With the support of UNWTO, the International Trade Center (ITC) will be organizing a series of events at ITB Berlin 2016. Aimed at showcasing the tourism potential of Myanmar, the events will also seek to develop business partnerships among representatives of the travel trade. A special emphasis will be placed on Kayah State, a region in the east of Myanmar which is home to an outstanding natural and cultural heritage.

International tourist arrivals to Myanmar have rapidly increased over recent years, from 2 million in 2013 to an estimated 5 million in 2015. Such a surge in traveller awareness and interest not only reflects the increased openness and interconnectedness of the South-east Asian region, but also a shift in the mentality and pattern of the global traveller, to whom sustainability, authenticity and inclusive development have become key factors determining their choice of destination.

To learn more about the Myanmar events taking place at ITB Berlin 2016, please visit the event website

Official Press Release issued by the Myanmar Tourism Federation and the International Trade Centre (ITC)

Background information:

The events at ITB Berlin are being organized within the scope of the “NTF III Myanmar: Inclusive Tourism focussing on Kayah State” project. Implemented by ITC, and funded by the Centre for Promotion of Imports from developing countries (CBI), an agency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, the project aims to enhance job creation and socio-economic development in Myanmar through an inclusive tourism approach. To benefit the local industry and communities, the project works towards three main objectives:

• To increase the export capacities of SMEs and local suppliers of goods and services
• To strengthen tourism related associations in Yangon and Kayah State, and
• To facilitate and expand business linkages and technical partnerships

Additional Information:

• Event-website: UNWTO/ ITC joint activities at ITB Berlin 2016
• Website of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism of Myanmar
• Website of the Myanmar Tourism Federation

 

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PR No.: 15018

Speaking at the opening of ITB Berlin, UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai underscored how the travel and the technological revolutions are shaping our society and how technology is changing the tourism sector. On the latter, he highlighted three main trends: the emergence of new business models, the call for accountability and the need for shared responsibility.

“Collaborative consumption is breeding new business models as individuals have found ways to profit by sharing their assets, be they real estate, vehicles or skills. While we must welcome innovation, we must also underline the need for the sector to find progressive solutions to safeguard consumer rights and quality standards and to ensure a level playing field for all businesses to thrive competitively”, said Rifai.

New digital platforms directly connecting consumers with companies and destinations are additional game changers. While consumers are increasingly easier to reach, they also have access to more information and opportunities to voice their opinions: “Today’s consumers can be the whistle-blowers for unethical practices or the biggest ambassadors for great experiences”, noted Rifai. “Going beyond words or slogans, destinations and companies must find ways to adapt and build their brand on concrete and relevant actions”.

“With the power brought in by technology comes also a bigger responsibility – a shared responsibility towards the planet and ​people” alerted Rifai.

“Over one billion tourists travel across international borders each year; I trust that this is a movement of hope; of opportunities to build a better world; a world of respect and understanding as we can never hate the one who has hosted us. We are thus part of a much bigger, transformative force that can instigate real change in the world; let’s take this power and act with responsibility”, concluded Mr. Rifai.

In 2014, international tourism grew once again above expectations. With a rise of 4.7% and a new record of 1,138 million tourists travelling the world in one single year, tourism delivered positive news amid a slow and uneven global economic recovery and geopolitical challenges.

Useful links:

Full opening speech by UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai (as prepared for delivery)

UNWTO activities at ITB

Contacts:

UNWTO Senior Media Officer: Marcelo Risi
Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60 

UNWTO Communications & Publications Programme
Tel: (+34) 91 567 8100 / Fax: +34 91 567 8218

 

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PR No.: 15015

ITB Berlin Opening Ceremony (3 March, 18.00 – 20.00, CityCube Berlin Hall B)
UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, will deliver the opening speech at the ITB opening ceremony.

 

5th Silk Road Ministers’ Meeting: Strengthening Cooperation through Transnational Route Development (4 March, 11.00 – 13.00, Hall 7.3, Berlin Room)

 

The 5th UNWTO Silk Road Ministers’ Meeting will bring together Ministers of Tourism and high officials to discuss important developments regarding trans-boundary routes along the Silk Road, including the inscription of the first Silk Road Heritage Corridor on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the Verotour project, the Maritime Silk Road and the Spice Route project.

 

For more information, please click here or contact silkroad@unwto.org

 

4th Tour Operators’ Forum on the Silk Road: Unlocking the Silk Road's Adventure Travel Potential
(5 March, 11.00-13.00, Palais West)

 

 

This year’s Silk Road Tour Operators Forum, organized in cooperation with the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), will provide an opportunity for adventure travel experts and Silk Road tour operators to discuss opportunities for joint product development and cooperative marketing activities. It will look at how stakeholders can work together to raise the profile of the Silk Road as a world class adventure travel destination.

 

For more information and to register, please click here

 

Community Empowerment through Creative Industries and Tourism:  Special focus on Women, Youth, Indigenous Communities and People with Disabilities (6 March, 10.00-12.00, Room A5 CityCube Berlin)

 

Tourism and creative industries can contribute to socio-economic inclusion and empowerment of local communities, particularly vulnerable groups. Participants will share good practices to improve the livelihoods of communities through concrete business opportunities and an inclusive tourism value chain linked to creative industries and the hospitality sector.

 

For more information and to register, please click here or contact ecsr@unwto.org

 

30th Meeting of The World Tourism Network on Child Protection (6 March, 14.00-16.00, Room A5 CityCube Berlin)

 

Join UNWTO, governments, the tourism sector, international organizations, NGOs and media associations in the meeting of the World Tourism Network on Child Protection to curb the exploitation of children in the tourism sector. This year’s Special Session will focus on policing and law enforcement, while the Reporting Session is an open platform for exchanging good practices in the protection of children and youth in tourism. 

 

The meeting will be led by the new chair of the Network, Former Executive Director of UNICEF, Carol Bellamy.

 

For more information, please click here  or contact ecsr@unwto.org 

 

UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai will also join a number of other events during ITB, including the ITB Ministers’ Roundtable where he will discuss how to maximize the benefits of sport mega-events in a destination, together with the Minister of Tourism of Brazil, Vinicius Nobres Lages, the Minister of Tourism of South Africa, Derek Hanekom, the State Secretary of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy of Germany, Iris Gleicke, and the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Sport and Tourism of Poland, Tomasz Jędrzejczak. 

 

ITB Minister’s Roundtable: Opportunities and Risks of Sport Mega-Events in cooperation with UNWTO: 5 March, 16.00 – 17.30 (Hall 7.1a Auditorium New York)

 

For the complete list of UNWTO activities at ITB 2015 please click here.

 

Visit the UNWTO stand: 20/127

 

Note to Editors

 

UNWTO will organize a Media Briefing for international media prior to ITB (3 March, 10.30-11.30, Hotel Grand Hyatt Berlin, Marlene Dietrich Platz 2, Berlin, Germany 10785).

 

If you are interested to join, please contact comm@unwto.org

 

Contacts:

UNWTO Senior Media Officer: Marcelo Risi
Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60  

UNWTO Communications & Publications Programme
Tel: (+34) 91 567 8100 / Fax: +34 91 567 8218  

 

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PR No.: PR 14017

On the back of better than expected international tourism results in 2013 and the positive expectations for 2014 and beyond, “tourism has become one of the fastest growing economic sectors; a sector that drives global growth and development, creates millions of jobs, spurs exports and investment and transforms lives”, Mr. Rifai said.

But these forecasts are not to be taken for granted, Mr. Rifai said: “To ensure our sector remains competitive, we must address several challenges, which we have set as a priorities at UNWTO, committed to transform these into five major opportunities.”

On a policy level, UNWTO’s message to this year’s ITB underscores the need to improve travel facilitation, considering that about two-thirds of the world´s population to obtain a visa before departure. Air connectivity is another critical area, considering the clear linkages between aviation and tourism, and the fact that over 50% of the world’s international tourists reach their destination by air, while many countries still have disjointed policies between the two sectors. Finally, UNWTO calls for balanced taxation policies on tourism.

These policy areas require for tourism to become a national policy and not a sectoral one, Mr. Rifai said, underscoring that cross-cutting government policies and public-private partnerships are the necessary precursor to any sort of tourism development. “We have before us an opportunity to create new and innovative coalitions for tourism growth; models of cooperation that embrace the tourism public sector and private sectors, but also the civil society and other players coming from areas such as technology, arts, gastronomy or culture”, he said.

The ITB 2014 opening address of the UNWTO Secretary-General recalled that “alongside growth comes responsibility”. With the economic growth, job creation and development opportunities that tourism brings, comes the over-arching challenge of sustainability”, he concluded.

 

Useful links:

Full opening speech by UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai

Contacts:

UNWTO Senior Media Officer: Marcelo Risi

Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60 
 

UNWTO Communications & Publications Programme

Tel: (+34) 91 567 8100 / Fax: +34 91 567 8218 

 

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PR No.: PR 14012

4^th Silk Road Ministers’ Meeting on Visa Facilitation (5 March, 11.00 – 13.00, Hall 7.3, Berlin Room)

The 4^th UNWTO Silk Road Ministers’ Meeting will bring together Ministers of Tourism and high officials to discuss how Silk Road countries can advance visa facilitation in 2014-2015 and beyond. On the occasion, UNWTO will release a new visa facilitation report on the Silk Road countries.

For more information, please click here or contact silkroad@unwto.org (by invitation only)

Launch of the UNWTO/UNODC/UNESCO Anti-trafficking Campaign: Your actions count – help fight trafficking! (5 March, 14.00 – 15.00, Hall 7.1, Auditorium New York 1)

UNWTO, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have joined forces to engage tourists in the global fight against the illicit trafficking. UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, UNODC Executive Director, Yury Fedotov, and UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova will co-chair the event.

For more information, please contact comm@unwto.org

Presentation of the UNWTO prototype Madrid Precious Time (5 March, 16.45-17.30)

The UNWTO prototype Madrid Precious Time is a pioneer project developed by the UNWTO Affiliate Members to promote innovative strategies of product development in cities. The project aims to create new and more specialized products with high added value, addressing niche markets and upgrading the quality of the visitor experience.

For more information, please contact am@unwto.og

3^rd Tour Operators’ Forum on the Silk Road (6 March, 11.00-13.00, Palais West)

This year’s Tour Operators Forum will be dedicated to the flourishing Asian section of the Silk Road. Aimed at operators active throughout the historic routes, the Forum will assess the performance and profile of some of the destinations driving the region’s growth, and provide a business platform for tourism stakeholders to network and build partnerships.

For more information and to register, please click here or contact silkroad@unwto.org

UNWTO Press Conference (6 March, 11.00-12.00, ICC, Hall 4/5)

UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, will present the latest figures on international tourism and outline the Organization’s priorities for the year.

For more information and registration, please contact comm@unwto.org

UNWTO African Tourism Ministers Meeting on Anti-Poaching (6 March, 15.00-16.30, ICC, Hall 4/5)

The growing threat posed by poaching on wildlife and the tourism sector in Africa and how to jointly address this issue from the tourism sector side are the focus of the UNWTO African Tourism Ministers Meeting.

For more information, please contact rdaf@unwto.org  (by invitation only)

29^th Meeting of The World Tourism Network on Child Protection (7 March, 10.30-13.00, ICC, Hall 7)

Join UNWTO, governments, the tourism industry, international organizations, NGOs and media associations, in the meeting of the World Tourism Network on Child Protection to curb the exploitation of children in the tourism sector. This year’s Special Session will focus on media partnerships, while the reporting session will be an open platform for exchanging good practices in the protection of children and youth in tourism. 

For more information, please contact ecsr@unwto.org
 

For the complete list of UNWTO activities at ITB 2014 please click here.
 

Visit the UNWTO stand at ITB: 20/127

Useful links:

ITB Berlin 
 

Contacts:

UNWTO Senior Media Officer: Marcelo Risi

Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60 

UNWTO Communications & Publications Programme

Tel: (+34) 91 567 8100 / Fax: +34 91 567 8218 

 

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PR No.: PR13012

3rd Silk Road Ministers’ Meeting (6 March, 11.00 – 13.00, Hall 7.3, Berlin Room)

Ministers and experts will convene at the third UNWTO Silk Road Ministers’ Meeting to discuss how they can join forces to raise the profile of Silk Road tourism while safeguarding its exceptional heritage sites and intangible cultural heritage.

For more information, please click here or contact silkroad@UNWTO.org  (by invitation only)

 

Presentation of the UNWTO Project on Sustainable Tourism through Energy Efficiency in Pangandaran (Indonesia) (6 March, 13.15 – 14.00, Hall 7.1a, Auditorium New York 1)

Climate change response in the tourism sector needs local action and new thinking. The project “Sustainable Tourism through Energy Efficiency with Adaptation and Mitigation Measures in Pangandaran” (STREAM), implemented by UNWTO and the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia (MTCE), serves as a case study on how to confront climate change at the local level and create a pilot model to be transferred to other destinations.

For more information, please click here or contact lee@unwto.de

 

2nd Tour Operators’ Forum on the Silk Road (7 March, 11.00 – 13.00, Palais West)

To share knowledge, experience and perspectives on key topics relating to tourism development on the Silk Road is the objective of the second edition of this Forum – a collaborative approach to create a better business environment for growth across the Silk Road.

For more information, please click here or contact silkroad@unwto.org

 

“Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage: A Winning Partnership” (8 March, 10.00 – 12.00, ICC, Hall 7)

This first UNWTO event focused exclusively on this subject will address how to integrate the living heritage into tourism development while fostering the responsible use of intangible assets to foster sustainable socio-economic development. The event will feature the launch of the UNWTO report on “Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage”, followed by a panel presenting case studies and good practices by different tourism stakeholders.

For more information, please click here or contact ecsr@unwto.org

 

28th Meeting of the World Tourism Network on Child Protection (8 March, 14.00 – 17.30, ICC, Hall 7)

“Information and Communication Technologies: Protection of Children in Tourism”, will be at the centre of meeting of the World Tourism Network on Child Protection. The event will feature the participation of a range of actors representing governments, international organizations, the private sector, NGOs and media.

For more information, please click here or contact ecsr@UNWTO.org

 

For the complete list of UNWTO activities @ ITB 2013 please click here.

 

Visit the UNWTO stand at ITB: 20/127

 

Contacts:

Principal Media Officer: Marcelo Risi

Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60

 

UNWTO Communications Programme

Tel: +34 91-567-8100

Fax: +34 91-567-8218

 

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Just over 40 years ago, the World Heritage Convention was conceived to protect sites of ‘outstanding universal value’ to humanity. Today, almost 1,000 sites are World Heritage listed and increasingly millions of people travel each year to experience these unique cultural and natural assets.

The ancient Silk Road is home to some of the world’s most impressive Heritage Sites, and the Silk Road Ministers convened at ITB Berlin 2013 to assess the key issues relating to effective heritage management for tourism.

The Meeting explored how destinations can join forces to raise the profile of the Silk Road while safeguarding these exceptional heritage sites to ensure that they can be enjoyed by generations to come

Conclusions from the UNWTO Silk Road Ministers' Meeting: English Russian

 

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