Two days later on 4 November 1995, this man was shot dead! Just two days after tezing the world's hoteliers about his pursuit of peace, he was shot dead by a young israeli, one of his own people, and one of the young people he was trying to save from getting caught up in continued confict. A day later, I visited the spot where he was shot. The entire square was M of young people who came out to mourn him. These were the people whose lives he was trying to save. And they were the ones who ultimately paid the prce of this man being shot dead, man who tried so a much to promote both peace and tourism in 1996, I had a chance to visit sri Lanka. which still was also going through a war at that time but trying to keep its tourism industry afloat. PATA Executive Vice was a co-consutant with former President Ken Chamberlain We visited the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, where we came up with the recommendation for attracting more Buddhist travel to Sh Lanka rather than wasting money and effort building huge theme parks. A few later March 2 went on my second Had years in By that time I was addicted to visiting holy spots and pilgrimages. I just love them. In 2003 had a chance to speak at a PATA Travel Mart the Tourism. It was on subject of spiritual time this topic had been covered at a PATA event. In october organised the first 2007. UNWTO Conference on Religious and Spiritual Tourism in Cordoba I was honoured to be invited to and speak. The title of my talk was The other Global Warming. Today Global Warming is only vewed in terms of environmental issues. In Cordoba. when warned about the other Global Wamng' was referring to the rising temperatures amongst peoples, societies and religions widely referred to as the "clash of civilisations. At that time I took the chance to visit some of the famous spiritual attractions of Cordoba Then. in 2010. I visited Iraq to pray at some of the other holy spots of Islam. I also visited the Grand Mosque in Damascus, another beautiful site. In 2010, I was very fortunate to visit the tomb of Imam Bukhari in Bukhara, thanks to a personal invitation from Dr. Taleb Rifai. the Secretary- General of UNWTO. If you ever get a chance to visit Central Asia, this must be next milestone your on the road toward religious tourism. I am by birth an Indian. I ve in Thailand where I identify with a Buddhist culture. Both Hinduism and Buddhism are in my blood. In October 2011. I undertook the Buddhist circut with a trip to Bodh Gaya, where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. I can tell you that you experience the same energy as you do on the Hali. All pilgrimages are the same. There is some power that just cannot be believed unless and until it is experienced. I visited Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha. There, I came across this very large inscription under the headline: Pancha Sila. Pancha means five and Sila means 'precepts'. Read them for yourself. If you strictly abide by these five precepts, trust me, it could very well destroy the travel and tourism industry one of the most important precepts calls for staying away from intoxicants and drugs, which mainly refers to alcohol. Two other precepts say you are not supposed to lie and you are not supposed to kill any living beings. which mean that you cannot eat any meat. course, it is up to you to decide to what extent you want to follow the Pancha I think all those who work in the travel and tourism industry will find it very difficult. On the same trip, I visited Varanasi, the holiest spot of the Hindus. People have a dip In the holy waters of the river in the vicinity of cremation grounds. The real elegance of the place starts after sunset because at 7 or 8 p.m. the aarti 0 ght) ceremony is performed. The ceremony is one of the