PATA gets tough on climate change
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Dueto take place in Bangkok on April 29-30, 2008, it will be hosted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, and organised in association with theCentre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) and the Burba Hotel Network (BHN), andwill continue to be an annual event.
According to PATA President and CEO Mr Peter de Jong (pictured), the CEOChallenge will aim to create a single policy and action plan, fully engagingtourism ministers and heads of tourist boards, CEOs of airlines and airports,CEOs of leading international hotel groups, major tour operators and other keyindustry stakeholders.
The agenda will be focused, relevant andactionable. Decision-makers from the public and private sectors of the travelindustry will be challenged over a day and a half of interactive discussions toagree and commit to action.
Leading up to the CEOChallenge will be other significant conferences. UNWTO is convening the secondClimate Change and Tourism conference in Davos in early October this year, thenin November a tourism ministerial meeting will address the theme in London. Next year onApril 22-23, the airline community will convene its third Aviation andEnvironment Summit in Geneva.
“We strongly support these initiatives and intend to incorporate theirconclusions and recommendations into our CEO Challenge”, Mr de Jong said.
He added: “We cannot achieve a meaningful response to climate change byacting alone. No one can. No single organisation. No single sector. Only byworking together – as a united travel and tourism force – can we make adifference.”
Accor Asia Pacific Chairman Mr David Baffsky said the health of the world’senvironment is fundamental and climate is a crucial component to all sectors ofthe tourism industry.
“Our industry must not be marginalised so it is very important for CEOs toparticipate in the CEO Challenge on climate change,” he said. “Itwill facilitate the industry having a real voice and making a positivecontribution to a fully informed debate to allow a proper understanding of theimpact of our sector on our planet”, he added.
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