Program

Keynote session (UN Tourism High-Level Session)

Topic : Cultural Tourism and Urban Regeneration

Date & Time : October 27(Mon.), 2025 | 14:40~15:20

Venue : Grand Ballroom(2F), Paradise Hotel Busan

  • Eunji Tae

    Officer, Asia-Pacific UN Tourism

    Moderator

  • Jonathan B. Tourtellot

    CEO, Destination Stewardship Center

    Urban Recovery and Innovation: Connecting Local Tourism and Culture

    Speaker

  • Takeshi Nakano

    Vice Commissioner, Japan Tourism Agency

    Panelist

  • Ni Luh Puspa

    Vice Minister, Tourism of the R. of Indonesia

    Panelist

  • Insook Lee

    Executive Director of the Korea Tourism Organization

    Panelist

Special Dialogue

Topic : Opening the Future of Cities through Digital Transformation

Date & Time : October 27(Mon.), 2025 | 11:00~12:30

Venue : Grand Ballroom(2F), Paradise Hotel Busan

  • Heui-yeob Seong

    Vice Mayor for Future Innovation, Busan Metropolitan City

    Busan Metropolitan City’s digital transformation plans, new business innovation clusters, and Digital Twin initiative

  • Samuel Dusengiyumva

    Mayor of Kigali, Republic of Rwanda

    Introduction to Kigali Innovation City (KIC)
    – a $2 billion advanced smart city project led through a public private partnership between the Government of Rwanda and Africa50

  • Mia Nyegaard

    Mayor for Culture and Leisure of Copenhagen

    Copenhagen’s case of enhancing citizen engagement and urban culture through digital innovation

  • Amartuvshin Amgalanbayar

    Deputy Mayor of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

    Ulaanbaatar’s strategies for managing transportation, environment, and urban growth through digital transformation

  • Dong-seon Chang

    Cognitive Neuroscientist

    Insights on how the human brain adapts in the digital transformation era

  • Hae-guk Hwang

    Director,
    Regional Department for Asia and the Pacific UN Tourism

    Digital Transformation in Tourism and the Future of Travel: advancing safe and sustainable urban tourism through smart cities and smart travel

  • Yong-woo Jun

    CEO of the Busan Global City Foundation

    Exploring the Future of Cities in the Era of Digital Transformation

Ambassador’s Session

Topic : Cultural Diplomacy through Tourism: Connecting Cities and the World - Through the Eyes of Ambassadors

Date & Time : October 27(Mon.), 2025 | 15:20-16:00

Venue : Grand Ballroom(2F), Paradise Hotel Busan

  • SUH, Jeong-in

    Custodian of the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Korea

    Moderator

  • H.E. Ramin Hasanov

    Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the Republic of Korea

    Balancing heritage preservation and tourism development in the Land of Fire and Gobustan

    Speaker

  • H.E. Mr. Alisher Abdusalomov

    Ambassador of Uzbekistan to the Republic of Korea

    Emerging destinations beyond Samarkand, promoting cultural and educational exchange with Busan

    Speaker

  • H.E. Claudio Raúl MONZÓN BAEZA

    Ambassador of Cuba to the Republic of Korea

    Diversification of tourism resources in cities outside Havana, driven by culture and the arts

    Speaker

[Thematic SessionⅠ] Innovation

Topic : The Future and Challenges of Urban Tourism in the Age of AI

Date & Time : October 28(Tue.), 2025 | 09:30~11:00

Venue : Grand Ballroom(2F), Paradise Hotel Busan

  • Marianna Sigala

    Speaker

    AI’s Power to Redefine Tourism, Work, and Experience

    Professor, University of Newcastle

  • Andreas Spycher

    Vice President, Public Sector, Asia-Pacific, Mastercard

    Analyzing City Tourism Competitiveness

    Speaker

  • Daniel Wu

    Director, Global Affairs, Agoda

    Global Tourism Trends and Vision: The Future of Urban Tourism from an OTA Perspective

    Speaker

[Thematic Session Ⅱ] Connection

Topic : Sustainable Tourism and the Future of Local

Date & Time : October 28(Tue.), 2025 | 11:10~12:30

Venue : Grand Ballroom(2F), Paradise Hotel Busan

  • Yeong-Hyeon Hwang

    President of the Asia Pacific Tourism Association (APTA)

    Moderator

  • Anne de Jong

    Founder, Good Tourism Institute (GTI)

    Making responsible cities the default

    Speaker

  • Omar Romero

    Chief Brand Officer, Minor Hotels

    Responsible Tourism and Urban Hospitality

    Speaker

  • Peter Dustan

    Researcher, Mori Memorial Foundation

    The Relationship Between Tourism Competitiveness and Urban Competitiveness

    Speaker/Panelist

Destination Rediscovery Session

Topic : Rediscovering the City: Tourism Stories Told by the City

Date & Time : October 28(Tue.), 2025 | 14:00-14:50

Venue : Grand Ballroom(2F), Paradise Hotel Busan

  • Zeljana Zmire

    An Assistant professor at the Graduate School of International Studies, Pusan National University

    Moderator

  • Prochazka Michal

    Director of Czech Tourist Authority, Czech Tourism Korea

    Prague Urban Tourism & Influencers collaboration

    Speaker

  • Christina Chan

    Director of Culture & Tourism, ASEAN-Korea Centre

    ASEAN Uncovered: Connecting Urban Life and Community Roots

    Speaker/Panelist

Youth Tourism Connect Talk Show

Topic : Enhancing practical competencies through dialogues with tourism leaders, presenting youth perspectives, and building industry–academia networks

Date & Time : October 28(Tue.), 2025 | 14:50-16:00

Venue : Grand Ballroom(2F), Paradise Hotel Busan

  • Joo-Chul Nam

    Ambassador, American Chamber of Commerce in Korea

    Moderator

  • Paul Yoo

    Senior Vice President, Minor Hotels

    Key Trends in the Global Hotel Industry that Youth Should Pay Attention to

    Panelist

  • Channel Korean Jay

    Travel Creator

    How Authentic Travel Content Creates Global Impact

    Panelist

Special Session (KF Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum Secretariat Session)

Topic : Cooperation for Enhancing Tourism between Korea and Central Asia

Date & Time : October 28(Tue.), 2025 | 15:00-17:00

Venue : Capri Room(2F), Paradise Hotel Busan

Moderator: Gi Hyung KEUM(Director, Creative Lab for Cultural Heritages)

  • Ainura Zhumatayeva

    Head of Marketing and International Markets Department,
    JSC Kazakh Tourism National Company

    Speaker

  • Alibek Matiev

    Head of the Green Economy and Tourism Sector,
    Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic

    Speaker

  • KARIMOVA Dilnoza

    Tajikistan Project Coordinator,
    KF Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum Secretariat

    Speaker

  • TASHLIYEV Dovlet

    Turkmenistan Project Coordinator,
    KF Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum Secretariat

    Speaker

  • Ahror Validjanov

    Director of Silk Road Office,
    Tourism Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan

    Speaker

  • Jin-ho You

    Senior External Relations Advisor,
    Korea Tourism Organization

    Speaker

  • Jong-dal Park

    Vice chairman, The Korea Tourism Association

    Panelist

  • Seung-yong BAEK

    Branch Manager, Eastar Jet / Gimhae International Airport

    Panelist

  • Chey-hoon OH

    Head of DEP / Managing Director, HANA TOUR / Province Tour Business Dep

    Panelist

 

Panelist

 

- C5 Tourism Stakeholders

- C5 Embassy Officials in Korea