Manila to host meet of archipelagic, island states

Tourism ministers and bureau heads from archipelagic and island states will converge in Manila on June 20 for their first meeting aimed at addressing such common problems as accessibility and security, including the effects of the dreaded Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) on international travel.

The meeting, to be held at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel, will coincide with the last day of the June 16-20 activities of the World Tourism Organization’s Committee for East Asia and the Pacific chaired by Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon.

Participants in the First Meeting of Archipelagic and Island States will include industry leaders from the private sector with whom the tourism ministers will discuss issues on air transport, linkages among countries, preservation of natural and cultural environment, community involvement in tourism development, product diversification, and post-SARS recovery strategies, among other concerns.

Among the prominent participants are WTO secretary-general Francesco Frangialli, Pacific Asia Tourism Association president and chief executive officer Peter de Jong, Sri Lanka Tourism Board chairman Pushpakumara Withana and permanent secretary Prathap Ramunujaru, Fiji senior tourism officer Sat Narayan, and Indonesian Culture and Tourism Permanent Secretary Sapta Nirwandar.

"The presence of these archipelagic and island states will greatly contribute to the intelligent exchange of ideas for the development of long-term solutions to the common concerns of the participating nations," Gordon said.

Gordon will deliver the welcome remarks. The speakers at the meeting are Maldives Deputy Tourism Commissioner Ismail Firag; Nigel Summer, director of marketing firm Horwath Asia Pacific; Brett Morgan, business development manager of tour operator Go Holidays; and Andrew Drysdale, regional vice president for Asia-Pacific of the International Air Transport Association, with Yeon Sien Hoon, editorial director of Reed Business Information Asia, as moderator and master of ceremonies.

Firag will present an island nation’s success story and best tourism practices, especially in conservation efforts, accessibility, product diversity and community involvement, and the problems that threaten its success.

Summer, on the other hand, will discuss an investor’s point of view on how islands successfully market themselves to become attractive to investors.

Morgan will also discuss what makes an island destination attractive to tourists, what tour operators are looking for, and how to succeed in selling island holidays.

For his part, Drysdale will show a different perspective of the problems and issues affecting island destinations and the incentives to keep airline service available.

Joining the meeting as observers are officers of such industry organizations as the Federation of Tourism Industry of the Philippines, Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines, Network of Independent Travel Agencies, Philippine Travel Agencies Association, Philippine Tour Operators Association, the Philippine chapter of the American Society of Travel Agents and the Pacific Asia Travel Association.