Under the theme Driving Change and equipped with a brand new format, the 4th Global Summit provided a platform for genuine dialogue and encouraged leaders of the industry to express their opinions candidly.

Several issues and themes emerged as the global Travel & Tourism industry continues to work towards recovery and to take stock of the fundamental changes in demand that have been emerging since the mid-1990s.

Key discussion points that came out of this year’s Summit included ways in which governments, the private sector, host communities and the media, can work together to drive change in supply that will ensure the sustainable and profitable growth of the sector going forward, bringing benefits to everyone. Here are some of the key themes:

• Safety and security measures need to be continuously enhanced – in consultation with the industry – but key to the success of these measures is the way in which they are delivered. Attention must also be paid to understanding and eliminating the root cause of terrorism.

• More care and consideration should be given to issuing travel advisories, and they should be more specific in terms of both geography and the nature of threat in a particular location. They should also be continuously reviewed and updated so as to minimize their impact on tourism, trade and development.

• Certain key factors need to be assured to facilitate the growth of Travel & Tourism. These include a favourable government fiscal policy, a climate that is conducive to business – offering incentives for investment – sustained and effective marketing and promotion, and policies that respect the environment and local cultures.

• A destination's Travel & Tourism can also only flourish in open market conditions, so governments should improve access by liberalizing air transport and removing all other barriers to sustainable growth.

There was nonetheless consensus at the Qatar Global Summit that, while governments can do a lot to facilitate Travel & Tourism, at the same time providing much needed infrastructure and human capital, change can only be driven by the private sector. It is up to the industry to:

• Harness technology, including the Internet, to drive new business strategies and develop new business and new pricing models.

• Understand people as a resource rather than as a cost, and ensure they get the people equation right – in relations with customers and staff, as well as in staff development, training and leadership generally.

• Provide a strong value proposition. Achieving this will require tough choices, especially given that old business models do not work any longer.

• The key success factors are operational efficiency, flexibility to match the cyclical nature of the industry and branding to combat commoditization.

• Budget airlines and hotels can co-exist with full-service airlines and luxury hotels; the key is proper segmentation of the market and an offer that provides value for money.

The 5th Global Travel & Tourism Summit will take place in 2005 and up to date news will appear on this website shortly!

I look forward to seeing you at next year’s event.

Jean-Claude Baumgarten
President
World Travel & Tourism Council

To view the programme of the Doha Summit, click here.

To view the list of speakers at the Doha Summit, click here.

For details of last year's programme, click here.

For picture's of last year's Summit, click here.