CNN’s Quest challenges UNWTO Summit

LONDON – High-profile CNN TV presenter Richard Quest has made a slashing attack on an audience of government officials during a UNWTO Ministers’ Summit at World Travel Market.

He told them to cut through the talk, knuckle down to action and to lead by example in the war against carbon emissions.

Quest, 45, was in firebrand form at ExCeL as ministers from more than 60 countries prepared to endorse the Davos Declaration on climate change.

He asked them provocatively: How many of you have a car waiting for you? How many have requested your hotel NOT to change your sheets and towels tonight?

How many of you travelled here economy class? He followed up: “The business class seat is the most environmentally unfriendly on the aircraft. It takes more space, has greater weight and higher fuel burn.”

Quest continued: “I have read the Davos Declaration in detail. I am none the wiser about what’s going to be done.”

Quest complained that the document was hollow until fleshed out to concrete, perceptive changes that stakeholders in the industry adhere to and which tourists, business and leisure, can follow.

He called for programmes and policies that governments can promote – not wordage and verbiage.

“I suggest and respectfully submit that more work needs to be done on changing the mindset rather than producing pamphlets of fine sounding language.

“I consider myself as involved in the industry and it’s my part, as well, to use the same sheets, to fly at the back if I can, not always, but sometimes. Not to have cars sitting waiting for me burning fossil fuels.

“But, ultimately, we have to change the mindset of the tourist, whether it is the business traveller or the vacationer. We are in this sinking boat together and we need to offer them realistic possibilities and procedures to help bale us out of it. “

Quest’s criticisms honed in on the reluctance to make changes. He believes that there is a problem with perception that goes from the top of the tourism industry to its grass roots.

He said: “First of all, there is the extent, the depth, the range, the entire panoply of industries and people that are in tourism in its widest context. The reality is that many do not perceive themselves as being involved.

“If you are a flight attendant or, maybe, you are working in a hotel, you can see the direct lineage between what you do and the tourism industry overall.

“But since we take, as a conservative number, 10 percent of the world’s population as being in the industry in some shape or form, you begin to see the ripple effect.

“When it comes to travel and leisure tourism, nobody wants to make a change. The tourist is spending hard-earned cash on their precious two-week holiday and there is reluctance – a Not on My Vacation.”

The Davos Declaration will be further examined at United Nations sessions in Colombia and Bali this month and in December.