by Anita Mendiratta | Jun 28, 2015
Month after month, the value of the global Tourism sector reveals its invaluable impact on economies, societies, futures. The monthly statistics on traveller movements and spend showcase the impact that individual travellers crossing borders, over 3.1 million per day, on the places that they visit and people that they meet.
The month of June has been particularly vivid in its expressions of impact, with the month opening with the IATA Annual General Meeting. With over 1000 leaders from the global aviation world coming together in Miami, including Presidents and CEOs from IATA’s 257-strong member airlines across the globe, the critical role of aviation to global development was clearly stated by Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO in his all-important ‘State of the Industry’ address where he spoke of the benefits created by “a worldwide network of some 51,000 routes“, continuing to explain that “this year 3.5 billion passengers and nearly 55 million tonnes of cargo will travel safely by air. And that’s only the beginning of the story. Airlines create jobs. We directly employ 2.5 million people. A further 56 million work in the value chain. And there are countless more jobs in businesses that rely on airlines to deliver some $6 trillion of goods to global markets.”
Moving away from the numbers and making the more personal link to the travel & tourism sector, the address went on to remind all present of the wonder of the freedom of movement: “Airlines create intangible benefits. How many deals are sealed in meetings that involved air travel? How many great ideas took root on a journey of discovery? How important are ties to family and friends maintained over great distances? And how can you measure the value of the freedom to expand horizons that air travel makes possible?”
All those in the great AGM hall, all experts in their respective areas of aviation, knew these words to be true. To pull back the velvet curtain of the glamorous, exciting world of aviation is to see the essential role that the industry plays, keeping the world moving forward, both for those travelling and those supporting the travel journey.
As the month unfolded, momentum of midyear travel activity continued to grow. Regional statistics showed signs for strong confidence for the all-important summer holiday season.
And then it was June 26th happened. Holiday makers lounging in beach chairs on the hotel-heavy beachfront of the resort town of Sousse, eyes and minds shut as they soaked up the sunshine and sensation of being on a long-awaited, deserved break, were woken by horror. Tragedy once again touched Tunisia, leaving 38 at the Riu Imperial Marhaba hotel at a loss of life, a nation at a loss for words, and an essential tourism industry at a loss of hope.
With an immediate exodus of tourists, the tragedy began to soak more deeply into the national psyche, as the impact of the tourism industry – and its collapse – moved to the forefront of post-tragedy analysis. As stated by the Prime Minister of Tunisia, the tourism industry – a major artery of the Tourism economy and identity employing over 13% of Tunisians (just under 500,000 in 2014) and representing over 15% of GDP – is “drowning”.
This after a rallying of support for the sector by global travellers following March’s attack at Tunis’ Bardo Museum.
This time, it is harder for travellers to look to Tunisia as a real option.
Through the tragedy, one of the messages being magnified within and outside the industry: Tourism is vital to national stability and, in these times of crisis, recovery.
This message now echoes across Greece as the nation, which is also one of the world’s most desirable tourism destinations, faces economic crisis – crisis, and therefore looks desperately to Tourism, the employer of almost 1 in 5 Grecians and accounting for 17% of GDP, to keep the country economy and spirits buoyant.
As occurred in 2008 when the world was gripped by global economic downturn, understanding and appreciation has once again emerged around the economic value of sectors often overlooked as non-essential. Tourism remains at the forefront of the wave of awareness spreading out across global maps and markets. And also mindsets, for it is Travel & Tourism which makes it possible for different people from different parts of the world and come together to gain understanding, respect and appreciation for different ways of living, different ways of thinking, all while sharing similar dreams and desires for a future of peace and purpose.
Jobs. Earnings. Participation. Unity. Stability. Identity. Hope.
Qualitatively and quantitatively, the Travel & Tourism sector has become a critical lever for global stability, not just economically, but socially and spiritually. Especially during these trying times when the hearts, minds, hopes and travel movements of people across the world so dearly need to come together as one.
Copyright: ANITA MENDIRATTA 2015
by Anita Mendiratta | May 31, 2015
The past week has been one of high drama for the game of football. But sadly not on the pitch.
With the world’s leading football body, FIFA, coming under unprecedented accusation and condemnation, the game playing took on a whole, new, nasty nature. A sport that has brought millions across the world together for years, and has been a part of the fabric of many nations’ pride, unity and even identity, brought its passionate followers to states of emotion never seen before in the sport. Outrage became the sport’s unifying sentiment. Along with grave disappointment, though many would say not surprise.
The intense bruising of FIFA’s credibility, and outright challenge to its honesty of operations, has many across the globe arguing that, while this is a tragedy for FIFA, it may in fact be what the beautiful game has been needing for years. Finally, the velvet curtain is being pulled back, concerns are being followed up, concrete evidence is being collected, and charges are being made.
How far and wide the shadow of shame will go is yet to be seen. What is clearly visible, however, is that the love of the game remains strong, and its fans and followers across the globe are prepared to fight for its honesty.
The undeniable fall of FIFA this past week as the guardian of the world’s most widely played and cherished sport has shown, once again how richly unifying, and transcending, sport can be, and is. A game that is played by literally billions around the world, its moves intuitive, and its spirit infectious, has become a force that has unified nationals, and nations, for as long as lovers of the game can remember. Creating iconic moments, heroes, defining images, electric events, landmark centres of sport, and dreams of “maybe one day that will be me!”, football represents one of our great global languages.
What has this past week done to the fans of football far and wide? It has created an important separation between sport and sports bodies. And it has made clear there are some conversation, some negotiations, that the game is unwilling to engage in. There are some moves in the game that true lovers of the sport are unwilling, absolutely unwilling, to play.
This has to be a good thing.
The outrage must remain as a fuel of fury, inspiring football’s community, whether fans or officials, sponsors, players or profilers, to come together. Now is the moment for the sport to feel sits real strength – the billions of people across the globe who have made it the truly beautiful game.
As poignantly and earnestly expressed by Jordan’s Prince Ali bin Hussein in his powerful, albeit unsuccessful, FIFA election speech,:
“We are guardians of a Game that is not simply for the world, it is a game that is loved and cherished by the world. A game that is celebrated and a game that has the power to unite and to heal. That brings joy and tears. And that is about men and women who give their all and then more still… To inspire and guide the young. To entertain through suspense and endeavor. And to give pride to nations and regions.
The world that is watching is not a stakeholder that is somehow separate from our Game – FIFA does not exist in a bubble; the world that is watching is part of us, and we are part of it.”
As with all dark, long nights, there is always the promise of a new dawn. Now is the time for football lovers around the world to step forward and take their positions.
Game on!
Copyright: ANITA MENDIRATTA 2015
by Anita Mendiratta | Apr 30, 2015
For all of the awe and analysis that comes with observing the evolution of the global travel and tourism industry, one truth remains at the core of the ‘why‘ of global travel: the world wants, and needs, to connect. And there is no greater force than travel and tourism to enable people of different places to find common interests, common bonds, common understanding.
Since 2015 began, so much has occurred to show just how divided the world we live in today is. Geography. Ideology. Politics. Economics.
And then something happens that causes a shaking of the global psyche, bringing us all together. Uniting us around a common value: a life lived.
Just days ago the Earth shook and Nepal fell. As the rubble rolled its way towards a stop-point the world stopped to catch its breath, and find ways to keep survivors strong, hopeful, breathing. It’s not about national efforts – it is about millions of people across nations coming together to help, simply because it is the right thing to do. Because ultimately we are one global community.
Today, at this point in the post-tragedy phase, here is where we are in terms of global response: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/25/world/nepal-earthquake-how-to-help/index.html
How can one help? this is the best way to find the best route of support: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/25/world/nepal-earthquake-how-to-help/index.html
However we respond, however we choose to show our support, may it create a deep sense of, above all, above all nations, we are one global community. And in times of crisis, we could only be so fortunate for the world to respond to our personal need in the same way.
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/25/world/nepal-earthquake-how-to-help/index.html
Copyright: ANITA MENDIRATTA 2015
by Anita Mendiratta | Mar 19, 2015
As the month of March began, the first anniversary of the disappearance of MH370 was just days away. One year on, not one concrete clue has emerged around what happened to the aircraft with its 239 souls on board. The one great aviation mystery of our generation still hangs heavy on our hearts and minds. One aircraft, one hurt, one enduring hope that maybe, just maybe, one day we will know…
Just a matter of days on, as the month has moved on, the eyes of the world were forced to suddenly shift. From Malaysia our eyes travelled to other points on the world map suddenly gripped by crisis. Often they were places unfamiliar to sight. Just this past weekend it was Vanuatu, a pure, picture-perfect, tiny island paradise forced into the headlines as Tropical Cyclone Pam forced her way through, leaving a path of destruction and despair not seen since the tragedy of 2013’s Super Typhoon Haiyan in Tacloban. http://reliefweb.int/report/vanuatu/infographic-tropical-cyclone-pam-march-2015. At once, the world’s eyes watched with anxiousness, seeing the hurt, looking for the signs of hope.
And then suddenly, like the switching of a television channel, and in fact through the switching of a television channel or refresh of a webpage, the eyes of the world travelled from the South Pacific to North Africa. Tunisia, the nation seen as the single success story of the Arab Spring, shaken to its core by a brutal terror attack in Tunis, one carefully targeting a high profile centre of culture and tourism. A single blow hits at the hearts of Tunisians and several nations, as 23 lives are lost (as of 19 03 2015 count) including those of 18 foreign tourists. Horror where once there was such hope. Today, the day after the nightmare the day before, the shadows still block the sun, the darkness and fear thick. The threats of “more” echoing.
Again. And Again. And again.
As the 2015 calendar moves through the months ahead, again and again the world’s eyes will be shifting to new locations of loss, learning of places and people whose lives are suddenly left in one overwhelming state of shock. More prayers will be said. More sadness will be felt. One world….united by one hurt.
Yet despite, or maybe it is because of, all of the physical separation of geography, and often separation of ideology, an invisible yet powerful unification is taking place. One world’s shared hurt, one without borders, is emerging as one shared need to hold on to hope.
Hope – the innate, deeply rooted need to believe that tomorrow will be a better day. And with that, tomorrow our world will be a better, safer, kinder place.
Some call such hope ‘audacity‘, some ‘naïveté‘, some ‘impossibility‘, some a reflection of being out of touch with reality.
And yet, the human spirit continues to hope, turning to those right next to us and across the globe to fuel its ability to endure. Because it has to.
It might not be tomorrow, but soon, no question about it, something else will happen to shift out focus, to shake our faith. Something will scare our inner child.
In that moment, once again, we will be forced to dig deep, turning our shock and chilled states of heart into a glue that binds us all together with a need to believe that tomorrow, maybe tomorrow, we will be better. Our world will be safer. The sun will break through the cloud.
One world, with the remarkable ability to turn one hurt into one unextinguishable hope….with all of its beautiful, borderless, breathing easy, bonds.
Copyright: ANITA MENDIRATTA 2015
by Anita Mendiratta | Feb 28, 2015
With the world around us opening more and more each day to personal exploration through travel, a natural excitement and energy bubbles up in the hearts and minds of passport, smartphone and credit card carrying nomads from far and wide. The ability to enter locations and lives, seeing sights, inhaling scents, and responding to smiles different from those of ‘home’, and gaining deeper understanding of not just other worlds but one’s worlds within – these are just some of the blessings of travel.
Yet, with all of the places to go, people to meet, foods to sample, handcrafts to purchase, views to absorb, photographs to post, and ticks to put against the lists, all too often the busy, busy pursuits of travel turns moments and memories into a blur. ‘Being there’ has become so packed with experiences to absorb, followed by a pressure to move on to make more memories happen, that all so easily it can result in missing out on making ‘real’ the here and now. The moments long dreamt of from afar continue to feel out there.
Sadly, the details that most deeply touch one’s heart and penetrate one’s memories, can become lost:
Listening to the lapping of water at the side of a boat as it sits peacefully on the waters of the Nile…
Spotting the tiny heads of Hype Park spring flowers courageously coming out of wintry ground in search of glimpses of sunshine even though the change of seasons is still weeks away…
Watching a local parent watching his young child carefully eat an ice cream cone, the little lad’s intensity of focus unwavering, unaware of the sweet mess looming…
Looking into the eyes of Luxor’s horses pausing for a break and brief feeding before their next guests arrive to be taken on a city tour via carriage…
Standing quietly in the darkness to find the faint yet formidable lines of the Great Pyramids of Giza, illuminated by a mere handful of stars above…
They are all out there. Tiny moments, precious moments, that bring to life dreams of travel.
For all of the picture-perfect images that can be captured by cameras, the perfect moments of travel go far beyond when they are captured by being still – listening to the silence as the scene is being absorbed. And feeling the heartbeat of the subject of one’s attention and affection, whether animate or not.
These are the lifelong, worldwide, travel inspired moments all around us, little gifts waiting to be uncovered each and every day.
There they are, to be discovered and held dear as deeply personal, favourite memories…..though only found and felt, by being still.
Copyright: ANITA MENDIRATTA 2015
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