Highland Tourism Conference 2023

Importance of networking

Last year you told us that networking in-person with businesses across the Highlands is beneficial to encourage collaboration and grow your network. We’ve included plenty of opportunities for networking this year.

This includes an extended time of pre-conference networking (with refreshments, fresh coffee and pastries), interactive breakout sessions and more. 

We'll again have an exhibitors space at our conference this year. This provides a great opportunity to connect with organisations who can provide your business with valuable support, information and advice. 

Delegates networking at the Highland Tourism Conference

Get to know our speakers

There will be a range of experienced speakers joining us in Inverness to share their skills and expertise with the Highland industry. Both morning and afternoon sessions will be followed by a Q&A session to encourage further knowledge sharing.
Our speakers for 2023 will be:

Morning Session

Jamie Brogan, Head of Climate Partnerships at the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute in the University of Edinburgh
"Climate Change: why tourism must respond and where to start"

Jamie has spent over 20 years providing both strategic and practical advice to small and growing businesses and has brought that experience and approach to the huge and complex problem of tackling climate change. He is one of UK leads for the place-based climate action network, which is putting in place innovative approaches to help accelerate and support local climate action.

Cat Leaver, Head of Brand and Global Marketing, VisitScotland
"Sharing Scotland's Stories with the world"

A strategic and innovative leader with extensive experience across brand, marketing and stakeholder management in both agency and client-side environments. Ambassador and Non-Executive Board experienced. A track record of designing and implementing world-class marketing with measurable impact.

Irene Roberts, Director of Market Management - UK and Ireland at Expedia, Inc.
"Expedia: Sharing traveller insights"

Irene Roberts is responsible for leading the team of local experts developing relationships with our hotel partners in the UK & Ireland for Expedia Group. With over 20 years’ experience of working in the tourism and travel industry, Irene is an expert at working across multiple markets to ensure we are driving the best results through the continued roll out of new technology and tools to our existing hotel partners.

The Afternoon Session

Join us in the afternoon session for a showcase of Highland businesses, who have all recently been announced as winners in the Highland and Island Thistle Awards, to share their stories of tourism as a force for good. Hear about their inspiring, innovative and first-hand experiences of the positive impact of tourism, how it's impacted and sustained their business and communities - and how it can benefit your business too.

Our speakers are:

• Duisdale House Hotel
• Gairloch & Loch Ewe Action Forum
• Stories of Scotland podcast.

Good luck to all of our afternoon speakers at the National Thistle Awards Final!