H.E. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, President of Malta delivered the opening speech at the Mediterranean Tourism Forum organised by the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association and the Mediterranean Tourism Foundation. The theme of this year’s edition is ‘Hospitality of Tomorrow’.
Her Excellency thanked Mr Tony Zahra and Mr Andre Agius Muscat, co-founders of the Mediterranean Tourism Forum, and the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, for their vision in setting up the Mediterranean Tourism Foundation, and also for their efforts to bring together so many people for such fora.
President Coleiro Preca stated that since the Mediterranean Tourism Foundation was established in 2013, a lot has changed in the Mediterranean region, as countries which were at the forefront of the tourism industry have suffered because of armed conflicts and instability in the region.
This state of affairs, Her Excellency said, “emphasises the fact that without peace, there can be no prosperity”, which led to the President encouraging the delegates present for the forum, to focus their deliberations on the ideals of peace and prosperity.
“The vision of the Mediterranean Tourism Foundation is crucial because it brings people together for prosperity. The Foundation can be an effective medium for peace-building, which is so much needed in our region and beyond”, Her Excellency said.
“I truly believe that in response, to this state of affairs, we must be even more committed, to secure peace in the Mediterranean, if we want to ensure prosperity”.
President Coleiro Preca remarked that the healthy participation, which includes over 30 countries represented at the Forum and over 800 delegates participating, “shows the strength of the tourism sector and the strong collaboration that can be developed to work for meaningful collaboration for peace and prosperity, in the best interest of businesses and our peoples”.
“The Mediterranean is a melting pot of cultures and a crossroad of civilisations”.
Her Excellency described the Mediterranean as a showcase of intercultural values, which can be further empowered through tourism, adding that it has the potential to be the place in which the diversity of our cultures can be further nurtured, for the enrichment of business and people.
The President said that tourism can be a powerful form of diplomacy and a strong opportunity for dialogue between diverse peoples and that it provides an ideal platform, from which one can strengthen political and commercial initiatives amongst diverse stakeholders, with a common interest.
“Tourism can be a catalyst for the promotion of peace through cultural, entertainment, and sports initiatives, by fostering synergies between the peoples of the Mediterranean to attract visitors from all over the world”, President Coleiro Preca said.
“We need to be innovative and forward-thinking, building on the successes, and also on the lessons learned from yesterday, in order to face the challenges of yesterday”.
Referring to the theme selected for this year’s forum – ‘Hospitality of Tomorrow’, Her Excellency said “it is encouraging to see your commitment towards the future’.
Tieing to the fact that tourism is a rather volatile sector in that it can easily be destabilised by conflict, the President appealed to all those present to find innovative and peace-focused ways to transform challenges, which are faced by the sector, into opportunities for further growth, and for continuous development.
“I am certain that this forum is an ideal setting in which to share good practices, to learn from one another’s projects and initiatives, and to develop creative ways of doing business to enhance the industry”, the President said.
President Coleiro Preca also mentioned her belief that tourism creates opportunities for cultural diplomacy, “which has a crucial role to play to achieve a combined effort for the much-needed peace in our region and beyond”.
“Positive peace is not simply the absence of violent conflict”.
The link between tourism and the building peace is clearly shown in the research published in the report entitled ‘Tourism as a driver of peace’ by the World Travel and Tourism Council in 2016. The report reveals that “there is a positive correlation between tourism sectors that show sustainability in social, cultural, economic, political and environmental areas with ‘positive peace’.”
The President said that positive peace is not simply the absence of violent conflict, but it is the “social and cultural change which makes peace a more sustainable reality, in the diverse communities and entire nations”.
Her Excellency went on to quote Mr Steve Killelea, Founder and Executive of the Institute for Economics and Peace, who says, that “the tourism sector is one of the key areas in which the private sector can play a positive and tangible role in contributing to global peace.”
With the above quote in mind, President Coleiro Preca said that an open and sustainable tourism sector can contribute, in practical and proactive ways, to transform attitudes, institutions, and structures. “In this way, the efforts of the tourism sector can help to create and to sustain more peaceful, more prosperous, and hence more resilient societies”.
“The tourism sector has the ability to build peace, to sustain peace to create prosperity”
The President said that this ability of the tourism sector is clearly stated in the World Travel and Tourism Council’s report which states that “tourism can help to support peace by putting pressure on governments to cease fighting”.
This shows that tourism can encourage and priorities more harmonious relationships between conflicting communities, in order to strengthen tourism and its economic benefits.
Here, Her Excellency urged all stakeholders in the sector and the relevant authorities to consider, and to take up this powerful ability to achieve peace, seriously, as “tourism builds bridges and transcends borders”.
The President said that a growth in tourism can also lead to increases in the flow of knowledge, both within a country and across borders, when people share their experiences and ideas, learning about the history of an area or region, thereby gaining new understanding.
“The respect we show one another only increases with opportunities to meet each other and to connect. This initiates a process of befriending, which definitely can have, positive effects across entire communities and societies,” President Coleiro Preca said.
“Friendship and hospitality go hand in hand, and are prerequisites for peace”
The President described friendship and hospitality as prerequisites for peace, as they bring understanding, a sense of empathy, acknowledgement, acceptance, and sharing, in the journey towards sustainable peace.
Human Capital Development
Her Excellency said that as tourism grows and the sector flourishes, “a whole host of skills open up for our peoples”, as language-learning, business skills, and hospitality training, become key components, in developing a more competent workforce.
This development in human capital parallels new developments in the sector, and will subsequently improve the lives of individuals, families, communities and businesses.
The President pointed out that this fact is made clear in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in particular, SGD 8 which focuses on sustainable economies. In fact, SDG 8.9, goes into further detail, as it states that “by 2030, we must devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products”.
“We are fortunate that our Mediterranean region is one of the most ancient, one of the most diverse, and one of the most beautiful parts of the world”.
The President said that the Mediterranean region brings together different continents and cultures and that the diverse countries of our region have different demographic characteristics, and contrasting levels of development, “yet our histories intersect and overlap”.
Her Excellency said that “the works of our poets, our artists, our architects, our dancers, and our musicians are filled with the spirit of our Mediterranean, which we must continue to share with visitors from all over the globe”, and also touched upon the uniqueness of the Mediterranean cuisine, and the vibrancy of our marine and land environments.
President Coleiro Preca urged those present to focus on the world of tomorrow, as much as we are examples of the rich legacy of the past, as the Mediterranean heritage is a gift, which we owe to our future generations, to our nations and our world.
“Let your work be of benefit for the social, economic, and cultural development of all nations”.
In light of the fact that the Mediterranean has all the potential to create a safe space in which dialogue and cooperation can flourish, the President said that she was confident that the delegates will put the forum as an opportunity to strengthen the power of tourism for peace and prosperity.
H.E. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca concluded by quoting the International Handbook on Tourism and Peace, published by the Centre for Peace Research and Peace Education at Klagenfurt University in Austria, in cooperation with the World Tourism Organisation:
“According to UNESCO, the youth of the world want to create a culture of peace. Tourism education should aim to develop tourism and hospitality leaders of tomorrow, who have a positive attitude, demonstrate strong work values, lead by example, encourage tolerance, celebrate diversity and promote peace around the world. Tourism and hospitality providers have a responsibility to make the world a better place for all.”
Finally, President Coleiro Preca reminded those present that “Peace, in all its complexity, must be our business”.