Industry Day2 June 2023

Wim Strijbosch is a senior researcher at the Experience Lab of Breda University of Applied Sciences. In his work, Wim works with neuroscientific and psychophysiological methods to better understand the psychology of themed entertainment and of tourism and leisure more broadly. In 2022, he obtained his PhD degree cum laude at Tilburg University. In his PhD, Wim examined the temporal dynamics of emotions in tourism and leisure experiences and analyzed how these dynamics relate to how people evaluate their experiences. Wim currently serves as a board member of the Themed Entertainment Association’s EME division and leads the EME Education Committee.

Peter van der Schans is leading the IAAPA (Global Association for the Attractions Industry) EMEA team since 2022. He joined IAAPA after 20 years of leisure industry experience from a number of attractions including theme parks, a zoo and theatres. Before his current role at IAAPA, Peter served as general manager at Dierenrijk, a family zoo in Mierlo, Netherlands after holding the role of manager at the Pathé Theatre in Nijmegen, Netherlands helping to grow attendance from 180,000 to 600,000 visitors annually. Prior to that, he was the park manager of Attractiepark Toverland (the second largest attraction park of The Netherlands) where he contributed to the strategic expansion of the organization with Avalon and The Magical Valley.

Prof. Dr. Ing. Paul Peeters is Professor Sustainable Transport and Tourism at Breda University of Applied Sciences since December 2002. He specializes in the impact of tourism and travel on the environment and climate. He publishes on tourism scenarios, aviation, rail transport, mode of transport, climate and tourism policy, technology, economics and behavioral change. At the end of 2017, he obtained his PhD at TU Delft with his dissertation on tourism and climate change

Désirée Breedveld is commercial director at Rotterdam The Hague Airport.

Désirée is the driving force behind the customer centric philosophy of Rotterdam The Hague Airport and has been involved with the company for many years now. As a pionieer in customer experience at a regional airport, she initially met some scepsis from partners and even some colleagues. However, a strong belief in the added value of human interaction and a customer driven operational process resulted in success for the airport and its reputation as a highly appreciated, customer driven point of departure or arrival in The Netherlands.

Title of the presentation is
‘We realise you had a choice of airports today’

Bastiaan Hilferink is Customer Journey Expert at Aegon & Product Owner Customer Journey Management Team. Aegon is a financial service provider that offers insurances, mortgages and retirement solutions world wide.

Bastiaan strongly beliefs that a better customer experience starts with his colleagues at Aegon. The ones that actually create customer interactions. With the ongoing digital transformation in the financial industry making an emotional connection with your customers is more challenging than ever. Bastiaans’ role is to support, inspire and equip colleagues with the right tools and knowledge.

Prof. Jeroen Klijs is Professor Tourism Impacts on Society at Breda University of Applied Sciences and  Theme Manager Living Environment for the Agenda Conscious Destinations of CELTH (Centre of Expertise for Leisure, Tourism and Hospitality).

Jules De Ryck is Head of Consultancy at Bloakes.

As a neuromarketing enthusiast, Jules is passionate about understanding the subconscious behavior of people. At Bloakes, he co-leads a team of neuroscientists, researchers and marketers who all share this same interest.

As emotions are a key driver for our behavior, Jules believes it is important to use the right tools and knowledge to get better insights on emotions. Using various methods, such as implicit response time tests, I help CX managers and marketers make better decisions to optimize customer journeys and touchpoints. During the session he will share the first insights for Aegon, while also discussing how understanding subconscious behavior can drive better customer experiences.

Saskia Griep is founder and CEO of Better Places, a travel platform with a strong focus on sustainability. Better Places offers unique, high quality travel experiences, 100% custom made by local travel experts. On the German market, Better Places operates under the name FairAway.

In 2021 she started another travel company. Avontuur Dichtbij offers micro adventures in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Saskia studied Tourism and Cultural Anthropology and has a postgraduate degree in Sustainable Entrepreneurship.

ITG Companies CEO and founder Harco van Uden has been active in the travel industry for 25 years. With his visionary view, guts and perseverance, he is a real entrepreneur. His company mission is aimed at pure and personal (travel) experiences, in which his organization takes fully care and responsibility of the customer. Part of this has also been coping with struggles and issues and as such he has gained a lot of experience in crisis management as well. The 25 years in business have given him valuable insights on the impact of travel on the world and he is now dedicated to create awareness on responsible travel by use of storytelling and a hands on approach.

Prisley Antonia is a final year tourism student from the Netherlands, currently studying at Breda University of Applied Sciences. As she prepares to graduate, she has been busy finalizing her studies. During her academic journey, she completed the minor in Tourism Impact Lap, conducting research on sustainability for Tui Retail. Prisley pitched the idea of implementing a sustainability-themed education system for Tui employees, recognizing the importance of equipping travel professionals with the knowledge and tools to promote responsible travel. At the upcoming Consumer Behaviour in Tourism Symposium, Prisley will share her insights on consumer behavior and the significance of sustainable traveling. Her dedication, innovative thinking, and passion for the industry position her as a visionary in the field of sustainable tourism.