The Summit, to be held shortly before the late King Hussein's birthday, will honor the monarch's legacy as a peacemaker in the Middle East and his commitment to expanding tourism to the region as a means of building a lasting peace. The world meeting is being organized by the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism (IIPT) and hosted by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, with American Express as Title Sponsor.

IIPT President, Lou D'Amore, stated that "Minister Peres is internationally recognized for his tireless efforts as an advocate and architect for peace in the Middle East. We are most pleased to have him participate in what will most certainly be a milestone event of the travel and tourism industry, highlighting its commitment to promote peace through tourism."

Harvey Golub, Chairman and CEO of American Express and Chairman of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), will deliver a keynote address at the Global Summit. Other speakers include H.E. Akel Biltaji, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Francesco Frangialli, Secretary General, World Tourism Organization (WTO), Maritta R. von Bieberstein Koch-Weser, Director General, The World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the Hon. Michael Afedi Gizo, Minister for Tourism, Republic of Ghana, and President, Africa Travel Association.

In announcing plans for the Global Summit, H.E. Akel Biltaji, Jordan’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, said that "Tourism today is one of the fastest growing industries worldwide, accounting for almost 30 percent of total world exports of service. Consider the positive impact travel and tourism can have on world peace and understanding. It has been said that travel is critical to one's education and life experience, an opportunity to calibrate imagination with reality. Now we have an opportunity to make it a part of the reality of peace. What a worthy challenge. Without peace, there can be no tourism. With peace, tourism will flourish. Tourism can foster appreciation of diversity, building lasting relationships based on mutual respect."

Louis D'Amore, founder and president of IIPT, said the Summit theme will be, "Building a Culture of Peace Through Tourism." He said the primary aims of the event were to demonstrate support of the world's largest industry for continuation of the peace process in the Middle East and other regions of the world; build global awareness for tourism as an engine for economic growth that helps establish a climate for peace; to launch a series of millennium projects focused on peace through tourism; and to lead an initiative in support of the United Nation's International Year for the Culture of Peace.

D'Amore acknowledged the full support of Reed Travel Exhibitions and the World Travel Market in launching the promotion of the Global Summit last November in London. Reed is also providing a media platform to promote the Summit at their travel events worldwide. "We invite others to join with us on this journey of peace through tourism," he said.

The Summit is endorsed by the World Travel and Tourism Council and the World Tourism Organization. Twenty prestigious international organizations have become founding members of a Coalition of Partners for World Peace Through Tourism. Among them are the Africa Travel Association, Caribbean Tourism Organization, European Travel Commission, International Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, International Federation of Women Travel Organizations, Middle East and Mediterranean Travel and Tourism Association, Society for the Advancement of Travel for the Handicapped, Society of Incentive Travel Executives, The International Tourism Exchange, Universal Federation of Travel Agents' Association and others. Each partner is committed to a Millennium Project that contributes to the vision of "Tourism as a Global Peace Industry." The projects will all be launched at the Global Summit.

Summit sponsors: Title Sponsor, American Express; Gold Sponsor, Air Harbour Technologies; Silver Sponsor, Reed Travel Exhibitions; Bronze Sponsors, b-there.com and Travel World News.

Royal Jordanian Airlines is the official air carrier for the Summit; Grand Hyatt Amman is the Summit Headquarter Hotel and International Traders, Amman, Conference Management Services.

The IIPT is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fostering and facilitating tourism initiatives that contribute to international understanding and cooperation, an improved quality of environment, preservation of heritage, and a peaceful, sustainable world.

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International Institute for Peace Through Tourism