WELCOME TO GD2026 KRANJ, SLOVENIA

Speakers and Panelists

Keynote Speakers

We are pleased to welcome the keynote speakers for GD2026 Kranj. Their expertise, insights, and inspiring perspectives will help shape the conversations throughout this year’s conference.

Dr. Maja Turnšek

Dr. Maja Turnšek is an Associate Professor at the University of Maribor’s Faculty of Tourism in Slovenia and heads the Master’s Study Programme in Tourism Destinations and Experiences. Her research focuses on the intersections of climate change, communication, and working conditions in tourism. She has led several research projects, including the national project Climate Change and Sustainable Tourism in Slovenia, which focuses on both climate change adaptation and mitigation. Some of the project outputs are available in English, including an industry report and a scientific report on the climate adaptation needs of Slovenian tourism.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER DAY 1

Dr. Jens Thraenhart

Dr. Jens Thraenhart is the CEO of Chameleon Strategies, a venture incubator and investor in the travel and tourism industry, and founder of Destinspire — the home of Passion-Tourism, PassionExplorer.com, and Saudi Outbound. He served as CEO of Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (2021 to 2023), Executive Director of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (2014 to 2021), and most recently as Advisor to the Saudi Tourism Authority (2024-2026). During his tenure in Barbados, the destination received the Green Destinations Award in the climate and environment category. He is the author of The Passion-Tourism Economy series, with the first book in the series, “The Devotion Dividend,” published in October 2026. He is co-founder of High-Yield Tourism and AsiaTravelTrends.com. For more than a decade, he has curated global travel and tourism innovations and campaigns on TourismCampaigns.com and Innovation.travel. He writes on destination strategy and balanced tourism at BalancedTourism.com. He holds a Doctorate from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and a Master’s from Cornell University, and serves on the board of the UN Tourism Affiliate Members.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER DAY 2

Special Attendees

We are proud to welcome our special guests from Kranj and Slovenia to GD2026. Representing a country recognised for its innovation, culture, and commitment to sustainability, they reflect Slovenia’s growing leadership in sustainable tourism.

Matjaž Rakovec

Mayor, City of Kranj

MSc. Leon Korošec

State Secretary, Ministry of Economy, Labour and Sport

MSc. Maja Pak Olaj

Director, Slovenian Tourist Board

Klemen Malovrh

Director, Institute of Tourism and Culture Kranj

Goodplace, Slovenia

Julijana Šumić

Municipality of Velenje, Slovenia

Lea Korva

City of Ljubljana, Slovenia

Gregor Aljančič

Tular Cave Laboratory, Slovenia

Pekka J.O. Alhojärvi

Silvacultura Ltd, Finland

Eva Romih

City of Kranj, Slovenia

Tomaž Ambrožič

Sport Media Focus, Slovenia

Polona Černič

Ljubljana Tourism, Slovenia

Nejc Grilc

Slovenia Bike Tours, Slovenia

Camilla Zedendahl

Royal Djurgården Society/Kungliga Djurgårdens Intressenter, Sweden

Miori Nishida

Yanagawa City, Japan

Masatoshi Ujiie

Yanagawa City, Japan

Dubravka Kalin

Ministry of the Economy, Labour and Sport -Tourism Directorate, Slovenia

Wilma Barros da Paixao

Good Travel Institute, Spain/Brazil

Jana Babšek

Gorenjski Muzej, Slovenia

Kaja Beton

Javni zavod Turizem in kultura Radovljica, Slovenia

Katya Bredikhina

Green Rock Foundation, Armenia

Elsa Brindazur

Elsa Happy Travels, France

Valerija Božič

Municipality of Škofja Loka, Slovenia

Petra Čad

GoodPlace, Slovenia

Dr. Fadwa Chbani Idrissi

Cadi Ayyad University, Morocco

Erik Wolf

World Food Travel Association, Spain

Stefania Clemente

Trentino Marketing and VisitTrentino, Italy

Annie Combs

ECPC Travel, USA

Max Dubravko Fijacko

Interpret Europe, Croatia

Richard Veal

iUrban, United Kingdom

Víctor Fernández Morales

La Buena Huella, Spain

Melissa Foley

All About Africa Sustainability Consulting, South Africa

Çağlar Gökgün

SGA Travel, Türkiye

Radda Larpnun

Sustainable Island Alliance, Thailand

Radmila Lekić

Turistično Združenje Izola, Slovenia

Matthieu Le Scanf

MLS Conseil, France

Dr. Katarina Miličević

Tourism and Hospitality Lab, Croatia

Marie-Flo Guy

OTN – Fédération Régionale des Offices de Tourisme de Normandie, France

Tarek Habib

Murmuration, France

Hsiu-Chuan, Pai

Taichung City Government, Taiwan

Lynn Huang

Consultant, Community-based Marine Conservation Project, Ocean Conservation Administration, Taiwan

Dr. Nikoletta Kaszás

University of Pannonia – University Center for Circular Economy, Hungary

Anna Karle

Gastrofreude Consulting, Germany

Melih Kayacik

İzmir Metropolitan Municipality, Türkiye

Lauri Alhojärvi

Silvacultura Ltd., Finland

Kaewta Muangasame

STAC Thailand, Mahidol University International College, Thailand

Júlia Nagy

Innotime Hungary

Alex Narracott

Much Better Adventures, United Kingdom

Pawel Nizinski

BETTER, Poland

Biubwa Omar Khamis

Safari Gateway, Tanzania

Maja Pančur

Bled Tourist Board, Slovenia

Jana Pines

Javno Podjetje OKOLJE Piran, Slovenia

Sophie Pirkin

Agence d’Attractivité et de Développement d’Occitanie AD’OCC, France

Liisa Kokkarinen

Visit Finland, Finland

Tonja Rojnić

Development and Social Institute Radlje ob Dravi, Slovenia

Ceylan Sensoy

Discover Kaçkar – DOKA (Eastern Black Sea Development Agency), Türkiye

Luca Stančič Kodarin

Turistično Združenje Izola, Slovenia

Tanja Sodja

Turizem Bohinj & Julian Alps Association, Slovenia

Masaru Takayama

Japan Alliance of Responsible Travel Agencies, Japan

Leonora Tashkoska- Krsteska

Konak Hilltop Lodge & Villa – Destination Krusevo, North Macedonia

Alenka Tomašič

DMO Bela Krajina, Slovenia

Gunilla Tegen

Visit Dalarna and Falun, Sweden

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