The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) announced at WTM its agreement with the governments of Santa Catarina and Brazil to hold its forthcoming Global Travel & Tourism Summit in Florianópolis from May 15 to 16, 2009.
“We are delighted to enter this agreement which brings together WTTC, the government of Santa Catarina and Embratur - the national tourism organisation of Brazil - in a strategic partnership to enhance the role of travel and tourism in developing sustainable economies and prosperous local communities,” said Luis Henrique da Silveira, governor of Santa Catarina.
“Brazil is not only one of the world’s fastest growing tourism source markets, whose international tourism expenditure is up 58 per cent so far in 2008,” said Jeanine Pires, head of Embratur, Brazil, “but it has also recorded double-digit percentage growth in international tourism receipts (visitor exports excluding transport) for the past four years. And the trend is set to continue with receipts up more than 18 per cent in the first half of 2008.”
Santa Catarina in southern Brazil and its capital, Florianópolis, is acclaimed for its outstanding natural beauty -50 per cent of the total land area around the city is a nature reserve. The national and regional governments’ commitment to the conservation of the natural environment and local culture of Santa Catarina was one of the key factors considered by WTTC’s board who unanimously agreed that the destination host the 2009 summit.
“In these challenging economic times,” said Jean-Claude Baumgarten, president & CEO of WTTC, “when it is almost impossible to predict short-term trends - let alone make long-term forecasts - it is more critical than ever for the public and private sectors to forge close partnerships so they can work together to ensure the longer-term prosperity of Travel & Tourism. Our partnership with the Government of Brazil and the Government of Santa Catarina will provide a much needed platform for dialogue among leaders of industry and government, shaping the future of Travel & Tourism worldwide”.
WTTC’s 2009 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards ceremony will be held on May 15 next year in Florianopolis, after the inauguration of the summit. Winners and finalists of these awards will receive complimentary registration to the event and will be hosted in one of the official summit hotels. WTTC will additionally reimburse winning entries for their travel costs.
For information visit www.globaltraveltourism.com