should be.

Nicole joined &Beyond in December 1999 and found an organisation that constantly challenged her to grow while providing her with the deep satisfaction of leaving a legacy. Nicole left in 2001 for a year to travel through North America and Europe with her husband. While exploring new places, it became clear that Africa was where they could both return to careers that allowed them to make a significant difference. She returned in 2003 and, in 2011, was promoted first to Commercial Director and then to Chief Marketing Officer in 2015. In 2022 her portfolio was extended to include responsibility for implementing the company’s Vision 2030 goals, including all &Beyond impact strategies and ambitious growth plans.

Nicole is married to Jonathan for 27 years and has two children, Jessica (19) and Ethan (15); they live in Saxonwold, Johannesburg.

Khang joined Accor Group in February 2020 and is currently Group Chief Technology Architect, overseeing the middle and long-term technology strategy at a global level. He is also a passionate advocate for the group’s sustainability efforts, sponsoring the different initiatives where technology is needed in the Accor Tech Excom. Integral to his career in technology has been his advocacy of digital innovation as a source for good.

As the first global hotel group to make a firm net zero target by 2050, Khang works closely with Brune Poirson, Group Chief Sustainability Officer, to ensure technology contributes to accelerating the reduction of the group’s footprint across energy, water, waste, and resource procurement. Technology enables the group to keep on track with its targets and ensure it is progressing towards its goals. Accor has announced a new pathway to net-positive hospitality. Khang works with all relevant departments to ingrain these sustainable objectives across Accor's business, whether implementing new technology to make hotel design and operations more sustainable or measuring food waste through smart bins. Khang has more than twenty-one years of experience in technology with the likes of French rail company SCNF and is also an investor in and contributor to Team For The Planet, the first open-source, crowd-funded investment company to fight climate change.

Rhea Vitto Tabora is an accomplished professional in the hospitality and software solutions industries. With 20+ years of vibrant career experience, her journey has taken her across Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

With expertise in public relations, branding, sales, and marketing, she held esteemed positions, including Director of Sales and Marketing at The Ascott Limited (a leading international serviced residence owner- operator) and Deputy General Director at Vinhomes (Vietnam's largest commercial real estate developer).

In 2015, Rhea embarked on a transformative journey, leaving the corporate world behind to follow her passion for travel and writing. Since then, she has been living her dream—traveling the region, crafting powerful narratives, and creating impactful content that champions sustainable tourism.

With a journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, she has written hundreds of travel articles for various publications and hotel websites, and authored an inspiring biography.

In 2019, Rhea co-founded Travel Asia Now, a digital travel and lifestyle magazine that transformed into a platform focusing on sustainable and responsible travel in Asia.

In 2022, she co-founded Asia Sustainable Travel Briefing (ASTB), a digital media network that provides companies with insights to make informed decisions on sustainable travel in Asia. ASTB produces and publishes actionable advice and insightful intelligence on sustainability, regeneration, and consumer engagement in Asia.

Rhea is a member of Skål International Makati, part of Skål International, an association of travel professionals dedicated to promoting global tourism and friendship.

Valerie joined Club Med as VP Marketing East, South Asia and Pacific in November 2022. In her role she leads the marketing team in the region, leveraging on her experience as a digital and social native, employing the art and science of storytelling with a special focus on data-driven integrated and omni-channel marketing.

With more than 15 years of experience in the field, Valerie most recently served as Regional Director of Public Relations and Marketing Communications in the Asia Pacific region for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, having joined the group in 2018. Prior to this, she had been with notable hospitality brands such as with Swissotel Hotels and Resorts, Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts, and Raffles Hotel Singapore. Earlier in her career she also held positions in the consumer electronics and public relations consultancy space. A familiar personality in the industry, Valerie is also sought after for her insights and has been on the panel of conferences, addressing key thought-leadership topics of interest such as the future of Influencer and Social Media Marketing. She has also led various teams to garner a variety of awards and was also a judge at industry awards.

When out of the office, Valerie enjoys exploring new destinations, cultures and cuisine, and can often be found either hiking amidst lush nature or skiing in winter, a new passion recently discovered on a visit to the French Alps.