Dr. Taleb Rifai, Jordan
| Chair
Chair ATB COVID-19 Task Force – Former Secretary-General UNWTO – ATB Honors Circle and Advisory Board Member – Co-Chair of the Global Resilience Council |
Travel & Tourism Today is a powerful economic sector affecting and changing the lives of Billions of people around the world , but , beyond the numbers and the economic benefits of Generating $ 3.4 billion of global spending every DAY , Creating 1/10 jobs all over the world , and Representing 10.4 % of world GDP , Travell and Tourism, is today a major contributor to much more significant change and transformation that slowly and gradually is bringing us together, as humans, like never before. We and Africa are ONE in today’s world. Travel has connected us back to where it all started.
In today’s world, I would like to believe that, the transformative power of Travel and Tourism, When well managed and utilized, is a cornerstone in establishing world peace and in turn a better world, for people and planet,
Protecting our cultural and natural heritage, Empowering local communities. Breaking down stereotypes enabling us to experience, enjoy and celebrate the beauty of our rich cultural diversity,
These are indeed some of tourism’s contributions to MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.
Mark Twain summed it up pretty well when he said
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”
Travel, my friends, opens minds, open eyes, and open hearts. We became better people when we travel
Taleb Rifai
