The Programme - Global Travel & Tourism Summit

Picture © Emirates, courtesy of www.arabian-adventures.comHH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al MaktoumVICE PRESIDENT AND PRIME MINISTER OF UAE AND THE RULER OF DUBAITo all those of you who have travelled here for this Summit, it isa pleasure to welcome you to Dubai. For all of us who live inDubai, we are delighted to be your hosts for this encounter, bothpersonally and professionally.Travel and welcome are the two sides of the same coin – and in this part of theworld we have a long tradition in both.I am proud of the way that Dubai has carried these concepts forward into the21st century with a sense of adventure and enterprise. We fully understand theimportance of travel and tourism – for the world, and for Dubai.As the success of Dubai has demonstrated, travel and tourism can be afactor for growth, for jobs, for trade, for positive change – and above all,for understanding.We know, too, that this potential puts travel and tourism in a powerful positionof influence right around the world. We are consequently very glad to welcomeparticipants to this Global Summit.We look forward to the reflections of leading figures from industry andgovernments on how this potential can be realised for positive change. Throughdialogue and exchange, this Summit will be able to help shape the future oftravel and tourism – and in so doing, it can also advance the ability of the traveland tourism industry to help shape the future of the world.3