Roy Graff has made his career in travel and tourism business development with an emphasis on China. He has a deep understanding of China's culture and business practices from academia, public and private sector work since 1994. Roy is an experienced travel marketing and distribution executive involved in e-commerce, online travel and hospitality.
 

Since 2006, he combines consultation on China's tourism sector with several travel focused ventures in China and the flagship forum on China's Travel Industry, China the Future of Travel at the World Travel Market in London each November. Roy keeps a blog on developments in China's travel and tourism sector which is the most comprehensive resource on the subject, since January 2006.

 

He is also a Director of China Business Services and European Director of China Venture Capital and Private Equity Forum London.

Returning to Europe after a long period of travel industry work in China, Roy founded ChinaContact in 2005 to assist tourism companies, travel providers and tourism promotion bodies eager to discover the tremendous potential of China as both market and destination. Since 2002 until early 2005, Roy was engaged in senior level business development and travel product distribution for the world's leading independent provider of products and services to the travel trade, Gullivers Travel Associates (now part of Travelport).

He lived in China's two commercial power houses, Beijing and Shanghai and travelled extensively to China's major cities, forging good personal relationships with key private sector and government contacts. Building on his experience of online travel, sales and marketing and China know-how, he was tasked with launching a brand new merchant model travel site to the Chinese market.  

Roy served as China Director of E-commerce for gta, overseeing all aspects of the company's electronic product distribution in China. In September 2004, Roy planned and executed a high level three day conference on modern tourism trends titled 'The Future of Travel is Here', co-hosted by Beijing Municipal Tourism Board. It was attended by provincial and city tourism board chair persons from China, senior level representatives from UNESCO, WTTC, Visa, AIG and other leading international companies totalling over 100 participants.

As a keen supporter of sustainable development and environmental protection he held several volunteer positions, including Vice President of communications at PACE (Professional Association for China's Environment) and council member of Tourism Concern.  Roy cooperates with UNESCO, IUCN and other bodies to promote a sustainable and ethical tourism industry in China.

Prior to his work in China Roy was based in gta's headquarters in London as sales manager, independent travel responsible for several international markets including India, Pakistan, Turkey, Greece, Israel, UK and Ireland.

Roy holds a bachelor's degree in Chinese and Economics from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. In 1995-1996, Roy represented the Israel Tourism office in Taipei, Taiwan while learning Mandarin Chinese at the same time.

Roy frequently speaks (in Chinese or English) at tourism related conferences and events both in China and around the world, most notably: