'We are entering a period of irrationality, but western values will survive because they work', John C Kornblum, the former ambassador of the United States and now a political advisor, issued this message of optimism at the ITB Berlin Convention.

In his keynote address entitled “The New Era of World Disorder: The Multiplication of Crises“ he derives this positive outlook from the fact that, although people all over the world are receptive to simple solutions, the protagonists of such solutions are actually unable to deal with a digitalized world that has made infinite volumes of data available to everyone in real time.

“In the final analysis such objectives such as 'Make America Great Again' or 'France for the French’ will not work”, in his opinion. Power will eventually flow to those nations that understand how to deal with the digital age.

One example that he gave was Estonia, which is currently a trailblazer in the digitalization of everyday life. However, those who seek to preserve western values must come to realize that people do not primarily rely on more advisors but instead obtain the basis for their arguments from data.

“Those who invoke values and create values are the ones who will survive“, Kornblum concluded. This also applies to the tourism industry.

Thomas Rietig / www.itb-kongress.de