CONNECTING AVIATION AND TOURISM

When tourism ministers from around the world gather at the 2013 UNWTO and WTM Ministers\’ Summit at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London this year, they will shine a spotlight on the essential connection between air transport and tourism, debating the challenges and opportunities of promoting higher policy coordination between aviation and tourism. The gathering will take place in London on Nov. 5, 2013.
The tourism ministers, along with private sector representatives, will be participate in a discussion around the theme \”How to bridge the gap between tourism and aviation policies.\” Charles Hodson, anchor of CNN International\’s flagship business program, \”World Business Today\” will moderate the debate.
Issues to be discussed include: bringing air transport and tourism policies closer together; opportunities and challenges facing air transport and development; infrastructure, taxes and levies; visa facilitation and regulation.
Speakers will include the Ministers and Secretaries of State for Tourism of Indonesia, Mexico, Morocco, the Philippines, Portugal, Russia, South Africa and Spain; the president and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC); the vice-president of government affairs for Amadeus; the chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO); the vice-president for Europe of the International Air Transport Association (IATA); and the director of the Air Transport Bureau of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).