Travel Press' Sho Wins SKAL Award

He becomes first Asian to get the award in recognition of his lifetime contribution to tourism

Editor and Publisher Sho Jae-pil of Travel Press won the 2008 SKAL Award of Merit during the SKAL World Congress, which took place in Taipei, Taiwan, from Oct. 12-18.
The Korean tourism expert, by winning the coveted award, made his name in the world tourism industry as a foremost expert on tourism. Sho was the first Asian to receive the award.
The SKAL congress elected as its new president Hulya Aslantas from Istanbul, who has been vice president of SKAL, succeeding Phillip Sims of Australia whose term is up.
SKAL, founded in 1934, is the largest organization of travel and tourism professionals, ranging from hoteliers and travel agents to airline executives and tourism media.
SKAL, which in the Swedish language means happiness, long life, good health and friendship, has members in 480 cities in 89 countries.
Sho is public relations and press director of SKAL International Seoul and the SKAL Asia Committee. He was president of the Seoul club in 1994, 1995 and 2004.
In 2009, Incheon will host the SKAL Asia Congress. Seoul is bidding to host the World Congress in 2012, along with the "2010-2012 Visit Korea Year." To promote the bid, the Korea Tourism Organization, the Visit Korea Committee and SKAL International Seoul hosted a luncheon during the congress on Oct. 15.
"Seoul hosted the Asia congress twice in 1977 and 1987 and holding the world congress is the long-cherished hope for the tourism industry in Korea. We have two competitor cities," Sho said. The host city will be decided at next year's world congress in Budapest, Hungary.
The 69th SKAL World Congress opened in Taipei on Oct. 12 with a lavish party at the National Memorial Museum dedicated to the former leaders of the followers of Chiang Kai-shek. Director of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau Janice Lai told SKAL colleagues that it will be the first time such an event was allowed to take place at the monument.
Participants were greeted by a number of Chinese characters who ushered them to the ecumenical service, which preceded the party. More than 100 first-time attendees to the congress were given a special welcome by President Sims. Tours of the Chiang Kai-shek Museum were offered to participants during the function.
A parade of national flags with the bearers of the flags wearing fantastic costumes from the Beijing Opera at the opening ceremony of the congress was held at the Taiwan International Convention Center. Minister of Tourism and Communications Dr. Kuo Mao officially welcomed the delegates to Taiwan and asked them to help promote tourism to Taiwan.
President Sims during his speech at the congress referred to sustaining tourism, which he said cannot be achieved without preserving traditional cultural artifacts that make up our national heritage. He said we gain nothing if tourism is developed at the expense of time-honored customs, which makes us who we are.
He referred to the current economic turmoil that exists in the world, which added to the impact of high fuel costs that have caused people to reconsider their travel plans, and therefore, SKAL is going to play an ever increasing role in ensuring that its members and the industry they represent are not adversely affected by this turmoil. "It is only by our having a strong collective voice that we might influence the direction of tourism into the future, and that the values we hold dear will be applied," Sims said.
Referring to SKAL being the largest Association of Tourism Professionals in the world, President Sims said it is interesting that the tourism industry, and air travel in particular, is considered to be one of the villains in the global warming scenario. Recent research, however, has shown that the IT industry, computers that we all sit and use so passionately every day, globally produces greater carbon dioxide emissions than aviation and is growing at more than double the rate of tourism.
The retiring president said the tourism industry should not be ashamed of its role in the increasing concerns about global warming because the industry and, particularly, the members of SKAL are taking positive steps to reduce air pollution and are determined to ensure that our grandchildren will enjoy a planet in better condition that it is in today. nw

(from left) Travel Press Publisher Sho Jae-pil, 1st L, talks with representatives at the Taipei SKAL World Congress at the luncheon hosted by Korea Tourism Organization and SKAL International Seoul in Taipei, Taiwan.

Travel Press Publisher Sho , 4th L, receives the Diplome du Marite from Chairman Phillip Sims of SKAL International Club, 2nd L. From left are Mrs. Kim Moon-ja, wife of Publisher Sho, Hulya Aslantas, new SKAL International chairman, and Jim Power, sec. gen. of SKAL International headquarter.