Wayne Hemingway MBE, the creative designer and visionary behind the £18m ($27m, €24m) restoration of Dreamland in Margate, UK, has been confirmed as a speaker at the annual Tourism Society Symposium.

The two-day event, taking place in Kent, UK, from 1-2 June, features presentations from an array of high-profile figures linked to the tourism and attractions industries.

A founder of the former fashion label Red or Dead, Hemingway has worked on numerous high-profile projects during his 30-year career, ranging from interior design to landscape planning, housing regeneration and designing uniforms for the likes of McDonald’s and Transport for London.

His specialism includes breathing new life into old concepts with a focus on the social and affordable aspects of design. He has championed the world of vintage, creating events such as the Vintage Festival.

Through his firm Hemingway Design, the 54-year-old is working with Dreamland CEO Eddie Kemsley to preserve the cultural heritage of the project while at the same time bringing the attraction up to date for a modern audience. Kemsley will be joining Wayne Hemingway at the podium during the Symposium to share their vision for Dreamland.

In an interview for the Q1 2015 edition of Attractions Management, Hemingway said of the Dreamland project: “It’s a wonderful heritage story in Britain’s most happening seaside town.

“Margate has everything a young, creative community would want. It’s evocative. It has an amazing amount of things to Instagram! And Dreamland is the right thing to be happening in Margate.”

Kemsley meanwhile, has extensive experience in organising world class events. She helped create and operate London’s popular LoveBox Festival and was instrumental in relaunching the Grade II listed Camden Palace as KOKO – an award winning, multi-arts venue. She is also a former chair of the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions (BALPPA).

Tourism Society chair and chief executive of Visit Kent, Sandra Matthews-Marsh MBE, said: “We are delighted that Wayne Hemingway and Eddie Kemsley have agreed to speak at the Symposium.

“Both speakers have been responsible for some tremendous work in revitalising tourism and cultural projects in the UK and we are all looking forward to the relaunch of the Dreamland project as part of the regeneration of Margate.”

The topic for this year’s Symposium is ‘Connecting to the Future’. Confirmed speakers to date include:

• Steven Norris – former government minister and transport expert

• Sir Peter Bazalgette – chair, Arts Council England• Sally Balcombe – CEO, VisitBritain

• David Statham - MD, Southeastern• Wendy Spinks - HS1

• Louise Dando – English Heritage• David Testa – Paramount Park

• Nick Hall – CEO, Digital Tourism Think Tank• Tim Waggott – CEO, Port of Dover

• Wayne Hemingway MBE – Design Consultant, Dreamland• Eddie Kemsley – CEO, Dreamland

• Tim Manson – operations & policy director, Marketing Birmingham• Malcolm Bell – head of tourism, Visit Cornwall

• Deidre Wells OBE – CEO, UKinbound• Louise Dando – head of site and event marketing, English Heritage

• Manon Antoniazzi – director of tourism, heritage and sport, Welsh Government• Sarah Dance – Sarah Dance Associates

• Victoria Pomery OBE – director of Turner Contemporary• Paul Bristow – director of strategic partnerships, Arts Council England

• Lyndsey Swift – head of partnerships, Arts Development UK• Paul Kehoe – CEO, Birmingham Airport

• Rosemary Shrager – TV Chef• Sandra Matthews-Marsh MBE – CEO, VisitKent

Tickets to the two day symposium are now available, and early bird rates apply until Friday 1 May. To book a ticket, click here.

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