The World Tourism Network (WTN) and the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism (IIPT) just issued an emergency appeal to the organizer of the upcoming Global Tourism Resilience Day planned for Thursday at the World Expo in Dubai, UAE
WTN and IIPT congratulated the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) and its proposed Declaration of the launch of its annual Global Tourism Resilience Day on February 17 in Dubai at the World Expo.
However, the World Tourism Network is concerned that the timely reminder about Tourism a Guardian of World Peace will be included in this important declaration.
The ongoing pandemic has shown the resilience this sector known as the travel and tourism industry has shown.
“There are so many heroes in the travel and tourism world. World Peace is the essence to keep tourism resilience going.”, says WTN founder and Chairman Juergen Steinmetz.
Tourism Heroes
Recognizing the danger of armed conflicts in the world, tourism is also a guardian of World Peace.
With the current challenges to World Peace, the World Tourism Network and the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism are united in realizing the synergy between tourism and peace.
Louis D’Amore, founder and president, and the IIPT Board wholeheartedly endorse this resolution to recognize Tourism as a Guardian of World Peace together with the WTN and counts on this reference to be included in the Global Resilience Day declaration on Thursday.
Therefore, WTN and IIPT are inviting visionaries and leaders launching Tourism Resilience Day this week to appeal for World Peace and support this initiative started by IIPT and WTN.
World Tourism Network President Peter Tarlow, who is also the Police Chaplin in College Station, Texas, and a recognized expert in tourism safety and security stated that the tourism industry seeks peace as one of its key platforms. Quoting the Book of Isaiah: “Peace, peace to the distant and the close”(57:19)
Tarlow noted that peace is a key element of tourism resilience and without the seeking of peace and human harmony tourism simply fails to exist. Tarlow noted that tourism is an instrument of bringing people together and creating human unity. The WTN is pleased to join with other organizations in working to make the human harmony and tourism vision a reality.
Dr. Taleb Rifai and Louis D’Amopre
The IIPT Board under the leadership of President and Founder Louis D’Amore together with Juergen Steinmetz, founder, and Chairman of the World Tourism Network are specifically recognizing the contribution by
- Hon. Minister Edmund Bartlett Co-Chair, Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre, Minister of Tourism, Jamaica,
- Professor Lloyd Waller Executive Director, GTRCMC, and
- Dr. Taleb Rifai had been making for global tourism resilience and global peace through tourism. Dr. Rifai is involved in all three organizations. Dr. Taleb Rifai is the co-chair of the Global Tourism Resilience, and Crisis Management Centre, he is the chair of the IIPT advisory group and patron and co-chair of the World Tourism Network. Dr. Rifai is most known as the Former Secretary-General UNWTO.
World Tourism Network and IIPT are applauding the leadership behind the Global Tourism Resilience Day initiative guided also by:
- The Most Honorable Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica;
- His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya
- Hon. Najib Balala, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, Kenya, and Chairman, Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) – East Africa;
- Senator The Hon. Lisa Cummins, Minister of Tourism and International Transport of Barbados and Chair Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO)
- H.E. Nayef Al-Fayez, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Jordan
- Hon. Philda Nani Kereng, Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation & Tourism of Botswana
- Adam Stewart , Executive Chairman, Sandals Resorts International
- Antonio Teijeiro, COO, Bahia Principe
- Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and CEO DMCC
- Nicolas Mayer, Global Tourism Leader, PWC
- Raki Phillips, CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKDA)
- Therese Rice, Partner, Consulum
- Nikolina Angelkova, Deputy Chair, Parliamentary Tourism Commission, National Assembly of Bulgaria, Former Minister of Tourism of Bulgaria (2014 -2020) and Responsible Person for GTRCMC in the Balkans •
- Senator The Hon. Kamina Johnson-Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica
- Yolanda Perdomo, Global Tourism Strategist, ICF
- Liz Ortiguera, CEO Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)
- Rika Jean-Francois, Commissioner ITB Corporate Social Responsibility
- Dr. Catheryn Khoo, Senior Researcher & Lecturer, Griffith Institute for Tourism Brisbane, Australia & Expert on Gender and Tourism in Asia and the Pacific, UNWTO
- Dr. Talal Abu Ghazaleh, Founder & Chairman Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organisation
- Liz Ortiguera, CEO Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)
- Nikolina Angelkova, Deputy Chair, Parliamentary Tourism Commission, National Assembly of Bulgaria, Former Minister of Tourism of Bulgaria (2014-2020) and Responsible Person for GTRCMC in the Balkans
- Aradhana Khowala, CEO Aptamind Partners. Chair of the Global Advisory Board of The Red Sea Development Company
- Dr. Esther Kagure Munyiri, Executive Director, Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre- East Africa
- Professor Salam Al-Mahadin, Vice President, Academic Affairs, Middle East University, Jordan
- Graham Cooke, Founder of the World Group
- Gerald Lawless, Ambassador WTTC and Director ITIC Ltd
- Ibrahim Ayoub, Group CEO, ITIC Ltd and Invest Tourism Ltd
- Daniela Wagner, Director, Group Development, Jacobs Media Group/ The Global Travel and Tourism Resilience Council
- Laurie Myers, Global Strategist, The Global Travel and Tourism Resilience Council
