Time to Push Tourism Up the Global Trade Agenda &the Fight Against Poverty, WTO Tells Caribbean Industry

In a keynote address to CIMEX, the Caribbean Media Exchange, Geoffrey Lipman, Special Advisor to the Secretary General of

the World Tourism Organization, said that Tourism should be the leading issue for Caribbean States in trade and development strategies.

He said that "The world economy needs a successful Doha Development Round and tourism should be an important part of the final package with balanced & structured liberalization to help develop the export economies of the world´s poorest countries.

He contrasted the worldwide fall in basic commodity prices in the past 3 decades and the reduction in trade preferences with the sustained growth of Tourism Services & increasing developing state participation in this sector.

"The countries of greatest need in the fight against poverty are also

areas with massive tourism opportunity. They abound in culture, nature and tradition that tomorrow´s tourists are seeking. Africa with its unique wildlife and wide open spaces, Central America with its ecotourism, the Indian Ocean with its pristine waters and the Caribbean with its rich history, tropical climate and magnificent beaches."

This service sector par excellence should be a priority in trade and

development policies worldwide. The poor countries have a 21st century export leader, the industrialized countries have the advanced industry and the consumers with disposable income to support the development process and take an active part in the benefits. Tourism is a win-win for developed and developing.