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UNWTO General Assembly Endorses Growing Presence on the Ground: Regional Offices in Americas and Africa On the Way
The commitment of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to moving closer to its Members and being on the ground in every region has been further demonstrated through confirmed plans for two new Regional Offices.
At the 25th UNWTO General Assembly (16-20 October 2023, Samarkand, Uzbekistan), Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili set out his leadership vision for the Organization, including the aim of adding to the growing network of Regional and Thematic offices. At the Assembly, Mr. Pololikashvili signed an agreement with Minister of Tourism of Brazil, Celso Sabino, to open a Regional Office for the Americas in Rio de Janeiro. Alongside this, UNWTO continues to work closely with the Kingdom of Morocco to establish a Regional Office for Africa in Marrakesh.
Reflecting the clear aims of the leadership vision for both UNWTO and the global tourism sector, Regional Offices will focus on one or more of the Organization's priorities. The planned Regional Office for Africa will focus on the priorities of innovation and investments in tourism, while the Regional Office for the Americas will also be focused on investment. They will join the Regional Office for the Middle East, opened in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in May 2021, which is now a hub for tourism education and tourism for rural development, and the UNWTO Regional office for Asia and the Pacific in Nara, Japan.
Secretary-General Pololikashvili's leadership vision for expanding and enhancing UNWTO's presence on the ground also includes a commitment to new and more diverse Thematic Offices. At the119th session of the UNWTO Executive Council, also held in Samarkand, the Government of Uzbekistan presented its proposal to establish a Thematic Office for Tourism on the Silk Road in the city of Samarkand.
Additionally, after successfully unblocking stalled plans to move on from UNWTO's home for more than 50 years, the Secretary-General used the occasion of the General Assembly to report that the Spanish Government is now set to start work on a new headquarters in Madrid. Works are expected to conclude in the first semester of 2025.
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General Assembly Concludes With Clear Vision for UNWTO and Tourism
Global tourism leaders have further advanced plans for a more ethical, diverse sector led by a growing UNWTO. The 25th session of the UNWTO General Assembly convened for a second day to examine, discuss and approve the Organization’s work, with a focus on expanding its global presence, ethics and legal frameworks and the role of public-private partnerships
New Regional and Thematic Offices
UNWTO's commitment to moving closer to its Members and being on the ground in every region was further emphasized as the Assembly was given an update on work to establish new Regional and Thematic offices. Members heard:
- The Regional Office for the Middle East, opened in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2021, is an established hub for tourism education and tourism for rural development. From here, UNWTO has opened the Riyadh School for Hospitality and Tourism, launched a first Education Toolkit for high schools, and also launched the Best Tourism Villages initiative.
- UNWTO signed an agreement with the Government of Brazil to establish a Regional Office in Rio de Janeiro, to be focused on investments.
- The planned Regional Office for Africa in Marrakesh, Morocco, will focus on the priorities of innovation and investments in tourism.
- The hosts of this Assembly, Uzbekistan, presented its proposal to establish a Thematic Office for Tourism on the Silk Road. The proposal was approved by the 119th session of the UNWTO Executive Council.
Ethics Committee
The General Assembly further built on UNWTO's leading work to create a more ethical and accessible sector, while also increasing confidence in travel and tourism. The Global Code of Ethics were the foundation for UNWTO becoming a UN agency. In Samarkand, the Assembly approved new members to serve on the World Committee of Tourism Ethics, with a clear commitment to diversity. Members also looked ahead to the International Conference on Accessible Tourism, due to take place in San Marino in November.
During the Plenary Session, UNWTO formally welcomed the newest group of Members that have agreed to adhere to the International Code for the Protection of Tourists. Argentina, Brazil, Lebanon, Lithuania, Senegal, Thailand and Venezuela all signed to agree to adhere to the landmark legal instrument, while Portugal and Uruguay resigned. They joined the 13 Members who had already taken the step. The Code was designed during the pandemic, with the first harmonized international legal framework set to play a key role in restoring consumer confidence in travel
World Tourism Day Report
Just three weeks after World Tourism Day 2023, Member States were given an update on UNWTO's work growing the sector's global day of observance. The Secretary of the Assembly provided a recap of the past two events and looked ahead to the two years to come.
- World Tourism Day 2022 was hosted in Bali, Indonesia, around the theme of Rethinking Tourism, with the 2023 celebrations – the biggest to date – held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, around the theme of Tourism and Green Investments. The General Assembly agreed to adopt the "Tourism Opens Minds" pledge, introduced by UNWTO that day, and recommends that the Secretariat takes steps to advance the initiative, including through the funding of relevant programmes and campaigns.
- Members of the General Assembly approved the themes and the hosts for the next two years. For 2024, the theme will be "Tourism and Peace", to be hosted by Georgia, and then Malaysia will host World Tourism Day 2025 around the theme of Tourism and Sustainable Transformation.
Strong, stable Organization
In his report to the General Assembly during the First Plenary, Secretary-General Pololikashvili highlighted the ongoing work to strengthen and modernise the Organization. Members of the Assembly agreed to Extend the mandate of the Task Force on Redesigning Tourism for the Future until the 26th session of the General Assembly. The Task Force aims to reinforce UNWTO's role in guiding the global sector forward through long-term strategy and vision. Nine Member States were approved to serve on the Task Force for the next two years. Members were provided with an update on the reforms to reinforce UNWTO's compliance with UN standards, most notably through the Joint Inspection Unit.
The General Assembly voted with 73% in favour of Secretary-General Pololikashvili being permitted to present his candidature for a third mandate.
Affiliate Members
UNWTO's Affiliate Members represent the broad diversity of the sector, counting on representatives from business, academia and civil society. The Report of the Chair of the Board of Affiliate Members gave the Assembly an update on work done over the past two years, with a clear focus on growing the Affiliates' role in the mission of the Organization as a whole. Members welcomed the achievements of the Affiliate Members network, including in efforts to grow new areas of tourism to promote economic diversity and resilience.
Saudi Arabia to host the 26th General Assembly
To conclude, Members agreed that the 26th session of the UNWTO General Assembly will be held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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120th Executive Council Welcome New Members to Begin New Programme of Work
The Executive Council of UNWTO met for the second time in a week to fulfil its statutory obligations and look ahead to a full two years transforming the sector.
At the 119th session of the Council, also held in Samarkand, Members endorsed the Organization's Programme of Work for 2024 and 2025. This sets out its intentions for the two years, with both strategic objectives and programmatic priorities. As UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili noted: "We know where we are going, we know what we want, and we know our priorities for tourism."
We know where we are going, we know what we want, and we know our priorities for tourism
New Members welcomed
The 120th session of the Executive Council was held in a clear spirit of international friendship and collaboration. In Samarkand, the Council thanked its outgoing Members for their service and active participation in helping guide the Organization over the past four years. Members also welcomed the new Members of the Council, namely Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, Czechia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Indonesia, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Republic of Korea, Lithuania, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda and Tanzania.
Saudi Arabia to continue as Chair
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will continue as Chair as Executive Council for 2024. His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism for Saudi Arabia, thanked all Members for their support and reaffirmed his commitment to advancing shared priorities and the Programme of Work. Secretary-General Pololikashvili thanked Saudi Arabia for their continued leadership and for his consistent and ongoing active support of the tourism sector.
Members also endorsed the Democratic Republic of Congo to serve as First Vice-Chair of the Council, and for Jamaica to serve as Second Vice-Chair.
Subsidiary bodies and looking ahead
The Council fulfilled its statutory obligations with elections to its subsidiary bodies, with a commitment to fair and equal representation of all global regions. Members voted on the countries that will serve on the UNWTO Programme and Budget Committee until 2025 or 2027, including representatives of the non-Council Member States and from the Affiliate Members Network. The composition of the Council's Committees on statistics, competitiveness, sustainability and online education were also determined.
To conclude the meeting, Members agreed that the 121st Session of the UNWTO Executive Council will take place in Prague, Czechia, in the first semester of 2024.
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Accelerating Green Investment in Tourism for Sustainable Development
UNWTO has put tourism on the agenda of the World Investment Forum, the biggest investment gathering led by the United Nations.
In partnership with the Forum's organizers, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), UNWTO held a special high-level dialogue that brought together both the investment and tourism communities.
Investment Framework for Tourism
At the "Accelerating Green Investment in Tourism for Sustainable Development" side event, UNWTO presented its new comprehensive tourism investment framework focused on innovation, education and sustainability for a more comprehensive economic development. Alongside this, UNWTO also announced that it will partner with UNCTAD to provide a set of Guiding Principles for Tourism Investment in Sustainable Tourism. These will help stakeholders from every part of the sector implement the framework and further boost investments in tourism, one of UNWTO's core priorities for the sector.
Solutions for Transition
The high-level debate made clear the need for solutions to unlock finance, accelerate green investments in tourism and contribute to sustainable development, particularly relevant as the UAE prepares to host the COP28 climate conference next month.
The dialogues stressed the vital need for a sustainable transition, not just for the planet, but also for tourism itself, for boosting competitiveness and increasing resilience, while emphasised the need of a robust and supportive investment policy framework. Central to this will be delivering additional green investments (traditional and non-traditional), financing and enhancing innovation and technology is much needed in the tourism sector to support and accelerate this transformation. Additionally, the importance of investing in human workforce and specific skills development at every level of education was underlined within the context of green transition.
Moreover, the crucial role of non-traditional investments in enhancing innovation through the creation and diffusion of technologies and mobility startups with the power to decarbonize and unlock new business models and accelerate the green transition was outlined during the discussion.
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UN Tourism News: Education and rural development for a more sustainable tourism | Daily 05
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Celebrating the Power of Tourism through Film: UNWTO Video Competition Winners Announced
The power of visual storytelling to highlight tourism as a force for good has been celebrated with the 2023 edition of the UNWTO Tourism Video Competition. Member States from all regions were invited to submit their videos for consideration, with jury made up of top media professionals judging them based on how well they communicate the positive impact of tourism. The competition was divided into two categories.
Tourism and the Decade of Action
For this category, submissions were judged on how well they show how the tourism sector is advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through references to one or more of the 17 Global Goals.
'Exceptional Stories of Sustainable Tourism'
Here, Member States were asked for remarkable examples which showcase the human face of tourism and make clear the positive social impact the sector can deliver for communities and individuals.
The winners were announced during the UNWTO General Assembly, taking place this week in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
The 2023 winners are:
Decade of Action:
- Africa: The Gambia- Welcome to Gambia
- Americas: Panamá - Panamá vive por más
- Asia and the Pacific: Philippines - Tourism Heroes of Palawan
- Europe: Georgia - Stumari
- Middle East: Oman - Experience Oman
Exceptional Stories:
- Africa: Kenya - Magical Kenya
- Americas: Panama - Panamá vive por más
- Asia and the Pacific: Philippines - Tourism Hero of Zamboanga City
- Europe: Switzerland - My Swisstainable Journey - Ivano Künzli
- Middle East: Egypt – Visit Esna
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Executive Council Endorses UNWTO Plan of Work in Samarkand
The Executive Council of the World Tourism Organization has analysed and approved its vision to transform the sector. Meeting for its 119th session, Members were also presented with the Organization’s Programme of Work for the past months, with a focus on core priorities as well as a longer-term leadership vision for transforming the sector.
Key Council Meeting
The Council met on the eve of the 25th UNWTO General Assembly, held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. In line with his obligations, Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili presented his report to Members, outlining the progress made since the Executive Council met in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, five months previously. This included an overview of the latest round of Regional Commission meetings, their key outputs and achievements and associated thematic sessions, including work to rethink tourism communications, grow new pillars like wellbeing tourism and support investments into the sector.
Programme of Work Endorsed
As well as assessing progress to date, the meeting also gave Members a chance to learn more about the UNWTO Programme of Work for 2024 and 2025. This is based on a 2022 consultation with all Members on their needs and is distilled into clear strategic objectives and programmatic priorities. Members endorsed the Programme of Work and other key activities put before them. These included plans for directing funding towards flagship programmes and for establishing new Regional and Thematic offices for UNWTO. In this regard, Members were updated on progress to establish a new Regional Office in Marrakesh, the Kingdom of Morocco, endorsed the plans presented by Uzbekistan to establish a Thematic Office for Tourism on the Silk Road in the country, and advanced plans for a further Regional Office in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Members of the Executive Council also decided to recommend to the General Assembly that the mandate of the Task Force on Redesigning Tourism for the Future, with new members joining from every global region.
Vision for Leadership
In Samarkand, the host of the Executive Council as well as the subsequent General Assembly, proposed that Secretary-General Pololikashvili be permitted to stand for a third term in office in light of both his accomplishments so far and his longer-term vision for both tourism and for UNWTO. Following the established protocol, the Executive Council agreed that the matter be placed on the agenda for the General Assembly, to be voted on by all Member States.
Members thanked Secretary-General for the publication of his landmark vision for the sector, published to coincide with the General Assembly. "The Journey to 2030: A Vision for a Sector Transformed" sets out clear priorities for the sector in the year ahead and action plans for achieving them.
Statutory Obligations Fulfilled
The Executive Council fulfilled its statutory obligations, including by electing Egypt to serve as the Organization's External Auditor for 2024 and 2025. Members also endorsed the recommendations of Members for the hosts of World Tourism Day for the same years. In 2024, World Tourism Day will be held around the theme of "Tourism and Peace", with Georgia to be put forward as host. Then in 2025, Malaysia will be considered as host for that year's celebrations, to be held around the theme of Tourism and Sustainable Development.
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UNWTO General Assembly Opens to Advance Big Plans for Sector
The General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization has met for the 25th time in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. As its own data indicates that global tourism is on track to reach up to 95% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year, the Assembly brought sector leaders together to advance a clear vision for the long-term transformation of the sector around clear priorities.
Reflecting the broad diversity of the sector, delegations from 117 countries, including 70 Ministerial level representatives, came together for the meeting of the supreme organ of the UN specialized agency for tourism for development. Ahead of the opening plenary, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili had been formally welcomed to Samarkand by President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and commended his leadership in boosting levels of investment in the country's tourism sector and his focus on education and supporting jobs.
We weathered the storm of the pandemic, and now have the opportunity to achieve the long-term transformation of the sector and leave a real legacy for global tourism
A "key moment for tourism"
Opening the General Assembly, Mr Pololikashvili said: "This General Assembly represents a key moment for us as an Organization and for tourism as a sector. We weathered the storm of the pandemic, and now have the opportunity to achieve the long-term transformation of the sector and leave a real legacy for global tourism."
On the eve of the Assembly, the Secretary-General had published his wide-landmark goal for the sector. "The Journey to 2030: A Vision for a Sector Transformed" sets out clear priorities for the sector in the year ahead and action plans for achieving them.
Also opening the General Assembly, H.E. Aziz Abdukhakimov is Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan, underscored his Government's commitment to bolstering tourism as a pillar of national development and for the preservation of cultural heritage.
Members Applaud Progress
A key part of the First Plenary Session was the Report of the Secretary-General to Members, setting out the Organization's achievements since the previous General Assembly, held in Madrid, Spain (December, 2021). The report focused on his five core priorities for the sector, both over the last two years and for the two years to come:
- Scale up innovation and digital transformation
- Invest in People with a focus on Human Capital, Education and Jobs
- Boost investments, financing and entrepreneurship
- Foster sustainable and green transition across tourism
- Enhance competitiveness and resilience, through statistics, market intelligence, and product development.
The report to Members also highlighted UNWTO's heightened relevance and visibility, including as part of the wider United Nations system. During the opening day, Member States were greeted by video messages from key UN leaders, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Director-General of the World Health Organization Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Juan Carlos Salazar, Secretary-General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), as well as European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas. They all commended UNWTO's central role in guiding tourism through the pandemic and setting the sector on course for a sustainable and resilient recovery.
Strong, Growing Membership
For the third consecutive General Assembly, UNWTO celebrated its growing size. In Samarkand, Belize was welcomed as the Organization's newest Member State, taking the total to 160. The Assembly was given an overview of advanced plans to further expand Membership, including to welcome several countries it has been in long-term talks with.
UNWTO General Assembly
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
UNWTO General Assembly
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
UNWTO General Assembly
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
UNWTO General Assembly
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
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- Download the News Release on PDF
- General Assembly - Twenty-fifth session
- “People, Planet, Prosperity”: UNWTO Global Investment Forum Looks to the Future
- UNWTO Gears Up to Host World’s Top Tourism Authorities at Crucial General Assembly
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UNWTO Names its Best Tourism Villages 2023
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has announced its list of Best Tourism Villages 2023. The accolate recogonizes villages that are leading in nurturing rural areas and preserving landscapes, cultural diversity, local values, and culinary traditions.
In this third edition 54 villages from all regions were selected from almost 260 applications. A further 20 villages have joined the Upgrade Programme, and all 74 villages are now part of the UNWTO Best Tourism Villages Network. The villages were named during the UNWTO General Assembly, taking place this week in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Tourism can be a powerful force for inclusivity, empowering local communities and distributing benefits across regions
"Tourism can be a powerful force for inclusivity, empowering local communities and distributing benefits across regions," emphasizes UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. "This initiative acknowledges villages that have harnessed tourism as a catalyst for their development and well-being."
A global network of local communities
Launched in 2021, the Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO initiative is part of the UNWTO Tourism for Rural Development Programme. The Programme works to foster development and inclusion in rural areas, combat depopulation, advance innovation and value chain integration through tourism and encourage sustainable practices.
As in previous editions, the villages are evaluated under nine key areas:
- Cultural and Natural Resources
- Promotion and Conservation of Cultural Resources
- Economic Sustainability
- Social Sustainability
- Environmental Sustainability
- Tourism Development and Value Chain Integration
- Governance and Prioritization of Tourism
- Infrastructure and Connectivity
- Health, Safety, and Security
The initiative comprises three pillars:
Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO: Recognizes outstanding rural tourism destinations with accredited cultural and natural assets, a commitment to preserving community-based values, and a clear commitment to innovation and sustainability across economic, social, and environmental dimensions.
Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO Upgrade Programme: Supports villages on their journey to meet recognition criteria, helping in areas identified as gaps during evaluation.
The Best Tourism Villages Network: a space for exchanging experiences and good practices, learning, and opportunities among its members, and it is open to contributions of experts and public and private sector partners engaged in the promotion of tourism as a driver for rural development.
The Network enlarges every year and aims at becoming the largest global rural network: with the announcement today of these 74 new members, 190 villages are now part of this unique Network.
Best Tourism Villages 2023
List of Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO 2023 is as follows (by alphabetic order):
- Al Sela, Jordan
- Barrancas, Chile
- Biei, Japan
- Caleta Tortel, Chile
- Cantavieja, Spain
- Chacas, Peru
- Chavín de Huantar, Peru
- Dahshour, Egypt
- Dhordo, India
- Dongbaek, Republic of Korea
- Douma, Lebanon
- Ericeira, Portugal
- Filandia, Colombia
- Hakuba, Japan
- Higueras, Mexico
- Huangling, China
- Jalpa de Cánovas, Mexico
- Kandovan, Iran
- La Carolina, Argentina
- Lephis Village, Ethiopia
- Lerici, Italy
- Manteigas, Portugal
- Morcote, Switzerland
- Mosan, Republic of Korea
- Oku-Matsushima, Japan
- Omitlán de Juárez, Mexico
- Oñati, Spain
- Ordino, Andorra
- Oyacachi, Ecuador
- Paucartambo, Peru
- Penglipuran, Indonesia
- Pisco Elqui, Chile
- Pozuzo, Peru
- Saint-Ursanne, Switzerland
- Saty, Kazakhstan
- Schladming, Austria
- Sehwa, Republic of Korea
- Sentob, Uzbekistan
- Shirakawa, Japan
- Sigüenza, Spain
- Şirince, Türkiye
- Siwa, Egypt
- Slunj, Croatia
- Sortelha, Portugal
- St. Anton am Arlberg, Austria
- Tân Hoá, Viet Nam
- Taquile, Peru
- Tokaj, Hungary
- Văleni, Moldova
- Vila da Madalena, Portugal
- Xiajiang, China
- Zapatoca, Colombia
- Zhagana, China
- Zhujiawan, China
The villages selected to participate in the Upgrade Programme this year are:
- Asuka, Japan
- Baños de Montemayor, Spain
- Bilebante, Indonesia
- Ciocănești, Romania
- Civita di Bagnoregio, Italy
- El Cisne, Ecuador
- Iza, Colombia
- Kale Üçağız, Türkiye
- Kemaliye, Türkiye
- Kfar Masaryk, Israel
- Madla, India
- Ounagha, Morocco
- Pela, Indonesia
- Puerto Octay, Chile
- Sabbioneta, Italy
- Saint Catherine, Egypt
- Sarhua, Peru
- Taro, Indonesia
- Vila de Frades, Portugal
- Yanque, Peru
The call for submissions for the fourth edition will take place in the first months of 2024, opening a new opportunity to rural destinations to shine on the global stage.
Best Tourism Villages 2023
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Best Tourism Villages 2023
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Best Tourism Villages 2023
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Best Tourism Villages 2023
Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Related Links
- Download the News Release on PDF
- Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO
- General Assembly - Twenty-fifth session