WTO´s TOURCOM Conference in Bali Set to Weave New Links between Tourism and News Media in Asia

Top experts in tourism communications and journalists from various countries addressed around 200 participants from 20 countries at the first Regional Conference on Tourism Communications (TOURCOM), organized in Nusa Dua, Bali (Indonesia) on Friday. The Conference marks a turning point for media relations and crisis communications in Asia and the Pacific.

Organized by the World Tourism Organization in cooperation with the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the event has attracted decision makers in international tourism communications from the public, private sectors and a large group of journalists. The official sponsor partner of the event is Visa International - Asia Pacific.

The purpose of the Conference is to share experiences and exchange views on a wide range of tourism communications issues, such as media relations, corporate and marketing communications and to establish a new partnership between the tourism community and the travel and business media. Since Indonesia was hardest hit by last December´s tsunami, which indirectly affected its tourism image, a very important part of the Conference is dedicated to risk and crisis communications in tourism.

"TOURCOM creates an opportunity for tourism and the media to listen to and learn from one another. The view of media professionals on improved communications, on the one hand, and explanations from the tourism sector on the workings of the tourism industry on the other hand, can contribute to constructive discussions and a better mutual understanding", WTO Deputy Secretary-General Dawid de Villiers said.

The WTO will stage three more regional tourism communications conferences, starting at the end of July in Abuja, Nigeria and in September in Riga, Latvia and Amman, Jordan.