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 , SecretaryFoxx, and Secretary Pritzker: It is an honor t o write to y ou in supp ort 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 industrythat supports the belief that every traveler is potentiall y an Ambassador for Peace. IIP T’s first Global Conference: Tourism

– A Vital Force for Peace, Van couver 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); Claud e Tay lor, Chairman, Air Canada; and GeoffreyLipman, (first) President, World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). Chairman of the first

IIP T International Advisory Board was Knut Hammarskjold, formerl y Director Gener al, International Air Transport Association (IATA) 1966 to 1984. You have alreadyreceived a submission from Geoffrey L ipman, currentlyPresident, International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) who was Head of Government Affairs at IA TA in the late 1970’s when “ the US government and its airlines embarked on their op en sk ies strategy using every diplomatic and commercial avenue to mount a crusade on what theycalled the protectionist Bermuda based bilateral & the cartelistic IATA tariff s ys tems.” Knut Hammarskjold was IATA Director General during this period leading I ATA through a period of profound change including a growth in airline hijackings. Knut believed that “Modern transport, especially

air transport, and modern communications, particularl y telecommunications, have contributed more than an y politician to bring ing 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 b y one of President Roosevelt’s closest advisors during the height of World War II.”
P rominent 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 Sec r etary 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. Inou ye 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 compan y, Hilton Hotels International [HI ] to meet the need for first

- class hotel facilities in Europe. Hilton Hotel's corporate motto of "W orld Peace through International Trade and Travel" was also Conrad Hilton's personal philosophy . He believed that his hotels could make a contribution to the econom y 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 a dvocacy of W orld Peace through International Trade and Travel became the philosophical commitment he publiclysupported in the fight against Communism. (reference:

http://www.u ltimatewarrior.com/Media/PDF's/CNHBiograph yl ong.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 privatel y held compan y in the Uni ted 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 II PT 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 th rough a greater understanding of each other that we can ever hope to achieve world peace.”
One can onl y 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. Govern ment

– 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 beco me 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 l evel of international understanding which can sharpl y improve the attitude for world peace.” President John F. Kenney President Kenned y 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 environmen t, 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. Itis foundedon 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 y ou for this opportunity

– Respectfully

y ours,

Dr. Louis J. D’Amore IIPT Founder and President