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THE President of India, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, is happy to know that the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA), New Delhi is organising the Tourism Leaders’ Conclave and Commonwealth Games” on August 18, 2010 at Gurgaon. |
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MESSAGE FROM TALEB RIFAI |
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2010 has been a year of recovery for the international tourism sector. International tourist arrivals were up by nearly 7% to 935 million, with the vast majority of destinations worldwide reporting positive figures. For 2011, UNWTO forecasts growth to continue at between 4% to 5%, but important challenges remain. Persistently high unemployment rates will limit disposable income and contribute to consumer uncertainty, while increased taxation on travel and tourism may seriously impact tourism’s capacity to grow and contribute to a sustained economic recovery. Nevertheless, the immediate difficulties, including a still uncertain global economy, cannot be an excuse to put the long-term challenges to one side, in particular, the overall challenge and opportunity of sustainability. Given tourism’s importance in the global economy, the sector has a moral responsibility to take the lead on the path towards sustainable development. With cultural and natural resources at the core of our business, tourism also has a vested interest in doing so. Sustainable tourism meets the needs of present tourists and host communities, while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future. It reflects not a trade-off between economic growth and the protection of natural and cultural environments, but the synergy between them. Against this background, PATWA’s World Tourism Leaders’ Summit on ‘Sustaining Green Tourism’ represents an important opportunity to come together and explore this responsibility further, moving the sustainable tourism agenda forward. UNWTO is pleased to count on PATWA as a long-time partner in raising awareness of the relevance of travel and tourism, especially in Asia, a region pushing the sector to new boundaries. PATWA has the full support of UNWTO as it continues to debate and write on the most relevant issues for the tourism sector of this century. I warmly welcome all participants to this Summit and I applaud PATWA for this timely forum. |
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MESSAGE FROM BAN KI MOON SECRETARY GENERAL UNITED NATIONS |
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Biodiversity, the incredible variety of life on Earth that sustains us, is in peril. Species are becoming extinct at the fastest rate ever recorded. Most of these extinctions are tied to human activities that are polluting and depleting water resources, changing and degrading habitats and altering the global climate. From frogs to gorillas, from huge plants to tiny insects, thousands of species are in jeopardy. The theme of this year’s World Environment Day, “Many Species. One Planet. One Future”, echoes the call of the International Year of Biodiversity to stop this mass extinction and raise awareness about the vital importance of the millions of species that inhabit our planet’s soils, forests, oceans, coral reefs and mountains. Our health, well-being and sustainable future depend on this intricate, delicate web of ecosystems and life. The global host of the 2010 WED celebration is Rwanda. This small country in the Great Lakes region of Africa is rapidly earning a reputation as a green pioneer. Home to 52 threatened species, including the rare mountain gorilla, Rwanda is showing how environmental sustainability can be woven into the fabric of a country’s economic growth. Despite its many challenges, including poverty and widespread land degradation, the “land of a thousand hills” is working to reforest, embrace renewable energies, pursue sustainable agriculture and develop a green vision for the future. This year, Kigali will be the heartbeat of a global, multicultural, intergenerational celebration of our planet, its millions of species and the countless ways in which life on Earth is interconnected. On World Environment Day, I appeal to everyone – from Kigali to Canberra, from Kuala Lumpur to Quito – to help us sound the alarm. Get involved, speak out. Learn and teach others. Show leadership and help clean up. Reconnect with nature, our life force. Together, we can develop a new vision for biodiversity: Many Species. One Planet. One Future. |
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MESSAGE FROM RAIMUND HOSCH CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER MESSE BERLIN |
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Since summer 2008 many in the travel and tourism sector have gone from great optimism to complete disbelief at the speed with which the economy is coming up with bad news. As far as travel trends are concerned, 2009 is a very difficult year to forecast. The effects of the global economic and financial crisis, coupled with uneasiness over prices for raw materials and significant currency fluctuations, mean that no reliable forecasts can currently be made. Our challenge is to see through the pressures of today and prepare for a different world. Hard times lie ahead for the world’s travel industry. At best, 2009 will be a year of stagnation. The financial crisis and the recession have clearly reached the international travel markets. Many airlines and tour operators have meanwhile reduced capacity for 2009. Our expectation is that we will see 30-50 airlines fail this year, airports around the world will close or face the risk of closure, and heavily indebted investors in hotels and leisure will struggle to survive as revenues fall and credit becomes harder to access. The fallout from the global economic and financial crisis will tend to favour the growth of niche markets, in particular segments such as luxury travel. At the same time, bargain hunting and last-minute travel will be dominant. Whether we like it or not – the idea of saving money at all costs is back with us again. In the face of such uncertainty and market turbulence, it is important to maintain a constant dialogue with customers, suppliers, partners and competitors to identify ways out of the crisis. ITB Berlin is the perfect platform for exchanging ideas and for finding new ways of collaboration. I wish all participants of this seminar a productive and highly rewarding discussion at ITB Berlin. |
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MESSAGE FROM EDMUND BARTLETT M.P. MINISTER OF TOURISM JAMAICA TOURIST BOARD |
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If we spend time now addressing the more difficult issues and identifying the potential impacts on our industry, then we can plan, and so mitigate the effects of this crisis. More importantly, it will allow us to work towards strengthening and developing our own tourism sector so that we prosper when the turnaround takes hold. As decision-makers, leaders and those who can inspire change and optimism, it is our responsibility to know and explore the issues, and put into effect the solutions and strategies that will move us forward. I believe that this seminar will do just that. As such I thank the organizers for taking the initiative to organize this Seminar and inviting such an august range of participants. I wish you great success and know that this seminar will help us adjust our masts, so that as the tides turn, we will be able to sail ahead into the ocean of opportunities that lies ahead. |
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MESSAGE FROM DR. GHASSAN AIDI PRESIDENT IH&RA |
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With great pleasure, I did learn that PATWA is organizing a sustainable Green Tourism Summit in Berlin during ITB on March 10, 2010. This is a very important issue and I do wish to congratulate you on organizing such a summit and wish you all the luck that you deserve. This is a very important issue, and I am concentrating all my efforts as President of the International Hotels and Restaurants Association to encourage awareness of sustainability in the domain of hospitality with our “EMERAUDE HOTE” label for hotels adhering to our criteria in sustainability. I do believe that awareness is a key issue to develop our vision. I do wish the seminar all the success and wish you a good continuation with your association. Dr. Ghassan AIDI |
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MESSAGE FROM RAY BLOOM CHAIRMAN IMEX The IMEX group wishes PATWA’s 2011 World Tourism Leaders’ Summit in Berlin every
MESSAGE FROM DEVESH CHATURVEDI I am glad to know that PATWA is organising ‘Tourism Leaders’ Conclave and Commonwealth Games’ the theme of which is ‘Will Commonwealth Games bring Common Wealth?’ The Conclave will be followed by Safari India National Tourism Awards. |
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MESSAGE FROM KATARZYNA SOBIERAJSKA |
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I was pleased to be informed that the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association is organizing both World Tourism Leaders Summit and PATWA International Award ceremony during the ITB 2011 in Berlin. Through its actions, PATWA confirms our belief that tourism is a vivid force in service of world peace. Tourism may also become the moral and intellectual basis for mutual understanding between different nations. PATWA is also contributing favorably to the promotion and expansion of tourism in the world as tourism is a powerful factor for reconciliation between people. Tourism and culture of different countries reinforces friendship and dialogue between people. These are actions that Poland strongly supports and encourages. I am also very pleased due to the fact that the seminar takes place during this very important and prestigious International Tourism Fair while Poland was chosen to be the Official Partner Country of it. Taking this opportunity I would like to forward you my best wishes for success in all your initiatives, which strengthen the position of tourism and peace between nations. I am convinced that organizing this important seminar will produce concrete and plentiful results for all participants. |
