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Over 1,000 enthusiastic participants interested in ecotourism and sustainable
development, representing not less than 130 different countries, participated in the official
opening of the first World Ecotourism Summit, held at the Québec City
Convention Centre.
Present at the opening ceremony were Richard
Legendre, Québec's Minister responsible for Youth, Tourism, Recreation
and Sport and Minister responsible for Wildlife and Parks, Jean-Paul
L'Allier, Québec City Mayor, Judd Buchanan, Chairman of the Board of
Directors of the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC), Francesco
Frangialli, Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organisation
(WTO), and Klaus Toepfer, Under Secretary General of the United Nations and
Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP).
"It is with the greatest interest and the pleasure that Québec, and,
more precisely, the City of Québec, welcomes the participants of the
first World Ecotourism Summit, stated Minister Richard Legendre. It
is an extraordinary occasion to see what is being done in Québec and
other destinations. This summit will allow us to benefit not only
from the experience and the expertise of the people working in this
domain, but will also help us to quickly increase our knowledge of the
methods being used abroad."
"Canada is privileged when it comes to ecotourism, added Mr. Buchanan,
being blessed with an extraordinarily rich and diversified geography.
But it is our responsibility to protect this natural heritage. Beyond
our role as host of this international event, our participation in
this first World Ecotourism Summit is another way to express our
desire and willingness to take on this responsibility."
Throughout the world, tourism is on the path to becoming a major
industry, and ecotourism is already a strongly emerging segment for
which demand is ever increasing. Ecotourism is a very special kind of
tourism that values respect, sustainability and sharing.
This Summit, an initiative of the World Tourism Organisation and the
United Nations Environment Programme, has been realized in partnership
with Tourisme Québec and the CTC. The year 2002 has been designated
as the International Year of Ecotourism by the United Nations. "The
Québec Summit represents the culminating point of the International
Year of Ecotourism, declared Mr. Frangialli. We expect many things
from this meeting, the first being the definition of the content and
limits of the temr ecotourism itself, so as to prevent its abuse and
the dilution of its meaning."
"We welcome the opportunity offered by the Summit to highlight and
promote sustainable tourism -- of which ecotourism is a part -- as an
important component of sustainable development, said Mr. Toepfer. The
Summit will help towards the development of well-managed tourism -
tourism which takes account of its environmental, economic and
social impact. Its conclusions will be a valuable contribution to the World
Summit on Sustainable Development."
During the Summit taking place in Québec City until May 22, four
principal themes will be the subject of discussion:
· Ecotourism Policy and Planning: The Sustainability Challenge
· Regulation of Ecotourism: Institutional Responsibilities and
Frameworks
· Product Development, Marketing and Promotion of
Ecotourism: Fostering Sustainable Products and Consumers
· Monitoring Costs and Benefits of Ecotourism: Ensuring Equitable
Distribution Among all Stakeholders
The Summit conclusions and recommendations will be included in the
"Québec City Declaration on Ecotourism", which will be presented at
the Earth Summit, in Johannesburg, South Africa, in September 2002.
Industry led, market driven and research based, the Canadian Tourism
Commission is a Crown corporation that works in partnership with the
tourism industry and provincial and territorial governments to market
Canada as a four-season destination.
Tourisme Québec's mission is to foster the growth of the tourism
industry in Québec. To do so, Tourisme Québec concentrates its
resources and efforts in three areas: directs and focuses government
and private actions related to tourism; develops and maintains the
tourism offering; as well as marketing Québec and its tourist
attractions.
The World Tourism Organization is an inter-governmental body
entrusted by the United Nations towards the promotion and development
of tourism. Through tourism, WTO aims to stimulate economic growth and
job creation, provide incentives for protecting the environment and
heritage of destinations, and promote peace and understanding among
all nations of the world.
UNEP provides leadership and encourages partnerships in caring for
the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and
peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of
future generations. Through its Tourism Programme, it promotes
sustainable tourism among government agencies and the industry;
develops tools for protected/sensitive area management; and supports
implementation of multilateral environmental agreements related to
tourism. |
