3 Things I Am Most Excited for at Skift Global Forum East

Corporate events have, at times, gotten a bad rep. The same people, in the same grey suits, exchange the same predigested questions and pre-prepared answers. As someone who has attended many such events and conferences over the years, this has remained excruciatingly true.

This isn’t the case at Skift.  We swap the grey for our signature bright yellow, pulling together experts from across the entire travel ecosystem to share ideas, chart the future of the industry, and have a good time while doing it.

Skift Global Forum East will be held at one of the most impressive venues on the planet: Atlantis, The Royal. It will take place from Tuesday, December 12 to Thursday, December 14, 2023. Here are the three things I am personally looking forward to the most.

The Venue

I’ve been covering Dubai hospitality for half a decade at this point, so I’ve seen a lot of the jaw-dropping hotels the emirate proudly parades. None are quite like Atlantis, The Royal. Even if you are a veteran of the sector, visiting The Royal always provides a sense of wonderment. Our Forum will take place in the mega-resort’s Diamond Ballroom, guaranteeing some of the best hospitality of any corporate event in the city.

The Array of Speakers

At Skift, we look at travel as a whole. Airlines, hotels, travel tech, they are all, in a way, connected. Our growing roster of world-class speakers is testament to this. We have hotel titans such as the co-founder of red-hot leisure brand Ennismore; aviation leaders such as Tony Douglas of Riyadh Air and Paul Griffiths of Dubai Airports; and Issam Kazim, the CEO of Dubai Tourism. Innovation can’t happen if we live in silos, and the Skift Global Forum East will spark collaboration and idea sharing in a way you won’t find anywhere else.

Networking

World-class speakers beget world-class attendees. Across the world, Skift Forums draw in the most enthusiast, knowledgeable, and well-connected people on a continent. Our second annual Dubai event will give you a chance to network, reconnect and meet with vital decision-makers. Between interviews and panels, break-out networking sessions will take place. Along with the attendees, many Skifters from around the world will fly in for the event, giving you a chance to hear from subject matter experts in other countries, such as the US, UK and India. Look for people with yellow socks, it may well be a Skifter in the room.