In light of the currently evolving situation of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related worldwide restrictions of gatherings, the access to the venue of the session is limited to the Head of Delegation plus 2 persons.

If a Full Member is unable to participate in the General Assembly, it can be exceptionally represented by a member of another State’s delegation, provided it submits a formal letter or fax signed by the competent authority designating the individual who will represent it and, if applicable, giving him/her the power to vote on its behalf. Please note that, unless the items for which the power to vote is given are clearly specified, it will be understood that the delegate has full powers to cast a vote on behalf of the government he/she is representing by proxy on any agenda item.
Furthermore, it should be noted that the General Assembly, at its twentieth session, adopted resolution 633(XX), which stipulates the following regarding mandates for representation:

• A mandate for representation can be given only in exceptional circumstances, duly explained in writing by the State giving the mandate;
• The Credentials Committee will assess the validity of these explanations;
• Only one mandate for representation may be given to a delegate representing another State;
• A mandate for representation may not be given to the Head of Delegation of another State; and
• The mandate for representation is valid for the whole session of the General Assembly.

The General Assembly, at its twenty-first session in Medellín, Colombia, in 2015 (resolution 649(XXI)) decided the following:

• The Credentials Committee will consider as invalid credentials in breach of the principle of secrecy of the vote;
• Once the Report of the Credentials Committee is issued, no further credentials or proxy letters will be considered by the Committee except:
  • When the Committee itself has invited the Full or Associate Member concerned to regularize its credentials or its proxy; and
  • When a State whose credentials have been accepted by the Committee does not have a representative for the remaining part of the session for reasons duly explained in writing by the State giving the mandate; in such case, the Committee will assess the existence of the exceptional circumstances justifying the proxy;
• The Chairs of the Regional Commissions will verify that the credentials and proxy letters comply with the applicable rules.

share this content

•   Share this article on facebook
•   Share this article on twitter
•   Share this article on linkedin

In light of the currently evolving situation of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related worldwide restrictions of gatherings, the access to the venue of the session is limited to the Head of Delegation plus 2 persons.

The names of the delegates of Full Members and Associate Members, of the observers of Affiliate Members and of the invited representatives of the United Nations and other international organizations, both intergovernmental and non-governmental, shall be communicated to the Secretary-General, if possible, at least fifteen days before the session of the Assembly opens. (Rule 12(1) of the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly).

The credentials of the delegates of Full Members and Associate Members, issued by the competent authority of the State, shall be handed to the Secretary-General, if possible, at least one day before the session of the Assembly opens. (Rule 12(2) of the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly).

It should be pointed out that, ever since the tenth session of the Assembly, only formal letters or faxes bearing the signature of the competent authority are considered valid credentials. Please note that since the twelfth session of the General Assembly, only credentials from Heads of State or Prime Ministers, Ministers of Foreign Affairs or Ministers responsible for tourism of the respective State or his/her equivalent are regarded as valid. Further, credentials can be accepted only if written in any of the working languages of the General Assembly or if an appropriate translation is attached. Please refer to the model credential letter (Annex 1).

Identification papers of the observers of Affiliate Members and invited representatives of intergovernmental and non-governmental international organizations to attend as observers shall be handed to the Secretary-General, if possible, at least one day before the session of the Assembly opens. (Rule 12(3) of the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly)

Seating arrangements

Delegations will be seated in the plenary meetings in English alphabetical order, beginning with the Member that is hosting the session of the General Assembly.

share this content

•   Share this article on facebook
•   Share this article on twitter
•   Share this article on linkedin

In light of the currently evolving situation of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related worldwide restrictions of gatherings, the access to the venue of the session is limited to the Head of Delegation plus 2 persons.

Registration for the Assembly session will be carried out online until Monday, 22 November 2021. The participation form is available here.

The online registration platform will be collecting all necessary information regarding the participation in the conference, airport pick-up, visa information and technical visits.

Accreditation badges are issued to specific individuals and are not transferable. Participants should keep their badge and ID with them at all times during their stay in Madrid. The badge is the only document confirming a participant’s General Assembly accreditation that can be used to gain access to the venues of the different events.

Participants can collect their accreditation badges at the registration desk located in the Hotel Marriott Auditorium (venue of the event). The registration desk will be open starting Monday, 29 November.

share this content

•   Share this article on facebook
•   Share this article on twitter
•   Share this article on linkedin

The Government of Spain will facilitate visa processing for delegates attending the 24th session  of the General Assembly, upon presentation of the letter of invitation to the Assembly at the  corresponding Spanish Embassy, in accordance with Spanish regulations.

Pursuant to European Union regulations, visas on arrival cannot be provided under any circumstances. Participants are kindly requested to make the necessary arrangements to process their visa in advance. For more information on visas, participants should contact the Spanish Embassy or Consulate responsible for their territory of residence.

The list of diplomatic and consular missions of Spain and their areas of responsibility can be consulted this website.

The list of countries whose nationals require a visa or are exempt from this requirement can be consulted this link.

For any visa inquiries, participants can contact: Ms. Shirin El Tayan, UNWTO Protocol Officer, e-mail: seltayan@unwto.org

Spain will make the necessary arrangements to facilitate the arrival, stay and departure of all the participants invited by the Organization. During their stay, the participants will enjoy the privileges and immunities conferred to delegates at events of the UNWTO in Spain, in accordance with the provisions of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized Agencies of the United Nations.

share this content

•   Share this article on facebook
•   Share this article on twitter
•   Share this article on linkedin

Transfers

Local transportation of delegation members will be provided between the hotels and the meeting venue.

Discounts on flights

IBERIA Airlines is offering exclusive discounts of 10% for participants of the twenty-fourth session of the General Assembly travelling to Spain between 23 November and 10 December 2021. The discount is also applied if requested upon booking, seat reservation and billing.

To book their flights, participants can visit the website: www.iberia.com and enter the code UNWTO21.

Tourism information

In Spain:
Tourism information for Spain

In Madrid:
Tourism in the Community of Madrid
Tourism in the city of Madrid

share this content

•   Share this article on facebook
•   Share this article on twitter
•   Share this article on linkedin

The following hotels will offer special rates to delegates for a limited number of rooms.

Hotel Marriott Auditorium **** (meeting venue)

Link for online booking with special rates
Avenida de Aragón 400. 28022 Madrid
Tel.: +34 91 400 44 00

Hotel Meliá Castilla ****

Poeta Joan Maragall, 43. 28020 Madrid
Tel.: +34 91 567 50 77

Hotel Eurostars Madrid Tower *****

Paseo de la Castellana 259-B. 28046 Madrid.
Tel.: +34 91 334 27 00                  

Madrid Airport Suites Affiliated by Meliá ***

C. de Lola Flores, 4-17, 28022 Madrid
Tel.: +34 913 29 70 50
Contact e-mail: asier.varela@melia.com
Promo code: MEL-UNWTO

Hotel Madrid Chamartín Affiliated by Meliá ***

Calle Mauricio Ravel, 10, 28046 Madrid
Tel.: +34 917 33 34 00
Contact e-mail: miriam.ramiro@melia.com
Promo code: MEL-UNWTO

share this content

•   Share this article on facebook
•   Share this article on twitter
•   Share this article on linkedin

Conditions of entry to Spain relative to health measures

The requirements for entry to Spain, according to country of origin, can be found here.

Climate neutrality

The UNWTO Secretariat is calculating its GHG emissions since 2009, and the Organization is climate-neutral since 2015 for its facilities and activities. The Secretary-General would like to encourage all GA participants to apply to offset mechanisms, notably those proposed by transport companies.

Working languages

The documents for the Assembly session will be available in Arabic, English, French, Russian and Spanish. Simultaneous interpretation in these five languages plus Chinese will be provided at the plenary sessions.

Working documents

In compliance with the United Nations system’s environmental protection policy, please note that no hard copies of the working documents will be distributed at the venue of the event. Delegates are kindly requested to bring with them copies of the documents they need. The documents will be posted here. Delegates will also be notified by e-mail.

Assembly Daily

UN Tourism News – General Assembly Special Edition, is the official publication accompanying the UNWTO General Assembly, giving visibility to proceedings and key milestones.

Produced in English, it is featured prominently on www.unwto.org, it is also distributed electronically to Member States, Affiliate Members, partners and UNWTO’s global media database.

Given its status as a global reporting vehicle on the Assembly, this publication remains as a fixed feature for future reference on the UNWTO website.

Each of the four issues of the Daily will include a journalistic account of

• Key outcomes of the previous day’s meetings;
• Main decisions reached;
• Meetings and events to be held during the day of publication and key items of discussion;
• Interviews and statements with delegates and experts;
• A selection of pictures after each day and
• Link to the official site with audio-visual material of the Assembly and its numerous side events and meetings.

This publication represents a key partnership opportunity for Member States, Affiliate Members, and other partners. It strengthens the overall outreach of UNWTO and allows partners to gain international visibility among key tourism stakeholders, the media and the general public.

UNWTO will be filming proceedings and sharing via social media channels and that by being part of the General Assembly, delegates automatically give their consent to this.

For enquiries, please contact comm@unwto.org

In light of the currently evolving situation of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related worldwide restrictions of gatherings, the access to the venue of the session is limited to the Head of Delegation plus 2 persons.

share this content

•   Share this article on facebook
•   Share this article on twitter
•   Share this article on linkedin

share this content

•   Share this article on facebook
•   Share this article on twitter
•   Share this article on linkedin

Related news

2021 UNWTO Tourism Video Competition Winners

The best examples of destinations harnessing the power of tourism for sustainable development have been celebrated in the 2021 UNWTO Tourism Video Competition.

24th UNWTO General Assembly: Tourism United, Resilient and Determined

Over the course of three days, the 24th session of the UNWTO General Assembly underscored global tourism’s commitment to restarting around the shared pillars of sustainability, innovation and solidarity.

UNWTO Calls Against Blanket Travel Restrictions

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) of the United Nations calls out against the introduction of blanket restrictions on travel, as witnessed in recent days. This call echoes the concerns raised by UNWTO Members during the 24th UNWTO General Assembly (30 November–3 December).

UNWTO Points Tourism towards a Greener, Inclusive Future at General Assembly

Innovation, youth empowerment and tourism and rural development took centre stage as Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez Pérez-Castejón joined UNWTO for the third day of its General Assembly in Madrid.

UNWTO Announces List of ‘Best Tourism Villages’ 2021

The best examples of villages embracing tourism to provide opportunity and drive sustainable development have been celebrated at the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly in Madrid.

UNWTO Members Support Leadership and Back Plan for Tourism’s Future

The Member States of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) have strongly aligned themselves behind its leadership and vision for the sector. Coming together for the 24th General Assembly in Madrid, Spain, Members from every global region approved the Organization’s Programme of Work and endorsed key initiatives designed to build a more a resilient, inclusive and sustainable tourism.

UNWTO General Assembly Gets Underway in Madrid

Tourism leaders from every global region have arrived in Madrid for the 24th Session of the UNWTO General Assembly. Ministers of Tourism will be joined by representatives of international organizations and from across the private sector for the first truly global tourism meeting to be held since the start of the pandemic, with innovation, education and investments high on the agenda.

Spain to Become Centre of World Tourism for Three Days

More than 500 delegates from around the world, including Ministers of Tourism of UNWTO Member States, international organizations, as well as leaders from the private sector and civil society, will participate in the meeting of the supreme governing body of this specialized agency of the United Nations.

24th General Assembly to Put Innovation and Education at Heart of Tourism’s Restart

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) will hold the 24th General Assembly in Madrid, Spain, from 30 November to 3 December 2021. The General Assembly is UNWTO’s main gathering and the platform for Member States to approve UNWTO’s programme of work and budget for the coming biennium (2022-2023).

share this content

•   Share this article on facebook
•   Share this article on twitter
•   Share this article on linkedin