November 2011
Issue

IIPT Founder Presented Visionary Award by International Council of Tourism Partners

Louis D'Amore, IIPTIIPT Founder and President Louis D’Amore was presented the International Council of Tourism Partners (ICTP) Visionary Award by ICTP President Geoffrey Lipman earlier this month at World Travel Market.

Mr. Lipman said: “I have known Louis for 30 years. He is a true visionary and works tirelessly to spread his vision around the world for peace through tourism. He is so richly deserving of this award.”

Louis D’Amore has been instrumental in promoting the travel and tourism industry as the world’s first “Global Peace Industry” since the founding of IIPT in 1986. His concept of peace includes peace within ourselves, peace with our neighbors in the global village, peace with nature, peace with future past generations by honoring the legacies, customs and traditions passed down to us, peace with future generations through sustainable development, and peace with our Creator.

His pioneering initiatives began in the mid-1970’s with the world’s first comprehensive study on the future of tourism which was conducted by his consulting firm, L. J. D’Amore & Associates for the Federal Government of Canada. That study also introduced for the first time social and environmental factors in tourism.

He continued as a futurist to the travel and tourism industry in Canada through the mid-1980’s during which time trends were indicating global issues such as increased tensions between East and West; a growing gap between have and have not regions of the world; an increasingly deteriorating environment, depleting resources, and species extinction; the peaking of terrorism; and signs of climate change. 

D’Amore was also forecasting that travel and tourism would become the world’s largest industry by the year 2000. Given these global issues and the growing socio-economic importance of tourism – he decided to transition his consulting firm into the International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) with the aim of harnessing the global presence and power of the industry to be a force for a peaceful and sustainable world.

IIPT was born in 1986, the UN International Year of Peace with a vision of travel and tourism becoming the world’s first global industry and the belief that every traveler is potentially an “Ambassador for Peace.”

 

By 1988, the First Global Conference: Tourism – A Vital Force for Peace was held in Vancouver with 800 delegates from 67 countries – a conference that turned out to be a transformative event for the travel and tourism industry – introducing a “Higher Purpose” of Tourism that includes the key role of travel and tourism in:

- Promoting international understanding and collaboration among peoples and nations

- Protecting the environment and preserving biodiversity

- Enhancing cultures and valuing heritage

- Sustainable development

- Poverty reduction, and

- Healing wounds of conflict through tourism, culture and sport.

 

This ‘Higher Purpose’ of tourism with its capacity to generate social, cultural, environmental, economic, and political benefits, is now broadly recognized and has gained acceptance at the highest levels.

The 1988 Global Conference introduced for the first time the concept of Sustainable Tourism Development – and in 1992/93 following the UN Conference on Environment and Development (Rio Summit), D’Amore developed the world’s first Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Sustainable Tourism for the Canadian tourism industry. He also conducted the world’s first international study on codes of conduct and best practice in Sustainable Tourism for the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

Since its founding in 1986, IIPT has organized conferences and summits in most regions of the world promoting and demonstrating the values of Peace and Sustainable Development through Tourism. The most recent conference in Lusaka, Zambia concluded with the Lusaka Declaration on Tourism and Climate Change. A book, Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change to Tourism, based on presentations from the conference and selected other authors, is about to be published. Its previous African Conference in Kampala, Uganda resulted in the world’s first tourism legislation in support of the UN Millennium Development Goals. The IIPT Credo of the Peaceful Traveler has been distributed to Travelers around the world.

 

WTM Banner
IIPT Panel at World Travel Market

Draws Overflow Attendance

 

The IIPT Panel at World Travel Market this year drew an overflow attendance of enthusiastic participants. The topic “Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change to Tourism” was clearly of interest to many of the attendees at World Travel Market.

 

The panel was moderated by IIPT President, Louis D’Amore and included the following international experts:  

Geoffrey Lipman FTS, Director, greenearth.travel; Advisor to Secretary-General UNWTO, and President ICTP (International Council of Tourism Partners). Geoffrey provided a global perspective on climate change and steps necessary at an international level to meet the challenge. 

Alain St. Ange, CEO, Seychelles Tourism Board shared the best practice experience of the Seychelles.

Dr. Murray Simpson, Co-Director and CEO, CARIBSAVE Partnership, and Oxford University Centre for the Environment outlined the collaborative initiatives of the world’s most dependent region on tourism, and

Max Haberstroh, International Tourism Consultant illuminated the need for green energy throughout the travel and tourism industry.

Geoffrey Lipman
Geoffrey Lipman

Alain St. Ange
Alain St. Ange
Dr. Murray Simpson
Dr. Murray Simpson
Mark Haberstroh
Max Haberstroh

Both the Seychelles and Caribbean region are heavily dependent on tourism – and both are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change including sea level rise, biodiversity loss, and impacts on human health. Members of the panel discussed how they have worked with stakeholders to address the impacts of climate change on the environment, economic development, tourism, and community livelihoods using holistic approaches to provide practical strategies and capacity building.  

This panel followed from the successful 5th IIPT African Conference on “Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change to Tourism in Africa and the Developing World” recently held in Lusaka, Zambia. The Lusaka Declaration was one of the outcomes of that Conference. Please click here to view a copy.


Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change to Tourism Book Announced at World Travel Market

 

IIPT Cover BookIIPT used the occasion of World Travel Market to announce the publication of Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change to Tourism.” The book is being published by IIPT together with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Livingstone International University of Tourism Excellence and Business Management (LIUTEBM).

The book is based on presentations made at the 5th IIPT African Conference in Lusaka, Zambia this past May with articles from selected other contributors. Industry officials, experts, practitioners and academics have come together to share their knowledge, experience, research and methods of best practice to address and adapt to effects of climate change.

The book consists of 42 articles organized into 7 chapters including Global Perspectives; National and Regional Perspectives; Success Stories regarding Destinations, Tour Operators and Accommodations; Creating Awareness; and Supportive Academic Research. Chapter 8 includes three Declarations on Climate Change including the Lusaka Declaration that resulted from the conference. 

The entire book can be accessed on line at: www.iipt.org/tourismbook.html

There is no cost to access the book but contributions to IIPT to offset costs are welcome.

IIPT Chapter Launched in

British Columbia, Canada

 

Fire WithinAn IIPT Chapter was launched in British Columbia, Canada earlier this month at the Sunplex recreational complex, Kelowna, British Columbia. Under the title of “Forecast 2012:  Forever Sunny and Green." The launch was organized by Silverado Socrates, who also attended the recent 5th IIPT African Conference in Lusaka, Zambia.

 

The launch showcased a video with the song “Discover Magic” from Kasama, Zambia, a remote village visited by Silverado following the Lusaka Conference. Dancers from the Mission Dance studios also performed during the launch followed by Kelowna youth and Silverado.  A country band, the Ktown Drifters, finished up the evening.  

 

The Chapter is well prepared for the start of 2012 with continued support from the Sunplex recreational complex and Mission Dance Studios, both of whom are looking forward to the event next year. The Chapter is also hopeful that they will be able to begin a youth and teacher exchange with Kasama, Zambia following the sharing of experiences via a pen pal program.

 

The song, ‘Discover Magic’ was written by Silverado with the intent of engaging other Okanagan Valley residents on the potential for “Peace through Tourism” after she learned about IIPT.  It was set to CD form the week before Silverado started out for the long journey to Lusaka for the 5th IIPT African Conference and shared with the youth of Kasama, Zambia with the intent of developing a musical exchange among youth between the countries.  

IIPT World Peace Tours

IIPT launched World Peace Travel in an effort to be a model of tourism that exemplifies the ideals, concepts and philosophies upon which IIPT was founded and toward the mission of promoting a “Culture of Peace through Tourism.” World Peace Travel is being spearheaded by IIPT board member Donald King.

The following peace tours will be offered in 2012:

  • The Gulf Experience: United Arab Emirates and Oman - January 31-February 10, 2012
  • The Wild Jordan Tour - March 6-16, 2012
  • Nabji Festival Trek & World Peace Tour to the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan - January 8-21, 2012
  • World Peace Tour: Tanzania - June 1-13, 2012
  • Are You Ready to Climb Mount Kilimanjaro? - February 18 and June 16, 2012
  • Discover Croatia 2012
    Click here to read more information and detailed itinerary

IIPT to Partner in Promotion of Olympic Truce

 

London 2012The International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) has agreed to partner with other major international organizations in a campaign to promote observance of the Olympic Truce (‘Ekechereia’) during the period of the 2012 London Olympic Games, 27 July to 12 August 2012. Click here to read more

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:
IIPT Website: www.iipt.org
Tel: (802) 253-8671
Fax: (802) 253-2645
Email: info@iipt.org

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