The Global travel and tourism industry just got their day at the United Nations when another disaster hit Turkey and Syria.
The death toll from the two 7.8-magnitude earthquakes in Turkey and Singapore and their aftershocks have already reached over 7,800. MSNBC just reported that experts are already estimating the death rate to be a “chilling 180,000.”
Thousands are trapped under the rubble and thousands of buildings were destroyed.
The man behind Tourism Resilience, the Hon. Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett from Jamaica reached out to the ambassador of Syria on the sideline of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Monday, offering Jamaica’s assistance, and the assistance of the Global Tourism Resilience & Crisis Management Centre.
Hon. Edmund Bartlett speaking for Jamaica and the Global Tourism Resilience & Crisis Management Centre
Minister Bartlett is the founder and chairman of GTRCMC. In his conversation with the Syrian ambassador to the UN, he expressed condolences and support for the recovery efforts in Syria and neighboring Turkey. Bartlett also instructed Jamaica’s ambassador to reach out to his Turkish counterpart. The Resilience Centre in Amman Jordan is being alerted to offer full support. Dr. Taleb Refai co-chairman of the GTRCMC is in Amman and will coordinate efforts.
Dr. Taleb Rifai, former UNWTO Secretary General
Dr. Taleb Rifai, who is also the former Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) told eTurboNews:
“It is no accident that the UN approved the resolution declaring February 17 as the yearly tourism resilience day on the same day the earthquake devastated portions of Syria and Turkey.
It is meant to illustrate the importance of resilience in our world today. Resilience today especially in tourism is a must. We have to learn from our mistakes and never allow them to dissolute our lives again.”
Dr. Hamoon, Üsküdar University, Istanbul
“The whole focus of Turkey and its allies is on how to respond to the devastating earthquake and its consequences,” Dr. Hamoon Khelghat-Doost, professor of political science at the University of Lincoln, UK, and Üsküdar University, Istanbul told eTN syndication partner The Media Line in an interview.
SKAL INTERNATIONAL
The unprecedented devastation suffered in the southeastern part of Türkiye has prompted the Skål International Executive Committee to initiate an emergency Aid Fund to send much-needed assistance to the thousands of families left homeless.
The dimensions of the earthquake, on an area of 300 + km diameter affecting 10 cities with over 12 million inhabitants is going beyond imagination. Thousands of victims under 11.000 collapsed buildings are waiting to be rescued, as aftershocks continue. Survivors are homeless under severe weather conditions with rain and snow, as the number of casualties continues climbing.
In this respect, we have been informed that our fellow Skålleagues of the Skål International Cukurova club, located in the middle of the affected area, thank God are well but a number of them have lost their homes, friends, and relatives.
We encourage all Skålleagues to join in sending your donations to this much-needed humanitarian cause through the GoFundMe platform for online payment or by bank transfer.
World Tourism Network:
“On behalf of all members of WTN, I am relating our heartfelt condolences to Turkey and Syria, the victims, and their families in the region struck by this terrible earthquake”, said Juergen Steinmetz, chairman of the network.
“World Tourism Network is all about supporting medium and small-size travel and tourism businesses. The region affected, specifically in Turkey is a tourism region striving by family and small businesses. WTN is ready to assist and encourages our members to assist whenever possible. Also, we need guidance how WTN members can do this.”
Steinmetz added: “As a SKAL member myself, we applaud and support SKAL in its initiative to get the tourism industry to financially support Turkey and Syria during such impossible times.”
“We also reach out to GTRCMC, its founder, the Hon. Minister Bartlett, and Dr. Taleb Rifai, who is also our co-chairman join hands in a consolidated approach and mobilize the entire tourism world to be Turkish and Syrian right now. Tourism must shine and put actions behind showing resilience.”
“Saudi Arabia stood up and answered so many 911 calls by tourism affected regions in the world. My appeal is also to the HE, the Hon Minister of Tourism for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mr. Ahmed al-Khatib to show leadership in yet another crisis.”
