VATICAN CITY, JAN 29, 2004 (VIS) - Msgr. Piero Monni, Holy See permanent observer to the World Tourism Organization, spoke today at the First World Conference on Communication in the Domain of Tourism, a two-day meeting which began today in Madrid, Spain that is being sponsored by the WTO, with the support of the Spanish government, the city of Madrid and FITUR, The International Tourism Fair.
Msgr. Monni, in his address, noted that "quality and professionalism are fundamental elements in the tourism industry. These elements also regard the communications sector, which must be transparent and honest when promoting tourism." He remarked on the great growth of the "on line" tourist market and "virtual travel," adding that "dynamism and specializations are the future for communications in tourism."
When it respects its clients through quality and transparency, the Internet is a positive communications tool. However "there is a type of on-line information for tourists that increases the diffusion of the disgraceful pedophile market and the so-called sexual tourism." He said that telematics can sometimes "favor the sexual exploitation of children because it makes it difficult to identify the authors of such crimes," adding that "the role of communications and communicators cannot evade the consideration of an ethical responsibility."
"At the moment, it seems like technology is not at man's service anymore, but that it is governing man. Today reflecting on the famous phrase of (Marshall) McLuhan, 'the medium is the message', it is finally clear what he wanted to say: the means become the aim of communications, while concepts and ideas take on a secondary role."
DELSS/TOURISM:COMMUNICATIONS/MONNI VIS 20040129 (260)
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