February 2011 Issue

5th IIPT African Conference Re-Scheduled

A major political conference has been scheduled for the week of 3 April, 2011, the originally scheduled dates of the 5th IIPT African Conference. This will occupy the major conference venues and hotels of Lusaka and require the participation of Zambia President Rupiah B. Banda and all Ministers. Accordingly, the 5th IIPT African Conference: "Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change to Tourism in Africa and the Developing World" has been re-scheduled in Lusaka, Zambia, on 15-20 May, 2011.

The Conference, being organized by IIPT in partnership with the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), and Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa (RETOSA) is being hosted by the Republic of Zambia Ministry of Tourism, Environment, and Natural Resources.

Livingstone International University of Tourism Excellence and Business Management (LIUTEBM) is the Conference Educational Partner. And the Zambia Ethno Tourism and Cultural Tourism Alliance (ZECUTA) is partner for the first ever Traditional Leaders Forum in Africa.

“Climate change is the pre-eminent geopolitical and economic issue of the 21st century. It rewrites the global equation for development, peace, and prosperity.” U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, 2009 Summit on Climate Change

Aim of 5th IIPT African Conference
The aim of the 5th IIPT African Conference is to showcase models of ‘best practice’ in mitigating and addressing the anticipated impacts of climate change to tourism in Africa.

Conference to Feature Leading Experts in Tourism and Climate Change
The Conference program will feature leading experts in tourism and climate change and award-winning practitioners in sustainable and responsible tourism. Presenters will include:

Thomas Steinmetz, Publisher, eTurboNews

Martha Honey, Ph.D, Director, Center for Responsible Travel (formerly CESD) / CREST

Sally King, World Heritage Visitor Manager, Jurassic Coast World Heritage Team

Brian Mullis, CEO, Sustainable Travel International

Susanne Becken, Faculty of Environment, Society and Design, Lincoln University

Ralf Buckley, International Centre for Ecotourism Research, Griffith University

Foppe J. Seekles, Ambassador General EUCC, Co-President Renaissance Group Europe

Marika Mann, Founder, Owner, and Executive Manager, Estonian Nature Tours

For more information on the conference program and to register, please click here.

Topics to be Addressed
• Sustainable Strategies and Practices from Diverse Regions
• Perspectives on Sustainable Accommodations
• The Human Dimension of Climate Change
• Preserving Bio-diversity for Future Generations
• Returns on Investment from Conservation Practices
• Strategies for Marketing and Tourism Investment
• Climate Change: Policy and Planning to Practice
• The Central Role of Parks and Wilderness Areas
• Traditional Approaches to Preserving Bio-diversity
• Multimedia Approaches to Promote Public Awareness
• Coastal Tourism Strategies and Water Management
• Mitigating the Driving Factors of Climate Change
• Forums for Responsible Travel and Tourism
• Setting Standards and Business Models for Sustainable Tourism

Participants
The 5th IIPT African Conference will bring together leading experts in tourism and climate change, Ministers of Tourism and the Environment, senior government officials, and executives from the diverse sectors of the industry; UN agencies, donor agencies, and NGOs; researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners; representatives of related sectors, including environment, culture, and sustainable economic development; and leading academics to share their knowledge and experience and research related to climate change response strategies, programs and actions in Africa and developing countries throughout the world.

Timeliness and Importance of Conference
The year 2010 ranked as the warmest on record, together with 1998 and 2005. The 10 warmest years on record have all occurred since 1998. Arctic sea-ice cover in December 2010 was the lowest on record. Last year also witnessed a large number of extreme weather events, including an extreme heat wave in Russia and devastating floods in Pakistan. This year has begun with extreme flooding in Sri Lanka, flash flooding near the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, and severe flooding in eastern Australia, expected to be the most costly natural disaster in Australia’s history.  

Although African and other developing nations are least responsible for climate change, they are particularly vulnerable to the effects, including reduced agricultural production, threats to food security, increased incidence of both drought and flooding, sea level rise, coastal erosion, coral bleaching, deforestation, loss of wildlife, reduced fresh water availability, spread of malaria and other disease, and an increased risk of conflict over scarce land and water resources.

Background 

In 2007, the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), jointly with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), with the support of the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Swiss Government, convened the Second International Conference on Climate Change and Tourism, in Davos, Switzerland, with the aim of responding to climate change imperatives in the tourism sector. The conference set out a range of specific policies and actions to be taken by all stakeholders in the tourism sector to immediately begin to establish and implement a long-range, carbon-neutral roadmap.

The 5th IIPT African Conference will seek to identify actual ‘on-the-ground’ progress since the 2007 Conference with case studies of ‘best practice’ from each of the developing regions of the world and from governments, destinations, industry sectors, NGOs, researchers and academics, and the media.

For more information and to register, please click here.

Pre-Conference Forums

The 5th The 5th IIPT African Conference will feature three full-day forums on the day proceeding the Conference: an Educators Forum, Student/Youth Leadership Forum, and, for the first time in Africa, a Traditional Leaders Forum.

First Ever Traditional Leaders Forum in Africa
This is the first time ever a forum of Traditional Leaders in Africa is being organized with the collaboration of the Zambia Ethno Tourism and Cultural Tourism Alliance (ZECUTA). Key speaker for this forum - His Royal Highness Senior Chief Mukuni of the Toka Leya people (tribe) - lives a short distance from Victoria Falls - called locally the Mosi-oa-Tunya, meaning "smoke that thunders."

Chief Mukuni has been a pioneer in the development of tourism that benefits the tribal peoples of Zambia.

Traditional Leaders from throughout Africa, the developing world, and other countries are invited. Traditional associations and/or cultural associations will also be welcome to attend.
Traditional Leaders wishing to make a presentation, and others interested in learning more about this new Traditional Leaders Forum, are invited to contact the President Mr. Joseph Zulu, Zambia Ethno Tourism and Cultural Tourism Alliance (ZECUTA) at Zecuta@yahoo.com.

Educators Forum
As with previous African Conferences, a full-day Educators Forum will be held bringing together educators from Africa and other regions of the world to share their ideas, research, and curricula on the Conference theme and to reach consensus on educational initiatives for collaboration. Educators are invited to submit abstracts of their proposed presentations to Dr. Ian Kelly, Coordinator of the IIPT International Educators Network: iankelly34@bigpond.com

Student/Youth Leadership Forum
Similarly, a full-day Student/Youth Leadership Forum will be held bringing together future leaders of the industry to share their ideas and vision for the future of sustainable tourism in Africa, and the theme of the Conference - and to propose initiatives to be taken by students and young leaders. Students and young leaders are invited to submit brief summaries of their proposed presentations to Nishit Charadva, Coordinator, IIPT International Student/Youth Leadership Network: iiptyouth@gmail.com

Click here to register for the conference.

IIPT Scholarship Award

IIPT will provide a US$ 1,500 scholarship award to the inter-disciplinary team of 3 to 5 university students who write the best paper on the theme of the Conference. Students must be enrolled in an African university, or university in a developing country from another region of the world. Deadline for submissions is April 15. The winners will be announced on April 22. Interested students are invited to contact Dr. Ian Kelly for essay guidelines: iankelly34@bigpond.com

Travel Industry Support for Haiti Continues

The situation in Haiti, one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world, continues to be one of desperation as the cholera epidemic becomes an increasing threat. Haitian and international health officials are focusing on preventing the spread of cholera as the number of fatalities and new cases of the disease continues to grow. Haiti's health ministry says 303 people have died in the outbreak and more than 4,700 people are now being treated for the illness.

The January 12th earthquake was the region’s most devastating earthquake in 200 years reducing much of its capital to rubble and a death toll in excess of 250,000 persons. Six months after the earthquake, only 28,000 of the 1.5 million Haitians displaced had moved into new homes. Hundreds of thousands of survivors of January's massive earthquake are living in crowded squalid camps.  

Amidst this chaos, the courageous efforts of travel related organizations such as IIPT Coalition Partners Airline Ambassadors International (AAI) and ‘Just a Drop’ continue. Airline Ambassadors, through their airline partners, have flown in 600 medical personnel and 3 million pounds of vitally needed food, water, and medical supplies. They have established a school to teach English, a sponsorship program to provide education for children orphaned by the earthquake, and two safe houses to protect children in danger of being trafficked. AAI continues to call for help in building two communities to house the homeless, and have identified hospitals, clinics, schools and orphanages that require assistance. In the words of AAI President Nancy Rivard, “Airline Ambassadors offers you a way to apply your unique interest and skills to actual world need. Join us on a humanitarian mission to Haiti and see what a difference your generosity can make to a child or family.”  For more information: http://www.airlineamb.org

One of the most desperate needs in Haiti is for potable water and sanitation. ‘Just a Drop’ is shortly sending one of its engineers to meet with relief agencies and local people to decide which essential projects the charity will be able to undertake. It will then work with construction teams to help rebuild the water and sanitation infrastructure and encourage displaced communities back to their homes and villages. “It is vital that support is ongoing so that the recovery process is sustained” said Fiona Jeffery, chairman of Just a Drop. “That way people can start taking charge of their own lives again through agriculture, employment and education. In doing so, their overall pride and sense of wellbeing will be gradually restored”. For more information: http://www.justadrop.org/page.cfm/link=130

Alison Wright, Travel Journalist and Documentary Photographer,  through her non profit – ‘Faces of Hope’ has fund raised for Haiti helping to supply tents to house displaced families. Alison seeks “To help children and their communities through grass roots help – in the spirit of giving and compassion. For more information: http://vimeo.com/15454669 and http://www.facesofhope.org/

Your generous support for the courageous work of these organizations is encouraged and greatly appreciated.

Join us on our World Peace Tours –
Where every traveler is an ‘Ambassador for Peace’

IIPT has recently launched a series of ‘World Peace Tours’ that have been crafted to reinforce IIPT’s dedication to “making Travel and Tourism the world’s first Global Peace Industry” and the belief “that every traveler is potentially an ‘Ambassador for Peace.’ The tours will introduce travelers to new cultures, new experiences, and new friendships while exemplifying IIPT’s ideals and values as expressed in the ‘IIPT Credo of the Peaceful Traveler.’ Each tour includes interactions with local persons to learn and share in their culture and traditions.

Travel Agents are welcome. All tours are commissionable. For more information please contact:
Louis D’Amore, Email: ljd@iipt.org or Don King, Email: travelking@swissmail.org

World Peace Tours:
An Unforgettable Journey to Tanzania
For many visitors, a safari to Africa is the trip of a lifetime but as with anything truly special it hinges on the connection you make, and with the people of Tanzania; that connection will remain in your memory forever. Their hospitality is bountiful and based on the concept that to experience peace you must extend peace to others. A thought that is evident as you travel throughout the countryside and further reinforced by the children’s smile. For more information please click here.

World Peace Tours:
Engage In the Ultimate African challenge For a Great Cause:
Mount Kilimanjaro 2011
With this grueling challenge not only are your efforts rewarded through the success of reaching the peak of the world’s tallest freestanding mountain, but your energy and dedication also helps the students of a local school situated in Tanzania’s Pare Mountains. The climb is a wonderful feat to check off the list of lifetime goals, but more importantly the aid the students receive provides them the true chance to change their entire lives. For more information please click here.

A  World Peace Tour and Festival in The Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan
Bhutan, a Himalayan jewel, tucked among some of the world’s highest mountains. With a diverse, protected and astonishingly beautiful environment, where life revolves around the daily practice of kindness, compassion and peace.  At the heart of The World Peace Tour is an opportunity to spend time with Bhutanese students from Thimphu’s Voluntary Artists Studio  and together renovate an ancient chorten (Buddhist Stupa). Together we’ll contribute a lasting gift for Bhutanese people in the spirit of peace. For more information please click here.

WORLD PEACE TOUR IN MOROCCO
Come to feel the real taste of the perfect synthesis between art, nature, history and humanity. An authentic and enriching experience of the strong sense of culture and history of Morocco  encompassing its ancient Roman civilization, Imperial towns of the Middle Ages, and ancient villages far from the tourist roads with opportunities to interact with the local population. For more information please click here.

The Gulf Experience - Emirates and Oman
A World Peace Tour
This is the essential Arabian Gulf experience…combining two of the most spectacular cities of the modern world—Dubai and Abu Dhabi—along with the mystical timelessness of Oman.  Experience the courtesy and hospitality that has been a tradition for centuries in a perfect winter climate as you visit the world’s tallest building and tallest hotel, ancient castles and forts, and one of the world’s largest Mosques. For more information please click here.

Cruise 4 Haiti
Join us on this exciting cruise 7 night cruise docking in Philipsburg, St Maarten, San Juan, Puerto Rico and Labadee, Haiti. In Labadee, Haiti participants will join For Haiti with Love, in bringing food and medical goods for those in need as well as Christmas gifts for orphaned children affected by the earthquake and enjoy a festive barbecue on the beach. For more information please click here