Atlantis, The Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, has been named as the venue for the Annual ORION Congress to be held later this year, shortly after the hotel’s soft-opening.

The one-day congress, which will be held on October 11, will focus on the theme of What’s Next? Innovation in the tourism and hospitality industry.

Now in its fifth year, the ORION Congress is held in a different country each year. This year’s event includes keynote speeches by senior industry executives and academics, and  interactive panel discussions structured around the key topic.

“The Congress is a unique tool which was initially conceptualised as an exchange of information between the industry and hospitality educators,” said ORION Hotel Schools regional manager Adam Sargeant.

The ORION Congress will have its findings published in the ORION Observatory – Journal of International Hotel Management, he said.

“Like the Congress, The ORION Observatory journal content will centre around a common theme of innovation, addressing the question, ‘What new ideas are shaping, informing, changing and driving the 2020 agenda for tourism and hospitality’,” he added.

The event is open to all tourism professionals ($390 per person) and students ($200 per full-time student) who can register online at www.whatsnextinhospitality.com, Sargeant said. – Trade Arabia News Service