The World Tourism Network (WTN) chairman Juergen Steinmetz is calling on PATA, WTTC, IIPT, SKAL, ATB, and UNWTO to coordinate and come together and show a stand on the Gaza conflict.
According to Steinmetz, together global travel and tourism industry association leaders have a powerful voice in the world. Tourism is a multi-billion dollar industry and a mover and shaker if it can function collectively. Stakeholders of the sector are lost, and many are scared and uncertain. Most are looking for guidance.
Ajay Prakash, the president of the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism was the first leader in the travel industry to speak out on behalf of the global travel and tourism industry. On November 24, he spoke in response to a UN press release announcing the delivery of more aid into Gaza. This was on the first day of the humanitarian pause.
Ajay Prakash said: “On behalf of the global travel and tourism industry, one of the drivers of world peace, we also urge all parties to take this critical window and do everything possible to open this window wider and stop the suffering of humans.”
The World Tourism Network Chairman takes a stand on Gaza
On December 8, in response to the United States blocking a resolution in the Security Council at the United Nations, US Citizen Juergen Steinmetz, chairman of the World Tourism Network said:
I am deeply disappointed by the United States of America, and my government’s decision to VETO the seize fire resolution brought forward to the United Nations Security Council by the United Arab Emirates.
Supporting collective punishment in response to the terror attack by Hamas is not the way to go. As much as I sympathize with Israel on its anger and obligation to protect and defend its people, what we witness every day in Gaza is not a justifiable response.
I believe in our country and could not imagine this was a decision most decent and informed fellow Americans would support.
No one has a clear and currently realistic solution in this decade-long conflict, but this killing of children, and the suffering of innocent people in Gaza and Israel has to stop. The taking of hostages is an unspeakable crime – all of this has to stop now.
The taking of hostages in a conflict is a war crime and unacceptable.
We saw today, that almost the entire world is watching and agrees.
Antisemitic
“Also for the record, “Steinmetz added: “Criticism of Israel’s policy on this war is NOT ‘antisemitic.’ I have many Jewish friends, some in Israel, and they are my friends and always will be. I also have many Muslim friends, many living in the Arab world, some in Palestine- and they will also always be my friends.
PATA Takes a Stand on Gaza
On December 20, Peter Semone, the Chairman of PATA, the Pacific Asia Travel Association spoke out at a webinar organized by the Institute of Tourism.
According to a report published in the Travel Impact Newswire, Mr Peter Semone unleashed a blistering attack on the “ethnocentrism and extreme views” dominating the political discourse in his country. “America used to be a melting pot where anyone could succeed regardless of their place of birth, race, creed, religion, or ethnicity. The American Dream was something that many aspired to. Sadly, the America that I grew up in is changing rapidly.”
The PATA Chair said, “The current geopolitical unrest taking place across the globe is an existential threat to the travel and tourism industry. Without peace, there is no tourism. Think about it. If we as tourism leaders don’t speak out against wars such as the one taking place in Israel and Palestine, we will all be out of a job and we will have failed our respective constituencies and stakeholders.”
He added, “Some of the rhetoric propagated by politicians across the globe is toxic, disgraceful, and dangerous. It has the potential to put us on a collision course with the inherent dangers of racism and intolerance, which will instigate more war — much like what we are experiencing in the Middle East, Ukraine, and other corners of the globe today.”
Two former UNWTO Secretary-General take a stand on Gaza
Former UNWTO Secretary-General Dr. Taleb Rifai, who resides in Jordan and years ago was the minister of tourism in Jordan, said: “Recognizing the United States as a country that has championed “many good things” but now taken a “wrong attitude” on the current war. If we don’t discuss this openly we will never be able to achieve peace in the way we want to achieve it.”
Another former UNWTO Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli criticized former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the current PM Benyamin Netanyahu as anti-Arab/Muslim extremists in their role in the decades-long conflict.
Tourism and Peace
Former Global President of SKAL International Burcin Turkkan called for the media, especially the travel trade media, to publicize and reinforce the relationship between tourism and peace, to offset the overwhelmingly negative and divisive coverage in the mainstream TV channels and social media.
World Tourism Network calls on PATA, SKAL, ATB, UNWTO, IIPT, WTTC to join forces
World Tourism Network Chairman Juergen Steinmetz agreed with Burcin Turkkan and applauded Peter Semone, CEO of PATA.
Steinmetz reminded the World Tourism Network emerged out of the first discussion known as the Rebuilding Travel discussion after COVID became a problem for tourism back in March 2020. The first Rebuilding Travel discussion took place in Berlin on the sideline of a canceled ITB trade show and was co-sponsored by PATA.
“I agree tourism leaders have been too quiet about the travesty unfolding in Gaza and also in Ukraine. Association leaders are different from sales managers or company CEOs. Associations should speak out for their members. An association can say what perhaps a single CEO of a company would not be able to say.
“We at World Tourism Network are ready to engage in this important role for the travel and tourism industry. It’s no longer an option to remain silent in a situation that is directly affecting humanity and could hurt the bottom line of our sector tremendously.
“In many countries, tourism is the largest export. Collectively much of the world economy relies on the travel and tourism industry, and so do 10% of the global workforce.
“We invite PATA, WTTC, UNWTO, SKAL, IIPT, and other travel and tourism associations to engage in a coordinated discussion to guide our sector, specifically, the SMEs in our industry, we as WTN try to look out for, and that is the most vulnerable. “
