Haikou, in China, hosted the Asia Pacific Onboard Travel (APOT) 2025 Networking Conference from October 27-30.
The city is the capital of the island province of Hainan, south of China’s mainland.
This year, the APOT event was held in collaboration with the World Shiology Forum (WSF) and the Global Culinary Alliance (GCA).
The GCA was launched officially during the four-day conference.
Keerthi ‘Happy’ Hapugasdeniya, a co-founder and CEO of the GCA, explained that the organisation’s mission is to create a platform to amplify the voices and recommendations of culinary professionals.
Virendra Mittal, a co-founder of the GCA, gave a presentation about its purpose during the event’s welcome dinner at the Hilton Haikou.
Professor Liu Guangwai was appointed as the GCA’s Chairman.
APOT members had opportunities to explore Haikou and immerse themselves in its culture and cuisine.
The WSF explored topics relating to food sustainability, food waste and healthy eating. Food handling and the role of technology in the industry were also discussed.
