Mr Kofi A. Annan, founding chair of the Kofi Annan Foundation and Secretary-General of the United Nations, 1997-2006 will provide the keynote address at the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit, which will take place in Sanya on the island of Hainan, China, on 24-25 April.

In 2001, Mr Annan and the United Nations were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. Kofi Annan was praised for being "pre-eminent in bringing new life to the organization" (Norwegian Nobel Committee, October 2001). Since leaving the United Nations, Kofi Annan has been active pressing for policies that will meet the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly in Africa. He continues to use his experience to mediate and resolve conflict.

Joining Mr Annan on the speakers' platform will be more than forty other leading figures from the worlds of business, sport and Travel & Tourism.

The 14th Global Summit in Hainan Province, China, will explore 'Changing world, new perspectives'. Public and private sector leaders from outside and inside the industry will examine historical perspectives and their relevance for the future. They will look at Travel & Tourism from a new angle and seek to develop a new industry proposition that goes beyond the economic agenda, identifying how businesses can benefit from this new way of thinking.

"When tourism is married with sustainable and environmentally friendly policies, it has the potential to not just transform the economic prospects of a society for the better, but be a fundamental force for equitable and positive change in many areas", Mr. Annan said.

David Scowsill, President & CEO, WTTC said: "We are honoured to be joined by Kofi Annan at the WTTC Global Summit in Hainan, China, this April. His perspective on bringing peace to some of the world's most unstable regions will be invaluable to us and echo the ambition of the Global Summit - to look beyond the economic contribution of our industry to its role as a force for social good around the world."

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is the global authority on the economic and social contribution of Travel & Tourism. It promotes sustainable growth for the industry, working with governments and international institutions to create jobs, to drive exports and to generate prosperity. Travel & Tourism accounts for 255 million jobs globally. At US$6 trillion (9% of GDP) the sector is a key driver for investment and economic growth. For more than 20 years, the World Travel & Tourism Council has been the voice of this industry globally. Members are the Chairs, Presidents and Chief Executives of the world's leading, private sector Travel & Tourism businesses. These Members bring specialist knowledge to guide government policy and decision-making, raising awareness of the importance of the industry as an economic generator of prosperity. WTTC's Sustainability Initiative has already concluded a number of projects aimed at driving sustainable economic recovery and growth, namely: the 'Leading the Challenge on Climate Change' report, and 'Climate Change A Joint Approach to Addressing the Challenge'.

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Kofi Annan to provide keynote address at 2014 WTTC Global Summit in Hainan China