UNWTO a partner in 5th IIPT African Conference: Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change

WORLD TRAVEL MARKET, London – The International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) has announced its 5th IIPT African Conference at World Travel Market.

WORLD TRAVEL MARKET, London – The International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) has announced its 5th IIPT African Conference at World Travel Market. The conference is being hosted by the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources, Republic of Zambia.

Theme of the conference to be held in early April 2011 is:

Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change to Tourism in
Africa and the Developing World

In making the announcement, IIPT Founder and President Louis D’Amore said, “We are most honored that the UN World Tourism Organization has agreed to partner with us in this milestone event for the future of tourism and that UNWTO Secretary General Dr. Taleb Rifai will be with us as a featured keynote speaker on the Opening Day of the Conference.”

Climate change is a major threat to sustainable growth and development in Africa and the entire developing world. Although Africa and other developing nations are least responsible for climate change, they are particularly vulnerable to the effects. Impacts of climate change include increased incidence of both drought and flooding, desertification, sea level rise, reduced freshwater availability, decreasing fish resources, cyclones, coastal erosion, deforestation, loss of forest quality, woodland degradation, coral bleaching, the spread of malaria, and impacts on food security – all of which have an impact on tourism and achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals.

The 5th IIPT African Conference will bring together Ministers of Tourism and senior government officials, senior executives from the diverse sectors of the industry, senior representatives of UN Agencies, the World Bank, and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and leading academics to share their knowledge, experience, and research related to climate change response strategies, programs, and actions in developing countries throughout the world.
With the support of the Norwegian government and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Zambia has embarked on development of a comprehensive national climate change response strategy. Speaking during the official opening of the National Inception Workshop for the development of the strategy earlier this year, Hon. Catherine Namugala emphasized that “the process of formulating the national climate change response strategy will be based on a broad stakeholder consultation and active participation…”

IIPT welcomes suggestions regarding models of best practice from other developing countries, the private sector, and NGOs, and suggestions regarding academics who are doing ground-breaking research in the field of tourism and climate change. Please send your suggestions directly to Louis D’Amore, email: [email protected] .

Precise dates of the conference, to be held in early April 2011, will be announced in the days ahead.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR PEACE THROUGH TOURISM

IIPT is dedicated to fostering and facilitating tourism initiatives which contribute to international understanding and cooperation, an improved quality of environment, the preservation of heritage, poverty reduction, and the resolution of conflict – and through these initiatives, help bring about a more peaceful and sustainable world. IIPT is dedicated to mobilizing travel and tourism, the world’s largest industry, as the world’s first “Global Peace Industry,” an industry that promotes and supports the belief that “Every traveler is potentially an Ambassador for Peace.”

For more information on IIPT please visit website: www.iipt.org .

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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