The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has announced programme details of TravelRave 2010, a gathering of thought leaders and key players in the industry, and the first mega travel and tourism festival of its kind. TravelRave 2010 to be held from October 18-28, 2010 in Singapore will welcome celebrities and leaders of Asia's travel industry who will share their ideas and debate on issues in the travel and tourism industry.

Spearheaded by STB, TravelRave 2010 will bring together various sectors of the tourism industry with six landmark co-located events: Asia Travel Leaders Summit, ITB Asia - the Tradeshow for the Asian Travel Market, World Savers Congress, Web in Travel (WIT), Aviation Outlook Asia and the Singapore Experience Awards.

Melissa Ow, Assistant Chief Executive of the Industry Development II Group, Singapore Tourism Board said, "This is an exciting time to be in the travel and tourism sector as the industry continues to experience positive growth, especially in Asia. In creating and hosting TravelRave, STB seeks to propel the industry forward by providing a platform to foster collaboration and accelerate growth in the Asia-Pacific tourism industry. The coming together of Influential speakers and leaders will be a meeting of some of the best minds in the industry and encourage tourism players to share ideas, develop solutions and collaborate to leverage Asia's economic vibrancy. As a key travel and tourism hub in Asia, Singapore is proud to host the speakers and delegates at this unique exchange platform."

According to the release, delegates of TravelRave 2010 can look forward to a series of prominent speakers ranging from A-list celebrities to high-ranking leaders in the tourism industry. American writer and futurist Alvin Toffler will kick start TravelRave 2010 with a keynote address at the inaugural Asia Travel Leaders Summit (October 18-19, 2010). Toffler, who largely created the role of the futurist with his ground-breaking work Future Shock, will provide a glimpse into the future of Asia and the travel industry.

Lending further insights at the Summit are global thought leaders such as Jean-Claude Baumgarten, President and Chief Executive Officer, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC); Randy Tinseth, Vice President, Boeing Commercial Airplanes; and Julian Persaud, Managing Director, Google Southeast Asia. The Summit's series of talks and panel discussions will examine timely issues including Asia as a growth engine over the next decade, evolving needs of the modern Asian traveller, tourism talent, sustainability and the future of online travel. Web in Travel (October 19-22, 2010) will delve into the changing customer in Asia against a backdrop of a dynamic online travel market, and the factors contributing to the growth of online travel in the region.

The World Savers Congress (October 19-20, 2010) by Conde Nast Traveller, will also bring in Academy Award winners Mira Sorvino, and director Louie Psihoyos. They will be the keynote speakers to start the Congress' discussions on global social responsibility. Held outside the United States for the first time since its inception in 2007, the World Savers Congress will discuss initiatives on the environmental impact of tourism, health, education and the economic well-being of communities worldwide. The Congress will feature five panel sessions, including a CEO Travel Industry Panel, a panel exploring success stories of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), and others focusing on poverty relief and education, health, preservation and conservation.

Each event under the TravelRave umbrella will offer opportunities for key industry players to create strategic alliances and collaborative solutions for the travel and tourism industry. ITB Asia (October 20-22, 2010) for example, will enable international exhibitors, leading companies and emerging small and medium-sized enterprises from the Asia Pacific to meet with top buyers from the MICE, Leisure and Corporate Travel markets.

The co-location of events within the two-week period will also facilitate cross-fertilisation of ideas across different sectors, from hospitality to aviation and travel technology. The Asia Travel Leaders Summit and World Savers Congress will inspire dialogue on pertinent global issues; Web in Travel will be an intensive conference for travel industry professionals in the Asian travel distribution, marketing and technology sector; while Aviation Outlook Asia (October 20-22, 2010) will explore business trends in the aviation industry.

TravelRave will culminate with the highly anticipated Singapore Experience Awards on October 28, 2010. Recognising individuals and organisations from sectors encompassing hospitality, retail, dining, entertainment, attractions, education, healthcare, business travel and MICE, the Awards celebrates the industry's contributions to providing outstanding customer experiences and enhancing Singapore's competitiveness as a tourism destination. CNBC in Asia, one of the primary partners for the Asia Travel Leaders Summit, will also be introducing an inaugural award for those in the Travel and Tourism industry. More details about this special award will be revealed during the Summit's gala dinner on October 18, 2010.