UNWTO: Taleb Rifai to be Secretary-General 2010-2013

The 85th session of the UNWTO Executive Council, meeting in Mali, recommended Taleb Rifai for the post as Secretary-General for the four-year-period starting January 2010. The candidature of Mr. Rifai (Jordan) was supported by the Executive Council, in accordance with the UNWTO statutes. The recommendation will be presented for ratification by the UNWTO General Assembly, meeting the first week of October in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Mr. Rifai has an extensive background in international and national public service, the private sector and academia.

Source: UNWTO press release of May 7, 2009

UNWTO Future Vision: Tourism Towards 2030

UNWTO launches its new long-term research programme UNWTO Future Vision: Tourism Towards 2030. The study will forecast international tourism growth through the year 2030 and identify key actual and future trends and their impact on tourism development. It will combine industry data with the views of UNWTO members, tourism practitioners, trends experts and academics around the world. This initiative will update the previous Tourism 2020 Vision, which has become the definitive global reference on the future of tourism.

Source: UNWTO press release; read full text here>>.

UNWTO: World Tourism Day 2008 Think Tank

The main conclusion of this year’s World Tourism Day (WTD) Think Tank held on the theme ”Tourism Responding to the Challenge of Climate Change” was that tourism growth must be pursued with increasing emphasis on ethics, local community involvement as well as reducing carbon emissions systematically.
A group of leading public and private tourism stakeholders, representatives of civil society and of the UN system highlighted the inter-relationship between climate response and global poverty reduction efforts. Simultaneous efforts on both fronts are key to effectively meet and promote sustainability goals by the tourism sector.

Participants of the Think Tank welcomed two new initiatives:

• ClimateSolutions.travel: Built with support of Microsoft, this portal will be a global repository of good practice for all tourism stakeholders to replicate.
• Tourpact.GC: The first sectoral initiative of UN’s Global compact. It links the Corporate Responsibility Principles and Processes of the Compact with UNWTO’s Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. The UN Secretary-General has welcomed it as an initiative to be followed by other sectors.

Source: UNWTO press release; read full text here>>.

UNTWO welcomes Norway as 154th member state

In 1947, Norway was one of the 19 founding members of the International Union of Official Travel Organizations (IUOTO), the organization which preceded the modern UNWTO. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway officially submitted its application for full membership of UNWTO on 8 September 2008. In accordance with the UNWTO Statutes this membership enters into immediate effect.

The Membership in UNWTO is part of Norway’s national strategy for the tourism industry, which highlights the importance of the further development of the sector as a vehicle for economic growth, in addition to traditional industries such as fishing, agriculture or oil.

Source: UNTWO press release>>.

UNTWO: Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli to Step Down at Beginning of 2009

Addressing the Executive Council of the UNWTO, Francesco Frangialli announced that he would be stepping down at the beginning of 2009 to allow for a smooth transition before the normal end of his final term of office. He reflected on the main structural achievements during this period:

• The creation of a universally accepted system of Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSA) to accurately measure the impact of tourism in national economies.
• The adoption of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism which had been recognized by the UN General Assembly as the basis for responsible tourism.
• The placing of tourism as a key element in the international agenda for sustainable development and the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals.

Source: UNWTO press release>>.

UNTWO: Renewing Capacity for Tourism Development

UNWTO is actively supporting African destinations which have the capacity to renew their tourism development after having recently suffered from internal crisis or terrorist attacks. These efforts coincide with the overall support provided by the United Nations to foster social and economic stability in the region.

UNWTO Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli is currently visiting African countries (Côte d'Ivoire and Mauritania) to demonstrate the Organizations’ commitment to help re-launch their tourism development potential.

Source: UNTWO press release>>.

UNTWO: Action Plan to Empower Women through Tourism

The positive contribution of tourism to women empowerment can only be determined if poverty reduction and the enhancement of women’s dignity and role in the work place are addressed. These are among the issues in UNWTO’s Action Plan to Empower Women through Tourism, unveiled during ITB Berlin 2008 in early March. The Organization is committed to play a leading role in economic empowerment of women in the tourism sector.

The Action Plan has to be regarded as part of UNWTO’s “triple commitment” objectives, in the framework of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism and in support of the UN Millennium Development Goals:
• tourism should benefit the poor;
• protection of our environment and
• empowerment of women.

Find full press release here>>.

UNTWO: Historic Ministers’ Summit at World Travel Market 2007

World Travel Market is hosting a major UNWTO Ministers’ Summit on Tourism and Climate Change today, Tuesday 13 November. More than 100 Ministers will be asked to consider and ratify a Declaration recommended by environmental experts at the UNWTO’s Summit on Climate Change in Davos, Switzerland in October.
The Ministerial Declaration will be put to the UNWTO’s General Assembly at the end of November and will be a major aspect of the organization’s submission to the United Nations Bali Climate Summit in December 2007.
The Summit at ExCeL London, between 9.00 -14.00hrs, will be broadcast to World Travel Market delegates in the Central Boulevard as well as to a dedicated media room in the International Press Centre.

Source: UNTWO press release; read full text here.

UNTWO: Latest World Tourism Barometer

International tourist arrivals continue sustained growth rate reaching 5.6% 610 million international tourist arrivals from January to August 32 million more arrivals already counted for 2007.
International tourist arrivals for the first eight months of 2007 point to a continuation of the sustained growth rate experienced over the past years. According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, this trend is likely to continue through the remainder of 2007, with year-end growth estimated at 5.7%, which would put international arrivals to 880-900 million.

Source: UNTWO press release; click here for a summary of the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer.

World Tourism Day

Today we're publishing the speech delivered by Francesco Frangiali, Secretary General of UNWTO:

UNTWO: Strong World Tourism Growth in 2007

The year 2007 has started on a higher than expected note for global tourism. From January through April, international tourist arrivals worldwide rose by over 6% to 252 million, representing an additional 15 million arrivals as against the same period in 2006, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer.
Asia and the Pacific (+9%) achieved the strongest growth, followed by Africa (+8%), the Middle East (+8%) and Europe (+6%). Although arrivals to the Americas (+4%), showed the slowest growth rate among the world regions during the first four months of 2007, this performance is nevertheless very positive as the region doubled the 2007 forecast growth (+2%). Though these results are limited to the first months of the year, and growth generally tends to be slower in the upcoming traditional Northern Hemisphere high season, UNWTO is confident that worldwide growth in excess of 4% forecast for 2007 will be achieved, barring any unforeseen negative events over the remainder of the year.

Source: UNTWO Press release 29.06.2007; excerpt of the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer available here.

New Year message from UNTWO: "Increase tourism to fight poverty"

According to UNTWO, 2007 should be a critical year to consolidate tourism as a key agent in the fight against poverty and a primary tool for sustainable development. Against a projection of continuing worldwide growth in international tourism of more than 4% for international arrivals and revenues, Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli called for renewed effort to include sustainable tourism in the international development agenda, as a key tool to advance the Millennium Development Goals.
The Secretary-General said that the organization would intensify its actions to support the sector, advance the MDGs and promote the Global Code of Ethics in the years ahead. In this context and in order to help respond to the immediate challenges and opportunities he announced that in 2007, UNWTO as the UN Agency for Tourism would :

• Convene a World Summit on “Tourism and Religion”, hosted by the Government of Spain, which will explore ways to strengthen the interrelationship between tourism and the world's great religions so as to further encourage peaceful development and intercultural dialogue.
• Organize a second Summit on “Tourism and Climate Change” hosted by the Government of the United Kingdom and in collaboration with World Travel Market. The Summit, which will consider new international developments like the UK Stern Report and President Chirac's call for a post-2012 international climate change policy, would be preceded by a technical conference and would build on the foundation of the 2003 UNWTO Djerba Declaration.
• Hold a Global Conference for Parliamentarians and Local Authorities , hosted by the Government of Tunisia, to explore how tourism can more effectively encourage understanding between nations and how its benefits can be more readily spread to the community level. It will also explore how to enhance decision making between different levels of government.
• Celebrate the role of women in tourism , linking its UN World Tourism Day theme of “Tourism opening doors to Women” with MDG 3 promoting gender equality. Host of the 2007 World Tourism Day on September 27 th will be the Government of Sri Lanka.
• Strengthen its ST-EP Program (Sustainable Tourism - Eliminating Poverty) by consolidating funding partnerships with government / private sector sources, by boosting the activity of the Foundation established in Seoul, Korea and by launching new projects – particularly in Africa.
• Intensify its eTourism initiatives, together with Microsoft, to introduce an Emergency Response System; operationalize the Windows on Africa Portal for Distribution and Destination Management; explore ways and means to use technology to increase Security and simultaneously reduce hassle for travellers: coordinate action on tourism across the UN system.
• Launch its Centre of Excellence for Destinations in Montreal , supported by the Federal Government of Canada and the Provincial Government of Quebec to promote and support sustainable quality tourism at the community level.
• Consolidate its organization to respond to changing times, through its new management leadership: restructured secretariat and by more active private sector involvement, with a strengthened Affiliate program and expanded PPP network.
  

Read the full message here.

UNTWO - Sixty years serving world tourism

UNWTO celebrates the 60th anniversary of the existence of an organization at the service of world tourism, and 30 years of its presence in Madrid. Thanks to the conversion, in October 2003, into an agency of the first rank within the United Nations system, the UNWTO now enjoys recognition at the highest level as well as increased visibility.

Read more here.

UNWTO Executive Council: fighting poverty and improving cultural understanding

The importance of tourism and its contribution to the process of economic and social development, within the framework of the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations, was underscored during the Executive Council of the UNWTO, meeting in Algiers for its 79th session on November 20th and 21st.

The Executive Council decided specifically to strengthen a number of key programmes:

• To support, the fight against poverty – most notably by rationalizing technical assistance programs and projects within the framework of its Sustainable Tourism for the Elimination of Poverty(ST-EP).
• To ensure effective response to emergencies – endorsing action within the UN System to prepare for a possible avian flu pandemic, to extend this approach to other crisis situations and to provide a web based portal for effective support and communications to stakeholders in crisis situations.
• To encourage stronger security while enhancing facilitation (SAFE) and to explore new legal and technology processes, with a clear emphasis on ensuring that poor countries have the necessary technology.
• To strengthen public-private partnerships - supporting a new focus for its Affiliate Members, including an initiative to develop a UNWTO Centre of Excellence for Destinations in Montreal, Canada.

Read more here.

UNWTO and WTM launch WORLD RESPONSIBLE TOURISM DAY

The UN family and the Tourism Industry celebrates World Tourism Day each 27th of September, reflecting the social and economic relevance of Tourism. Now in a first extension, World Travel Market launched Responsible Tourism Day with UNWTO as its major partner, focusing on practical action by the industry and other stakeholders in this critically important area.
The need for a more responsible attitude in tourism, especially towards host communities, has become evident in recent years. Responsible Tourism is an important consumer and corporate component of triple bottom line sustainability - economic, social and environmental.
Further information here.

2007 to be fourth year of sustained growtn in tourism

World tourism demand continues to exceed expectations, showing resilience against extraneous factors. According to the latest issue of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, in the first eight months of 2006 international tourist arrivals totalled 578 million worldwide (+4.5%), up from 553 million in the same period of 2005, a year which saw an all-time record of 806 million people travelling internationally and growth is expected to continue in 2007 at a pace of around 4% worldwide.

The expected 4% growth for 2007 is much in line with the UNWTO long-term forecast growth rate of 4.1% a year through 2020.

Read more here.

Remarable Boost in Tourism

Due to figures published by WTO this February, Central American states have achived an remarkable increase of Tourism. Espescially Panama substantially invested in touristic infrastructure and advertisment for its historical sites, beaches and national parks. Thus in 2004 number of tourists increased by about 20%.

(Originally posted by Michael Wukoschitz)

World: Tourism Sector Growth

The tourism sector is recovering from the doldrums brought about by the Asian economic crisis. The WTO's preliminary figures show international tourist arrivals in 1999 at 665-670 million, a growth of 4-5%. There has been robust growth in the European outbound travel to other European destinations, North America, North Africa and Asia. The Asian outbound market is also recovering. Tunisia and Morocco have both experienced growth rates of 12%, Southern France 10% and Spain 9%. The Latin American outbound market remains in the doldrums, however.

(Originally posted by John Downes)