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  Welcome address

Michel CHARLET - Tourism Summits Chairman, France

 

Ladies and Gentlemen

It is always with great pleasure that I join our chairman, Mr Rey to welcome you this afternoon, here in Geneva, for the opening of the 3 rd Tourism Summits.

We would like to thank the city of Geneva for this new cooperation with Chamonix Mont-Blanc.

We would also like to thank the Haute-Savoie Department, the Rhônes-Alpes Region and the Ministry of tourism for their valuable support without which this organization would not exist.

Despite daily management issues and non-recurring problems (such as the tunnel, the hospital and the budget as far as I'm concerned), it is important to spend these few days considering together the sustainable tourism growth, which is (let's not forget it) our core business.

This year, the selected topic is truly at the centre of this broad issue since it addresses the "social aspects" and we could almost say: what role do men play in tourism growth ? A broad topic indeed for which Professor Peter Keller, Chairman of the Scientific Committee, would like to get the opinion of residents in order to compare it to that of scientists, scholars, professionals, government officials and newspaper representatives.

Recently, the Women and Children of the World association, during their convention related to children's rights, has addressed the issue of tourist development in under-developed countries, and let me quote this statement that I received yesterday in a mail : "How can we speak of tourism and ethics without addressing the impact that tourism has on populations, especially on children ?". She talks about prostitution of course, and of the respect for local populations. What about economic and social impact for resident populations or "indigenous" populations to speak the Swiss language ? What are the living conditions and future conditions for seasonal workers ? All these topics are controversies that, I feel, will be discussed and argued with great enthusiasm.

With the quality of speakers and the variety of issues addressed, I do wish these 3 rd Tourism Summits to be as educational as the first two previous one, for a better understanding of the growing business that gathers us today here : tourism.

Enjoy the seminar!