We are grateful that so many of you have been able to find the time to attend this international symposium sponsored by APTEC.
The city of Kobe is still feeling the effects of the nightmarish earthquake that inflicted damage on a scale unprecedented in this region My impression is that the recovery efforts have been remarkable and quite substantial. Many people have made very worthy contributions up to this point.
A few minutes ago the hundred or so representatives of Japanese and Canadian organizations who gathered here yesterday and today concluded a lively discussion about the promotion of tourism exchange between our two nations on opposite sides of the Pacific Ocean. We have been very pleased to welcome the experts from Canada who spoke or joined the audience in connection with the symposium theme, "Thoughts on How Cities Can Draw Tourists in the Age of Asia and the Pacific."
The symposium also benefited from the presence of public officials who are involved with the promotion of tourism, members of the tourism industry, and the general public.
The opening of the Kansai International Airport and the completion of related infrastructure have consolidated the Kansai district as a hub of the Asia-Pacific region, and we are facing steadily increasing demands for the promotion of tourism. In line with our symposium theme, one of the main questions confronting us is how to make the major cities like Kobe or Osaka more attractive to foreign tourists.
APTEC was established in September 1995 with the main purposes of supporting the activities of the World Tourism Organization (WTO) Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific, and promoting tourism exchanges between Japan and other nations of the Asia-Pacific region. Symposia such as today's event in which people from various areas gather to think together about tourism promotion are an example of the sorts of activities that we will continue to organize in the future. Thank you for your support.