The World Travel and Tourism Council will have a greater and more radical role to play in the future, according to its new president and chief executive officer David Scowsill, with the aim of making international governments aware of the importance of tourism.
Talking about tackling his new role, he said: “I believe we can play an even bigger part in ensuring that the governments of the world realise how important tourism is to the global economy.
“The last summit that we held in Beijing offered a number of breakthroughs not least of which was the way the Chinese government have set out a ten year fully integrated plan for tourism that incorporates all levels of the economy.
“I believe that India will be the next major economy to implement a comprehensive strategy. I also believe that the WTTC have been instrumental in helping in both situations."
The WTTC aims to become an umbrella organisation for tourism strategies throughout the world, ensuring that the public and private sectors work together for economic benefit.
Scowsill said he thought that within the UK there is a more fractured situation with little leadership or comprehensive strategy and the same applies for the US.
“APD is a good example of where the public and private sectors are at odds. The same could be said of visa regulations which make the easy movement of tourists virtually impossible and stands out as a non-cohesive policy.”
The former Opodo CEO, private equity partner and airline executive is now preparing for the 2011 congress in Las Vegas in May and foresees a productive time ahead.
He added: “I think that, come the end of the Las Vegas conference, we will be able to set out deliverables that will recognise some of the fast growing tourism enterprises that perhaps we have not been involved with in the past. This in turn will hopefully allow us to engage a wider audience and from that draw greater strength and influence.”
The congress takes place May 17-19.
by Graham McKenzie and Dinah Hatch
