Brought to you by Beyond Luxury
Bill Bensley, Nancy Huang and Juliet Kinsman have all been confirmed as speakers at Further East’s un-conference, AWAKEN, where they will be sharing expert insights with high-end hospitality brands about where the future of luxury travel is heading.
Further East, Asia’s first travel tradeshow dedicated to inbound luxury travel, is coming to Seminyak Beach in Bali this November and will be bringing with it a new type of event, AWAKEN. Hosted in collaboration with Potato Head Beach Club, this un-conference is a platform for industry-leading speakers to lend their experience and analysis to the world of luxury travel, delivering unique perspectives on how high-end tourism can benefit from their work.
Among these are Bangkok-based architect Bill Bensley, whose penchant for disruptive designs and sustainability have marked him out as a true maverick with plenty of stories to share. His mantra “The odder, the better” informs all of his work and has brought him enormous success across Asia – with projects including a Malaysian palace and countless iconic hotels and resorts. You’ll find him at AWAKEN providing insights on why each of his designs aims to transform the way that people think about hotels, challenging perceptions through their design, aesthetic and storytelling.
“I like learning about local peoples’ skills: what they can make; what they can grow; and how they can transform that into something not found anywhere else in the planet. When I go to a new corner of the world I like to explore, and usually start at the places of worship – as they tend to be the richest library or depository of what people do well.”
Bensley is joined on the line-up by luxury travel experts Juliet Kinsman and Nancy Huang, who will be offering their own insights on the next trends set to shape high-end hospitality. The un-conference will also host sessions curated by Potato Head Family, centred on their passion for conservation and sustainability, as well as Mango PR, who are a renowned authority on lifestyle, leisure and travel.
For luxury travel providers, AWAKEN represents a new opportunity to learn from established, innovative names in diverse but related fields; to bring back invaluable lessons for their own companies to implement; and ultimately to improve customers’ experiences and drive even more business in the future.
The event will take place on 12th November, the first day of Further East at Bali’s revered cultural hotspot Potato Head Beach Club, owned and operated by legendary brand creator Ronald Akili. A prominent innovator in the field of hospitality himself, Akili has his own insider opinions on how travel companies can step up their offerings to stay relevant, inspiring and successful:
“How do we redefine hospitality? How can we create a new meaning to the term? It involves taking the core essence of hospitality and redefining it based on the amazing features and supports we have today from technology, social change, etc. We should be asking how can we leverage our strengths instead of how do we improve our weaknesses.”
But for delegates, the event isn’t just a ‘listen and learn’ forum. It’s also about active collaboration and idea generation with like-minded travel professionals who want to anticipate the trends set to reshape their industry and incorporate them into their own offering. It’s how the best brands adapt, evolve and future-proof their businesses to stay ahead of the competition.
AWAKEN’s programme of immersive talks and intimate sessions will allow for unique networking opportunities and, as an invitation-only event, attendees will be working alongside an exclusive selection of hand-picked travel suppliers, buyers and media.
To be part of the first edition of this un-conference and take home insightful business solutions from industry experts while making genuine, long-lasting connections with exclusive new contacts, apply to attend at www.furthereast.co/awaken
