CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Or turn your screen sideways on mobile devices.

Tuesday 3rd September

8.15AM – 3.00PM	GNEX-CRTA 2024 GOLF TOURNAMENT
	Join us for the 3rd Annual GNEX-CRTA Golf Tournament on 3rd September at The Marshes Golf Club, Ottawa, Canada. This is a separate ticketed event and space is VERY limited and available to registered attendees only, on a first to purchase basis. TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE Transport leaves Chateau Laurier at 8.15am Arrive 8.45am for practice time. 10:00am First Tee Off Time 2.30pm Lunch and Awards (approximately) then transport departs back to the hotel. Participation Includes: Green Fees Shared Golf Cart Practice Range Balls Lunch & Awards Presentations

8.15AM – 3.00PM

GNEX-CRTA 2024 GOLF TOURNAMENT

Join us for the 3rd Annual GNEX-CRTA Golf Tournament on 3rd September at The Marshes Golf Club, Ottawa, Canada.

This is a separate ticketed event and space is VERY limited and available to registered attendees only, on a first to purchase basis.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Transport leaves Chateau Laurier at 8.15am
Arrive 8.45am for practice time.
10:00am First Tee Off Time
2.30pm Lunch and Awards (approximately) then transport departs back to the hotel.

Participation Includes:

Green Fees
Shared Golf Cart
Practice Range Balls
Lunch & Awards Presentations

7.00PM – 8.00PM	REGISTRATION & SPONSOR APPRECIATION WELCOME PARTY
	Instead of the unofficial gathering, this year we are adding a cocktail hour to kick-start the event, followed by an after party so we recommend you grab a bite to eat first (light bites available at After Party) and then join us for a fun night! This first hour will feature a premium open bar and give you a first chance to visit the Sponsor Exhibit Tables, catch up with old friends and make some new ones in our beautiful Networking Lounge. Fondly known as the “Wedgwood” or “Oval” Room, the Adam Room was named after the British architect Robert Adam, who made this style of decoration famous in the late 18th century. The Adam Room can best be described as breathtaking. It truly stands alone in the luxurious beauty and design of its sculpted ceiling and oval shape, enhanced by a magnificent entrance platform.

7.00PM – 8.00PM

REGISTRATION & SPONSOR APPRECIATION WELCOME PARTY

Instead of the unofficial gathering, this year we are adding a cocktail hour to kick-start the event, followed by an after party so we recommend you grab a bite to eat first (light bites available at After Party) and then join us for a fun night!

This first hour will feature a premium open bar and give you a first chance to visit the Sponsor Exhibit Tables, catch up with old friends and make some new ones in our beautiful Networking Lounge.

Fondly known as the “Wedgwood” or “Oval” Room, the Adam Room was named after the British architect Robert Adam, who made this style of decoration famous in the late 18th century. The Adam Room can best be described as breathtaking. It truly stands alone in the luxurious beauty and design of its sculpted ceiling and oval shape, enhanced by a magnificent entrance platform.

8.00PM – 11.00PM	AFTER PARTY WITH STRANGE POTATOES
	Instead of heading out on the town the first night, we’ve arranged a live band and light bites in our private space for an After Party with Cash Bar to keep us all together and continue the fun and networking! With over 20 years of performing at every type of event imaginable, this acoustic-based band continues to wow audiences with their massive and diverse repertoire as well as their comedic audience-focused engagement. There may also be a couple of guest appearances you won’t want to miss, plus feel free to give your song requests to the band! Sponsored By

8.00PM – 11.00PM

AFTER PARTY WITH STRANGE POTATOES

Instead of heading out on the town the first night, we’ve arranged a live band and light bites in our private space for an After Party with Cash Bar to keep us all together and continue the fun and networking!

With over 20 years of performing at every type of event imaginable, this acoustic-based band continues to wow audiences with their massive and diverse repertoire as well as their comedic audience-focused engagement.

There may also be a couple of guest appearances you won’t want to miss, plus feel free to give your song requests to the band!

Sponsored By
GNEX-CRTA Conference

Wednesday 4th September

9.00AM – 4.00PM	GNEX-CRTA NETWORKING LOUNGE
	GNEX stands for Global Networking EXperience, and so the first day focuses heavily on networking to help everyone develop new relationships in our popular Networking Lounge where business deals are brokered, strategic partnerships are forged and new relationships are born. Early Access is from 9AM with Coffee & Tea with a working Brunch Served at 11AM. Use this time to hold meetings, network and visit our exhibitors at your leisure in-between our planned educational sessions and networking events below. Attracting senior executives from Canada, USA, Mexico, Caribbean and beyond, your day will be filled with new opportunities to advance your business.

9.00AM – 4.00PM

GNEX-CRTA NETWORKING LOUNGE

GNEX stands for Global Networking EXperience, and so the first day focuses heavily on networking to help everyone develop new relationships in our popular Networking Lounge where business deals are brokered, strategic partnerships are forged and new relationships are born.

Early Access is from 9AM with Coffee & Tea with a working Brunch Served at 11AM.

Use this time to hold meetings, network and visit our exhibitors at your leisure in-between our planned educational sessions and networking events below.

Attracting senior executives from Canada, USA, Mexico, Caribbean and beyond, your day will be filled with new opportunities to advance your business.

9.30AM – 10.30AM	CRTA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
	CRTA Members are welcome to attend and spectate as the CRTA Board of Directors meet to discuss association business and hold the Annual General Meeting ahead of the conference starting.

10.30AM – 11.30AM	WORKING BRUNCH
	Indulge in a heavy brunch in the Networking Lounge as you continue to meet new people and hold meetings ahead of the first conference sessions.

11.30AM – 12.00PM	CONFERENCE WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Jim Madrid President Advance Sports Technology, Inc.	Our resident Emcee will outline what’s coming up in our packed agenda, and give you a preview of upcoming events in Cancun and Las Vegas!

.
.

12.00PM – 1.00PM	60-SECOND PITCH
	This session helps you put faces to names of those you haven’t met yet to help with your networking throughout the event! The 60-Second Pitch session gives one representative of each participating company the chance to take to the microphone for just 60-seconds to provide a fast elevator pitch about who they are and what their company does, so that members of the audience can make a quick note of who they want to meet during the conference, and put a face to the name so they can more easily find them. Please Note: This session only lasts one-hour and so participation is only guaranteed to the first 60 companies to purchase delegate tickets, so if you haven’t already, REGISTER NOW to secure your spot!

12.00PM – 1.00PM

60-SECOND PITCH

This session helps you put faces to names of those you haven’t met yet to help with your networking throughout the event! The 60-Second Pitch session gives one representative of each participating company the chance to take to the microphone for just 60-seconds to provide a fast elevator pitch about who they are and what their company does, so that members of the audience can make a quick note of who they want to meet during the conference, and put a face to the name so they can more easily find them.

Please Note: This session only lasts one-hour and so participation is only guaranteed to the first 60 companies to purchase delegate tickets, so if you haven’t already, REGISTER NOW to secure your spot!

1.00PM – 2.00PM	NETWORKING BREAK
	Head back to our Networking Lounge for an hour of networking while enjoying some tasty bites, coffee and tea.

2.00PM – 2.30PM	HUMAN BEHAVIOR: DETECTING AND DEALING WITH CONFLICT IN THE WORKPLACE
Ben Kincaid Founder / CEO Complete Threat Preparedness	Our regular security expert is back to discuss another common issue – conflict and aggression. In this session, Ben Kincaid will discuss scenarios and human behavior as related to conflict. He’ll provide insight on pre-aggression indicators, and suggest techniques for detecting and deescalating situations before they potentially become much more serious. Complete Threat Preparedness blends Military Special Operations, Federal Law Enforcement, Fire and Life Safety, Intelligence Operations, Counterterrorism, Emergency Management, Physcology, Hospitality Consulting, Healthcare, Ministry, Education, political and media professionals with centuries of combined experience. The company is unmatched in its ability to get organizations and individuals prepared to respond and recover from both human and natural threats to life and asset safety.

2.00PM – 2.30PM

HUMAN BEHAVIOR: DETECTING AND DEALING WITH CONFLICT IN THE WORKPLACE

Ben Kincaid
Founder / CEO
Complete Threat Preparedness

Our regular security expert is back to discuss another common issue – conflict and aggression.

In this session, Ben Kincaid will discuss scenarios and human behavior as related to conflict. He’ll provide insight on pre-aggression indicators, and suggest techniques for detecting and deescalating situations before they potentially become much more serious.

Complete Threat Preparedness blends Military Special Operations, Federal Law Enforcement, Fire and Life Safety, Intelligence Operations, Counterterrorism, Emergency Management, Physcology, Hospitality Consulting, Healthcare, Ministry, Education, political and media professionals with centuries of combined experience. The company is unmatched in its ability to get organizations and individuals prepared to respond and recover from both human and natural threats to life and asset safety.

2.30PM – 3.00PM	TRANSFORMING THE VACATION INDUSTRY WITH SPATIAL COMPUTING
Vito Akbari Co-Founder and CEO Stage Meta	Imagine being able to transport your customers from one resort to another, without ever leaving the sales center. As Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality rapidly gains popularity with consumers, businesses can differentiate themselves by immersing prospective purchasers into an inspiring environment that enables them to “experience” and better visualize what they are looking to buy. Vito Akbari is a Canadian Serial Entrepreneur and the Co-Founder and CEO of Stage Meta, the Only Spatial Computing Ecosystem. Stage Meta Transforms Businesses across industries such as Hospitality, Tourism, Real Estate, Entertainment, and Retail into the Spatial Computing Era by Enabling them to Immerse their Operations in Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest at Minimal Cost, Providing Access to 25 Million Premium Customers in North America.

2.30PM – 3.00PM

TRANSFORMING THE VACATION INDUSTRY WITH SPATIAL COMPUTING

Vito Akbari
Co-Founder and CEO
Stage Meta

Imagine being able to transport your customers from one resort to another, without ever leaving the sales center. As Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality rapidly gains popularity with consumers, businesses can differentiate themselves by immersing prospective purchasers into an inspiring environment that enables them to “experience” and better visualize what they are looking to buy.

Vito Akbari is a Canadian Serial Entrepreneur and the Co-Founder and CEO of Stage Meta, the Only Spatial Computing Ecosystem. Stage Meta Transforms Businesses across industries such as Hospitality, Tourism, Real Estate, Entertainment, and Retail into the Spatial Computing Era by Enabling them to Immerse their Operations in Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest at Minimal Cost, Providing Access to 25 Million Premium Customers in North America.

3.00PM – 4.30PM	NETWORKING TIME
	Use this time to hold meetings or visit our exhibitors in the Networking Lounge. Coffee and tea available.

5.00PM – 8.00PM	GNEX-CRTA RIVER CRUISE
	TRANSPORT LEAVES HOTEL 5-5.15PM See Ottawa from a different perspective with our private river cruise, complete with premium open bar, dinner and entertainment. Experience the enchanting beauty of the National Capital Region like never before on this world famous Ottawa River Cruise. Take in must see landmarks from Parliament Hill to the Canadian Museum of History, 24 Sussex Drive to the stunning Rideau Falls! This event is co-sponsored by

5.00PM – 8.00PM

GNEX-CRTA RIVER CRUISE

TRANSPORT LEAVES HOTEL 5-5.15PM

See Ottawa from a different perspective with our private river cruise, complete with premium open bar, dinner and entertainment.

Experience the enchanting beauty of the National Capital Region like never before on this world famous Ottawa River Cruise. Take in must see landmarks from Parliament Hill to the Canadian Museum of History, 24 Sussex Drive to the stunning Rideau Falls!

This event is co-sponsored by

Living Water Resorts & Catalyst

Thursday 5th September

8.00AM – 10.00AM	NETWORKING BREAKFAST
	Enjoy a hearty breakfast ahead of a day of general sessions and more networking.

10.00AM – 10.15AM	DAY TWO INTRODUCTIONS
Jim Madrid Founder AST	Grab your seats for some not-to-be-missed sessions!

10.15AM – 10.30PM	DISCOVER MEXICO AS A UNIQUE TOURISM DESTINATION
Carlos Joaquin Gonzalez Ambassador Embassy of Mexico	We welcome Ambassador Carlos Joaquin Gonzalez, Mexico’s Ambassador to Canada. His will share details of large infrastructure projects that impact the tourism section, and the programs that the government are operating and implementing to promote and grow tourism.

10.15AM – 10.30PM

DISCOVER MEXICO AS A UNIQUE TOURISM DESTINATION

Carlos Joaquin Gonzalez
Ambassador
Embassy of Mexico

We welcome Ambassador Carlos Joaquin Gonzalez, Mexico’s Ambassador to Canada.

His will share details of large infrastructure projects that impact the tourism section, and the programs that the government are operating and implementing to promote and grow tourism.

10.30AM – 11.45AM	THE BOARDROOM
Unique to GNEX, this compelling session is the “ultimate” meeting of minds. The audience gets a fly-on-the-wall experience as our C-Suite industry experts conduct a round-table discussion on trending topics that impact the vacation industry, and their opinions of what the future holds.
Warren Smith Executive Vice President Living Water Resorts	Daniel Linares General Director AMDETUR	Kel Thompson Managing Director Wyndham Reef Resort	Rinaldo Fernandez Senior Vice-President, Club Division Blue Diamond Resorts
Gaetan Babin President & CEO CRTA	Robert Webb Partner BakerHostetler	Paul Mattimoe President & CEO Perspective Group

11.45AM – 12.30PM	NETWORKING BREAK
	Head back to our Networking Lounge for an hour of networking while enjoying some tasty bites, coffee and tea. Don’t forget to visit all of our exhibitors to learn more about what they can offer to your business.

12.30PM – 1.30PM	WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE CUSTOMERS TRANSACT?
This panel session will delve into the mechanics behind customer acquisition that drives our industry to greater heights year over year. From innovative marketing and sales techniques, to customer engagement and critical retention, these industry professionals will share ideas and solutions to get new and existing customers to transact for years to come.
Michael Finn Chief Development Officer The BluWater Group	Alex Glover Vice Presidet, Marketing & Strategic Partnerships Shopr Rewards	Jesus Calahorra Executive Director ACOTUR

1.30PM – 2.30PM	LUNCH
	Enjoy a full lunch as you continue your conversations and take time to visit our exhibitors in the Networking Lounge.

2.30PM – 4.30PM	INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP: A FOCUS ON YOU!
Jim Madrid Founder AST	In a fast-paced industry with constantly increasing targets to meet it’s easy to lose yourself in your work. This session challenges you to take a break for a couple of hours to “Focus On You”. Jim Madrid, our resident mental toughness coach will take you on a journey of personal discovery and development that will give you not only the tools to better navigate the day to day work environment but also give you the skills to take better care of yourself and lay out the pathway to the future growth as an individual that you desire.

2.30PM – 4.30PM

INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP: A FOCUS ON YOU!

Jim Madrid
Founder
AST

In a fast-paced industry with constantly increasing targets to meet it’s easy to lose yourself in your work. This session challenges you to take a break for a couple of hours to “Focus On You”.

Jim Madrid, our resident mental toughness coach will take you on a journey of personal discovery and development that will give you not only the tools to better navigate the day to day work environment but also give you the skills to take better care of yourself and lay out the pathway to the future growth as an individual that you desire.

4.30PM – 5.30PM	FAREWELL COCKTAILS
	Your last chance to network and build relationships with new friends as the conference comes to a close.

8.30PM – LATE	UNOFFICIAL NIGHT ON THE TOWN
	Enjoy the rest of your evening in the hotel or the city at your leisure, but if you want to hang with a group of attendees, we’ll be picking a spot to meet up after dinner and will let everyone know where.

Introducing Our GNEX-CRTA 2024 Sponsors!

Interested in sponsoring our upcoming event? Download our Sponsorship Brochure.

PRESENTING SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

SUPPORTING SPONSORS

ASSOCIATION & INDUSTRY PARTNERS

BRONZE SPONSORS

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Tuesday 3rd September

Wednesday 4th September

Thursday 5th September

Tuesday 3rd September

Wednesday 4th September

Thursday 5th September

Introducing Our GNEX-CRTA 2024 Sponsors!