April
10-12, 2006,
Washington, DC.
WORLD
TRAVEL & TOURISM
COUNCIL ANNOUNCES
AGENDA FOR 2006
GLOBAL SUMMIT AND
CONFERENCE
THEME
"OPEN
MIND, OPEN
WORLD"
CEOs,
industry leaders,
government officials
and foreign leaders
to convene in
April
WASHINGTON:
The World Travel
& Tourism Council
(WTTC) announced the
agenda for its
prestigious 6 th
Global Travel &
Tourism Summit.
Speaking during a
press conference,
WTTC Chairman Vincent
Wolfington said, "The
United States is the
world's largest
single travel and
tourism economy,
making it a fitting
place for us to frame
the most significant
issues facing our
industry." WTTC
President Jean-Claude
Baumgarten added,
"Our site choice was
quite deliberate, and
we are delighted to
be welcomed
here."
The
annual gathering of
the CEO-level group
will take place April
10&endash;12, 2006,
at the Washington
Convention Center .
This year's theme,
"Open Mind, Open
World" conveys the
need to encourage
cultural exchange, to
promote better
understanding between
nations, and to
bolster economies
through increased
business and leisure
travel. The summit's
agenda will reflect
topical issues
surrounding travel,
and the far-reaching
economic impact the
travel and tourism
industry has on a
wide range of
business
sectors.
Baumgarten
noted that although
the global travel and
tourism industry last
year generated more
than 10 percent of
the global GDP, its
collective heft and
impact are not widely
understood.
Therefore, he said,
the influential WTTC
is holding six
sessions across three
days to generate
discussion between
industry leaders,
government officials,
and the media. Topics
range from the
effects of aging
populations to the
promises of new
technology, and the
challenges of travel
in a post-Sept. 11
world. [Agenda
and session summaries
attached.] "Our
industry created more
than 200 million jobs
last year," said
Baumgarten. "We
affect economies and
lives in thousands of
ways. Our industry is
truly a force for
social change and
sustainable
development."
Washington
Mayor Anthony A.
Williams and Greek
Tourism Minister,
Dimitris
Avramopoulos, joined
Baumgarten for the
announcement
today.
WTTC
leaders and industry
executives who
participated
include:
·
Vincent Wolfington
&emdash; Chairman,
World Travel &
Tourism Council and
Chairman Emeritus,
Carey
International
http://www.globaltraveltourism.com/