SMT. PRATIBHA DEVISINGH PATIL
PRESIDENT OF INDIA
 PARTIBHA DEVISINGH PATIL PRESIDENT OF INDIA |
The President of India, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, is happy to know that the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) is organizing a Seminar on “India- Power House for Tourism Growth” on August 28, 2009 in New Delhi.
The President extends her warm greetings and felicitations to the organizers and the participants and wishes the seminar every success.
MESSAGE FROM TALEB RIFAI
SECRETARY GENERAL
UNWTO
2010 – A year of Transformation
 TALEB REFAI SECRETARY GENERAL UNWTO |
THE theme of this year’s PATWA World Tourism Leaders’ Summit couldn’t have come at
more convenient time. ‘Agenda for Future Tourism’ underscores one of UNWTO’s key messages - we truly need to rethink how to prepare our industry to meet the challenges ahead in a responsible and sustainable manner.
This year will still be demanding, providing several upside opportunities, while naturally not eliminating downside risks.
But overall, at UNWTO we look to 2010 as a ‘year of transformation’. We see this not only in the short term, against the backdrop of the upturn in international tourism figures and overall economic indicators in recent months.
It is about the long-term transformation to the Green Economy as the new socio-economic paradigm.
After all, what we have experienced in this most severe crisis for over six decades, one lesson is clear: we cannot go back to business as usual.
As an affiliate member of UNWTO for nearly 30 years, we trust that PATWA will continue standing beside us as we walk along this both challenging and exciting new path.
The long-term starts today!
Thank you.
SECRETARY GENERAL
UNITED NATIONS
 BAN KI MOON SECRETARY GENERAL UNITED NATIONS |
Climate change endangers the quality and availability of water and food, our fundamental determinants of nutrition and health. It is causing more frequent and more severe storms, heat waves, droughts and floods, while worsening the quality of our air. The result is an upsurge in human suffering caused by injury, disease, malnutrition and death.
We need to give voice to this often overlooked reality, ensuring that protecting human health is anchored at the heart of the global climate change agenda.
The impact will be most severe in poor countries, which have contributed least to this global crisis. By 2020, up to a quarter of a billion Africans will experience increased water stress and crop yields in some African countries are expected to drop by half.
Malnutrition and climate-related infectious diseases will take their heaviest toll on the most vulnerable: small children, the elderly and the infirm. Women living in poverty face particular risk when natural disasters and other global-warming-related dangers strike.
We must do more than decry these circumstances. We must act to ensure that the health of the vulnerable is protected during climate change. This means stepping up efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals, from cutting childhood mortality to empowering women, as a central component of the international response to climate change.
Public health has decades of experience in dealing effectively with problems that climate change will exacerbate, and we can use this as a basis for predicting -- and forestalling -- the consequences.
Climate change is real, it is accelerating and it threatens all of us. We must respond with urgent action to stabilize the climate, achieve the Millennium Development Goals, and encourage individual action. Our collective efforts can foster social and economic development for the world’s poorest peoples, improving their health systems and their lives.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL
UNITED NATION WORLD TOURISM
ORGANIZATION
 GEOFFREY LIPMAN ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL, UNWTO |
Given the seriousness of the current situation, we have set up a Resilience Committee to monitor trends and provide support to the public-private sector and we will be delighted to incorporate the results of the seminar into that framework.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
MESSE BERLIN
 RAIMUND HOSCH CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER MESSE BERLIN |
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.
MINISTER OF TOURISM
JAMACIA TOURIST BOARD
 BARTLETT M.P. MINISTER OF TOURISM JAMACIA TOURIST BOARD |
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.
PRESIDENT
IH&RA
 DR. GHASSAN AIDI PRESIDENT IH&RA |
World Leaders Summit in Berlin during ITB on March 12, 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 in the domain of tourism as 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.
All the best
Dr. Ghassan AIDI
President
MINISTER OF TOURISM
ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT
RAY BLOOM CHAIRMAN
PRAFUL PATEL MINISTER OF STATE FOR CIVIL AVIATION
DEVESH CHATURVEDI
|
Egypt —the land of mystique! It is difficult to summarize its myriad hues or even capture its essence in words. Egypt has to be experienced to be understood. And I take this opportunity to extend our sincerest invitation to all members of PATWA to come and experience Egypt !
The cradle of ancient civilization, Egypt is a favorite destination of tourists from every corner of the globe for its potpourri of attractions ranging from its ancient monuments including the pyramids, sphinx, museums and temples, to the natural bounty of sun, sea and sand, the modern leisure activities it offers like its golf courses, cruises and sea adventures and sports like scuba diving, to the haunts of the pleasure seekers – luxury hotels, spas, casinos, and the like. Egypt truly beckons the adventure seekers, the history buffs, the globetrotters and the luxury lovers equally and is a perfect one-stop getaway for all.
Today, Egypt is among the hottest and best performing destinations in the world in spite of the economic slump. In the Indian outbound travel market especially Egypt has emerged as the leading hotspot. About 90,000 Indians visited Egypt in 2008.
The Egypt Tourism Authority has been aggressively promoting Egypt as a must-see destination in India and recently launched the Visit Egypt 2009 campaign to tap the outbound tourism market in the country. The Egyptian Tourism Authority has adopted several marketing practices to promote Egypt to the still untapped tourism market in India and was recently the partner country at the 23 rd Surajkund Crafts Mela held in Faridabad , Haryana which provided a perfect platform to showcase its culture, crafts and cuisine to the potential Indian traveler. Egypt offers a plethora of tourism opportunities to all segments of Indians from MICE and golf tourism for the corporate, to honeymoon packages for newlyweds, beach tourism for the backpackers and nature lovers, yachting, and shopping for the globetrotters and its pristine beaches and unspoilt natural bounty for Bollywood.
Egypt and India share cultural synergies and close ties that tourism can go a long way in consolidating and strengthening.
I would like to conclude with my sincerest invitation to you all once again to come and experience Egypt as nothing compares with Egypt !!
MESSAGE FROM RAY BLOOM CHAIRMAN IMEX
MESSAGE FROM PRAFUL PATEL MINISTER OF STATE FOR CIVIL AVIATION
I am glad to know that the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) will be holding their seminar
on ‘India- Power House for Tourism Growth’ on 28th August 2009 in New Delhi.
Tourism and Aviation, two sides of the same coin, are sectors that aid economic development and bring about balanced growth. India, which offers boundless opportunities for tourists, provides extensive connectivity within the country as well as internationally. This seminar will provide an opportunity for professionals and experts to deliberate on and evolve suitable strategies to increase tourist arrivals in keeping with the tremendous potential that exists in the country.
On this occasion I convey my good wishes to all participants and wish the Seminar a grand success.
MESSAGE FROM DEVESH CHATURVEDI
Additional Director General
MINISTRY of Tourism
I am glad to know that the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) is organizing a
seminar on “India- Power House for Tourism Growth” on 28th August 2009 at New Delhi.
In spite of global economic meltdown, India is able to sustain the growth of tourism. The tourist arrivals to India in June 2009 have shown a marked improvement over the corresponding period, last year. All this has been possible because Ministry of Tourism has been continuously taking major steps to develop infrastructure and market India with its ‘Incredible India’ branding and forming partnerships with the travel industry. This has placed India among the choices destinations for the travellers.
I am sure the PATWA seminar would highlight the positive results in their deliberations. Travel writers play a vital role in the development of Tourism & Aviation.
I wish the deliberations at seminar a great success.