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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE AFRICA TRAVEL ASSOCIATION HON. ZAKIA HAMDANI MEGHJI, MP MINISTER OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND TOURISM UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA Dear ATA Delegates and Invited Guests: Africa Travel Association is meeting at a very propitious time in the travel industry. When other travel industry meetings have been postponed because of unstable global events such as war and the economy, ATA, its country members and travel industry partners from North America, are holding our annual marketing congress in Africa as scheduled. In fact, ATA has forged on in the post 9/11 era, and successfully held all our scheduled ATA events: Yaounde, Cameroon; Conakry, Guinee; Fes, Morocco; and now, ATAís first-ever two venue Congress, Lusaka and Livingstone, Zambia. We are all here because we are optimistic about the future of global travel in general, and more specifically, to the continent of Africa. We have good reasons for this optimism. ATA's member countries, representing most of Africa's major tourism destinations, are recognized by the more sophisticated traveler as among the world's most safe and stable countries to visit at this time. Another reason was best expressed by a recent Fodor survey taken in March at the peak of the Iraq war. It suggested that 76% of Americans will continue with their travel plans despite the war. This was no less true about travel to Africa. Even before the war ended, North American ñbased tour operators had reported few cancellations and were reporting good bookings for the summer season. In the past several weeks, some reported a surge of pent-up travel demand to Africa. We at ATA, can take some credit for the work that we have done in educating our American ñ based travel industry partner members, so that they can in turn, be more knowledgeable and confident about selling Africa: first as a safe destination, even in time of global instability; second as a continent rich in history, culture, natural wonders and wildlife; third, as an affordable vacation experience enhanced by the strong US Dollar found in many African countries, while at the same time the worldís true luxury destination. Africa is home to some of the worldís most famous luxury hotels, resorts and tented bush camps. Since word of mouth is the best promotion, we hope that each and everyone of you will take the time to explore Zambia and its neighboring countries - and tell your clients back home that the most peaceful and tranquil, yet exciting and diverse travel destinations are right here on the Continent of Africa. I wish you all a fruitful and successful Congress and a "Safari Njema."   Hon. Zakia Hamdani Meghji, M