LAUNCH OF TOURISM AS "GLOBAL PEACE INDUSTRY" ATTRACTS INTERNATIONAL ROSTER OF MINISTERS OF TOURISM AND TRAVEL INDUSTRY LEADERS TO FIRST GLOBAL SUMMIT ON PEACE THROUGH TOURISM AMMAN, JORDAN, NOVEMBER 8 - 11, 2000 UNDER THE ROYAL PATRONAGE OF HIS MAJESTY KING ABDULLAH II

Tourism Ministers And Leaders Represent More Than 30 Countries

Including China, Cambodia, Switzerland, Croatia, Ghana and US

Ministers of Tourism and travel industry leaders from around the world will gather on November 8, 2000, in Amman, Jordan to launch tourism as a "Global Peace Industry." The occasion is the opening of the first Global Summit on Peace Through Tourism to be held under the Royal Patronage of King Abdullah II.

Organized by the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism (IIPT) and sponsored by American Express, the Summit will pay tribute to King Hussein's legacy of peace. This announcement was made today by Lou D'Amore, Founder and President, IIPT, at a special press conference held during the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) World Congress.

Leaders who have confirmed their attendance at this momentous event, represent some 30 countries from China to Switzerland, Ghana, Cambodia, Croatia and U.S. The Summit, with delegates expected to come from 70 countries, will serve as a demonstration of support by the world's largest industry for a continuation of the peace process in the Middle East and other regions of the world. Focus of the Summit will be: "Building a Culture of Peace through Tourism" in support of the UN International Year for the Culture of Peace.

Featured plenary speakers will include Harvey Golub, Chairman and CEO, American Express; Hon. Mary Robinson, Chairman, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Shimon Peres, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate; Jean Claude Baumgarten, President, World Travel & Tourism Council; Francesco Frangialli, Secretary General, World Tourism Organization; M.P. Bezbaruah, Chairman, Pacific Asia Travel Association and Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, India; Dr. Maritta-Koch-Weser, Director General, World Conservation Union; Hon. Michael Afedi Gizo, President, Africa Travel Association and Minister of Tourism, Ghana; Hon. Anwarul Karim Chowdhury, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations; Jean Louis Sarbib, Vice President World Bank Middle East and North Africa Region. H.E. Akel Biltaji, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is Master of Ceremonies; James M. Li, Executive Vice President, American Express and Chairman, MEMTTA Americas, Plenary Moderator; Louis J. D'Amore, Founder and President, IIPT, Summit Chair; and Dr. Noel Brown, President, Friends of the United Nations, Summit Secretary General.

Pre- Summit Activities

Pre-Summit activities will include a Ministers' Roundtable on the "Role of Governments in Building a Culture of Peace through Tourism"; the inaugural meeting of the IIPT Coalition of Partners for World Peace through Tourism as well as the inaugural meetings of IIPT's four international networks(Educators, Rural and Community, Spiritual and Indigenous; and a Regional Educators meeting.

"Open Space" will be provided for other groups wishing to meet around common interests.

The World Travel & Tourism Council will hold its Fall Executive Committee meeting, chaired by American Express' Harvey Golub, in conjunction with the Summit in Amman.

Summit Highlights

The Summit begins at 3:30 p.m. on November 8 with an Spiritual Gathering at Bethany Beyond the Jordan, site of Christ's baptism visited by Pope John Paul ll during his recent pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The Dead Sea will be the dramatic setting for the welcome reception the same evening, sponsored by Zara Investments and Movenpick Hotels & Resorts at the Movenpick's Dead Sea resort.

Opening ceremonies followed by the plenary sessions take place Thursday, November 9 at the Grand Hyatt Amman. The opening day lunch, sponsored by Air Harbour Technologies, is dedicated to the presentation of the first King Hussein Peace Awards, presented to the individual and to the organization with outstanding achievement in contribution to the vision of "Tourism as a Global Peace Industry." In the evening, a Reception and Gala Banquet, hosted by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, will showcase "Jordan, The Cradle of Civilization."

Concurrent Sessions on Thursday and Friday, will include "Bridging the Have and Have Not Regions of the World," "Healing the Wounds of Conflict," "Educating for a Culture of Peace through Tourism" and "Marketing and Development of Jordan and the Region."

A media forum luncheon focusing on "The Role of the Media in Creating a Culture of Peace," will feature prominent international print and broadcast journalists. Peter Greenberg, Travel Editor, NBC Today Show and the Travel Channel, panel moderator, will be joined by Richard Bangs, Editor-at-Large, Expedia; Keith Bellow, Editor in Chief, National Geographic Traveler; Graham Boynton, Travel Editor, The Daily Telegraph, Nicolla Hewitt, Producer, NBC Today Show and Rana Sabagh-Gargour, Editor in Chief, Jordan Times. Sir Ian Prosser, Chairman, Bass Plc, as luncheon sponsor will open the forum.

The Closing Plenary on Friday will feature an overview of Summit highlights and outcomes, and the launching of "Millennium Projects" by members of the IIPT Coalition of Partners for World Peace through Tourism.

Dedication of Global Peace Parks Project

At the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month of the New Millennium, a Global Peace Parks Project will be launched from Bethany Beyond the Jordan with the dedication of an international peace park. The grand finale of the week of "Peace Through Tourism" will be a benefit peace concert organized by Astar Tours. It will take place in Amman and be open to the public.

Summit sponsors, in addition to Title Sponsor, American Express, include Gold Sponsor, Air Harbour Technologies; Silver Sponsors, Archaeology Magazine, Bass Plc, International Traders, Movenpick, Reed Travel Exhibitions, Zara Investments; Bronze Sponsors, ASTA Agency Management, b-there.com, Leisure Travel News, Travel Counselor and Travel World News.

The IIPT is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fostering and facilitating tourism initiatives that contribute to international understanding and cooperation, an improved quality of environment, preservation of heritage, and a peaceful, sustainable world.

Royal Jordanian Airlines is the official air carrier for the Summit; Austrian Airlines is a cooperating carrier. Grand Hyatt Amman is the Summit Headquarter Hotel; other Summit Hotels include Amman Marriott Hotel, Radisson SAS Hotel Amman, and Amman Inter-Continental Hotel. International Traders, Amman, is providing Conference Management services.