French motoring official to visit Phl

MANILA, Philippines - Jean Todt, the president of Paris-based Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) which groups the world’s leading motoring organizations, is visiting the country later this month for a tourism conference.

Todt, who was Ferrari Formula One team director when Michael Schumacher won the world driver’s championship seven years in a row, is coming to the Philippines to be the keynote speaker of the first Asia-Pacific Drive Tourism Conference, Auto and Travel Show scheduled from Jan. 29 to Feb. 2 at the Subic Bay Freeport.

The Asia-Pacific Drive Tourism Conference, Auto and Travel Show is a joint project of the Department of Tourism and the country’s largest auto club, the Automobile Association Philippines (AAP).

AAP is the only Philippine member of the FIA.

The FIA, which was founded in 1904, brings together over 230 national motoring and sporting organisations from more than 135 countries in five continents. Aside from the development of motor sport worldwide, it is dedicated to representing the rights of motoring organisations and motor car users on issues such as safety, mobility, the environment and consumer law.

“We look forward to welcoming Jean Todt,” AAP president Augusto Lagman said in a statement.

“We could not have thought of a better way to jumpstart the very first Asia-Pacific Drive Tourism Conference, Travel and Auto Show than having him as keynote speaker. While ushering in the new year, we hope this event revives interest in local tourism and revs up tourism in the Asia-Pacific region,” he said further.