WTTC collaborates with two global hospitality leaders to
bring together the world's foremost science and public
health experts on April 15 for a
free, virtual public forum on proven insights and best
practices for moving beyond the pandemic
Registration is now open at covidsciencesummit.com
LONDON, March 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The World
Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) – together with the world's
largest cruise company, Carnival Corporation &
plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), and the leading global
hospitality company Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HLT)
– today announced the 2021 Global Scientific Summit on
COVID-19.
The free live virtual forum, which is open to the public, will
take place from 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM
(EDT) [3:00 PM to 6:30 PM GMT]
[4:00 PM to 7:30 PM CEST] on
Thursday, April 15, 2021.
The 2021 Global Scientific Summit on COVID-19 will bring
together top global scientists and health experts discussing the
latest discoveries, evidence-based insights and best practices for
living in a world with COVID-19, and will build on a well-received
similar forum hosted last year by WTTC and Carnival Corporation.
This year's event will continue those discussions and build on
global and industry-wide understanding of COVID-19's impact on
society, including how to safely live in a world with COVID-19.
The event will be of interest to global tourism leaders, WTTC
Members, government agencies, destination partners, trade and
private businesses who want to hear up-to-the-minute scientific and
medical research that can be used to inform practical, adaptable
and science-based solutions for mitigating COVID-19, in order to
move beyond the pandemic.
Topics will focus on vast knowledge of COVID-19 informing a
post-pandemic world
This unique virtual summit, co-hosted by WTTC and Carnival
Corporation with supporting sponsor Hilton, is free to attend, and
open to the public. The event will focus on the most up-to-date
science amassed from the past year of studying COVID-19, including
how best to address the many ongoing questions about how the virus
will affect society, travel and day-to-day activities moving
forward. Panels will include fact-based discussions sharing the
latest thinking on epidemiology, screening, testing and tracing,
therapeutics, vaccines, practical prevention and mitigation
practices and more.
"We are privileged to once again host a panel of esteemed
experts who each offer valuable insight on how best to apply the
latest science and medical evidence to address the many practical
questions people have about living in a world with COVID-19," said
Gloria Guevara, President & CEO
of WTTC. "As leaders and global citizens alike, we seek the best
and latest information from experts on how we can best move forward
and turn the corner on this crisis. I am delighted that WTTC and
Carnival Corporation, with partner Hilton are creating a forum
where these important conversations can take place."
Arnold Donald, President &
CEO of Carnival Corporation, is a member of the WTTC Executive
Committee and the North America
vice chair. In addition to co-hosting this year's event,
Carnival Corporation worked closely with WTTC leadership to
design and produce the first Global Scientific Summit in
July 2020.
"We are grateful to the highly regarded experts who have agreed
to participate in our 2021 Global Scientific Summit on
COVID-19 – and to share with us what they've learned at the
frontlines of the COVID-19 battle," said Donald. "Their insights
will be incredibly helpful as businesses and governments alike seek
to better understand COVID-19's impact on society, and together we
can determine safe and workable evidence-based practices for
mitigating and living with the virus. We also appreciate Hilton for
joining us this year as a supporting sponsor."
Panelists share learnings from intensive year of focused
efforts to understand COVID-19
The Summit will feature a robust lineup of world-renowned
medical, epidemiological and public health experts to explore and
share the most recent findings and daily practices to curb the
spread of COVID-19 in a post-pandemic future.
The current roster of panelists, in alphabetical order,
includes:
- Dr. Michael Diamond,
M.D., Ph.D., the Herbert S. Gasser Professor of Medicine at
Washington University. Dr. Diamond is
recognized internationally for his work involving Zika, West Nile,
chikungunya, and related emerging viruses.
- Dr. Steven Gordon, M.D.,
chairman, Department of Infectious Disease, Cleveland Clinic,
Respiratory Institute and professor of Medicine, The Lerner College
of Medicine, Case Western University.
Dr. Gordon has been focused on hospital infection prevention,
including device-associated and opportunistic infections in
immunocompromised patients.
- Dr. Michael Lin, M.D.,
Ph.D. is associate professor of Neurobiology, Bioengineering, and
Chemical and Systems Biology at Stanford
University. A NIH Pioneer Award recipient, Dr. Lin develops
protein-based tools for molecular imaging and control of gene and
viral therapy.
- Dr. William Morice, II,
M.D., Ph.D., chair, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
at Mayo Clinic, president, Mayo Clinic Laboratories, and professor
of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology. Dr. Morice is an expert in
diagnostic testing serving in leadership roles for numerous boards
and partnerships to enhance understanding of clinical diagnostics
and test utilization.
- Dr. Jewel Mullen, M.D.,
M.P.H., associate dean for Health Equity, University of Texas at Austin, Dell Medical School.
Dr. Mullen is an internist, epidemiologist and public health
physician leader and the former principal deputy assistant
secretary for Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS).
- Dr. Emil Christian
Reisinger, director of the Department of Tropical
Medicine and Infectious Diseases at the Department of Internal
Medicine at the University of Rostock, dean of the University and
member of the board of the University Hospital Rostock.
- Dr. Clare Rock, M.D.,
M.S., is associate professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious
Disease, Armstrong Institute of Patient Safety and Quality Core
Faculty, and Healthcare Epidemiologist, Johns
Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Rock is an
infectious disease academic physician who innovatively translates
healthcare infection prevention strategies to the business, travel
& hospitality, and event management industries. Her
consultative services, Infection Prevention Strategy Consulting
LLC, are guiding companies through the COVID-19 pandemic to their
"Next New Normal."
- Dr. Stefano Vella, M.D.,
adjunct professor of Global Health at the
Catholic University of Rome
and a member of the program committee of Horizon Europe - Health
Cluster, the research program of the European Commission. Dr. Vella
specializes in infectious diseases and internal medicine and is a
researcher in pathogenesis and therapy of viral infections.
Specific research has been conducted by Dr. Vella on major
pandemics, including on HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis.
Registration Details
Scheduled for Thursday, April 15,
2021 from 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM
(EDT) [3:00 PM to 6:30 PM GMT]
[4:00 PM to 7:30 PM CEST] the Summit
is open to the public and free for all attendees. It is recommended
that people register in advance. For more information, including
the current list of panelists, and to register to attend the
virtual event, please visit: www.covidsciencesummit.com.
Participants will be invited to submit questions in advance.
Members of the media are welcome to join for all or part of the
sessions or connect with members and/or presenters.
About WTTC
According to WTTC's 2021 Economic Impact
Report, during 2020, a year in which it was devastated by the
COVID-19 pandemic, Travel & Tourism made a 5.5% contribution to
global GDP and was responsible for 272 million jobs.
According to WTTC's Social Impact Paper, which focuses on
the Travel & Tourism sector as a driver of social impact,
international travel and tourism, and particularly, international
spending, is vital to support job creation from megacities to rural
communities. According to the research, at the global level, for
every 34 international visitors to a destination, one new job is
created. In addition, this research found that for every
$1 generated in direct Travel &
Tourism GDP globally, more than $2 is
generated indirectly. This means that more than twice as much value
is produced across the entire supply chain thanks to Travel &
Tourism.
About Carnival Corporation & plc
Carnival
Corporation & plc is one of the world's largest leisure travel
companies with a portfolio of nine of the world's leading cruise
lines sailing to all seven continents. With operations in
North America, Australia, Europe and Asia, its portfolio features Carnival Cruise
Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, P&O
Cruises (Australia), Costa
Cruises, AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises (UK) and Cunard.
Additional information can be found on www.carnivalcorp.com,
www.carnival.com, www.princess.com, www.hollandamerica.com,
www.seabourn.com, www.pocruises.com.au, www.costacruise.com,
www.aida.de, www.pocruises.com and www.cunard.com.
About Hilton
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global
hospitality company with a portfolio of 18 world-class
brands comprising more than 6,400 properties and more than one
million rooms, in 119 countries and territories. Dedicated to
fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and
warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed more than 3 billion
guests in its more than 100-year history.
Visit newsroom.hilton.com for more information, and
connect with Hilton
on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.