On the other side of World travel market at London where healthy attempt was made by a South Asia panel of International Institute of Peace through Tourism where leaders of both public and private sector tourism industry were given an opportunity to perform their interest as per their regards.
As IPT which is a non profit organisation based after it’s founding in 1986 has look forward and has call all the leaders from various sectors like travel tourism and culture and environment development. After its initiation a global summit continuous holds the meetings, session and round table conference which has provided a base of first the First Global Summit on Peace through Tourism held in Amman, Jordan, November 2000 and since then it has continued it task of holding seminar and meetings in various part of the world to promote its aim if developing peace through tourism.
Michael Stolowitzky, President of American Tourism Society, who moderated a special session at this year’s WTM, witnessed a mass numbers of public and dignitaries who were eager to hear the words of encouragement.
The panel included Thuji D Nadik, Acting Director General, Tourism Council of Bhutan; Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Minister of Tourism, Government of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), India; Sushil Ghimire, Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Tourism & Civil Aviation, Nepal, who along with Zia Haider Rizvi, Skal Pakistan, and Chairman, Scandia Limited and our own Carl Vaz, Skal India, and Chairman & CEO of Charson Advisory Services Pvt Ltd., who spoke on the issue.Beside that there were other dignitaries like Louis J D’Amore, who is a founder of an organisation whose aim is to develop tourism as a peace industry.
As the WTM seminar is of strict followers of time and a late arrival J&K Minister has really led the code of conduct begging a doors of wisdom.
Mir in his turn emphasized on the impeccable links between societies and talked about sustainable tourism in Kashmir.
With the statistics and numbers shown in a videos input which reflected a glory of Ladakh Himalayas pulled a chair of Minister and asked them to learn a lesson from a tourism Industry. He further added by giving emphasis to Silk route project and called for a need of Experts he accessed by showing a government desire to collaborate with UNWTOs and addressed a sustainable tourism.
As the minister was rewarded with an award of Ambassador of Peace for South Asia as well by the organisation while Ghimire in his turn spoke about benefits of tourism and also made it clear that Nepal government are looking to fill a benefit for all.
He further added by pointing a source of water that runs deep into a Himalayas of Nepal and stressed on environmental responsibility and also stated a measures of government taken and undergoing to save the sea level. Thuji D Nadik from Bhutan emphasised on collaboration and confessed regarding sustainability issues and bridging collaboration he further added by commenting on a real absence of joint strategy for marketing tourism among the SAARC nations.
Nadik further appealed a government to create a solution related with Visas and asked private sector leaders to derive plans rather than waiting for government. He called for more private sector participation however Stolowitsky cautioned that unfortunately the fact was the private sector wasn’t too committed to the principles of sustainability.
Rizvi in his turn complaint about dismal interaction between people in these parts he suggested group tourism as a manual effort and ask for an interaction between people and commercial sector.
Mok Singh, Immediate Past President, Skal International joined in for a brief statement about the theme and reiterated his commitment and belief to the cause.
The moment was addressed and entertained by , award winning singer-song writer, Alston Koch walked up near the podium and sang along with the recorded version of the song’ and video.
Vaz in his side preached about immediate and regular meetings between India and Pakistan business delegations, especially in the tourism sector. He sum up by giving impetus to realistic approach rather than sentimental sides.Ref:
http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/tourism-through-peace-its-not-just-a-pipe-dream-22393