Msgr. Pietro SAMBI

Statement at the 10th Session of the General Assembly of the WTO*

Bali (Indonesia) - October 3, 1993

On behalf of the Delegation of the Holy See, allow me to present to you my sincere and heartfelt congratulations on your appointment to the Chairmanship of this Tenth Session of the General Assembly of WTO, and my fervent wishes that, through your renowned competence and wisdom, you will guide it to a brilliant success.

I would like to express my deep and warm respect to the President of the Republic of Indonesia, the Government and its People for their gracious and generous hospitality in Bali, «this abode of divine harmony and mutual tolerance» (President Soeharto).

The Holy See always has considered the WTO a privileged «forum» for reflection on the great variety of problems and human challenges that originate from tourism. WTO has very well understood the interest of the Holy See in closely following the phenomenon of tourism.

Aware of these friendly relations and the importance of the tourism’s activities, His Holiness John Paul II received last year the Members of the Executive Council of WTO, led by its Secretary General, Mr Antonio Enriquez Savignac, and addressed them with an appreciative and encouraging message. A few days ago, on September 27, on the occasion of the World Day of Tourism, the Holy Father expressed his «appreciation for the efforts undertaken in view of developing a tourism which is respectful of the earth entrusted to mankind, that it may serve its advancement». His Holiness «hopes that with a responsible commitment on the part of everyone, the world will continue to be a source of wonder and of recreating relaxation for all, and that it will remain the theatre of enriching exchanges among people for the glory of God and for their well-being of the members of the human family».

Education and Training Programs
With satisfaction the Holy See has noticed the relevance given to education and training in the annual meeting of the Commission of WTO in the six Regions. With pleasure it has learned that on the same topic a collateral Conference will be held during the time of this General Assembly, in which the Holy See will also participate with great interest.

Tourism Should Provide an Integral Service to the Human Person
A profound reflection on the phenomenon of tourism should start from an integrally human foundation in touristic activities. Tourism seeks to offer rest and relaxation, as a way to reconstitute the physical and spiritual energies of the human being, through its encounter with nature, with different environments, different cultures and other human beings.

In this way, the touristic intermediation is a real service; not only in the juridical sense nor in its marketing sense only, but in the very meaning of the word, it is a global attention to the human person which consists of both body and soul.

A touristic service, considered as such, implies a particular commitment by the agent who must offer to his customers the appropriate conditions to appreciate goodness and beauty; it also implies a commitment by the people of the places visited ‑ from them is expected the service of preservation of the environment coupled with a warm welcome to the visitors; and a commitment from the visitors also, through the service of friendship towards those who welcome them, and the service of respect for the cultures and environment they encounter.

Basic Formation Should Emphasise the Triple Dimension of Service to Humanity in Tourism
The triple dimension of the service of tourism to the human being ‑ in the agent, in the tourist and in the host-people – leads us necessarily to the topic of formation, since the spreading of this culture of service requires an adequate system of formation that steadfastly holds to it as its main specific objective.

The technical, cultural and managerial touristic formation is one of the «statutory» objectives of WTO, and is present as a specific topic in any meeting and assembly. To this purpose, it cannot be forgotten that the wholly complicated touristic techniques have a common denominator, that is, the word «service». Hence, the formation can not simply be limited to learning and training techniques, but must include also spiritual values and attitudes, without which a true and whole‑hearted service becomes impossible.

An Integral Service Demands a Strong Belief the Dignity of the Human Person
Integral service is possible only when it is oriented towards the person «served», as a human being who deserves it because of his intrinsic dignity. That is why such service needs self-control, availability and sacrifice. Any true service demands from the «servant» esteem and appreciation for the person to whom he gives his service and tries to make him disposed to a sharing of the best of himself and of his environment.

In order to bring about this vital attitude, it is first of all necessary to enhance the person of that same «servant». Those employed in the touristic activities as well as those who welcome the tourists, should find in the touristic activities the possibility to grow in their dignity as a human person, both materially and spiritually. No one can render a true touristic service if he feels himself being used only as a marketing tool.

Thus, a humane and dignifying tourism rejects all forms of instrumentalization that threaten the dignity of the human person. Tourism for sex, for example, is not a service but an abhorrent practice, transforming the protagonists to mere material objects, and ultimately reviving in our age a new kind of slavery. Any touristic activity which seeks easy revenues, leaving out of consideration the elevation of the human person, even with its expenses, would be a total failure from the beginning, because it is deprived of any human value and is shameful for those who promote it.

The Culture of SERVICE is a Living Phenomenon which Should Be Present First of All in Those Endowed with Government and Direction-Responsibility.

True touristic formation, being a formation of attitudes and not solely of techniques, should be taken, foremost of all, as a topic of reflection for those responsible for its activities: enterprises, responsible agencies and Government authorities. They are the first ones who should animate all touristic activity with the fundamental and living idea that it should be of true service to the dignity of the human person.

Moreover, touristic formation does not end with the operators and the people of touristic destinations. The activity of the agent of tourism is also an activity of formation to the tourists themselves, guiding them into a respectful contact with nature, with other people and other cultures.

Touristic Formation and Spiritual Values
This formation for and through tourism leads us to the encounter of the tourism‑ phenomenon which includes many spiritual values. In fact, the values which constitute the optimum of tourism are not just of an economical or technical dimension. They concern also the spiritual, moral and cultural dimension of the human person. This belongs to the spiritual realm, the rejection of egoism and the unconditional opening towards other persons and the wonders of creation, establishing in such a way the ideal conditions for any touristic activities.

The Holy See’s Contribution to Touristic Formation
The effective teaching, or the spirit of service, is a great value the Holy See can offer to the touristic activities since the Catholic Church pursues a great universal commitment of brotherhood and service. The Church, by encouraging the creation of ethical rules for tourism and through the action of her own institutions of formation, and especially by promoting among Christians and among people of good will this spirit of service, brings directly and indirectly a consistent contribution to touristic formation. In her message, the Church continually emphasises that every economic and technical activity cannot leave out of consideration the human dimensions that are always implied in them.

Commitment to Enhance the Touristic Activity as a Service of the Human Person

A human concept of tourism, a formation in humanity through tourism, leads us to reject any «pseudo-touristic» activity that is against the dignity of the human person, since such an approach will be the best for the States, for tourist-enterprises as well as for the whole great human family involved in touristic activities.

It is justifiable that the touristic enterprises look for the optimisation of their economic benefits, and that the States want to secure a flourishing tourist industry as a dominant source for their balance of payments. They will obtain those benefits through a quality of service which only can be improved when the whole touristic activity is based on a sound conception of the dignity of the human person.

That is why the best investment is the accent on the ethical relevance of touristic activities, avoiding any search for easy and immoral profits, and recognising that in the long run this will prove to be the most productive.

Protection of the Environment and Development
The Holy See knows the commitment and the effort of WTO for the protection of the environment. Its initiatives in this direction deserve great respect and merit to be extended in the next millennium. They meet the expectations of the Holy See.

Speaking about the ecological question, the Pope wrote: «In his desire to have and to enjoy rather than to be and to grow, man consumes the resources of the earth and his own life in an excessive and disordered way» (Centesimus Annus 37). The Holy Father is convinced that «at the root of the senseless destruction of the natural! environment lies an anthropological error, which unfortunately is widespread in our day ... Man thinks that he can make arbitrary use of the earth, subjecting it without restraint to his will, as though it did not have its own requisites and a prior God-given purpose, which man can indeed develop but must not betray» (ibid).

The Pope suggests that «humanity today must be conscious of its duties and obligations towards future generations» (ibid). Let us express the hope that WTO, through its noble and increasing efforts, will strongly contribute to render this modern and imposing phenomenon of PEOPLE ON THE MOVE a service to the protection of the environment. «Respect for life and for the dignity of the human person extends also to the rest of creation» (John Paul II, «Peace with God the Creator, peace with the whole of creation», no. 16).

The WTO, as an organisation operating at the Intergovernmental level and through the «Program of the U.N. for Development», has already an intensive plan of education and training, of technical and financial assistance towards the developing Nations. This approach should be encouraged.

No doubt, tourism can be a relevant factor for development and for everybody, an opportunity of strengthening international solidarity, which is the present name of PEACE.

I hope that these suggestions of the Delegation of the Holy See, together with those of the Distinguished Delegates of other Nations, will contribute to the elaboration of an adequate program for the next biennium.

*Document en provenance de la Mission Permanente du Saint-Siège auprès de l’Organisation Mondiale du Tourisme, Rome.