29 May 2015

The Honorable John F. Kerry

Secretary of State

U.S. Department of State

2201 C Street, NW

Washington, DC 20520

The Honorable Anthony Foxx

Secretary of Transportation

U.S. Department of Transportation

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE

Washington, DC 20590

The Honorable Penny S. Pritzker

Secretary of Commerce

U.S. Department of Commerce

1401 Constitution Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20230

Dear Secretary Kerry, Secretary Foxx, and Secretary Pritzker:

It is an honor to write to you in support of a U.S. Open Skies policy for its important 

contribution to international understanding, trust, and world peace.

The International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) was born in 1986, the UN 

International Year of Peace through Tourism, with a vision of travel and tourism becoming 

the world’s first global peace industry; an industry that supports the belief that every

traveler is potentially an Ambassador for Peace. 

IIPT’s first Global Conference: Tourism – A Vital Force for Peace, Vancouver 1988, a 

milestone event for the travel and tourism industry with 800 delegates from 67 countries, 

has been acknowledged as the “Launch of the Peace through Tourism Movement.”

Members of our first International Advisory Board included Maurice Strong, Chairman of 

the First UN Conferences on Environment, Stockholm 1972; UN Conference on 

Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro 1992 and founder of the United Nations 

Environment Program (UNEP); Claude Taylor, Chairman, Air Canada; and Geoffrey
Lipman, (first) President, World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). Chairman of the first 

IIPT International Advisory Board was Knut Hammarskjold, formerly Director General, 

International Air Transport Association (IATA) 1966 to 1984.

You have already received a submission from Geoffrey Lipman, currently President, 

International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) who was Head of Government Affairs at 

IATA in the late 1970’s when “the US government and its airlines embarked on their open 

skies strategy using every diplomatic and commercial avenue to mount a crusade on what 

they called the protectionist Bermuda based bilateral & the cartelistic IATA tariff systems.”

Knut Hammarskjold was IATA Director General during this period leading IATA through a 

period of profound change including a growth in airline hijackings. Knut believed that “Modern 

transport, especially air transport, and modern communications, particularly telecommunications, 

have contributed more than any politician to bringing nations, peoples and individuals closer 

together than they have been any time before . . . and have provided the tools for an evolution 

towards the ‘One World’ first spoken of by one of President Roosevelt’s closest advisors during 

the height of World War II.”

Prominent travel industry persons in the U.S. from both the public and private sectors have 

recognized the important role of travel and tourism in promoting international understanding and 

peace. Donna Tuttle, Under Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism in the late 1980’s 

believed that “Tourism is inexorably linked with freedom, and Tourism is the perfect freedom. 

When people are free to travel, they learn; they experience; they see others dealing with life’s 

problems and opportunities and striving for the same goals that they too hold dear.”

Roger Dow, President and CEO, U. S. Travel Association, has printed on the back of his 

business card: “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness” Mark Twain.

Senator Daniel K. Inouye had stated, “I believe tourism’s foremost importance lies in the 

contribution it can and does make to understanding and compassion among the people of our 

world. In my own state of Hawaii, we refer to it as the Aloha Spirit.” 

Indeed, an “Open Skies” policy might be viewed in the context of what might be termed an 

“Open Hotel Accommodation” policy pioneered by Conrad Hilton in 1948. Against the advice of 

his Hilton Hotels Corporation Board of Directors, Conrad Hilton established a new hotel 

company, Hilton Hotels International [HI] to meet the need for first-class hotel facilities in 

Europe. 

Hilton Hotel's corporate motto of "World Peace through International Trade and Travel" was 

also Conrad Hilton's personal philosophy. He believed that his hotels could make a contribution 

to the economy of friendly nations and stimulate tourist spending. 

At the same time, the hotel structure would provide a permanent reminder of all that America 

had done to help that country after the end of World War II. His advocacy of World Peace 

through International Trade and Travel became the philosophical commitment he publicly
supported in the fight against Communism. (reference: 

http://www.ultimatewarrior.com/Media/PDF's/CNHBiographylong.pdf).

As of March 2014, Hilton brands encompass 4,112 hotels with over 680,117 rooms in 91 

countries. Prior to their December 2013 IPO, Hilton was ranked as the 38th largest privately held 

company in the United States by Forbes.

Similar success stories can be found with other U.S. Hotel companies such as Marriott 

International with 3,900 hotels in 72 countries. Mr. J. W. Mariott, Jr. was a keynote speaker at 

the IIPT First Global Conference, Vancouver 1988. He believed that through travel, we observe 

for ourselves that despite different food, customs and modes of dress, we really are all one 

people of the world. And it is only through a greater understanding of each other that we can 

ever hope to achieve world peace.” 

One can only conclude that to be consistent in its international trade policy – and foreign policy

– an “Open Skies” policy should be the policy of the U.S. Government – a policy which will also 

be supportive of “World Peace through International Trade and Travel.”

Finally, may I close with a few statements by U.S. Presidents regarding the important 

contribution of travel and tourism to world peace.

“I have long believed, as have many before me, that peaceful relations between nations requires 

understanding and mutual respect between individuals.”

President Dwight D. Eisenhower

President Eisenhower launched “People to People International”

“Travel has become one of the great forces for peace and understanding of our time. As people 

move throughout the world and learn to know each other, to understand each other’s customs, 

and to appreciate the qualities of the individuals of each nation, we are building a level of 

international understanding which can sharply improve the attitude for world peace.” 

President John F. Kenney

President Kennedy established the Peace Corps

“There should be greater understanding among our peoples, and to this end we will encourage 

greater travel.” President Ronald Reagan, and 

Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev

Joint Statement following Geneva Summit 1986

About IIPT 

The International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) is a not for profit organization 

dedicated to fostering travel and tourism initiatives that contribute to international understanding, 

cooperation among nations, an improved quality of environment, cultural enhancement and the 

preservation of heritage, poverty reduction, reconciliation and healing wounds of conflicts; and 

through these initiatives, helping to bring about a peaceful and sustainable world. It is founded 
on a vision of the world’s largest industry, travel and tourism – becoming the world’s first global 

peace industry; and the belief that every traveler is potentially an “Ambassador for Peace.”

Thank you for this opportunity –

Respectfully yours,

Dr. Louis J. D’Amore

IIPT Founder and President