The UK’s largest regional business event, Kent 2020 Vision LIVE, has announced some of its key speakers for Thursday 25th April 2013 at the Kent Event Centre, including the dynamic founder of i-2-i Travel, Deirdre Bounds.
The core theme of this year’s Kent 2020 Vision LIVE is ‘Get Connected’, reflecting the event’s key role in helping Kent businesses to access a wide range of exciting opportunities. In a single day at the Kent Event Centre, attendees can connect with current clients, potential customers, innovative suppliers, new partners, international markets, emerging technologies and specialist support providers, plus inspirational ideas and practical advice from many expert speakers.
Kicking off the day with some unique insights into spotting and unlocking new market opportunities will be ground-breaking entrepreneur, Deirdre Bounds, founder of the UK’s first ethical travel company: i-to-i Travel. Deirdre’s innovative approach to the packaged holiday sector created an entirely new niche within a crowded market, dominated by a number of long-established major players. By riding the wave of increasing consumer awareness about ethical issues and offering a high-quality alternative to the status quo, Deirdre was able to build i-2-i Travel into a multi-million pound business over the course of 10 years, before eventually selling the company to TUI for £16m in 2009.
“There are so many opportunities available to Kent businesses that we wanted this year’s theme to emphasise that the event is about much more than just bringing buyers and sellers together,” explains Jane Ollis, CEO of BSK-CiC, the organisation behind Kent 2020 Vision LIVE, “This really is a unique chance to discover and access opportunities that visitors may not even know existed – including emerging markets, new support services and some great innovations. In addition, our special ‘Tomorrow’s Business’ feature will provide an fascinating glimpse of how many organisations might look and operate in 5-10 years time, which fits perfectly with BSK’s role in preparing Kent businesses for the future.”
The Kent 2020 Vision show has become an important feature of the Kent business calendar and is now the largest regional business event in the UK, attracting over 300 exhibitors and around 3,000 attendees each year. The event is run as a close collaboration between BSK-Direct and Kent County Council, with strong support from the KM Group and the Kent Event Centre.
Visitors can register online at www.kent2020.co.uk to benefit from free entry, priority parking, exclusive previews and a chance to win an iPad Mini.
