Empowering the Visitor Economy: Exploring diversity, leadership & resilience

More than 500 people participated in a hybrid international workshop at VU partner Sunway University in Malaysia on 1 June to explore ways to restore growth in the visitor economy supply chains of ASEAN nations.

Funded by the Australia-ASEAN Council and Australian Department of Foreign Affair and Trade, participants included representatives from industry, academia, and government from Australia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.

The discussion focused on the challenges and opportunities for the visitor economy as each partner country recovers and learns from the impacts of the COVID crisis.

Speakers addressed the critical role of diversity, inclusion and leadership in bolstering visitor economy recovery and driving sustainable growth.

Key speakers

• His Excellency Dr Justin Lee, the Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia
• Professor Teo Ee Sing, Executive Director of Sunway College
• Mr Paul Sanda, Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner to Malaysia and Brunei, Austrade
• Dr Jason Cheok, Director of VU Undergraduate Programme Sunway College
• Dr Hai Hang Nguyen Thi, President of Vietnam Aviation Academy
• Chris Porter, Chief Operating Officer, Victoria Tourism Industry Council, Australia
• Ranni Selvaraju, Freight Manager, Sea Consortium Sdn Bhd, Malaysia
• Hairani M Nur, Principal Teaching Fellow and Associate Program Leader for Events, Sunway University, Malaysia
• Wanamina Boston Ali, Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand
• Assistant Professor Dr Morakot Ditta-Apichai, Tourism program, College of Innovation and Management, Songkhla Rajabhat University, Thailand
• Ms Yata Ketchai, Destination Product Manager, Intrepidtravel Company, Thailand
• Linh Nguyen, Deputy Head of Hotel Department, Van Lang University, Vietnam
• Juliana Sofhia Damu, Women in Logistics and Transport Global Vice Chairperson Southeast Asia, owner Freight Forwarding company, Indonesia
• Professor Chang Kah Loon, President of the Society of Logisticians Malaysia
• Ms Srii Gunaseelan, Business Development Manager, Education, Australia
• Ms Vanitha Satchi Thanadan, Assistant Director - Pre-University Studies and Director of Program - Australian Matriculation, Sunway College
• Mr Gobindran Raj Rajagopal, Head of Diploma in Business Administration, Sunway College.

Victoria University project team

• Dr Catherine Lou, Project Lead and Senior Lecturer in Supply Chain and Logistics, Research Leader in Business, Institute for Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities and the College of Arts, Business, Law, Education and IT; Australian Chair for Women in Logistics and Transport
• Associate Professor Joanne Pyke, Director, School for the Visitor Economy & Associate Professor, Institute of Sustainable Industries
• Dr Thu-Huong Nguyen, Senior Lecturer and Chair of the Hospitality and Tourism Program in the VU Business School.

The international gathering also highlighted the importance of collaboration and knowledge exchange within the industry, given the intricate and complex supply chain connections that drive the visitor economy.

The ongoing series, Australia-ASEAN: New Normal for the Visitor Economy Supply Chain, presents fresh ideas to inform transformative and sustainable growth.