Message of Bill Clinton, UN Special Envoy for Tsunami-affected Countries, for the WTO Regional Conference on Tourism Communications

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak with you today.

Nearly five months after the terrible loss of life from the tsunami our work is beginning to move from relief to recovery. In the days and weeks immediately following the disaster, people around the world did what they could, offering their prayers and their funds to aid this sudden, global cause. Governments, businesses and organizations large and small all pitched in -- we have seen the humanitarian community at its very finest.

It was a privilege for me to join this effort, first with former President Bush at the request of the President to encourage people to donate to charities; then as Special Envoy, at the request of Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Now we are faced with the daunting task of ensuring that the recovery process continues at full speed, even as the story no longer dominates the headlines. And all of us are determined to ensure this is the kind of recovery that "builds back better". It is unacceptable to rebuild communities back to their pre-existing levels of poverty and vulnerability. The people who were in the path of the tsunami deserve better -- better schools, better health care facilities - a better sense of safety through disaster reduction measures, and higher standards of living.

The region will not enjoy this kind of recovery without strong economies. And tourism is a critical part of this equation.
Part of our task is to convince people around the world that so many places in the region have been rebuilt and are ready to accept tourists today.

As you know, a recent VISA International report commissioned by the World Tourism Organization concluded that the majority of tourists planning to travel to the tsunami affected region said they needed more information about the impact the disaster has had on tourist facilities. Some potential tourists simply do not know that many of the resorts in the region are fully recovered and open for business. President Bush and I saw some of them ourselves during our tour. We know how important it is for tourists to return so that the economies of this region can rebound.

I am pleased to see that you have invited communication experts and journalists to this meeting. As members of the media - you have the power to disseminate valuable information to the public. The global media did a superb job of reporting the scale and impact of this disaster, and helped to encourage such a massive outpouring of donations from around the world. I am confident that, as you tell your readers and viewers about the state of reconstruction efforts in the region, the public will come to realize how many tourist destinations are even safer and more welcoming than they were prior to the day the tsunami struck.

The tourism industry is doing its part, not only restoring what was lost, but going one step further in helping to rebuild communities whose livelihoods were shattered by this disaster. In the Maldives, for example, the Banyan Tree hotel group is working with the UN and local community members to reconstruct houses and other buildings for some 300 people living on one of their hardest hit islands.

Over the coming weeks I will also be supporting the efforts of UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organization to set up an effective early warning systems that will not only prevent unnecessary loss of life in any future natural disaster but that should also reassure tourists and corporate investors that preventative measures are in place. I urge you to let your audiences know about the fact these and other steps are being taken to rebuild lives and livelihoods everywhere the tsunami struck.

In this way, we can encourage the return of tourism, even as we continue to encourage support for reconstruction efforts throughout the area.

Thank you very much.