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3rd
Africa Peace Through Tourism Conference,
Zambia,
Feb. 2005 Zambia
Story |
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LOUIS J.
D'AMORE World travel
market takes place each year at the same time that
people in England and many other parts of the world
are commemorating remembrance day. Each year, as we
come into London we can see veterans solemnly
honoring their fallen brethren from past wars.
Remembrance day this year is particularly poignant
as we are honoring fallen brothers and sisters of a
current war. A war that shows no sign of an end in
sight. A war where
civilian casualties far out number military
casualties. A war that holds
the future of a proud people and civilization
hostage. We commemorate
the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month as
it was on that day, exactly 84 years ago, that the
treaty of Versailles was signed ending hostilities
of World War I. When Lloyd George announced the
armistice in the House of Commons here in London
&endash; he did so stating "that thus, this fateful
morning, came to an end all wars." And yet, nearly a
century later, in a talk at Georgetown University,
former President Bill Clinton said: "Don't you think
its 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
&endash; to hatred &endash; to dehumanization
&endash; to death." Speaking at
roughly the same time, on World Tourism Day last
year, Pope John Paul II, almost in direct response
to Clinton's statement said: "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
communities, immersed in the vast history of
humanity, heirs to and responsible for, a world
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." We are at a
critical cross roads in history; a time when it is
more important than ever before that we fulfill
this vital function and role of the travel and
tourism industry &endash; a role that only travel
and tourism industry can perform. It is time
to mobilize a new visionary leadership within the
travel and tourism industry &endash; an industry
that we all boast is the world's largest
industry. As the world's
largest industry, travel and tourism represents a
powerful social, cultural and economic force. And
with this comes a responsibility. A responsibility
that the leadership shaping this powerful force be
exercised with courage and wisdom, so that the
enormous social, cultural and economic power that
this industry represents be harnessed for the
benefit of all human kind &endash; toward a just
and equitable world - where all are fed, have
shelter, and hope for the ancient vision people of
all faiths pray for &endash; peace on earth, good
will towards men. The men and women
who have joined with us on stage this morning are
primary examples of this new visionary leadership
&endash; and there are many others. What remains is
that we link arms together to become a global force
for "World Peace through World tourism" There are already
many travelers as well who are leading the way by
example. A recent time survey found that 93% of
Americans would like to make a
difference. And indeed, this
has been reflected in travel statistics. There is a
new wave of what can best be called "Volunteer
Tourism." Volunteer tourism has doubled since 9-11
&endash; and will likely double again over the next
few years. Volunteers are
coming together in areas of need to help build
housing &endash; to build community centers
&endash;medical and dental centers &endash; schools
and libraries &endash; to deliver medical supplies
and services. One person I met just a week ago
organizes 200 medical missions a year from 70
medical schools in the U.S. Volunteers are
responding with compassion, care, and clothing to
people ravaged by earthquakes and floods; and
visiting orphans &endash; victims of aids &endash;
refugees and innocent victims of
conflict. What these
volunteers are discovering is that they are having
the most meaningful, satisfying and rewarding
experiences of their lives. They are discovering as
Gandhi has said. and Tolstoy before him &endash;
that "life finds meaning in service to
others." Referring back to
that same speech by former President Bill Clinton
at Georgetown University &endash; he also
said: "We have seen how
abject poverty accelerates conflict. How it creates
recruits for terrorists and those who incite ethnic
and religious hatred. How it fuels a violent
rejection of the economic and social order on which
our future depends." The Second IIPT
African Conference on Peace through Tourism will
focus on this issue with the theme: Community
Tourism &endash; Gateway to Poverty
Reduction The Conference
will include an Investors Forum, an Educators
Forum, and a Youth Leadership Forum. A special
effort is being made to identify an "Africa 100"
&endash; 100 young
people who show promise of becoming future leaders
of the African travel and Tourism industry. The
"Africa 100" will participate in both the youth
leadership forum and conference. A central feature
of the conference will be a Government &endash;
Industry &endash; Donor &endash; NGO roundtable
with a goal of reaching consensus on a
collaborative strategy to harness travel and
tourism as a leading force for poverty
reduction. Your assistance
in helping us to promote this conference would be
greatly appreciated. Next year, 2004
&endash; will be the 10th anniversary of the U.N.
International Year of the Family. When you think
about it &endash; we are in a kind of "global
family reunion business" &endash; serving persons
who are interested in learning more about other
members of the global family, their land, their
history, and their culture. As you prepare your
company's plans for the coming year you might
consider: How your
marketing message might reflect the reality that we
are one global family &endash; sharing a common
home &endash; planet earth. You might
consider: Initiatives that
promote cross-cultural understanding, the
preservation of heritage and world
monuments. Initiatives that
contribute to: - poverty
reduction - healing of the
wounds of conflict, and - support for
volunteers who are contributing their time and
energy to help build a better world. Through travel,
people are discovering one another and the beauty
of all God's creation, and in the process &endash;
they are discovering themselves. By creatively
nurturing this act of discovery, the travel and
tourism industry is truly becoming the world's
first global peace industry &endash; an industry
that promotes and supports the belief that every
traveler is potentially an ambassador for
peace. Thank you and god
bless you all The
Zambia Success Story
... Zambia
hosts the 3rd Africa ATA IIPT Peace Thrugh Tourism
Conference in February 2005. Africa Travel
Association's Prestige Magazine to publish a "GRAND
TOUR "OF ZAMBIA" edition, with year-round,
long-term worldwide
distribution! We
made so many lasting friendships during our
month-long stay in Zambia, we've become lifetime
ambassadors, eager to spread the good news at every
opportunity. Example: Africa Travel Magazine's
Zambia Congress edition, with Victoria Falls on the
front cover, is getting prime circulation in North
America, Africa and beyond. A huge opportunity
occurred in August, when the Zambia Edition was
inserted as part of Africa Travel Magazine's
“SADC 14-Nation Heads of State Summit”
Issue -- the official magazine for all delegates at
the SADC Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. In
November 2003, it is official magazine for the
African Wildlife Foundation Symposium in
Washington, DC sponsored by the Corporate
Council on Africa
(CCA). These are just a few of the ways, ATA
benefits its host countries and advertisers by
extending the reach, influence and prestige of the
magazine. What else? AfricaTravel Magazine has a
booth at the "Adventures in Travel Expo" in New
York (America's biggest, most influential travel
market) January 9-11. Mighty
Mosi-O-Tunya, " the smoke that thunders," was an
awesome sight, and our travels on the Zambezi river
beyond Victoria Falls by canoe safari, motor
launch, car ferries and the African Queen, left an
impression we will remember vividly and talk about
for years. One factor that stood out in my mind
immediately, was the wide selection of quality
operators, representing wilderness camps, lodges
and game reserves throughout the land, once known
as Northern Rhodesia. Thanks to the Zambia National
Tourism Office, we had the opportunity of visiting
several camps and game lodges, with such musical
names as Chaminuka, Protea, Mfuwe, Kanyemba and
Chiawa. The ATA 28th
International Congress was a Double Header - or
what American humorist Al Capp would have called a
"Double Whammy" in terms of excitement,
anticipation, enthusiasm, networking opportunities
and the magic of serendipity! Zambia's
outstanding success as a host country has laid a
firm foundation for future marketing achievements
across North America and beyond.
Both Lusaka and
Livingstone lived up to their advance billing as
host cities by way of hospitality, attractions,
location and guest facilities. The
Zambia National Tourist Office operated as true
professionals, from their pre event tour of the
USA, to the day we said good-bye at Lusaka
International Airport. This
week's mail included a "good news" letter from
Alexis and Maria at Alendo Travel
Tours and Car Hire
in Lusaka. Following our trip throughout Zambia, by
coincidence we left the Lusaka International
Airport on the same aircraft, as they were off for
a trip to Australia. We just received news about a
new baby girl in their household. More
late news: Chris Wood of Maplanga, the
Wilderness Camp Operators, has just relaunched his
company's website http://www.maplanga.co.za
. Their new e-mail address is mapad@cybertrade.co.za
.
webTel/Fax: 011 794 1446. For starters,
Africa Travel Magazine has showcased Zambia Tourism
in its prestigious 14-Nation SADC Heads of State
Summit issue this August. Inside the attractive
cover is a 32 page insert, plus photo highlights
from the ATA 28th Congress In Lusaka and
Livingstone. The special SADC issue mentions
President H.E. Levy P. Mwanawasa's panel on
Air Transportation. Zambia will also shine like a
star in Africa Travel Magazine's 7th Cultural
and Ecotourism issue in December, one of the
year's biggest editions. Also covered is the 2nd
IIPT-ATA Africa Peace Through Tourism Conference in
Dar es Salaam. Photo
(above): Some of the many animals encountered on a
typical wildlife drive at Chiawa camp on the
Lower Zambezi. We enjoyed similar game drives at
Kanyemba on the Lower Zambezi, and
Mfuwe in South Luangwa National Park. Game was
plentiful where we stayed at Protea Lodge
and Cheminuka near Lusaka. The sequence
below is from Mfuwe Lodge, a Bushcamps
Company. Capturing
Zambia's Colorful History:
We spent several hours of quality time with the
management at the Lusaka Museum, which has a
major development financing, expansion and
enhancement program underway. On the spacious
grounds surrounding the building and on its display
floors, this site will be transformed into a true
“people place” - one of Southern Africa's
prime attractions. This impressive museum building
is part of a modern complex that's indicative of
what's happening in this progressive city. Recent
history, when Zambia was known as Northern Rhodesia
is carefully documented, ethnic artifacts and
paintings abound, and a variety of local arts and
crafts are displayed to attract visitors. Other
facilities we plan to visit next time are the
Livingstone Monument, the Von Lettow Vorbeck
Memorial and the Railway Museum in the town of
Livingstone On
the Road Again ...
In summary, our memorable, month-long, marathon
tour into the heart of Southern Africa was filled
with moments to remember. We flew via
Cathay Pacific Airlines from Vancouver, Canada to
JFK International, New York City. ... via South
African Airlines to Johannesburg, SA and Lusaka,
Zambia. ... via Airlink
Charter to Livingstone- Victoria Falls. ... via Airwaves
Cessna to South Luangwa National Park,
Zambia. ... and return
via SAA, with business stopovers in Johannesburg
and New York. In between, we
participated in one of the most spirited,
productive and fruitful (ATA) Congresses to date -
where the focus was on "Ethno Tourism- and its role
in Job Creation." This was the first ATA event to
be held at two separate venues, which kept us all
on the go. We made more great friends this trip
than any time in the past (the local people are
terrific) and we will enjoy telling their stories
in words and pictures in our coming editions of
Africa Travel Magazine in print, on radio and on
this web site. Bring on the
encore! The
Editors Read
highlights of the ATA Congress in
Zambia
I am aware of you
tight program. However, your visit to Zambia will
not be complete if you did not visit the Victoria
Falls (locally known as Mosi-O-Tunya " the smoke
that thunders"), participate in Livingstone's
adventure activities (white water-rafting, elephant
Back-ride tours, micro-light, abseiling,
river-boarding, bungi-jumping etc.), walk the
wilderness and experience the abundance of wildlife
of South Luangwa National Park, canoeing in the
Lower-Zambezi National Park etc. Let this visit be
the most memorable of your lifetime.
Welcome." Read
highlights of the last ATA Congress in
Zambia For more
information on the Africa Travel Association, (212)
447-1926, fax (212) 725-8253, e-mail
africatravelasso@aol.com Photos on this
page by Robert Eilets, Karen Hoffman and Muguette
Goufrani |
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IIPT
and ATA Present the
From
an address at the World Travel Market
Zambia's
President active at ATA 28th
Congress
Game
drives were a key part of the action at the lodges
we visited, and that made each stay a true learning
experience. Guides and drivers were well schooled
in the seemingly endless variety of flora and fauna
and knew each name, every footprint in the sand.
Yes, we had anxious moments for several days
running, with our vehicle stopped in the midst of a
herd of elephants. We expected at least one of them
to charge, but managed to luck out. More than once
our safari vehicle was parked within twenty feet of
a (seemingly) sleeping lion. Here in Zambia, safari
guests can view most of the Big Five up close,
along with a wide variety of game animals, impalas
and their cousins being the most prolific.
The
Lusaka InterContinental Hotel proved to be
an ideal congress headquarters, as did
Livingstone's Zambezi Sun Resort. The food
at Lusaka's Holiday Inn earned well deserved
praise. As a touch of Zambia hospitality the
manager welcomes guests from the hotel, plus local
and visiting business community, with a cocktail
party. On two Wednesdays in a row, we won the lucky
draw. I am pleased to say, the Real Africa and its
people won our hearts completely. Dev
Malhotra, General Manager of Lusaka's Taj
Pamodzi Hotel and his team, including Sales Manager
Martha N. Namwinga, (above right) hosted a "
bon voyage" dinner in our honor.
