Content:
Peace has always been a pre-condition for any kind of tourism – and tourism has always been influenced by geopolitics. Decisions where to travel to depend on a person’s or a foreign office’s evaluation regarding safety (physical safety, diseases, current conflicts, legal situation, crime rate..) but also on human rights assessments, system of governments. Can we, in good conscience, travel to authoritarian destinations or sell these destinations hoping that tourism will help opening doors to a more liberal society? Where is the trigger line? What to watch out for? How do supply chain laws make sense in this context? In this panel we want to pick up the red hot discussion, adding also another aspect: If we look at the current war against Ukraine or at man-made or natural disasters, can the tourism industry significantly help relieving the distress? We have seen great initiatives in the hospitality sector recently, whether it is providing shelter to war refugees or earthquake victims – should such mechanisms be institutionalized? Has the tourism industry, on the other hand, also the duty to lead the way to sustainability, fight militarized policy-making and raise a voice for peace, diplomacy and reconstruction as this is crucial for its existence?
Year: March 2023
Keywords: Destinations, Environmental, Social and Governance, Leadership, Responsibility, Sustainability
