Summit Agenda

Sunday, 17 May 2026

• 08:30 - 09:00

  Welcome Registration

• 09:00 - 09:15

  Opening Remarks

  • Ged Brown, CEO, Low Season Traveller
  • Steven Small, Vice President, Events, Routes

  Setting the tone for the summit by linking Rimini’s unique positioning and the momentum from Routes Europe with the broader need for pan-European collaboration on tourism seasonality.

• 09:15 - 09:45

  Keynote Address: Europe's New Tourism Era

  Alessandra Priante, President, Italian Government Tourist Board (ENIT SpA), Italy

  We explore how seasonality fits into Europe’s post-pandemic tourism evolution, highlighting challenges and new opportunities for building a more resilient, balanced visitor economy.

• 09:45 - 10:45

  Panel Discussion: High Season Hangover - Managing Peaks with Purpose

  • Moderator: Rajan Datar, Broadcaster, BBC
  • Leslie Vella, President, Malta Tourism Authority

  This session focuses on the pressures of overtourism during peak seasons and the tools available (taxation, caps, dispersal) to spread demand and protect community wellbeing and visitor experience.

• 10:45 - 11:15

  Networking Break

• 11:15 - 12:00

  Panel Discussion: Rebalancing Demand - How destinations and industry are redesigning the seasonal year

  • Moderator: Yrjötapio “Y.T.” Kivisaari, CEO, Visit Oulu
  • Sudeep Ghai, Director Network Planning, TUI
  • Tom Jenkins, CEO, ETOA
  • Anastasios Konstantaros, CEO, Visit Rhodes
  • Stacey Liburd, CEO, Grenada Tourism Authority

  A fast, insight-driven conversation exploring how destinations and industry players are reshaping the traditional seasonal calendar. The panel examines the forces shifting demand; climate, airlift, consumer behaviour, and destination identity, and highlights the practical actions destinations can take to influence their seasonal curve rather than react to it.

• 12:00 - 12:30

  Innovation Keynote: Harnessing AI for Smarter Seasonality Planning

  Emilio José Inés Villar, Head of International Tourism, The Data Appeal Company

  Demonstrates how artificial intelligence can power demand forecasting, product development, and marketing to better balance tourism flows across the calendar.

• 12:30 - 13:30

  Networking Lunch

• 13:30 - 14:15

  Panel: Seasonality in the Skies: How Airlines Plan, Adapt, and Find Opportunity

  • Moderator: Jochen Schnadt, CEO, FLY4 Airlines
  • Marc Fisher, Head of Networks, SunExpress
  • Reinald Frankewitz, Head of Airport and Network Relations, Eurowings
  • Mantas Vrubliauskas, VP Network Management, airBaltic
  • Peggy Croes, Curacao Airport, Senior Vice President
  • Maria Kouroupi, Director of Aviation Development, Marketing and Communications, Hermes Airports

  Airlines face sharp seasonal swings that shape everything from route viability to fleet deployment. This session explores how network planners assess the impact of seasonality, the strategies they use to adapt, and where future opportunities may lie.

• 14:15 - 15:00

  Panel Discussion: Beyond Summer - Crafting Low Season Experiences

  • Moderator: Andrea Grisdale, CEO, IC Bellagiio
  • Joseph Boschulte, President and CEO, The West Indian Company Limited (WICO)
  • Natalia Boveda, Marketing Executive, Costa del sol Tourism
  • Manila Di Maira, Founder & CEO, Emotional Sicily

  Our panel of experts share proven strategies to package and promote off-season travel, from wellness retreats and winter festivals to nature-based and cultural immersion experiences.

• 15:00 - 15:45

  Panel Discussion: Seasonality Meets Sustainability - Building Climate Resilience

  Debbie Hindle, Chair, International Centre for Responsible Tourism global (ICRT global)

  Our panel discusses how climate change is shifting tourism patterns, and how destinations can build seasonal flexibility into their climate adaptation and sustainability planning.

• 15:45 - 16:30

  Keynote Address: Doing More with Less

  An inspiring, practical perspective on how tourism leaders can move from inertia to impact with creative thinking, resourcefulness, and behaviour change models.

• 17:00 - 19:00

  Routes Europe 2026 Welcome Reception

  Delegates join the airlines and airports from Routes Europe to be welcomed officially to Rimini for an informal evening highlighting how culture, heritage, gastronomy, and atmosphere can be part of a year-round tourism narrative. Find out more.

Monday, 18 May 2026

• 09:00 - 09:10

  Welcome Back - Day 2 Objectives

  We outline the goal of transitioning from strategic dialogue to hands-on innovation and co-creation of actionable solutions.

• 09:10 - 10:30

  Innovation Lab: Pitching the Future of Seasonality

  • Emma Valahu, Founder, Inbox Journeys
  • Richard Lindberg, Founder and CEO, One Planet Journey
  • Tarek Habib, CEO, Murmuration
  • Saverio Bertolucci, Account Manager, VDB Luxury Properties

  Startups pitch solutions tackling real-world seasonality problems, from dynamic pricing and weather-resilient experiences to demand prediction and regional dispersal tools.

• 10:30 - 11:00

  Generation 365: Who Really Owns the Future of Tourism?

  Young travellers and young professionals are already reshaping how, when and why we travel. Their flexibility, values and digital habits naturally support year-round tourism, yet their perspectives are rarely integrated into destination strategy. This session explores how youth can become genuine co-creators of 365-day tourism models and what destinations must change to harness this shift. 

• 11:00 - 11:20

  Networking Break

• 11:20 - 12:30

  Interactive Workshop: Destination Playbooks

  Stage 2

  This session supports DMO and tourism authority teams in crafting tailored strategies to extend seasons, drawing on data, case studies, and co-design frameworks.

• 11:21 - 12:30

  Interactive Workshop: Co-Creating New Seasonal Business

  Main Stage

  What happens when airlines, hotels, cruise lines, and tourism boards stop talking about each other – and start talking with each other? In this workshop, we dive into the friction zones of the off-season and turn blame into bold ideas. It’s about shared visions, honest conversations, and new alliances that go beyond business as usual. If you’re ready to shift perspectives and explore what’s really possible together – this is your space.

• 12:30 - 13:30

  Networking Lunch

• 13:30 - 14:00

  Collaborative Workshop Wrap-up: Seasonality Action Manifesto

  Synthesizes workshop outputs into a practical action framework, this manifesto will guide attendees’ future work and represent the summit’s collective commitment.

• 14:00 - 15:00

  Closing Session & Farewell Remarks

  Summary of the key takeaways, recognising contributors, and setting the direction for follow-ups, including potential collaborations, toolkits, and a roadmap for 2027.