How the travel and tourism industry should respond to terrorism is the focus of a debate at World Travel Market next month organized by the International Institute of Peace Through Tourism (IIPT). The panel debate, “A Strategic Travel Industry Response to International Terrorism”, will take place on the World Stage at ExCeL London on Monday November 14.

Sri Lanka will be forecasting a return to double-digit numbers in tourism arrivals when it makes its presence felt at London´s World Travel Market from November 14 to 17 this year. Recent refurbishments, the opening of new coastal properties, keen investment interest from big players in the international hospitality industry and a positive tourism outlook are all strong indicators that Sri Lanka is back in business.

Iran will be coming to this year´s edition of the London World Travel Market for the first time as a collective tourism marketing force. Leading Iranian tour operators have made the journey to the exhibition in previous years to take part as individuals. However this year will be the first time that a dozen companies, regional representatives and government tourism officials will be found on a single stand during World Travel Market week between Monday 14 and Thursday 17 November at ExCeL London.

The world´s largest annual gathering of professional travel journalists came to an end in Santiago de Chile on October 23 as the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) wrapped up its 51st annual convention. With more than 1,200 travel writers, photographers, broadcasters and associate members, SATW is the largest travel journalist organization on the planet. Approximately 500 SATW members attended the meeting in Chile.

More than 400 international hospitality industry leaders from around the world attended the 42nd Congress of the IH&RA that took placer in China´s Beijing from October 28 to 30 at the Kempinski Hotel Beijing Lufthansa Center. IH&RA rolled out its largest meeting ever at this 2005 Congress which included a lecture program with industry leaders who debated the hottest issues impacting today´s hotel and restaurant industry.

Caribbean tourism officials who attended the 28th annual Caribbean Tourism Conference (CTC-28) in St. Thomas kept a wary eye on Wilma´s path as it tracked over the Yucatan and on through Florida. In fact, the impact of the storm kept officials from CTO-member Cancun, Mexico, from attending the conference altogether. The subject of hurricanes and their impact on regional tourism was an issue raised again and again at the conference.