|
Tourism 4 Peace Forum
Egypt-Israel-Jordan-The Palestine Authority
At the
summer of 2004, the Israel Hotel Managers Association
and the Arab (Palestinian) Hotel Association, with the
assistance of the
Peres
Center for Peace, set up the Israel-Palestinian Tourism
Forum (IPTF). It includes key members of the tourist
industries of both sides, mainly travel agents and hotel
executives. The Forum has been meeting 6-8 times a year
with a goal of strengthening dialogue, advancing
incoming tourism to the region and solving common
problems. The activities include joint marketing, joint
professional training seminars and workshops,
approaching the authorities to facilitate border and
checkpoint transfers, familiarization trips for travel
agents and tour operators of the other side and so on.
Soon,
it was decided to expand the activities: In January
2005, the Peres Center for Peace, in cooperation with
the Israeli Hotel Managers Association, organized a
regional tourism conference, the first of its kind in
five years, entitled: "Regional Tourism in the Middle
East - a New Era". 30 Egyptian, Jordanian, Palestinian
and Israeli tourism professionals took part in the
conference. They discussed issues including the
possibilities for regional cooperation in promoting
tourism to the area and the main obstacles to tourism,
such as restrictions in the freedom of movement. This is
the resolution that was decided at the end of the
conference:
The
participants agree:
1.
Tourism promotes peace and peace promotes tourism.
Tourism contributes to economic growth, employment
and the quality of life. A joint study on the impact
of regional tourism on economic stability should be
conducted.
2.
Freedom of movement for tourists and professionals
from the tourism industry, between cities, countries
and throughout the region, is a necessary condition
for success, and governments are urged to do their
utmost to achieve this goal.
3.
The
forum will established a working group that will
deal with issues of security, freedom of movement
and travel visas and raise these issues to the
relevant authorities in an effort to get equal
handling and facilities for all the peoples of the
four parties and their visitors.
4.
The
forum will organize joint marketing activities to
promote tourism to the region and between countries
within the region based on equal opportunities.
5.
The
forum will cooperate within the field of human
resources and vocational training, by means of
exchange programs between hotel staff, tour
operators and more.
6.
The
forum will hold a regional conference at least once
a year, entitled: "Tourism 4 Peace Forum."
The
public symposium that followed the discussions was
attended by over 200 people (tourism professionals,
journalists and the general public). Speakers, including
Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres, Dr. Saeb Erakat,
Minister of Negotiations for the Palestinian Authority,
Professor Israel (Izzy) Borovich, Chairman of the Board
of El Al airlines, and the representatives from the
Jordanian, Egyptian, Palestinian, and Israeli tourism
sectors, discussed issues involving changes and trends
in tourism in the region and emphasized that joint
efforts are necessary in order for the region to prosper
and attract tourists. A constructive, positive
atmosphere reigned throughout this successful
conference.
Thus
was born the Tourism 4 Peace Forum. A follow-up
conference was held in March 2006, again, with
participants of delegates from Egypt, Jordan, the
Palestine Authority and Israel. The points discussed
were:
-
Joint Marketing efforts, including a proposed road
show,
a joint PowerPoint Presentation
(being prepared)
-
Vocational Training
-
Infrastructure & Conditions for Tourism,
including cleaning up the tourist sites in Jerusalem
-
The
Peres Center for Peace (from their Website
www.peres-center.org ):
Nobel Laureate
Shimon Peres founded The Peres Center for Peace in
1996 with the express aim of realizing his vision of a
"New Middle East", in which people of the region work
together to build peace through socio-economic
cooperation and people-to-people relations.
Our strategy remains constant and focused, although our tools and
methodologies adapt to reflect the dynamic realities of
the Middle East. As a non-partisan, non-governmental
organization, The Peres Center for Peace works in
parallel to, but independently from, the political
process towards peace. It is this unique mandate that
allows us to continue with our cooperative activities
between Israel and her Arab neighbors despite the
breakdown of political negotiations and upsurge of
violence.
We believe that the only solution to this conflict is through a
negotiated agreement, which respects the national
identities of both peoples. It is our duty to work with
the people of the Middle East to raise the awareness of
peace, thus preparing both societies for a political
solution to the conflict. The Peres Center projects aim
to break through the boundaries of misconception and
suspicion to arrive at authentic cooperation.
Our projects are based on a genuine identification of common Arab
and Israeli economic and social interests, which are
formed into peace building projects through our
partnerships with regional and international players. A
key facet of our peace building projects is the
people-to-people aspect, in order that the wider publics
may come to know "the other" and understand the reality
of their intertwined history and future.
|
