Managing change : the public-private partnership as a key factor of success Ways out of the crisis At the closing session of the 5th Tourism Summits Chamonix Mont-Blanc we should be able to point out ways to solve the current crisis of globalisation by means of partnership and co-operation between the private sector, international organisations and governments, leading to a return of steady tourism development. Globalisation as an opportunity The increasing internationalisation of demand, and the emergence of new destinations, is an opportunity for many of the more promising developing countries and the economies in transition, which enjoy favourable economic conditions including low costs and prices and favourable exchange rates. Another question to be addressed is how the traditional destinations in the industrialised world will react to this new competitive situation. We shall learn how the French tourism industry views the increasing competitiveness of the world's biggest tourism countries. Increasing the role of the community of nations The crisis of globalisation has shown that the international organisations must play a greater role in a world that continues to grow smaller. There are a number of problems such as liberalisation at the borders and internal deregulation, the need to guarantee the security and health of the traveller and, of no less importance, the promotion of sustainable development in tourism which requires worldwide co-operation between governments and the operational sector at the intergovernmental level. The growing importance of policies that promote tourism Despite the decentralisation of responsibility for tourism policy tourism countries still need a strong tourism policy at the national level capable of creating favourable framework conditions, while compensating for the disadvantages of this fragmented industry that is made up of small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs). Individual places and regions are no longer in a position to enter the international markets on their own. They have no choice but to produce and market their products and services through partnerships. We can look forward to a presentation on how the French government has supported this type of co-operation in an effort to strengthen the competitiveness of its tourism industry.