In a global study released January 25 at the World Economic Forum, it was revealed that international travel is considered even more important than the Internet, TV/movies, or political diplomacy at stimulating the economy and breaking down cultural barriers.

The independent study was conducted by Penn Schoen Berland on behalf of Marriott International and included the views of 1,100 global travelers and opinion leaders from eight countries, including Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Ninety-six percent of respondents, who ranged in age from under 35 to over 50 years old, believed that travel and tourism stimulates the economy, while 77 percent felt that “the more people experience other countries and cultures, the more peace will spread.”

“I believe we are entering a ‘Golden Age of Travel,’ where opportunities to do business and travel abroad are opening up like never before,” said Arne Sorenson, Marriott International’s CEO-elect and current president, pointing to the number of international arrivals, which have doubled in the last 10 years and will reach 1 billion in 2012 (UN World Tourism Organization).  “Travel opens up your mind, your heart and your wallet. This survey shows it is also a powerful form of soft diplomacy in the world today.”

“Bringing down barriers to travel creates jobs and prosperity and we applaud President Obama’s announcement to reform U.S. visa and entry systems to welcome more international visitors.  We look forward to even more progress in the U.S. and around the world to develop multi-national solutions that will grow the travel industry and benefit economies and people worldwide.”

According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the industry is predicted to account for an extra 69 million net jobs by 2021, including direct, indirect and induced employ­ment — almost 80 percent of which will be in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.

Put another way, one American job is created for every 35 international visitors to the U.S., according to the U.S. Travel Association.  Marriott plans to fill about 60,000 jobs in 2012 alone, with two-thirds of those being in countries outside the U.S., where more than 50 percent of its hotel pipeline resides.

WTTC estimates that total contributions of Travel & Tourism to the global gross domestic product (GDP) are forecast to rise by 4.2 percent annually to US $9.226 trillion by 2021.  Visitor exports—or the amount visitors spend in a given foreign country—will increase 6.6 percent annually through 2021, rising to US$1.789 billion by 2021.

As an example, in New York City alone, Brazilians spent a total of $1.63 billion, topping the $1.42 billion spent by travelers from the U.K., the $1.27 billion spent by Canadians and the$1.1 billion spent by Italians, according to NYC & Co., the city’s tourism board.

“We already knew that travel and tourism have a major impact on the economy, but now we also know that it can change people’s views worldwide,” says Mark Penn, CEO of Penn Schoen Berland and CEO of Burson-Marsteller.  “International travelers advance people’s understanding of different cultures and reinforce all that we as humans have in common with each other.”

The article Travel & Tourism Stimulate Global Economy appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The holidays mean food, family, and friends for many Illinoisans, but it also means snow, sleet, ice, and fog on the roads for travelers. No matter how many years of driving experience you have under your belt, winter weather never fails to present a wide variety of challenges.

“Understanding how to drive safely in harsh weather conditions can protect you, your passengers and your vehicle,” said Bob Gallo, AARP Illinois State Director. ”Like many Illinoisans, I will be traveling this holiday season as well – and I definitely plan to take a few moments to review these tips and hope others do as well so we can all arrive at our destinations safely.”

AARP offers the following tips for staying safe on winter roads:

1. Winterize your vehicle to make sure your brakes, wipers, defroster, headlights and heater are all working properly.
2. Stop gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.
3. Turn on your headlights to increase your visibility to other motorists, and keep your lights clean and free of ice or debris.
4. In unfavorable driving conditions, reduce your speed and increase the distance between your car and the one in front of you. Remember that it takes more time to stop on icy roads.
5. Stay alert. Look ahead to give yourself more time to react safely to situations without suddenly braking or skidding.
6. Before driving, clear all snow and ice from your vehicle’s hood, windows and roof.
7. Use snow or all-season tires or chains for better traction and smoother slowing. Remember that even with snow tires, you should use extra caution while driving in inclement weather — no tires allow you to drive on snow or ice at normal speeds.
8. Take extra precautions on bridges, overpasses, and shaded areas, which can freeze first, and remain icy longer than roadways. A road on which ice and snow are completely frozen is pretty slippery, even though it provides more traction than a road with melting ice.
9. In wet driving conditions, do not drive faster than the windshield wipers can clear water from the windshield. Make sure your wiper blades are in good shape, and replace them yearly.
10. Equip your car with emergency supplies, such as blankets, food, water, spare fuses, a flashlight with batteries, an ice scraper, flares and a first-aid kit.

Changing seasons bring new and different driving conditions, so consider registering for a driver-improvement course, such as the classroom or online courses offered by the AARP Driver Safety Program (www.aarp.org/driversafety) to learn valuable safety tips to keep you and your passengers safe all year round.

Huguette Roe / Shutterstock.com

The article AARP Tips to Stay Safe on the Road This Winter appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.