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This interview with Louis D’Amore took place in September 2006,
prior to the anniversary of 9/11. A series of reports that Mr. D’Amore published
in Canada’s Business Quarterly in the 1980s on the future of tourism
struck me as prescient discussions of the global issues we face today,
especially
in the context of our current volatile geopolitical climate. Our interview
followed from these reports. —Sherry Schwarz
Louis D’Amore, founder and president of the
Vermont-based International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT),
pioneered the development of social and environmental ethics within the travel
industry starting in the mid-1970s. Recognizing that tourism was both a
significant economic and potentially powerful social force, he set out to make
tourism the “World’s first Global Peace Industry.”
After a successful career running his Montreal-based consulting firm, L. J.
D’Amore & Associates—which had conducted the world’s first comprehensive study
on the future of tourism in 1976 and specialized in the development of
strategies in response to emerging markets, industry trends, and societal forces
affecting tourism—Mr. D’Amore began to question, “What’s possible when an entire
industry gets behind the idea of peace: peace within ourselves, peace with our
neighbors in the global village, and peace with nature?”
As part of his own transition and in response to major global issues of the
mid-1980s—the growing tensions between East and West, a deteriorating
environment and loss of biodiversity, the increasing gap of have and have-not
regions of the world, and the peaking of terrorism—Mr. D’Amore founded IIPT, a
not-for-profit U.N. affiliated NGO. The year was 1986, the U.N. International
Year of Peace.
IIPT believes that every traveler is potentially an “Ambassador for Peace.” It
is dedicated to fostering and facilitating tourism initiatives that contribute
to international understanding and cooperation, an improved quality of
environment, the preservation of heritage, and poverty reduction. Through these
initiatives, IIPT works toward fostering a peaceful, sustainable world.
Since its founding, IIPT has brought together global leaders from all sectors of
the travel and tourism industry (as well as the areas of culture, heritage,
environment, and development) in global summits, regional conferences, round
tables, and symposia. The themes of these events have ranged from: “Travel and
Tourism—Serving a Higher Purpose,” to “Building a Sustainable World through
Tourism,” to “Community Tourism—Gateway to Poverty Reduction.”
Summit outcomes have included the formation of a Coalition of Partners for World
Peace through Tourism with over 20 founding partners, each committed to a
millennium project that contributes to the vision of tourism as a “global peace
industry.”
IIPT achievements have also included drafting the world’s first Codes of
Ethics and Guidelines for Sustainable Tourism for the Canadian Tourism industry
following the 1992 Rio Summit; consulting with the U.N. to identify Codes of
Conduct for Tourism and the Environment; creating and distributing the IIPT
Credo of the Peaceful Traveler (see opposite page); identifying more than 600
“Success Stories” and “Models of Best Practices”; establishing a strategic
alliance with the world’s three largest youth travel organizations to promote
travel for international understanding and peace; and the launch of a Global
Peace Parks Project.
Noteworthy Peace Parks are in Pearl Harbor; Ndola, Zambia (at the site where
U.N. Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold went down while on a Peace Mission in
1961); Bagamoyo, Tanzania, a World Heritage site that was a center of the slave
trade in eastern Africa; and Victoria Falls. Each park contains a Bosco Sacro
(Sacred Grove) of “peace trees” and is graced with a plaque and peace pole
inscribed in four languages with “May Peace Prevail On Earth.”
To learn more about these initiatives, visit www.IIPT.org, where you will
also find resources for making the world a better place, occasional papers
presenting a range of views on the concept of peace through tourism, past
conference presentations, and an archive of IIPT newsletters (you can sign up
online to receive a free electronic version).
Organizations can join the IIPT Coalition of Partners for World Peace through
Tourism. The main criteria for membership is commitment to a millennium project.
A one-time contribution of $500 and an annual fee of $300 is also required for
organizations. Those interested can contact Louis D’Amore at
ljd@IIPT.org.
Individuals are strongly encouraged to participate in IIPT free of charge
through a number of programs. There are active U.S. chapters in the Northeast
(Contact: Diane Panasci, Diane@IIPT-NEUSA.org) and on the West Coast (Contact:
Mary Long, marylong@travelresourcenter.com). IIPT also has an increasing number
of international networks (Community Tourism, Cultural Tourism, Educators
Network, Spirituality in Tourism, and the Young Professionals Network), which
are open to all who are interested. There is no membership fee and contacts for
each network are available on the IIPT website. The IIPT Student Chapter
encourages membership among students of Tourism and Hospitality, as well as
other areas of study, in colleges and universities throughout the world (Contact:
Nishit Charadva atncharadva@yahoo.com).
IIPT’s next event, the 4th IIPT African Conference, will be held in Uganda in
2007 in partnership with the Africa Travel Association and Africa Wildlife
Foundation. It aspires to foster a broader awareness of the social, cultural,
environmental, and economic benefits of tourism; facilitate product development
and identify new markets and investment opportunities; and contribute to
reconciliation, peace, and the reduction of poverty on the African continent.
Mr. D’Amore wrote the following in a 1986 report entitled “International
Terrorism: Implications and Challenge for Global Tourism”:
“The world is more crowded and less stable socially, economically, politically,
and ecologically. Serious stresses in each of these dimensions are clearly
visible. Despite our unprecedented consumption of resources in the past quarter
century, nearly one-third of the world’s population are living in absolute
poverty; nearly one-half do not have access to basic health services; and more
than half a billion are seriously undernourished…These conditions create the
fertile breeding ground for terrorists. It is no surprise that most terrorists
are recruited from refugee camps where young people have no home, no work, and
no hope…Within this global context, more than $1 trillion was spent on weapons
and warfare in 1985. To this amount we are adding billions more in the “war on
terrorism” and for “security” against terrorists. This is more than $200 for
every man, woman and child in the world—the per capita income of most nations.
…”
Sherry Schwarz: Given the United States’
response to the attacks of 9/11, do you think we are once again missing the
opportunity to address the root causes of terrorism?
Louis D’Amore:
Yes, I do. World population in 1985 was 4.8 billion people.
Current world population, a mere 21 years later, is 6.6 billion. We have added
more people to the face of the earth in 21 years than in the entire history of
human kind to the year 1900—when the population was a mere 1.6 billion at the
start of the 20th century. We are more crowded by about 38 percent—with most of
these people born in the world’s developing countries, resulting in greater
numbers of unemployed persons living in poverty, and greater stresses on our
natural resources and life support systems, including forests and fisheries.
1985 was the height of the Cold War, and a period when President Reagan
substantially increased military spending, as did the Soviet Union. The world
continues to spend approximately $1 trillion on weapons and warfare with the
U.S. accounting for about half this total. There was much talk about a “Peace
Dividend” in the early 1990s following the fall of the Berlin Wall—funds that
might have been used in eliminating Third World debt, contributing to poverty
reduction, rehabilitating the environment, and developing alternative fuels. Had
we given some priority to these issues in the 1990s—a decade with unparalleled
prosperity—we might not be in our current situation.
In the days following 9/11, people around the world
identified with New York and Americans. Paraphrasing the words of John F.
Kennedy in Berlin—many would have said “Ich bin ein New Yorker.” We had
the opportunity to take the high ground and demonstrate the moral leadership of
the world’s greatest nation. There was international support for retaliating
against Afghanistan—but our rush into Iraq, without support of the U.N. and the
international community, has led to a tarnished image of the U.S. and its
policies. The conclusion of intelligence agencies, as reported in the media
these past few days, is that the Iraq War has led to a greater threat from
terrorism.
SS: How do you see tourism as a means for achieving
peace?
LD:
Tourism is a vehicle for the exchange of ideas; the learning and
appreciation of different cultures. It is a means for promoting a moral and
intellectual base for international understanding, respect and confidence; a
base for shared goals and aspirations. Tourism is also a means of contributing
to the sustained social and economic growth of developing countries in a manner
that is sensitive to a country’s social and cultural context.
Shortly after 9/11, in an address at Georgetown
University, President Bill Clinton said: “Don’t you think it’s interesting that
in the most modern of ages, the biggest problem is the oldest problem of human
society—the fear of the other, and how quickly fear leads to distrust, to
hatred, to dehumanization, and to death.”
Travel can be one-to-one citizen diplomacy in its best form and thereby shatter
the isolation and “fear of the other” to which President Clinton refers. Tourism
in its best form can serve as a means of dialogue at a personal level—it can be
a path to the oneness of humanity.
SS: The U.N. estimates that close to 90 percent of
current war casualties are civilians. What role might tourism play in helping
war-torn countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq to recover?
LD:
We might also add Palestine and Lebanon to your question.
Following the tsunami in Asia in 2004, there was a mass mobilization by
governments and civil society to assist the tsunami victims and to rebuild their
societies. Tourism organizations around the world were part of this effort.
These same measures can be put into effect following the conflict that has
occurred in Lebanon and Palestine, and they would include marketing and
promotional efforts to bring tourists back to both destinations once facilities,
infrastructure, and services are in place; for both these countries tourism is
the main engine of economic development.
For its part, IIPT is hosting a debate on “A
Strategic Tourism Industry Response to Socio-Economic Revitalization of the
Middle East” at the World Travel Market on the opening day, November 6. The
debate will feature travel and tourism industry leaders from Lebanon, Israel,
Palestine, Egypt, and Jordan. We are also exploring the possibility of having a
high level conference in the region.
The situation for Iraq and Afghanistan is significantly different. There must be
a cessation of fighting before tourism can play a role in their recovery. Iraq,
in particular, has enormous potential for tourism. It is arguably the Cradle of
Civilization, as the biblical “Garden of Eden” was located there. Iraq is also
the birthplace of Abraham, father of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The very
name “Iraq” means “Country with Deep Roots.”
SS: What more should we be doing to foster dialogue and
promote peace with Iran?
LD:
I am convinced that it was “Citizen Diplomacy” that was a major
factor in bringing an end to the Cold War—citizens from the U.S. and Europe
visiting the former Soviet Union and meeting their counterparts in dialogue and
Soviet citizens similarly coming to the U.S., while the political rhetoric was
shaped by terms such as “the evil empire,” much like today’s rhetoric of an
“axis of evil.” I have not had the privilege of traveling to Iran myself, but
persons I know who have traveled there speak of the friendliness and hospitality
of Iranians. Iranians I have met in the U.S. would certainly fit this
description.
Individuals might identify which U.S. cities have a sister city relationship
with a city in Iran and use this channel to learn more about the people,
culture, and interests of their counter-part city and their feelings regarding
the U.S. and Americans. If no sister city relationship exists, steps can be
taken to establish one. There are also numerous organizations that promote
cultural exchanges. “People to People International” (www.ptpi.org) is
one of the foremost organizations in this field. PTPI was founded in 1956 by
President Eisenhower, who said, “I have long believed, as have many before me,
that peaceful relations between nations requires understanding and mutual
respect between individuals.”
SS:
In “A Third Generation of Tourism Thinking” (1985) you
stated: “The three most serious threats facing humanity are the continued
build-up of military and nuclear arms and ongoing warfare in parts of the world;
the growing disparities between the poorest nations of the world and the world’s
affluent nations; and the continued desecration of our environment…A third
generation of tourism will acknowledge these global issues, and as the world’s
largest industry will set an example as the world’s most responsible industry.”
Although these threats are still with us, it seems the third generation of
tourism you referred to is emerging….
LD:
Each of these three threats is actually greater today than in
1985. Global warming has been found to be further advanced than originally
thought; the gap between have and have-not regions of the world has expanded;
and, in addition to conflicts within nations is the daily loss of life in Iraq
and Afghanistan—and the global threat of terrorism. More nations now have
nuclear arms, and there is a growing concern that they may fall in the hands of
terrorist groups.
The “Third Generation of Tourism Thinking” I wrote
about in 1985 stressed partnering among public, private sector, and NGOs/civil
society with linked objectives relating to local, national, and regional goals,
as well as societal objectives (e.g. social, cultural, educational, economic,
environmental). It also called for a new “statesmanship” of industry leaders in
a “Global Village” context.
Signs of a “Third Generation of Tourism Thinking” began to emerge in the 1990s
following the U.N. Rio Summit on Environment and Development in 1992, the
initial emphasis being on “Sustainable Tourism” and “Responsible Tourism.” Codes
of conduct and environmental guidelines were introduced beginning with the
Canadian Code of Ethics and guidelines for the GreenLeaf Program. The Prince of
Wales International Business Leaders Forum introduced “The International Hotel
Environment Initiative” (IHEI), bringing together about a dozen international
hotel chains, such as Marriott and InterContinental, to identify ways to
minimize their environmental impact.
With the new millennium, we began to see a growing emphasis on socio-economic
objectives as well as a continued emphasis on the environment. The IHEI recently
transitioned to the “Tourism Partnership” (www.tourismpartnership.org),
expanding its membership and giving attention to relevant socio-economic issues
in the communities where its members operate. “Pro Poor Tourism” was introduced
by the Department of Foreign Investment Development in the U.K., “Fair Trade in
Tourism” by Tourism Concern, and European Tour Operators came together to form
the “Tour Operators Initiative for Sustainable Tourism.” In the U.S., the Tour
Operators Association formed the “Tourism Cares for Tomorrow Foundation,” and
National Geographic introduced the concept of “Geotourism,” defined as: “Tourism
that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place—its environment,
heritage, aesthetics, culture, and the well-being of its residents.”
There are numerous projects that come close to achieving the Third Generation of
Tourism. One that is a favorite of mine is Taybet Zaman in Jordan. Taybet Zaman
was an abandoned village of approximately 110 homes. It was renovated in the
1990s to become a 5-star resort through public-private sector partnering,
providing training programs for the local villagers to accomplish all facets and
phases of the renovations and subsequent training for the resort’s ongoing
management and operation.
Taybet Zaman was transformed into a living museum, preserving each of the homes
by fashioning them into rooms, each with a unique décor, and shops where local
artisans work blowing glass, weaving, and designing crafts as they would have
150 years ago. The entire project is a model of social, cultural and
environmental sensitivity. It is a project I nominated in 1995 for the “Tourism
for Tomorrow Awards,” and which won both the regional and global award.
SS: You say that historians may well conclude: “Even
more seminal to human thinking than the Copernican Revolution was the vision the
first U.S. astronauts brought back from space of the earth as one living
organism,” which fostered such influential organizations as The Institute for
Noetic Sciences (www.noetic.org) and created a “heightened aware-ness of the
connectedness and mutual dependency among people on earth, a heightened
awareness of the relationship between humanity and the planet, and the need to
live in harmony with one another and our environment.” Please elaborate on this.
LD:
Once we accept the perspective of an organic and interconnected
world…we can begin to think in terms of a positive definition of peace. In this
context the Russian word for peace and its various meanings are illuminating.
The word is “mir,” which means: the universe, planet earth, the human
race, peace and tranquility, concord in relations between people and states,
freedom from war.
Throughout human history, our “mental map” of the rest of the world, and the
people of that world, has been constructed from behind borders—behind city
walls, behind political borders, or behind the mental borders of political
ideology and techno-cultural differences…World history provides many examples of
how closed societies are prone to suspicion, hostility, and armed conflict. It
is the separateness from other nations and cultures that creates the
psychological distance and mind-set conducive to nurturing fears and suspicions,
contributing subsequently to the potential for destructive conflict.
On World Tourism Day 2001, Pope John Paul II commented on the role that tourism
plays in this context: “Tourism puts us in touch with other ways of living,
other religions, and other perceptions of the world and its history. This helps
people to discover themselves and others, both as individuals and as communities
immersed in the vast history of humanity, heirs to and responsible for a
universe that is both familiar and strange. This generates a new vision of
others that frees us from the risk of remaining closed in on ourselves.”
SS:
When Transitions Abroad was founded 30 years ago, it was
seen as an “alternative” travel magazine, because of its non-mainstream focus on
educational, purposeful, responsible travel. Signs today suggest travelers are
increasingly interested in this type of travel. What difference might this shift
make?
LD:
The authentic experiences Transition Abroad readers seek
has been a growing and desirable trend in the tourism industry. It is through
such interactive personal encounters and cultural immersions that we can truly
come to know one another and to a realization that we are one Earth, one family.
Further, it is this type of local and community
tourism that can make a substantial contribution to poverty reduction. Tourism
is a diverse industry that provides economic opportunities that fit in with
other life-sustaining activities of the poor. Community-based tourism offers a
range of entrepreneurial opportunities for women, youth, and indigenous
populations and can often be realized precisely in areas that lack development.
Tourism can help diversify and strengthen the local economies by providing value
added linkages to sectors such as agriculture, fishing, and handicrafts. A
further advantage of tourism is that it is labor intensive, thereby creating
more jobs than most other industries while building on existing capital assets
of flora, fauna, scenic beauty, and cultural resources; and complementing the
main livelihood activities of the community.
SS: What role do you see tourism playing for a
critically and widely impoverished region such as Africa?
LD:
Tourism has a most important role to play in this context. Africa
faces many serious challenges and has the highest rate of population growth of
any world region. Compounding this, the average income per capita in sub-Saharan
Africa is lower now than at the end of the 1960s. The situation is particularly
acute for young people. Youth unemployment in many areas exceeds 80 percent—a
huge waste of Africa’s greatest resource.
Of the 50 least developed countries—40 of which are in Africa—tourism is the
largest source of foreign exchange for all but three, which are oil producing
nations. In many of these countries, tourism has become the major—or one of the
major—contributors to GDP. Further, development agencies, including the World
Bank, U.S. AID, and Africa Development Bank have recently discovered the
important role that tourism can play in contributing to the U.N. Development
Goal of halving poverty by 2015. The U.N. World Tourism Organization has
introduced the ST-EP Program (Sustainable Tourism—Eliminating Poverty).
African nations are rich in biodiversity and
cultural assets, which offer opportunities to important segments of the tourism
market for nature-based tourism, eco-tourism, cultural tourism, and community
tourism. Africa is also a favored destination for volunteer tourism, and there
is a growing desire among the more than 200 million persons who make up the
African diaspora to return to their roots. The World Travel and Tourism Council
forecasts that travel and tourism will account for more than 11 percent of GDP
in sub-Saharan Africa in the years ahead.
SS: What is the intention behind holding annual IIPT
African conferences, and why specifically is the 2007 conference in Uganda—a
country where The Lord’s Resistance Army waged a fierce war against the Ugandan
government and where human rights groups have been concerned about child
soldiers and sex slaves?
LD:
In 2001 IIPT began to give emphasis to the important role of
tourism in contributing to poverty reduction; as Africa is home to the majority
of the world’s least developed countries, it was a clear choice for IIPT’s
annual conferences.
Regarding Uganda, the truce that was recently
agreed upon with the Lord’s Resistance Army seems to be holding. So, it is an
opportune time to bring awareness to the key role that tourism can play not only
in poverty reduction, but also in “Healing the Wounds of Conflict,” which will
be a central focus of this conference.
If you take a look at the map of Africa you will see Uganda is in the center of
much of the conflict that has occurred in Africa. We hope to bring delegations
from its neighboring countries for a Ministerial Symposium on “Healing the
Wounds of Conflict through Tourism, Culture and Sport.” We will also hold a
“Traditional Leaders Forum” that will examine traditional methods of conflict
management and resolution. A further goal will be to create one or more
transborder Peace Parks in collaboration with the Africa Wildlife Foundation and
the World Conservation Union as a legacy of the conference. We are also
exploring possibilities for a medical mission of volunteer doctors and nurses to
bring medical supplies to northern Uganda. We welcome your readers as delegates
to the conference—and to take advantage of post-conference tours that will be
made available. n |