Abdou Belgat: Education and training are important cornerstones for the prosperity and development of tourism

On May 29, the "International Mountain Tourism Day (IMTD) 2024" Theme Event was successfully held in Nice, the capital city of the French department of Alpes-Maritimes, France. Representatives of the Chinese Embassy and Consulates in France, the French cultural and tourism authorities, representatives of local government, representatives of international organizations, members of the International Mountain Tourism Alliance (IMTA), tourism agencies, tourism enterprises, industry experts, and media gathered together to discuss and revolve around the theme of "Mutual Understanding among People through Mountain Tourism" and the forum theme "Mountain Tourism Destinations Responding to Climate Change". The rich exchange activities highlight and promote the development concept of mutual learning among civilizations, driving innovation in the "Mountain Tourism+" model.

Abdou Belgat, President of World Association for Hospitality and Tourism Education and Training (AMFORHT) made a speech in High-level segment.

The following is the full text of the speech:

It’s a great honor to represent our World Association for Hospitality and Tourism Education and Training (AMFORHT) here today. We’ve talked a lot already, about revenue, sustainable tourism, the environment, and the market share of the mountain tourism industry. This is indeed a crucial area for us. Just as we’ve seen the damage of the sea on coastal tourism, today we’re starting to focus on mountain tourism.

Table Mountain Scenic Area in Cape Town, South Africa

Source: IMTA

Tourism today is a vehicle for peace. We’re in turbulent times, but we also have the responsibility to bring back peace. This hinges on two key aspects: education and training. I want to commend the work of our esteemed AMFORHT, founded in Nice in 1969. As the president, I invite you all to join our 55th anniversary celebration, a moment of peace, wisdom, and sharing. Our message today must focus on education and training.

Our industry has abundant natural and human resources, but it’s up to us to preserve them. If not, no matter what we do, we’ll encounter difficulties. Why? Because different countries have different social and professional structures. I’ll share two stories with you.

The Great Wall of China

Source: website of National Cultural Heritage Administration

It won’t be long. I’ve been working in the tourism industry for over half a century, starting with Club Med and the Plaza Athénée, one of the most exquisite luxury hotels in the world. In 1976, I had the fortune as a young executive to host China’s then Vice Premier with Chinese Ambassador at the Plaza Athénée. I was among the first from our team to visit China, touring Beijing, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong by train. Back then, Beijing was vast and empty, with millions of bicycles and no cars. After that, we went to China three times again. The transformation I’ve witnessed is astounding. China’s progress explained why you founded the IMTA, a remarkable achievement. From an outside perspective, China has experienced a great revolution. We must also be prepared, and preparation involves education and training. There are 54 professions in the hotel industry, but this is not widely recognized. People only see the service and leadership roles, forgetting about the engineers, programmers, architects, and carpenters. That’s why what we are doing is pioneering. I believe now is the right time to seek a path to peace and prosperity rooted in education and training. Someone mentioned the number 1.1 billion people, but demographers say there are 1.3 billion living in mountainous regions. So, we are obligated to offer them more than just tourism as a temporary escape. We must do more to help. It’s also a big topic like desert tourism. Our primary responsibility is to work together, share ideas, and seek common development. On behalf of AMFORHT, we’re proud to renew our partnership with the IMTA.

Plaza Athénée, Paris, France

Source: China National Tourism Magazine

Finally, speaking about our friends and this great country China, you should know that over 20 years ago, co-founder Gérard Pellissant and Paul Dubrule attended a meeting and spoke about the future of global tourism. Asia was highlighted, starting with China. That’s why Accor was the first international hotel group entering the Chinese market. In addition, our work in Arab-Muslim countries. Look at Saudi Arabia today. 20 years ago, it was empty. Now, it’s one of the top tourism destinations alongside China, India, and Mexico. Therefore, what we are doing is planning for the next two decades.

Thank you all for your efforts, especially in education and training. Thank you. I hope I didn’t go over my time limit.

Text source: IMTA

Editor Ⅰ: Zhang Wenwen

Editor Ⅱ: Wu Dan

Editor Ⅲ: Liu Guosong