Private Sector calls on World Tourism Organization to Strengthen Guidance

International tourism is facing some serious challenges in the coming years deriving from its re-establishment as the major global economy. The World Tourism Organization (WTO) should strengthen its guidance in economic environment, tourism technologies and redefine international tourism within its most positive character, but especially continue on pursuing the public-private partnership, stressed the Leadership Forum of Advisers in its recommendations made public on Tuesday.

The aim of the lV Leadership Forum, held from 24-25 September in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, was to "gather leading personalities from the private sector, analyze the current situation in international tourism and address these issues to the WTO to contribute to the configuration of its general programme of work 2006/2007", said Mr. Alain-Philippe Feutré, President of the WTO Business Council, on behalf of the private sector as a part of the WTO Affiliate Members.

Participants at the conference defined major challenges in which they called on the WTO to strengthen its leading role in the international tourism community.

"Tourism is facing dramatic changes in the economic environment," stressed Mr. Feutré, listing "emergence of new destinations, new source markets, especially China, India, Brazil and Eastern Europe and new consumer preferences. Trends in new monetary systems and exchange rates importantly impact on tourism, the demographic picture is changing on both sides of the market, among tourists as well as among employees in tourism. This influences tourism routes, marketing, advertising and price policy require new operational procedures, including no-frills service not only in the airline but also in the hotel business."

"Changes in technology impact every area of tourism, health, transportation, energy-saving, engineering, sewerage, architecture, security, sales, distribution, promotion, information and hospitality," Mr. Feutré added. Increasing contribution of information and communication technologies can especially boost business tourism. "We should take into account that 'new technologies' are not only the Internet, but the satellites, broad-band, new sources of energy for transport, etc. A modern business traveller can now carry his whole office in his pocket, that is in his mobile phone," he said. "New technology is now  accessible to almost everybody, which gives a historic chance and challenge for the small and medium-size enterprises". A cutting-edge area in the field of technology is the educational role in terms of broadest impact and roles of technology, not only e-business, but also energy management and transportation.

The issue of safety and security should not be strictly limited to the threats of terrorism, but to the health and disease-prevention issues, to broaden tourism standards, the prevention of criminality and to the ease of obstacles for border crossing and visa facilitation. The latter may increase the user-unfriendly access that affect the shape and direction of global tourism. "Safety and security has become a new, however permanent issue in global tourism."

In such circumstances, the WTO more than ever has a task to underscore its proactive leadership role of highlighting the benefits of tourism through the public awareness campaign "Tourism Enriches" and the Tourism Satellite Accounts and promote tourism less as an industry, but as the most prospective economy at the global level, the Leaders concluded. The image of  tourism among consumers, investors and staff is especially vital in the light of barriers to tourism, in particular travel advisories, visas, availability of staff, economic means, lack of funding agencies, consumer protection and transport infrastructure.

Education in human resources should put emphasis on managerial skills. The policies should be backed by attitude formation, as tourism is a vulnerable industry that needs its values to be encouraged as well as the self-respect for the people working in it, participants pointed out.

"We also agreed," Mr. Feutré said, that "tourism has a historic opportunity in broad international action for the poverty alleviation, within the framework of the Millennium Development Goals, stressing the need for sustainable tourism development for an environmentally, culturally and socially responsible tourism."

The delegates concluded that the WTO should broaden cooperation and strengthen strategic alliances with other organizations both in the private and the public sectors, e.g. World Trade Organization, World Health Organization, United Nations Development Programme, International Labour Organization and UNESCO.

"The Leadership Forum of Advisers had a very fruitful meeting, which resulted in some concrete recommendations, which will undoubtedly shape the future actions of the WTO, for the benefits of its Members and the entire international tourism community," also said Antonio de la Morena, WTO Affiliate Members Chief Executive Officer, adding that "this important  conference would have not been possible without the full support and the outstanding hospitality of the regional Government of the Balearic Islands, and of the City of Palma de Mallorca as well as the cooperation of the Majorcan industry association. The Balearics are a successful tourist destination for twelve million people exceeding more than ten times the local population".

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