We will start the first day with introductions from the host Þuríður Halldóra Aradóttir and Hjörtur Smárason, followed by two keynotes.
“— Hjörtur Smárason, Þuríður Aradóttir and Helen HannesdóttirNow we will make it happen! Let's network, share experiences, challenges, wins and mistakes. That way we get the most out of the event and out of the network. We are all on this journey together towards a more sustainable world. And by the look of it, it has never been more important that we keep up our spirit and keep on doing more good in the world.
The location is breathtaking with lava fields, volcanoes and of course the Blue Lagoon welcoming us, together with the traditional oxygen overdose Iceland has to offer.
I look forward to welcoming you in Iceland together with our hosts and sponsors, Visit Reykjanes and Iceland Tourist Board.
”
Hjörtur Smárason
Facilitator of the Nordic Journey. Keynote speaker, world traveller, and storyteller. Consultant on place branding, city branding, crisis communications and tourism development.
Þuríður Halldóra Aradóttir
CEO of Visit Reykjanes. Regional destination management, marketing, regional development, crisis management, and business administration.
Keynote 1
Hjörtur Smárason: Impact of the NATO Crisis
Building resilience and adaptability for dealing with crisis and rapid changes, looking at the current threats to the industry and discussing how we can prepare ourselves.
Keynote 2
Chris Doyle: Pioneering the future — Together... Now
Bolder / coOwn Founding Team, Strategic Leadership; Co-founder, Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA)
"Nordic destinations are globally respected for trust, collaboration, and long-term thinking. Yet today’s realities — environmental, social, geopolitical, and economic — are testing even the strongest systems.
In this keynote, Chris Doyle invites participants to step briefly out of day-to-day pressures and reflect on a pivotal question: How do we organize ourselves — now — for the future we want to create?
Drawing on decades of experience in destination development, community building, and global collaboration, Chris explores new ways of working together — supported by today’s technologies, but grounded first and foremost in trust, care, and shared purpose.
This is about practical collaboration in the present: how shared knowledge, contribution, and collective action can help destinations co-create ecosystems of lasting value for stakeholders, communities, visitors, and the people who serve them.
The future doesn’t begin later. It begins with how we choose to organize ourselves today."