7 Experiences Summit 2023 - Transformational Experiences Beyond Borders: Partnership development for sustainable future

Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf is a maritime national park, home to 25 of the 37 southern hemisphere marine animals. Join an incredible eco safari direct from downtown Auckland for breath taking encounters with marine wildlife. Watch, learn about and above‐all help protect whales, dolphins, seals and rare seabirds.

Discover the real Middle‐Earth on the most picturesque private farmland near Matamata in the North Island of New Zealand, where you can visit the HobbitonTM Movie Set from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies in a fascinating two hour guided tour. The set can be seen as it appeared in the films. The Green DragonTM Inn is now open and is a special feature of the tours. All tour groups visit the inn as part of their tour and receive a complimentary refreshment.

Giapo offers an ice cream experience unlike any other. The most delicious ice creams imaginable presented in ways you wouldn’t ever imagine. Explore the story of Giapo right from its kitchen on a behind the scenes tour while tasting and admiring some of their most successful ideas.

Auckland is home to three distinct wine regions and around 100 wineries. Rich, ripe merlot, cabernet sauvignon and syrah, as well as smooth, fruity chardonnay and pinot gris call Auckland home and thrive in its fertile volcanic soils. You can opt for a wine tour or explore the region’s wineries independently at your own pace. Most wineries and vineyards have cellar doors with on‐site cafes or restaurants. Meet the wine makers and learn the story of the wine you taste — a very special experience.

Scale one of Auckland’s most recognisable landmarks! Climb Auckland Harbour Bridge from its base to the summit, on a thrilling bridge climb. Clamber along custom‐ engineered catwalks on an easy walk with a professional guide. The more daring can jump from the bridge attached to a Bungy cord — you can even choose to dip your head into the ocean!

Upon entering the Ōrākei Marae, guests are surrounded by carved representations of many tribal ancestors. Visitors are greeted during a sacred welcoming ceremony and learn Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei values. The Marae is the domain for conflict resolution and the main house for peaceful discussion. The gardens are a haven for nurturing the earth and kitchen ensures visitors have a full stomach and story to share.

Professor of Practice, Experience Design
Aalto University (Finland) & Chair of Experience Research Society

Virpi Roto is Professor of Practice in Experience Design at Aalto University, Finland. She leads the Encore research team in the renowned Department of Design, and studies user and employee experiences in automatizing work contexts. Her work on user experience definition and evaluation has been impactful both in academia and industry. Due to her background in Nokia Research Center, multidisciplinary research benefitting industry is close to her heart. Therefore, she hosted the first 7 Experiences Summit bringing together experience research fans and founded global, cross‐disciplinary Experience Research Society.

Director, Turku Design Studio, University of Turku

Yong Se Kim is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Turku, Finland, and directs the Turku Design Studio (utu.fi/tds). Yong Se Kim received PhD in Mechanical Engineering at the Design Division of Stanford University with PhD minor in Computer Science. He was an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, an Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a Professor at Sungkyunkwan University.

Yong Se Kim is a member of the Advisory Board of the Design Society (designsociety.org) and a member of the steering committee of its Product-Service Systems Design SIG. He is also on the committee of the ServDes (servdes.org).

His research areas include Design Thinking, Product-Service Systems Design, Service Design, Customer Experience Design, Design Cognition and Informatics.

Architect, Author, Placemaker

Aishwarya Tipnis is an award-winning architect, educator and heritage conservationist based in New Delhi, India. She works at the intersection of architecture, urbanism and heritage conservation. In 2016, her work was recognised by the UNESCO Award for Heritage Conservation in the Asia-Pacific Region and in 2018 she was conferred Chevalier Des Arts et Des Lettre (Knight of the Arts and Letters), by the Government of France in 2018 for her outstanding commitment to preservation of French Heritage in India. In 2019, she co-founded Jugaadopolis, a social innovation enterprise to work with youth in making the rich heritage of India relevant to local communities in the contemporary context through a process of co-creation. She is a published author and currently visiting faculty at the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi.

Makingtrax Foundation Founder & Director
Inclusive Tourism New Zealand

Jezza Williams is the founder & director of the Makingtrax Foundation, the only independent organization dedicated to Inclusion in Adventure, Tourism & Travel. A hard-core adventurer, he has had a lifetime in the adventure industry working in many different roles – Canyon Guide, Raft Guide, Safety Kayaker, Expedition Leader, Operations Manager, Climbing Instructor, Ski Patrol & Sailing Instructor. Following a life-changing canyon accident in 2010, he shifted his focus dedicating his work to developing Inclusive Tourism & Adaptive Adventure throughout Aotearoa. With over a decade of experience running inclusive tourism Jezza is recognized globally as an inclusive adventure consultant.

Professor of Experience Design and Management
Brigham Young University

Mat is an Associate Professor of Experience Design and Management in the Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University. His experience design research focuses on memorable, meaningful, and transformative experiences. Mat’s publications have appeared in a variety of journals including Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Environmental Psychology, Journal of Adolescent Research, and Journal of Leisure Research. Mat co-authored, Designing Experiences, with Robert Rossman which was published in 2019 by Columbia Business School Press. In 2021 Axiom Business Awards selected the book as a silver medalist winner in the Business Intelligence/Innovation category.