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News • Seoul • South Korea • 2013-10-27

Tony Blair heads cast of 60 experts at WTTC Asia Summit in Seoul.

Tony Blair, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 – 2007, heads a cast of Tourism Ministers and more than 60 Chief Executives at the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Asia Summit which starts in Seoul next week.

Mr Blair will give his observations on leadership and the current geopolitical climate. After his speech, Mr Blair will take part in an extended question-and-answer session with David Scowsill, President & CEO, WTTC, which will include questions relating to the Syria crisis and the Korea dispute. This promises to be a fascinating session which can be viewed live on the WTTC website (www.wttc.org) at 14.00 local time (06.00 BST and 01.00 EST).

Also participating at the Asia Summit will be Ministers of Tourism from around the region and over 60 leaders from the Travel & Tourism industry who are coming together at WTTC’s inaugural Asia Summit, to focus on the region of the world which will be in the vanguard of tourism development growth. Over the next ten years, growth in Travel & Tourism total contribution to GDP will average 5-7% in Asia.

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) forecasts that Travel & Tourism will create over 47 million new jobs in Asia over the next decade, and that by 2023 China will have overtaken the United States as the world’s largest Travel & Tourism economy, measured by total GDP contribution and the forecast size of the outbound market.

\"The WTTC Asia Summit will address what needs to be done to harness the enormous growth potential, in Korea and beyond, showcasing countries which are driving the industry with an enlightened approach. It provides the opportunity for a stimulating exchange between private and public sector, and it will tackle some of the most pressing issues facing Travel & Tourism today\" said David Scowsill.

The theme of the Asia Summit is ‘Staying Ahead of Tomorrow’. This theme encapsulates the region’s global lead in technology development; consumer understanding across different cultures; planning ahead for infrastructure build; launching new product; and developing human capital.

And keeping “Staying Ahead of Tomorrow” firmly in mind, media from around the world are being invited to follow and participate in the event in real time - regardless of whether they attend in person. The complete Summit programme will be filmed and streamed live on the WTTC’s website, while journalists will also be able to put live questions to the speakers via Twitter, throughout the event.

In addition, pre-Summit social media events are scheduled for this week. Professor Ian Goldin, Director of the Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford, is launching the debate by hosting a Google+ Hangout to discuss “The Future of Travel”. Later, Juhum Park, CEO of the Dabeeo Co, will also be using Google+ to talk about the direction of “Travel Tech in Asia”, whilst Thea Chiesa of the World Economic Forum and Adam Sacks, President of Tourism Economics, will co-host a Twitter chat to discuss the “Barriers and Opportunities” to tourism growth in Asia.

Fully-accredited journalists wishing to attend the WTTC Asia Summit should send an email to media@wttc.org

At the Summit itself, Tony Blair, will be joined by speakers from Global Travel and Tourism’s elite including:

SHIN Dong-Bin Chairman, Lotte Group

Dr Michael Frenzel Chairman of the Supervisory Board, TUI Deutschland GmbH. and TUIfly GmbH

Doug Anderson President & CEO, Carlson Wagonlit Travel

Professor Ian Goldin Director Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford

H.E. Ramon Jimenez Secretary of Tourism, Government of Philippines

H.E. Mari Elka Pangestu Minister of Tourism & Creative Economy, Republic of Indonesia

Byung-il Choi President & CEO, Korea Economic Research Institute

Pier Luigi Foschi Chairman & CEO, Carnival Asia and Chairman of the Board, Costa Crociere SPA

Dhiren Fonseca Chief Commercial Officer, Expedia, Inc.

Yong-Joo Jeon Chief Executive Officer, Sidus IHQ

Chang-su Jung President & CEO, Incheon Airport

Professor Kaye Kye-Sung Chon Chair Professor and Director of School, Hotel and Tourism Management, Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Geoffrey J W Kent Founder, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Abercrombie & Kent

Bong-gi Kim Chief Executive Officer, Incheon Medical Tourism Foundation

Professor. Youn Taek Lee Professor, Hanyang University, Graduate School, Department of International Tourism

Masaru Onishi Chairman, Japan Airlines Co., Ltd.

Satoshi Seino Chairman and Director, East Japan Railway Company

Taeho Sim President, AT Kearney

John Slosar Chief Executive, Cathay Pacific Airways Limited

Hiromi Tagawa JTB Corp, President & CEO

Brett Tollman The Travel Corporation, President & Chief Executive

Takanobu Yamamoto Rakuten Travel Inc., President

Jinryong YOO Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Republic of Korea

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