HRH The Prince of Wales and Global Tourism Leaders call for increase in responsible business practice

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales welcomed business leaders representing the global leisure and tourism industry to Clarence House last week, to mark the launch of The Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum’s new programme – The International Tourism Partnership (ITP).

The ITP programme is a discrete initiative aiming to provide global leadership, promote debate, share good practice and offer practical operational solutions for responsible business in travel and tourism. Ultimately this is designed to create a sustainable industry that seeks to make only positive impacts on the countries and cultures of operation.

Taking part in the round-table discussion were CEOs, Chairmen and Executive Directors of businesses concerned with every aspect of the tourism industries – transport, hospitality, distribution and support services. By bringing together this group of highly influential individuals in a non-competitive forum, the ITP has made a significant first step towards improving the way the whole industry conducts itself.

Lyndall De Marco, Director of International Tourism Partnership said “Responsible business is an immensely important part of any global operation. The travel and tourism industry has responded extremely positively to this challenge and through the International Tourism Partnership and we hope to build on this further.”

 “Widescale delivery of responsible business is not something any company can hope to achieve individually, no matter how committed to responsible business they are, and the very best results are always driven by partnership and unity - something the ITP aims to engender through our membership drawn from the worlds most influential global companies in this sector” Lyndall added.

Because of the global interdependence of the tourism industry, ITP stresses the need for global influence, and therefore encourages large multinational companies to take the lead in responsible tourism. ITP welcomes members whatever the size of operation, but the support from some of the largest and most influential companies in the sector is what really gives the ITP programme the ability to act at a global level in highlighting and addressing environmental and social issues from a worldwide perspective.

Ed Fuller, Chairman of ITP and president of Marriott International Lodging said: “By defining tourism in its broadest terms, and by encouraging membership from every aspect of the tourism industry, ITP is a truly representative and proactive global force for improvement in responsible business. Only by safeguarding the quality and viability of the environment and local communities will the tourism product be able to flourish. It is incumbent on all of us in the industry to make a commitment to support ITPs objectives.”