The World Tourism Organization will use the world's largest travel fair ITB Berlin next week, to hold its first in a series of briefings on avian influenza and preparedness planning.

UNWTO Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli and his Special Advisor Geoffrey Lipman will be joined by the heads of major travel organizations including David McMillan, IH&RA, Peter de Jong, PATA and Martin Brackenburry, IFTO. A video overview from UN System Influenza Coordinator David Nabarro will start the event.

The one-hour briefing commencing at 9.15 a.m. on 10 March in the ICC (Room 7) will focus on action by the international community, coordinated under the auspices of the UN, to respond to the current outbreaks of avian influenza, the very limited implications for tourism to date and the plans being initiated to minimize impacts in the future.

The goals are both to inform stakeholders of the importance of preparedness and to begin a process of extending the information and response network. The briefing will also pay special attention to the situation and needs of the poorest countries and will lead in to UNWTO's ST-EP Forum, which has become a traditional event at the ITB.

"The issue of avian influenza and the possibility of mutation of the virus to a human influenza is out there now and we should focus on it in a measuered and rational way" stressed Mr. Lipman "So far its impact on tourism has been minimal, but we need to prepare for all eventualities. There is a need for efficient sharing of information and preparation. Tourism is a vast dynamic global network. We have to play our part in the international community response while minimizing the disruption to travel, which is at the heart of economic growth and development."


UNWTO Avian Influenza Briefing Note, 28 February:

Avian flu affects birds. It rarely affects humans. However, the "H5N1" virus causing the current outbreak of disease is a very deadly strain. The danger is that this virus could mutate into a human influenza virus and spread rapidly. At this stage no such mutation has been detected, action is focused on containment of the avian disease. No tourists have been affected. The World Health Organization does not recommend any travel restriction but does recommend health precautions to people visiting specific confirmed localities.

The international community is however preparing for the possibility of human related influenza. The tourism sector, a central part of international commerce and leisure, is involved in this preparation.

The global response is being led by the United Nations and its System Influenza Coordinator (UNSIC) is working with national governments who are in turn primarily following WHO and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) provisions.

The World Tourism Organization, the lead UN agency for the sector, is supporting the industry and its consumers by keeping them regularly informed on the evolving avian influenza situation and recommended response measures. It is also supporting tourism administrations in their actions within national and international preparedness plans.

UNWTO is working in a network of government and industry bodies committed to making travel as safe as possible and ensuring that the sector is fully prepared for any influenza developments.

www.undg.org/content.cfm?id=1482
www.who.int
www.fao.org
www.world-tourism.org
www.icao.org

For further information please contact: http://www.world-tourism.org