World Tourism Forum Lucerne is shutting down all activities and would like to say “thank you”
As a previous finalist in the World Toursim Forum Start-up Camp, the team at Holedo is sad to report that World Tourism Forum Lucerne is closing down it's operations.
Here follows a letter from WTFL's CEO Martin Bath:
World Tourism Forum Lucerne – we are ceasing all activities and would like to say “thank you”
Dear friends of the World Tourism Forum Lucerne
It is with a heavy heart that we must inform you today that the World Tourism Forum Lucerne (WTFL, www.wtflucerne.org) is ceasing its activities with immediate effect after 15 successful years. We have taken this decision after careful consideration and many intensive discussions and are convinced that we are doing the right thing. We would like to offer all of our partners, associates and friends our most sincere thanks for their extremely valuable cooperation over the years.
The WTFL spans generations, ideas and continents We built the WTFL up from our base in Central Switzerland with a great passion and a clear vision and turned it into an established force on the world stage. Driven by our commitment to playing an active role in shaping the future of tourism, we created a global platform that brought together three generations to discuss opportunities, risks and new ideas. We have achieved a great deal:
• Meetings and dialogue across all continents and events in many countries, including India, China, Australia, Brazil, Malaysia, Africa, Indonesia, Oman, the UAE, Azerbaijan, Greece and the UK
• Meetings with heads of state, prominent figures and tourism ministers from all over the world
• 15,000 people signed up to our global network
• Working together with 40 partner schools across all continents
• 5,000 start-ups linked up with investors and the industry via our proprietary Dealflow Tool
• A global Think Tank that works on new concepts in the tourism industry year in, year out
• A worldwide community of Next Generation Leaders and Young Talents with an innovative coaching concept
One door is closing, but our mission is now more important than ever The global pandemic has hit our industry especially hard – something we have all experienced at first hand. Sadly, it has not spared the WTFL either. We have fought hard to save it in recent months with help from our partners and associates, but in the end we had to face facts: our partners (large corporations, destinations and countries) will be dealing with the impact of the crisis for a long time to come. This means that they cannot afford to keep funding the WTFL, so we can no longer count on big-name partners and sponsors to provide the financial resources we need to keep our organisation going. The WTFL therefore had no choice but to make the decision last week to close its doors and cease all activities. In view of everything we have achieved, this was a very painful step to take. We will do everything we can to uphold and preserve the values we have nurtured over the past 15 years because we are convinced that our primary mission will be more important than ever in a post-pandemic world:
• The global dialogue on the future of tourism will play a central role after the pandemic, and solutions must be globally coordinated.
• Our credo “bridging the silos” remains vital in our industry: sharing ideas with those who think outside the box, cooperating and harnessing synergies across all disciplines.
• Work must continue on the future topics we have addressed: talents, innovation, sustainable development and diversity in the tourism industry.
Thank you and goodbye
Now more than ever, tourism needs a total rethink. We are confident that this will happen and will channel all of our energy into making sure that everything the WTFL has spent years creating is not lost. Specifically, we will completely wind down WTFL AG with immediate effect so as not to incur any further operating costs and are searching for the best solution to carry our achievements forward.
We believe that it is very important at this juncture to say “thank you” to everyone who has been instrumental in our success: our founders, our current Chairman Reto Wittwer, Switzerland and the city of Lucerne, our home, our outstanding Advisory Board and all our partners throughout the world who have become friends over the years.
The WTFL says a fond farewell to you and to our industry. We are hopeful that all the ideas, contacts, friendships and initiatives of the past decade and a half will help to shape the future of tourism in all its new forms. Until our operations have been dissolved in an orderly manner, I remain at your disposal to answer questions and hear your suggestions: [email protected] or +41 79 602 30 40.
Best regards
Martin Barth President & CEO World Tourism Forum Lucerne
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