30/12/2002
Building New Tourism is the theme of the World Travel & Tourism Council's (WTTC's) Third Global Travel & Tourism Summit, scheduled to take place from May 15-16, 2003 at Vilamoura, Portugal. Neil Armstrong - the first man to walk on the moon - has agreed to give the keynote address, heading an impressive list of speakers from the public and private sectors.
"There is an urgent need to broadcast a message of strength, unity and recovery for the Travel & Tourism industry, " said WTTC President, Jean-Claude Baumgarten, in announcing the Summit, "and this message needs to be coordinated and driven from within the global industry.
"WTTC Members, governments, international organizations and the media will share in the discussions about New Tourism, and they will play an integral role in shaping the future of our industry."
Opening speeches will be made by hosts Sir Ian Prosser, WTTC Chairman and also Chairman of Six Continents PLC, and Andre Jordan, Chairman of Lusotur SA.
- Participants on the panels and confirmed speakers to date are senior industry leaders:
- Paulo Neves, President, Algarve Tourist Board
- David Mongeau, Vice Chairman, CIBC World Markets
- Ramsey Mankarios, Kingdom Holding Group
- Edourado Ettedgui, Managing Director, Mandarin Hotels
- Paul Slattery, Director, Otus & Company,
- Bernard Frelat, President & CEO, Rail Europe
- Ron Stringfellow, Executive Chairman, Southern Sun Hotels
- Laurence Geller, Chairman & CEO, Strategic Hotel Capital
- Jean-Claude Baumgarten, President, WTTC
- Peter Yesawich, Managing Partner, Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell
The two days of Summit presentations and discussions will lead to the development of a new blueprint for the future of the industry. As the only global organization representing the private sector across all parts of the industry worldwide, WTTC is well placed to broadcast this message aimed at helping the industry meet the challenges of the future. The Vilamoura Declaration III will be officially signed at the conclusion of the Summit.
The Summit, which will follow WTTC's Annual General Meeting, provides a unique opportunity for all industry leaders to meet and network with government ministers and WTTC Members.
Sponsors already signed up for the event include Air Portugal, American Express Company, Insignia Hotels and Lusotur SA. Over 100 leading companies have agreed to support the event, These can be found on the website along with further information about the event, sponsorship opportunities and registration. The dedicated site is: www.globaltraveltourism.com
