Travel News

WTTC Spotlight: Reviving U.S. Tourism post 9/11

CN: There are some tremendous opportunities. When you go around the world, there is a growing recognition of the importance of travel and tourism. In many of the emerging economies around the world, travel and tourism is a core staple of their economy. In the U.S. it’s a major component of the economy. But, in some emerging markets, it’s a much bigger proportion of the overall economy.

There are social issue in play. In a lot of emerging markets, travel and tourism are the entry level jobs to get the youth in line with developing life skills and works skills. Travel and tourism plays a huge role from an economic point of view and an employment point of view. Frankly, from my point of view, it’s most important in giving today’s youth around the world an employment opportunity, training opportunities and a line of sight that they have a future.

We have the largest youth population in any time of the world―1.3 billion. If you think of the social issues we have around the world, terrorism and all sorts of things, a lot of it is being driven with by youth population that is feeling a lack of opportunity. Dealing with youth eduction and youth vocation training is a critical component in giving that segment of the population a line of sight to a better future. Travel and tourism in emerging markets plays a huge role in that.

PG: When you think about it then you realize, WTTC, as opposed to just being a typical cheerleading or lobbying group is just trying to get people to understand the facts.

CN: The primary mission of WTTC is education. Part of education research. You have to be able to do the research to prove to people what you are educating them with? But it’s also engagement. It’s working with government around the world to educate them and work with them to open their borders and deal with the constraints of travel and tourism.

PG: The only time American really thinks that about travel and tourism is when there’s an ash cloud over Iceland and Mrs. Schmidlap can’t get home. But it’s not about Mrs. Schmidlap, it’s about the tons of flowers that are being dumped on the runway in Nairobi because they can’t get to market or the organs that can’t be flown to the person in need of a transplant. It’s about the system that doesn’t move, which is the only time you appreciate it.

CN: There is a fundamental belief in the Western World that travel and tourism is about taking a vacation. It’s about a lot more than taking a vacation. It’s a huge amount of the commercial base of most mature Western and maturing editors.

PG: Exactly, my challenge is to tell people that travel editor is not vacation editor.

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By Peter Greenberg for Peter Greenberg Worldwide

Image credit Mark Wexler