I am referring of course to the industry's role in the creation of international goodwill and understanding on a global scale. Every time you send tourists away on holiday, you open their eyes to the wonderful diversity of the world's nations and their cultures. In so doing, you are helping to foster international awareness, appreciation, understanding and respect. It is therefore good to know that tourism is the biggest industry in the world. By the year 2007, tourism around the world will be responsible for about 383 million jobs.
Tourism is big business.
And travel marts like the one that we are inaugurating this evening are the platforms upon which the buyers and sellers of holiday packages meet and do business. It is a multimillion dollar business, with sales and orders transacted months ahead of the actual holidays and trips. The intended results are of course, happy and enjoyable holidays and travel experiences for consumers the world over, and rewarding returns for travel suppliers and producers. Singapore - where the world comes to meet It is perhaps not exactly surprising that the PATA Travel Mart is taking place here in Singapore. Despite our small size, we are an important business and trading centre.