Indeed it is our industry that have survived the economic ravages, where other industries have failed, the tourism industry is the only one that is best wherever any sector in economy will leave a way for national and international economic recovery. What I am there for are the students of this vital portfolio of tourism expected to nurture and unleash its income earning potential. Therefore, its transformative potential in our respective economies and societies. We can do it, what we must simultaneously recognize we don't take challenges that still exist.

The world woke up for the unwelcome news, that the rate of unemployment to the world's largest market, United States rose to 10.2% in October, the highest rate since 1983. UNWTO expects international tourism to decline between 2- 3% in 2009, the phase of the challenges grow by global recession and by influence of H1N1 virus. Even in the middle of this reality, the contribution of tourism and travel to the global employment, stands at 7.6% of total employment of one in every 13 to 1 job. In the program the most tourism dependent in the world, value of tourism stands 14.8% of gross domestic product or 39.9 billion US dollar. And the industry had created over 2.1 million jobs directly or 1 in every 7.8 jobs. The world travel & tourism council runs the Caribbean tourism & travel economy, as the number 13 in absolute size world wide, but crucially runs at No. 1 in relative contribution to the national economy.

In my own country Jamaica, the tourism industry has also been an important source of foreign exchange and its importance has a reason in the last 2 years. Travel & Tourism contributes 27% to the value of gross domestic products or 3.98 billion US dollar and provide 23.7% of total employment that is total 276000 direct or indirect jobs, meaning 1 in every 4 jobs in Jamaica. We too have hired to deal with the economic challenges. However we are tackling the adversities and we are experiencing success. Our visitor arrivals have increased by 4% today, making Jamaica the number 1 destination in the Caribbean. The world travel awards only recently here in London sighted Jamaica for more than 20 awards in various categories in tourism. We have significantly increased the volume of airlift in Jamaica. Aggressively market to the advertising destination will continue through state encouragement and we have to diversify our tourism product to attract and satisfy a variety of visitors.
 
As we look to the future of tourism, we realize two important things. One, the tourism has the potential to be the world's biggest and capital intensive business. This is because of the wide and deep link. There is no sector that is untouched by the tourism- health, security, wellness, heritage culture, education, sports, commerce, agriculture. It either currently facilitates or holds it's potential. Secondly, the new consumer base for tourism is to be found in regions with the largest population density, from where our friends in Asia come in. We have been looking at marketing beyond the north and beyond west. We are moving very aggressively towards east, particularly in Asia. I leave for China and my next stop will be Mumbai. We are going in to India in wide essence because we are satisfied by these new emerging markets which are in fact, Brazil, India, China, Russia.

The future land of tourism based on 3 pillars - new market, new technologies & new partnerships. This follows on our current emphasis of market in product development and investment. This is new tourism paradise that we are pursuing in Jamaica and which all judgment has put us in the position  we are today. One of the devices of the government of Jamaica used in dealing with global economic crisis was not merely to generally rescue and to create rescue packages, but to create specific stimulus program for the various constituents of tourism industry. This include confessionary financing program for those in all its form and a significant reduction in tax base for our tourism product.
 
We will continue to promote Jamaica and to help our tourism sector to continue grow and to grow its way completely out of crisis and to reach optimum level of internal & external investment in our ambition to reach our target of 5 billion stopovers. This is important to us and we have to drive it through a mix of product, marketing activities and investments. We think that our friends and brothers over pacific area and in Asia in general must join with us in a very strong march towards ecological balance and efficiency in our move to save and preserve our planet Earth. Most of us in island state do have this particular problem and we are vulnerable as a result of climate change and the action of excessive environmental abuses. We know that Copenhagen conference is important. Let us all take the result to work together to ensure what we do and what must be done to secure the future of the world and the process of great industry,  tourism.