Alternative Development Paradigm

by Imtiaz Muqbil,
Executive Editor, Travel Impact Newswire

At the World Travel Market in London this November, the UN World Tourism Organisation plans to convene its fourth and largest-ever Ministers' Summit which "for the first time (will) conclude with a Statement of Intent outlining the future direction of the travel and tourism industry." Under the meeting theme, "Shaping a Stronger Travel and Tourism Industry – Governance and Business Models for the Future", the ministers are to agree on their plan and direction for the industry for the next 12 months. According to the UNWTO, it will be the first time global travel ministers agree a set of actions and principles for the future of the industry.

All well and good. However rather than issue yet another bland and banal statement that repeats all the traditional commentary of tourism's growth potential, resilience and contribution to jobs and sustainable development, would it be useful if the UNWTO ministers followed the ITUC in moving the industry from "Crisis to Global Justice" and joined the global push for an "alternative development paradigm"? A good way to start, for example, would be by finding a fresh set of speakers. Last year, private sector speakers included Thomas Cook Chief Executive Manny Fontenla-Novoa. This year, how about dispensing with the usual line-up of industry CEOs's and inviting the ITUC General Secretary Mrs Sharan Burrow and a supporting crew of unionists, social and environmental activists, civil liberties and consumer protection watchdog groups?

This is a rare opportunity for the travel & tourism industry leadership to refresh its idea-bank, review its strategies and reset the parameters of growth. Not well known perhaps is that the UNWTO Secretary-General Dr Taleb Rifai is himself a former senior ILO executive. The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is chaired by Hiran Cooray, a rising young industry entrepreneur from Sri Lanka, a country that is rebuilding its tourism industry from the ravages of war. PATA is preparing to mark its 60th anniversary next year. Both PATA and UNWTO have themselves undergone heavy-duty internal restructuring. Should they simultaneously be spearheading a new roadmap that goes beyond the usual crowing about resilience and recovery? Is it time to give voice to the voiceless?

Rank-and-file employees seldom, if at all, feature in any of the industry conferences. Providing an alternative perspective on the development paradigm has been one of the biggest missing links on the industry agenda. Isn't it time to plug that gap? For how much longer can organisations like UNWTO, WTTC, PATA, IATA and others continue ignoring the downsides of globalisation without their own credibility coming under serious question?

It is not surprising that jobs at the centre of the focus. Many of the job losses are occurring in travel & tourism, but exactly how many is not known. Quite amazing that an industry which knew exactly how many jobs could be created by an expanding industry in the 1990s now suddenly seems to be unable to figure out how many travel & tourism jobs have been lost and/or are set to be lost as a result of a contracting industry. The ITUC Congress and its recommendations and pursuit of Global Justice now can be brought into the mainstream of the travel & tourism agenda, too, even if it requires decisions that may not be politically acceptable to the ministers and corporate CEOs.

A very turbulent area of instability and crises lies ahead, with rank and file employees set to become the first victims. Both the mainstream media and travel media give them little or no coverage. By putting more NGOs, activities and grassroots people on the industry conference agendas, some of the CEOs may find it a humbling experience to be held accountable and publicly skewered for their faulty policies and strategies.

The various comments, resolutions and documents issued by the ITUC Congress, all of which have been posted on its website, can be used to restructure the entire travel & tourism industry and develop a long-overdue blueprint for the new world order. When the next crises hits jobs in travel & tourism and the labour disruptions start, industry leaders will have no one to blame but themselves.