|
|
||||||||||
IIPT India Chapter Formed
The second most populous country in the world now has a Chapter of IIPT. IIPT India was recently incorporated as a not-for-profit organization and promises to be one of the most robust and active Chapters as IIPT commemorates its 25th anniversary year since its First Global Conference in Vancouver, Canada. The two Founding Directors, Ajay Prakash and Kiran Yadav each have over three decades of experience in the fields of aviation, tourism and management.
Commenting on the creation of IIPT’s newest Chapter, Louis D’Amore, President & Founder of IIPT said “We are most honored to have our most recently formed chapter in India and look forward to its leaders and members showing us the way of truth, light, love, freedom and ‘peace through tourism’ in the spirit and teachings of the great Mahatma Gandhi.”
Ajay Prakash – brief bio
As the Immediate Past President of TAFI (Travel Agents Federation of India) and ex Dy. Chairman of the WTAAA (World Travel Agents Association Alliance), Ajay has participated in various tourism industry meetings across the world including addressing the European Tourism Forum in Bordeaux. He frequently appears on Indian national television to comment and debate upon aviation and tourism issues.
A fervent kite enthusiast, he has attended many kite festivals in various countries and has organized international kite festivals like the Desert Kite Festival in Rajasthan, the Taj Kite Festival in Agra and the Goa Kite Carnival in India since 1997 with the theme “Speaking of One Sky One World.”
Speaking of IIPT India’s immediate plans Ajay says “Close to 65% of the Indian population is under 35 years of age. Given this demographic, our first priority is to engage with the youth of the country and motivate them to take up the cause of sustainable growth, poverty alleviation and peace through tourism.” IIPT India also plans to work closely with Skal India to promote cross border tourism and better people to people contact with neighbouring countries.
An Advisory Council is being constituted and will comprise educationists, industry leaders and senior bureaucrats in the Indian government.
Kiran Yadav – brief bio
Presently - Chairman & Managing Director of Success TryAngles (a unit of Livewire Training & Management Services Pvt Ltd) a company dedicated to Management Education and Corporate Training in the fields of aviation, banking, emergency care, travel & tourism.
He has over three decades of professional experience serving the aviation, education and travel & tourism industry in various capacities. He has been a board member of many international organisations. He is responsible for launching several business enterprises with a reputation for creating innovative services.
Kiran has also been involved since start–up with two National Travel & Tourism institutes in India:
Currently he devotes significant time engaging with many top management institutes as Honorary visiting faculty in promoting the spirit of entrepreneurship amongst the youth. His unconventional teaching style makes him a very popular mentor and sought after educator.
|
||||||||||
A Persian Journey: Special IIPT Tour to Iran Donald King, IIPT Ambassador at Large, and his wife Lynne will be escorting a special “Persian Journey”, a tour of Iran October 14-23. The tour will be offered as a “World Peace Tour” under the auspices of the International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT). An optional extension to Istanbul October 23-25 is also available.
IIPT Founder and President, Louis D’Amore added: “I am grateful for having experienced the warm hospitality, friendliness and welcoming spirit of the Iranian people – and their immensely rich cultural heritage. The timing of the tour this October could not be better as we have a historic opportunity to help build bridges of understanding across our respective cultures.” More information is available at this site: http://www.crossbridgetours.com/tours/iran/a-persian-journey/ Or call Donald at 855.344.4343
|
||||||||||
‘Green’ Travel is Here to Stay Concludes New Analysis by Center for Responsible Travel
WASHINGTON, DC— A new meta-analysis by the Center for Responsible Travel (CREST) finds “increasing recognition among both travel professionals and consumers of the importance of responsible travel” and concludes that “green travel is here to stay.” CREST’s new 2014 report, The Case for Responsible Travel: Trends and Statistics, updates the first edition which was published in January 2013.
The report examines a wide range of surveys and studies done in the past five years to assess consumer and industry commitment to responsible travel, that is, “travel that minimizes negative impacts, brings economic benefits to host communities, and preserves the cultural and natural resources of the destinations.” For instance, TripAdvisor surveys find that 79% of travelers globally “think that it’s important accommodation providers have eco-friendly practices” and 85% of U.S. hoteliers say they have green practices in place.
“CREST is once again encouraged to find demand for and commitment to socially and environmentally responsible travel remains strong,” says CREST Co-Director, Dr. Martha Honey. CREST’s findings coincide with continued growth of international tourism. Over the last year, both international tourist arrivals and tourism receipts grew, with the United States ranking #1 in tourism receipts and #2 in international arrivals, after France. According to the CREST analysis, tourism industry growth is being matched by growing interest in responsible travel among both leisure and business travelers, as well as travel businesses and tourism destinations.
Dr. Dirk Glaesser, Acting Director of the UN’s World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Sustainable Development of Tourism Programme, agrees: “With more than 1 billion people travelling the world each year, the case and demand for responsible tourism is bigger than ever, as both tourism stakeholders and tourists are becoming increasingly aware that the sector’s future depends on the preservation of what is essentially tourism’s own capital: pristine environments, cultural diversity and a thriving wildlife.”
Dr. Glaesser adds that UNWTO welcomes the new CREST study and emphasizes the importance of a responsible tourism sector for sustainable development worldwide: “As UN research has clearly shown, sustainably managed tourism has great potential to boost socio-economic development and job creation while simultaneously being a force for conservation of the world’s natural and cultural heritage.”
Hugh Riley, Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) noted, “More and more we’re seeing evidence that ‘being green’ has a growing public appeal. Discerning travelers around the world are seeking out vacation destinations that pay serious attention to preservation of the environment.
The CREST study is prepared in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Caribbean Tourism Organization, and eight other leading tourism organizations and institutions:
Excerpts from The Case for Responsible Travel: Trends and Statistics, 2014 Click here for the full report
A 2013 TripAdvisor.com survey of 1,300 U.S. travelers shows that nearly two-thirds “often” or “always” consider the environment when choosing hotels, transportation and meals.
“Concern about sustainability and the planet is top of mind for everybody. Over 98% of consumers in every market worldwide view themselves as environmentalists,” says James Canton, CEO, Institute for Global Futures, San Francisco.
A 2013 Travel Guard survey of travel agents concluded “green travel is here to stay.” The survey found “24% of those who responded noted that interest in green travel is currently the highest it's ever been in the last 10 years, and 51% reported that interest has remained constant throughout this time period.”
67% of U.S. consumers are now “looking for ‘greener’ products,” according to the 2012 study by MIT Sloan Management Review.
Ecotourism, nature, heritage, cultural and “soft adventure” tourism are predicted to grow rapidly over the next two decades and global spending on ecotourism is expected to increase at a higher rate than the tourism industry as a whole.
A 2013 Conference Board survey of over 120 multinational corporations in Europe and the US found that 73% identified “integrating sustainability into their corporate strategy as a top priority for their executive leadership team.”
72% of meeting planners say they have ‘green’ policies in place for at least some of their meetings, and 19% say they have such policies for all meetings, according to a 2013 survey of Successful Meetings readers. In addition, 73% of planners say sustainable policies and procedures have some or a great deal of influence on the hotel they choose.
|
||||||||||
The International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) proudly commemorated the 25th anniversary of its First Global Conference: Tourism – A Vital Force for Peace at this year’s ITB. The IIPT 25th anniversary event was in support of the “World War I Centenary” with its theme of “No More War”. Featured speakers included: Zoltan Somogyi, Executive Director, Programme & Coordination, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO); Thomas Steinmetz, Chairman, International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP), and Publisher, eTurbo News; Elke Dens, Marketing Director, Visit Flanders; Ivy Chee, Regional Director, East Asia, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA); Nigel Pilkington, Director, Public Relations & Communications, Skal International; Cordula Wohlmuther, UNWTO and Peace Centre at the University in Klagenfurt, Austria; and Mr. Sushil Ghimire, Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Tourism & Civil Aviation, Nepal and Chairman, Nepal Tourism Board. The event was moderated by Sandy Dhuyvetter, Executive Producer and Host, TravelTalkRADIO, BusinessTravelRADIO and TravelTalkTELEVISION. Speakers shared their perspectives on “Building a Culture of Peace through Tourism.”
IIPT 25th Anniversary Legacy Projects IIPT will continue its efforts in making travel and tourism the world’s first Global Peace Industry during its 25th Anniversary Year with a series of “Legacy Projects” . IIPT Consortium of Collaborating Universities (IIPT-CCU) Peace Tours Morocco and Iran IIPT/Skal Peace Towns and Villages
We are most proud to have Skal International as a Partner in this initiative with its more than 17,000 members in 408 cities thoughout 89 countries. Each Peace Town and Village agrees to be actively committed to promoting values of tolerance, non-violence, gender equality, human rights, youth empowerment, environmental integrity, and sustainable human, social and economic development. Our further goal is 2,000 IIPT/Skal Peace Towns and Villages by the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month 2018 in support of the “Great War” Centenary theme “No More War.” Executive Ambassador Program Skal Red Sea Chapter Conference
The tradition of the Olympic Truce dates back to the 9th century BC, in Ancient Greece. Since its revival in 1992, the Olympic Truce has a demonstrated history of helping to further dialogue and understanding — providing a valuable window of opportunity to work towards the peaceful resolution of conflict. The Olympic Truce once again calls upon humanity to lay down its weapons and to work towards building the foundations of peace, mutual respect, understanding and reconciliation. IIPT welcomes expressions of interest in any of the above programs as well as in our future conferences and summits. Please contact IIPT Founder and President Louis D’Amore, Email:ljd@iipt.org.
|
||||||||||
About IIPT The International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) is a not for profit organization dedicated to fostering travel and tourism initiatives that contribute to international understanding and cooperation, an improved quality of environment, the preservation of heritage, and poverty reduction; and through these initiatives, helping to bring about a peaceful and sustainable world. It is founded on a vision of the world’s largest industry, travel and tourism – becoming the world’s first global peace industry; and the belief that every traveler is potentially an “Ambassador for Peace.” For more information: |
||||||||||
|
eTurboNews
is
proud to be the sponsor for this IIPT
Newsletter |
Ajay brings 34 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry to his position as a founding Director of the India Chapter of IIPT. A graduate in History with a Masters in English Literature, he is the Chief Executive of Nomad Travels, Mumbai which he set up in 1988 after working for 8 years with Air India in the Commercial department. Nomad Travels specializes in corporate travel and custom designed leisure tours in India and overseas.
Kiran Yadav is an MBA from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, a premier institute of India.
Commenting on IIPT India’s creation, Kiran said “We deeply appreciate the help and support of IIPT Founder and President, Louis D’Amore and IIPT Chapter Coordinator Daphne Lowe Kelley extended to us in forming the India Chapter and we promise to make it one of the most active and vibrant Chapters of IIPT.”
The key cities on the itinerary are Shiraz, Isfahan, Kashan and Tehran. The itinerary will afford a special emphasis to the spiritual sites of Iran, as we examine sites related to Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, first President of Zambia, and Dr. Taleb Rifai participated in the re-dedication ceremony together with King Mukuni of the Leya People on whose land Victoria Falls is located – and other dignitaries. Here Dr. Kenneth Kaunda and Dr. Taleb Rifai are shown planting one of six olive trees brought from Bethany Beyond the Jordan, site of Christ’s baptism by His Excellency Akel Biltaji, representing His Majesty King Abdullah II. 
Olympic Truce Campaign