Opening the ITB Travel Trade event in Berlin today, UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai's speech indicated a slight progress (verbal at least) in the organisations positions, recognising the 'environmental imperative' and the need for a 'fairer' and 'more sustainable growth'. However, no relevant key proposals were put forward, and as expected, there were no criticisms against the business as usual approach of unreformed (beyond token CSR tricks) international tourism oligopolies, there was no differentiation between more appropriate tourism types, means of transport, management and ownership structures (such as community ownership) no mention of climate change and of the direct contribution of aviation to it, tax and pension evasion and the offshore nature of whole tourism sections. There was of course continuing admiration for ever higher tourism numbers, unsustainable mega-events, and the cliche about the contribution of Tourism to global 'employment', without any reference to stagnant working conditions and declining worker rights.

The full speech can be found at: http://www2.unwto.org/sites/all/files/pdf/sg_itb_speech_2011_en.pdf