World Travel And Tourism Council

   The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) is the forum for global business leaders in travel and tourism. It comprises the presidents, chairs, and chief executive officers of 100 of the world’s foremost companies. These include accommodation, catering, cruises, entertainment, recreation, transportation, and travel-related services. WTTC is the only body representing the private sector in all parts of the industry worldwide. Established in 1990, WTTC is led by a 19-member executive committee, which meets twice a year and reports to an annual meeting of all members. Day-to-day operations are carried out by the president and small staff based in London.

The mission of the council is to raise awareness of the economic and social contribution of travel and tourism and to work with governments on policies that unlock the industry’s potential to create jobs and generate prosperity. Their vision of travel and tourism is that of a partnership among all stakeholders, delivering consistent results that match the needs of national economies, local and regional authorities, and local communities with those of business, based on: (1) governments recognizing travel and tourism as a top priority; (2) business balancing economics with people, culture, and the environment; and (3) a shared pursuit of long-term growth and prosperity.

The activities of the council can be summarized under three broad themes:

1. Global activities. WTTC addresses challenges and opportunities that affect all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry. It is empowered by its members to provide an effective voice for the industry in its dialogue with governments around the world. The council actively promotes public- and private-sector examples of best practices in tourism.

2. Regional initiatives. Regional initiatives are set up in countries and regions that have huge potential for travel and tourism development but lack the framework or resources to achieve growth. The objective of these initiatives is to translate WTTC’s mission into action by working with governments, local leaders, and WTTC global members with a regional presence to identify and eliminate barriers to growth.

3. Economic research. WTTC now uses Oxford Economics and Accenture to undertake extensive research to determine travel and tourism’s total size and contribution to world, regional, and national economies. The WTTC forecast is the primary vehicle used to convey the message that tourism is the world’s largest industry, that it has been growing faster than most other industries, that it will continue to grow strongly, and that it can create jobs and increase gross domestic

product (GDP). WTTC plans to continue publishing this forecast and enhance its methodology. In fact, it continues to increase the number of economic impact reports, and under the auspices of the UNWTO, WTTC has developed proposals for an international standard Satellite Accounting System. Its 2010 forecast covers 181 national economies and shows that the tourism industry currently generates 235.8 million jobs and contributes over 9.2 percent of global GDP.

  WTTC has done more to create awareness of the economic importance of tourism than any other organization.

Answer the following questions:

1. How do you decipher the abbreviation WTTC?

2. What is WTTC designed for?

3. What does it comprise?

4. What other services does it include?

5. When was it established?

6. What is the mission of the council?

7. What is their vision of travel and tourism?

8. What is their vision of global activities?

9. What is their vision of regional initiatives?

10. What is their vision of economic research?

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