Forget the layover – Abu Dhabi is stepping into the spotlight. This session explores how the emirate is cleverly shifting perceptions and capturing the imagination of global travellers by putting its rich culture front and centre in its marketing. Discover how Abu Dhabi is staying in the hearts and minds of global travellers, expanding its marketing efforts from 12 to 27 global markets, and learn about its ambitious 2030 tourism goals. We'll delve into strategies that encourage visitors to explore beyond the main attractions, uncovering hidden gems across the Emirate. With the exciting development of the Saadiyat Cultural District gaining momentum towards 2025, hear how Abu Dhabi is ready to truly shine as a world-class cultural destination. 

 Key topics include: 

• Putting culture at the heart of destination marketing efforts  

• Addressing misconceptions about the destination 

• Encouraging regional dispersal throughout the Emirate 

• Tackling seasonality by positioning Abu Dhabi as a year-round destination  

In this session, we take the audience on a journey through our three-year process of creating a new brand platform - one that’s not just a campaign, but a cultural movement born from real challenges and real insight. Starting with uncovering a simple philosophy about us: Less of the More, More of the Good. This became our guiding principle to help us cut through the noise and avoid serving another tourism salad. 

This wasn’t just about a catchy slogan. It was about building a platform that could hold meaning for multiple audiences, stakeholders, and yet stay true to the core essence of who we are. Place branding, often misunderstood as simply a visual identity or a tourism campaign, played a pivotal role. We didn’t want to just sell a destination; we wanted to redefine what it means to connect with a place on a deeper level. 

Topics covered include: 

• The power of ‘Less of the More’ 

• Navigating stakeholder complexity with purpose 

• How Place Branding can be a cultural platform, not just a campaign 

• How Tourism Salads don’t serve destinations with poor consideration 

• Pride before publicity i.e. why we had to believe in it first, before anyone else 

In 2023, the UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld a complaint about an Intrepid Travel advert on the London Underground that claimed "planet-friendly small group adventures".  

At the time, the company’s Chief Customer Officer said that while they work hard to accurately represent the experience and impact that Intrepid creates, “we have made plenty of mistakes along the way”. 

Like many other brands, it gave Intrepid cause to reflect on what they had learnt when making environmental claims – and reconsider how they communicate to their customers.  

With increasing scrutiny on greenwashing, many brands have pulled back on sustainability-related engagement. However, staying silent isn't a smart long-term strategy. Employees, investors, and consumers demand transparency. They want to know how businesses contribute to a sustainable future. 

So, how can brands genuinely communicate their environmental efforts without facing accusations of greenwashing? 

Join Intrepid's General Manager of Purpose, Sara King, and Stu Wragg, Managing Director of Publicis Groupe's sustainability consultancy, Salterbaxter Australia for a candid conversation about greenwashing.  In this session, they’ll explore: 

• Lessons Learned: Sara will share insights from the ASA's ruling against Intrepid's advert. 

• The Need for Education: The importance of fostering a marketing culture that values credible and creative sustainability engagement. 

• Insights from Overseas: How overseas markets are tackling greenwashing and what it means for Australian brands. 

• Reimagining Marketing's Role: Why greenwashing scrutiny is an opportunity for marketers to harness creativity and drive positive change within their organisations.