Keynote Speakers

Luigi Cabrini (UNWTO)

Luigi Cabrini is the Director of the Sustainable Development of Tourism Programme, which contributes to one of the strategic goals of the World Tourism Organization with special focus on the Millennium Development Goals. The Programme undertakes research, develops manuals and provides guidance and training to the Member States and other tourism stakeholders on sustainable tourism policies and their application to tourism destinations. Its specific areas of work include: green economy, climate change, biodiversity, poverty alleviation, cultural and natural heritage and their relations with tourism. More information can be found on the UNWTO Sustainable Development of Tourism website.

Professor Richard Butler (University of Strathclyde)

Professor Richard Butler has degrees in Geography from Nottingham University and the University of Glasgow and spent thirty years at the University of Western Ontario in Canada, before joining the University of Surrey (1997 to 2005), and then the University of Strathclyde. He has published numerous journal articles and book chapters, and sixteen books on tourism. His principal research interests are the development of tourist destinations and the impacts of tourism. He is a former president of the International Academy for the Study of Tourism.

Assoc. Prof Stephan Harrison (University of Exeter/Oxford)

Dr Stephan Harrison is Associate Professor of Quaternary Science at Exeter University and a Senior Research Associate at Oxford University Centre for the Environment. He has 25 years research experience on mountain responses to climate change in Patagonia and Asia. He advises the UK Health and Safety Executive on climate changes risks for nuclear sites in the UK. He has also advised, UK, US, Indian, Georgian, Chilean and Romanian Governmental organisations on climate change adaptation and impacts. More information can be found on the University of Exeter Geography website.

Melody Ocloo (UNESCO MAB)

Prior to joining UNESCO in 2009, Melody worked in the Climate Change Unit of the Forestry Commission of Ghana. In UNESCO she is with the Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences and the Man and the Biosphere Programme. Melody works mostly with Biosphere Reserves in Africa and Asia on issues related to sustainable development, poverty reduction and biodiversity conservation. Her undergraduate education was at the University of Ghana Legon where she graduated with a Degree in Zoology in 2004. She went on to the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies to do a Masters in Environmental Management.

Deirdre Shurland (UNEP DTIE Paris / Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism)

Deirdre serves as UNEP DTIE’s Senior Consultant and Coordinator of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism. Her responsibilities include oversight of program operations including the development of the program portfolio of the Global Partnership, building the network of partners and advocating the cause of sustainable tourism, globally. Deirdre is a senior professional with 25 years experience in sustainable tourism and environmental management.

Assoc. Prof Paul Peeters (NHTV Breda University of Applied Science)

Paul Peeters is an associate professor at the NHTV Breda University of Applied Science, the Netherlands, and the head of the Centre for Sustainable Tourism & Transport since 2003. He was educated as an aircraft engineer. His current work concentrates on the impacts of tourism and tourism transport on climate change and his publications cover topics like technological development of aircraft fuel efficiency, the carbon footprint analysis, eco-efficiency of tourism, and long term scenarios for tourism. More information can be found on the NHTV Breda website.

Jane Ashton (TUI Travel PLC)

Jane Ashton is the Director of Group Sustainable Development, TUI Travel PLC. Jane heads up the development of policy and processes to steer TUI Travel PLC towards becoming a more sustainable business. She also works with industry peers, international organisations, NGOs and Governments to develop strategies for sustainable tourism. Jane worked for specialist tour operators in overseas, marketing and product manager roles before joining First Choice Holidays PLC in the 1990s where her roles included Brand Manager Sovereign, Manager Long-Haul, and Product Development Manager. Since 2002 she has pioneered sustainable tourism, becoming Head of Sustainable Development, TUI Travel PLC, in 2008, and, since March 2011, Director of Group Sustainable Development. Jane has a degree from Bristol University, and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Sustainable Business from Cambridge University Programme for Industry.

Leigh Hudson (British Airways)

Leigh Hudson is the Environmental Affairs Manager for British Airways. Leigh currently leads British Airways carbon management portfolio including an extensive biofuels programme, as well as carbon accounting and efficiency initiatives. She also oversees the company’s One Destination Carbon Fund, which aims to increase customers’ awareness of climate change by investing in small-scale community projects to install renewable energy. She holds an MSc in Corporate Environmental Management from the University of Surrey. A Chartered Chemist, Leigh has extensive experience of environmental management within multinational corporations.

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