The South Asian Digital Travel Conversation is a digital conversation organized by the South Asian Travel Awards to discuss in-depth, to create awareness and to voice the challenges that are being faced in the Travel Trade & Hospitality Industry of the South Asian region.
The conversation has been purposefully designed as a series, spread across multiple episodes of 60 minutes each, with special guests from the South Asian region’s Travel Trade & Hospitality Industry. Each episode will highlight a specific topic, and industry professionals will be sharing their voice with regional factual data.
The conversation will be guided by a moderator who will ask questions based on the topic of the day, and the guests will share their views, experiences, opinions and hindrances. The show will be viewed live on Facebook (https://web.facebook.com/SATAawards). Different episodes will be presented with diverse industry stakeholders and moderators.
Episode Fourteen will be hosted by the VP of South Asian Travel Awards (SATA) Mr Suraj. The topic of episode 14 is; Travel Technology and Adapting to change
Guests for Episode 14 are:
Dinesh Kumara - Founder & CEO, Niwadu Deals and Inspire X
An award winning serial entrepreneur who bootstrapped a million-dollar start-up in the travel and leisure industry, expertise in digital transformation & strategy and travel tech industry. He is also a Director of the Board of Management, Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) under Ministry of Technology & Innovations in Sri Lanka.
Abdul Latheef – CEO & Founder, SoleAsia.com
With experience of aviation, travel agencies, guest house, hotel operation, Health and Wellness. Worked in the policy boards of Maldives Association of Tourism Industries, Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators, National Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Labour Advisory Board, Tourism Promotion Board. He has received special award from the government for services rendered towards sustainable development of tourism in Maldives. He has also been a Member of the jury for South Asian Tourism Awards (SATA). Latheef is also the Current President - SME Federation of Maldives (SEFM)
Abraham George - Chairman & Managing Director of Intersight Tours & Travels
Abraham George is the Chairman & Managing Director of Intersight Tours & Travels (P) Ltd, a leading Destination Management Company with pan-India presence. Abraham George is an entrepreneur with over 3 decades of experience. He occupies key positions in associations like the Association of Domestic Tour Operator of India (ADTOI), the Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO), Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) and the Confederation of Kerala Tourism Industry (CKTI). His personal recognitions include awards from Kerala Sahridaya Vedi and World Malayalee Council- Switzerland.
Taufiq Rahman - Sec General PATA Bangladesh Chapter
Taufiq Rahman is the Founder Chief Executive of Journey Plus founded in 1994. He is also the Former 1st. Vice President of Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB). Taufiq Rahman has an extensive background in the travel industry, published four books on tourism, and is a guest lecturer at numerous universities in Bangladesh. His company Journey Plus was a pioneer in the development of off-season travel and to this present day. Currently the company is a proud member of several national and international travel and tour associations such as PATA, the Japan Association of Travel Agent (JATA), Central Asian Association of Travel Agent (CAATA) and Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB).