WTO
UNDERSCORES
LINKS
BETWEEN
TOURISM
AND
PEACE
IN
SOUTH
ASIA
LAHORE,
PAKISTAN,
18
April
2005
-
South
Asia
is
taking
off
with
unprecedented
growth
in
tourism.
"In
South
Asia,
it
is
the
season
for
tourism,
it
is
the
season
for
peace
and
above
all,
it
is
the
season
for
development",
said
Dr.
Dawid
De
Villiers,
WTO
Deputy
Secretary-General,
who
reflected
the
conclusions
of
the
three-day
annual
gathering
at
Lahore,
the
city
of
culture
of
Pakistan.
During
the
46th
meeting
of
the
WTO
Commission
for
South
Asia
and
asubsequent
international
conference
on
sustainable
tourism,
DeVilliershighly
praised
the
countries
in
the
region
for
their
achievements
made
inthe
tourism
industry.
The
international
conference
on
sustainable
tourismwith
particular
reference
to
poverty
alleviation
was
organized
under
the
joint
auspices
of
WTO
and
the
National
Foundation
for
Progress
of
Pakistan
in
collaboration
with
the
Ministry
of
Tourism
of
the
country.
Current
circumstances
in
South
Asia
are
very
conducive
to
the
development
of
tourism
in
the
region.
Peace
initiatives
are
materializing
between
India
and
Pakistan
with
bus
services
already
started
between
Lahore
and
Delhi
and
between
the
two
sides
of
the
Kashmir
area.
It
has
greatly
facilitated
family
visits
and
travel
for
special
purposes
such
as
sport-relatedactivities.
"Travel
is
the
language
of
peace.
Peace
is
the
basis
of
tourismand
tourism
also
helps
build
peace",
De
Villiers
stated
in
his
inauguralspeech
at
the
opening
of
the
meetings.
For
the
first
time
in
the
recenthistory
of
WTO
meetings,
an
Afghan
delegation
led
by
the
Minister
ofInformation
and
Culture,
Dr.
Sayed
Makhdoom
Raheem
was
present
at
the
three-day
gathering.
In
2004,
international
arrivals
reached
around
eight
million
with
anannual
growth
rate
of
as
high
as
20
per
cent.
The
region
achieved
animpressive
annual
average
of
6.5
per
cent
in
tourist
arrivals
between
1990and
2004,
though
still
lower
than
the
rate
of
growth
of
North-East
Asia
(8.5
per
cent).
Delegates,
while
deliberating
on
a
variety
of
issues
in
tourism,
felt
thatthe
region
is
now
in
a
stage
of
general
economic
health.
India
is
movingfast
in
the
right
direction
in
terms
of
government
support
to
tourism,infrastructure
improvements
and
successful
marketing
and
promotioninitiatives.
Having
made
its
success
in
the
Incredible
India
campaign,
thedestination
has
embarked
upon
another
exciting
promotional
scheme,presenting
India
as
a
land
of
soul
and
mind
and
enticing
visitors
with
the
idea
of
rejuvenation,
recharging
and
the
betterment
of
human
beings.
Pakistan,
for
the
first
time
in
history,
has
created
a
separate
ministry
oftourism,
which
has
sent
a
strong
and
clear
signal
that
the
Government
ispaying
more
attention
to
the
tourism
industry.
Under
the
dynamic
leadershipof
the
vice
president
of
the
country,
Iran
tourism
made
dramatic
advancessuch
as
visa
facilitation
and
a
sharp
increase
of
international
visits
tothe
country.
The
delegates
spoke
highly
of
the
success
stories
of
Maldivesand
Sri
Lanka
in
spite
of
the
difficulties
faced
by
them
in
the
aftermathof
the
tsunami
disaster.
The
WTO
meetings
concluded
on
13
April
2005.
Participants
returned
withfond
memories
of
the
hospitality
of
the
people
of
Pakistan
and
thefirst-class
monuments
such
as
the
Lahore
Fort.
The
delegates
are
extremelyconfident
that
tourism
in
South
Asia
is
now
in
a
historical
moment
and
will
indeed
take
off
this
time.
The
prospects
are
bright
for
tourism
and
countries
need
to
work
further
on
the
challenges
faced
to
the
industry
suchas
more
liberalization
of
air
transportation,
visa
facilitation,
positiveimage
building,
overall
tourism
policy
design
and
diversification
oftourism
markets
and
products.
For
further
information
please
contact:WTO
Press
and
Communications
Department
Tel.:
(34)
91-567-8191
/ Fax:
(34)
91-567-8218
Email:
comm@world-tourism.org
