“At TIS2025, we are going to reimagine tourism to adapt it to this new reality and to redefine the new roadmap, always from an ethical, innovative, and sustainable point of view.”
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Interview conducted by: Youcef MAALLEMI and Aziz KAIDI, photos selected by: Hocine ZEGHDOUD
Le
Courrier d’Afrique 54: As co-founder, could you introduce Nebext, the
official organizer of the Tourism Innovation Summit, TIS 2025 to our readers?
Ms. Silvia Avilés Giraud: Nebext was design to bring innovation to the tradeshow
industry, where customer experience and satisfaction is a must in any action we
take. A multidisciplinary team is challenged everyday with creativity to
acquire the best of it for any project we create. Our success is valued by the
success from our exhibitors and our visitors from around the globe. We do much
more than exhibition areas and summits... we create experiences so that any
professional visiting one of our events will feel and touch innovation and
leave full of knowledge acquired and a great network.
Le
Courrier d’Afrique 54: How is the tourism sector currently performing in
Spain?
Ms. Silvia Avilés Giraud: The tourism sector in Spain is performing very well.
The number of visitors and revenues continue to break records, consolidating
Spain's position as one of the world's leading tourist destinations. At the
same time, we are seeing how the industry is embracing digitalization,
sustainability, and new models of collaboration to remain competitive.
Challenges such as attracting talent, seasonality, and climate adaptation
remain to be addressed, but the overall trend is one of resilience, innovation,
and steady growth.
Le
Courrier d’Afrique 54: This year, the Tourism and Innovation Summit will
be held from October 22 to 24, 2025, in Seville, Fibes. What's new compared to
the previous edition?
Ms. Silvia Avilés Giraud: In this new edition, we are launching the slogan
‘Innovation in motion, tourism reimagined’. This new claim seeks to respond to
this moment of so many constant changes in the sector and also to the demands
of travelers who are now fully digital. At TIS2025, we are going to reimagine
tourism to adapt it to this new reality and to redefine the new roadmap, always
from an ethical, innovative, and sustainable point of view. Among the central
themes of this edition are, for example, the adaptation of tourism to the
latest innovations and technologies; the application of AI in tourism planning;
the importance of cultivating sustainability and social strategies; tourism
regeneration to create value in local communities; and the ability to meet the
new demands of travelers, which are in line with personalized and
transformative experiences.
Le
Courrier d’Afrique 54: What are your goals for this summit, your
expectations, particularly in terms of attendance (exhibitors and
participants)? And why participate in the TIS 2025 Tourism and Innovation
Summit?
Ms. Silvia Avilés Giraud: We hope to bring together more than 8,000
professionals from the tourism sector to help them discover the technologies
that are redefining the way we conceive and manage travel. In addition, we will
have more than 400 international experts and an exhibition area where more than
200 companies will showcase cutting-edge technological solutions. These include
applications based on artificial intelligence, data analytics, cybersecurity,
advanced connectivity (such as 5G), augmented and virtual reality, as well as
tools designed to improve sustainability, inclusion, and accessibility in the
tourism of the future.
Le
Courrier d’Afrique 54: Can you name some experts who will share their
tourism knowledge at the TIS 2025 Summit?
Ms. Silvia Avilés Giraud: Among the prominent names attending the forum are
Alessandro Petazzi, CEO of lastminute.com; Andrea D’Amico, CEO of WeRoad;
Helena Burstedt, Regional Vice President of Development at Hyatt Hotels
Corporation; Tina O’Dwyer, Founder and CEO of The Tourism Space; Damien
Corchia, COO of Decathlon Travel; Vlaho Margaretic, Senior Tourism Advisor at
the City of Dubrovnik; and Hanna Kouri, CEO of Lapland North Destinations. In
addition, we will have the participation of more than 400 national and
international experts from different segments of the tourism industry,
including spokespersons from companies such as IHG Hotels & Resorts, Accor,
Barceló Group, Minor Hotels, Sercotel, Intelier Hotels & Suites, Civitatis,
Fever, and Waynabox, among others. South Korea will also be the guest country
at TIS2025. Seville will welcome a large delegation from the Asian country to
explore firsthand a tourism model that integrates innovation and technology and
positions it as one of the global leaders in this field.
Le
Courrier d’Afrique 54: Who are the parties involved in organizing this
Summit?
Ms. Silvia Avilés Giraud: The Tourism Innovation Summit is organized by NEBEXT
in collaboration with the Seville City Council and the Regional Government of
Andalusia, as well as other regional and national tourism authorities. We also
have the strong support of our strategic partners, industry associations, and
leading companies across the entire tourism value chain, such as the MICE
Forum, AVASA Travel Group, the Instituto TecnológicoHotelero(ITH), and
AlianzaHotelera. This joint effort ensures that the Tourism Innovation Global
Summit will become not only a global meeting point for the sector, but also a
platform to promote innovation and competitiveness in Spain and
internationally.
Le
Courrier d’Afrique 54: Can you tell us more about what we can expect to
see there?
Ms. Silvia Avilés Giraud: At TIS, participants will find a unique environment
where ideas, innovation, and business converge. Beyond the congress sessions,
the Summit is a showcase of cutting-edge solutions that are redefining the
tourism industry, from digital transformation to sustainability. It is also a
vibrant meeting point, with countless opportunities to connect with peers,
forge alliances, and discover new ways of growing together. What truly makes
TIS special is the energy created when the entire ecosystem gathers in Seville
to imagine and shape the future of tourism.
Le
Courrier d’Afrique 54: What information should we remember before the big
day?
Ms. Silvia Avilés Giraud: Before joining the Summit, participants are encouraged
to review the program, select the sessions most relevant to them, and identify
the key exhibitors they would like to meet. It is also highly recommended to
schedule meetings in advance and take full advantage of the numerous networking
opportunities that TIS offers.
Le
Courrier d’Afrique 54: What message would you like to convey to the
participants of the TIS 2025 Summit?
Ms. Silvia Avilés Giraud: At TIS, participants play a crucial role in shaping
the future of tourism. We are proud to see them actively engaged, contributing
their ideas, and fostering collaboration. Together, we can accelerate
innovation and build a more sustainable and prosperous tourism industry. Their in volvimientis
essential to making this possible.
