UNWTO and MSC Foundation to Deliver Sustainable Tourism Education at Sea

• All Regions
• 5 Jun 2023

UNWTO is working with the MSC Foundation to deliver a series of sustainability-related education courses on board the MSC Euribia cruise ship.

The initiative builds on the success of the first Global Youth Tourism Summit, held in Sorrento, Italy, in 2022, and will see the creation of the MSC Foundation Youth Lab, a specially-equipped venue on the advanced new eco-ship. One of the core programmes to be offered in the Youth Lab will be "GYTS for MSC: A Sustainable Future for Our Next Generations", designed in close partnership with UNWTO.

The programme will deliver 12 daily two-hour activity sessions on key subjects ranging from ocean health, recycling and climate change to sustainable tourism and social media, all focused on the "sustainability challenge". The activities have been designed to leave the youths free to learn, create and express themselves according to their interests and ideas for the future.

"We are proud to build on the tremendous success of the Global Youth Tourism Summit in Sorrento by extending our partnership with UNWTO to promote youth empowerment and sustainability education," commented MSC Foundation Executive Director Daniela Picco. "The new MSC Foundation Lab on MSC Euribia will offer an innovative venue for children and teenagers to engage in sustainability-focused activities. Our new custom-designed programme 'GYTS for MSC: A Sustainable Future for Our Next Generations' has been specially conceived to empower young people to learn, create, and express themselves while addressing key sustainability issues such as marine conservation, climate change and responsible tourism. By making our young guests the centre of these activities, we aim to raise awareness of the challenges facing humanity and equip our next generations with the tools they need to create a better world."

Alessandra Priante, Director of the Regional Department for Europe at UNWTO added: "After the immense success of our first Global Youth Tourism Summit, which brought together children from every corner of the world, we are very excited that GYTS will not only go across borders but also across the seas and oceans. We are grateful to the MSC Foundation for their continued support in highlighting the central role that youth can play in building a sustainable tourism of the future. We are proud to support MSC as they continue to educate and empower children and youth to become more conscious, committed and engaged."

The MSC Group is committed to taking comprehensive action through the MSC Foundation to raise awareness of the big challenges facing humanity and to provide its young MSC Cruises guests with tools that inform and motivate through an understanding of its programmes and initiatives across four focus areas: the Environment (including marine conservation), Education, Community Support and Emergency Relief. This includes inviting young cruise guests to become Junior Ambassadors of the Foundation and running dedicated activities that equip them to voice the right of our younger generations to live in a better world.

Related links

• Download the News Release in PDF
• Young People Must be Active Participants as we Rethink and Restart Tourism
• “Sorrento Call to Action”: Youth to Play an Active Role in Tourism’s Future
• UNWTO Global Youth Tourism Summit

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UNWTO and San Marino to Host European Conference on Accessible Tourism

• All Regions
• 1 Jun 2023

The Republic of San Marino will host the second edition of the UNWTO European Conference on Accessible Tourism in November. Further advancing UNWTO’s commitment to making tourism open to all, the Conference will showcase innovation, public-private partnerships and inclusive policymaking.

Accessible Tourism: A Priority for the Sector

UNWTO is committed to guiding the global tourism sector towards greater accessibility and inclusivity.

• According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 1.3 billion people worldwide experience significant disability, making participation in tourism challenging.
• Around one quarter of the EU population, 87 million people, already has some form of disability (EUROSTAT).
• Article 30 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities advocates for ensuring that persons with disabilities have access to cultural, sporting, recreational and tourism facilities, activities and services.

UNWTO: Building a More Accessible Tourism

In June 2021, the first comprehensive international standard on accessible tourism, ISO 21902 Accessible Tourism for All, was published by ISO. UNWTO and partners led the development of this new global guidance tool. 

• The UNE-ISO 21902 standard establishes requirements and recommendations for accessible tourism
• It addresses service providers and tourism operators as well as public administrations and tourism destinations.

Towards the 2nd European Conference on Accessible Tourism

During the 68th meeting of the UNWTO Commission for Europe held in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, the Minister of Tourism of the Republic of San Marino, Federico Pedini Amati, formally announced the 2nd European Conference on Accessible Tourism: Tourism for All will take place in San Marino on 16-17 November 2023.

• UNWTO and San Marino will provide a platform for governments, destinations, the private sector and civil society to discuss the best ways to prioritize accessibility in any tourism policy or strategy.
• The Conference will make clear the many benefits of more accessible tourism, from creating jobs and boosting economies to allowing more people to travel and strengthening international solidarity and cooperation.
• The Conference will further discuss how the application of Universal Design principles and cutting-edge solutions to making natural and cultural environments more accessible, is a game-changer.

Related links

• Download the News Release in PDF
• UNWTO and Partners Advance Shared Accessibility Agenda for Tourism
• Publication of first international standard on accessible tourism for all, led by UNWTO, Fundación ONCE and UNE
• Tourism for all – UNWTO presents “Accessibility and Inclusive Tourism Development” - Compendium of Best Practices

UNWTO and Les Roches Global Accelerate Tourism Innovation and Entrepreneurship

• All Regions
• 26 May 2023

UNWTO has partnered with Les Roches Global Hospitality Management School to support tourism startups in embracing innovation and accelerating their shift to greater sustainability.

Throughout May, the 15 winners of the UNWTO Awake Tourism Challenge were given the opportunity to take part in the Acceleration program offered by Spark, Les Roches Hospitality School, at Crans-Montana, the Swiss Campus of the school. The acceleration program focuses on key issues for tourism entrepreneurs and startups, including marketing and finance strategy, market research, fundraising, legal concerns and transparency. The participants also took part in a Technology Challenge, designed to put into practice what they learned at Crans-Montana.

The final, which marked the culmination of the acceleration program, provided an opportunity for the startups to pitch their business ideas. The event was attended by around 100 participants including investors and stakeholders in private equity, international investment funds, consulting firms, Spark's technology partners, as well as several representatives of the Swiss authorities, indicating the high level of interest and support for the innovative solutions being developed by the startups.

The winning startups included Coastruction (Netherlands), Noytrall (Portugal), SmArt Tourism and Hospitality Consulting (Panama), Quantum Temple (USA), Socialbnb (Germany), Baahdy and Birdy (Norway), Instituto de Accesibilidad (Spain), Kamatjona (Namibia), Weavair (Singapore), R3Charge (Germany), Impact Innovations Institute (Safe YOU) (Armenia), NomadHer (South Korea), Murmuration (France), Evelity by Okeenea Digital (France), and Accessible Qatar (Qatar).

Identifying solutions to the biggest challenges

The UNWTO Awake Tourism Challenge is organized by the UNWTO, in collaboration with its partners, to encourage startups and entrepreneurs to develop solutions that address key challenges for the sector. The Challenge features six distinct verticals, enabling applicants to submit their solutions to the pillar that best aligned with their innovations. These verticals included Green and Blue Economies, Local Community Involvement, Tourism Education, Ecological and Sustainable Capital Creation, Women Empowerment, and Tourism Tech for Good.

The winning startups of the UNWTO Awake Tourism Competition have also joined the Innovation network, which now comprises 300 leading startups from all the startup competitions organized by the UNWTO's Innovation department since its establishment in 2018.

Looking ahead, the next edition of the global startup competition is scheduled to launch in the fourth quarter of 2023, revolving around the themes of the SDG Competition. This upcoming event will further encourage entrepreneurs to address the Sustainable Development Goals and make a positive impact on the tourism sector.

Related links

• Download the News Release in PDF
• UNWTO Awake Tourism Challenge
• UNWTO Tourism Startup Competitions

UNWTO Identifies Priorities for Boosting Rural Tourism Potential

• All Regions
• 17 May 2023

UNWTO has launched a new report to determine the status of rural tourism in its Member States and identify the main challenges and opportunities of tourism as a driver for rural development from a policy perspective.

"Tourism and Rural Development: A Policy Perspective - Results of the UNWTO Survey on Tourism for Rural Development to Member States" represents the first baseline document of UNWTO on tourism and rural development with the participation of Member States worldwide.   

Key Findings: Rural Tourism for Opportunity

• More than half of all Member States (59%) stated that rural tourism is a priority
• Almost all Member States (96%) foresee a better future for rural tourism in the upcoming years
• The creation of new jobs, improvement of livelihoods and fighting depopulation were the most frequently-cited opportunities offered by tourism for rural areas
• Member States also identified the conservation and promotion of cultural heritage and environmental protection as among the biggest potential benefits of rural tourism  

Main Challenges in Rural Areas  

The UNWTO research also identified three main challenges associated with realizing the potential of tourism for rural development:

• The "infrastructure gap" in rural areas. Deficiencies in roads, ports, airports and other infrastructure that allow access to rural areas remain a challenge for the surveyed countries.  
• Rural depopulation. Seasonality and farming product competitiveness add to this challenge, increasing the instability of rural businesses, which prevents the retention of population and human resources.
• The lack of education and training, as well as skills development, in addition to the capacity to attract and retain workforce talent.  

Other challenges include limitations in accessing financial systems, restrictions in the development of innovative tourism products in rural areas, managing the impacts of degradation of natural resources, and limitations in handling data, digitalization, and knowledge management. 

UNWTO: Advancing Tourism for the SDGs

In terms of how tourism can help in supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UNWTO Member States emphasized the potential of rural tourism for advancing SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 11 (Sustainable cities and communities) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality).

The report was launched during the 118th Session of the UNWTO Executive Council in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.  It forms part of the work of UNWTO's Tourism for Rural Development Programme, established to develop initiatives and programmes to grow the sector in size and relevance as well as to monitor it in destinations worldwide.

Related links

• Download the News Release in PDF
• “Tourism and Rural Development: A Policy Perspective - Results of the UNWTO Survey on Tourism for Rural Development to Member States”
• UNWTO: Rural Tourism
• Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO
• Executive Council - 118th session

World Committee on Tourism Ethics Advances Responsible and Inclusive tourism

• All Regions
• 23 May 2023

The World Committee on Tourism Ethics (WCTE) has met again to advance its work around inclusive and decent work in tourism, environmental sustainability, intercultural dialogue, and digital transformation.

Building a more ethical sector

• The World Committee on Tourism Ethics - a subsidiary body of the UNWTO General Assembly - is an independent and impartial body responsible for interpreting, applying and evaluating the provisions of the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism.
• The current World Committee on Tourism Ethics is made up of: Chair: Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka; Full Members: Meyada Belal, José Ignacio Besga Zuazola, Luis Fernando Jiménez Guzman, Sue Longley, Lawal Mohammed Marafa, Hiroaki Matsuura, Daniela Otero, Gabriela Tigu and Alternate Members: Gunnur Diker, Shahid Hamid Fih and Marina Novelli.

Opening the meeting, WCTE Chair, Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said: ¨Yesterday we celebrated World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development. What a better way to celebrate it than by highlighting the big role of ethical tourism in the promotion of cultural identity and expression?"

UNWTO Executive Director Zoritsa Urosevic added: "This month, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 global health emergency over. The tourism sector is set to consolidate its recovery reaching 80 to 95% of its pre-pandemic international tourist arrival figures. This reflects that, while the world faces a global crisis, everything is temporary, and challenges, can be turned into opportunities."

From an ethical perspective, the Committee called attention to the social impact on tourism employment and migrant workers, worldwide and especially on the Black Sea region, resulting from the current security unrest.

Looking ahead

With a view to ensure continuity of the work of the Committee, the membership of the Committee will be renewed by half every two years. The 25th UNWTO General Assembly to be held in October 2023 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, will be called upon to appoint 4 WCTE full members. UNWTO Member States, Associate Members and Affiliate Members can send in the nomination of their candidates by 9 June 2023.

Related Links

• Download the News Release in PDF
• World Committee on Tourism Ethics

New Narratives in Tourism: UNWTO Leads Rethink of Tourism Communications

• All Regions
• 22 May 2023

“Put people front and centre!” was the core message as UNWTO brought together global branding experts, journalists and content creators to rethink narratives around tourism communications.

Against the backdrop of the 118th session of its Executive Council in Punta Cana, UNWTO hosted a special Thematic Session. Alongside assessing the evolution of tourism communications, the Session saw leading experts explore current and future opportunities for more effectively portraying tourism as an essential driver of development, both in traditional media and on content platforms.

UNWTO is working to build a new narrative around tourism as a force for development and transformation

"New Narratives in Tourism"

With tourism high on the political agenda like never before, UNWTO is leading the shift in tourism communications, with a greater focus on the sector's unique power as a driver of development and opportunity. Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: "We have made huge progress over the past few years in making tourism's relevance more visible and more appreciated, by governments and by tourists themselves. But we need to make it even clearer. For this reason, UNWTO is working to build a new narrative around tourism as a force for development and transformation."

The Thematic Session offered a platform to connect content creators with editors and new media platforms, with UNWTO as the bridge between the two.

Branding and Media Experts Lead the Change

• Representing the global leader Interbrand, Pedro Zarzalejos, Associate Director, Strategy and Borja Borrero, Executive Director Iberia, EMEA & Latam charted the evolution of branding and analysed how this has impacted the tourism sector.
• Michael Collins, Founder and Managing of Travel Media gave expert insights into the changing relationship between Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) and editors, journalists and content creators.

Instagram and Meta: Keeping Content Relevant

UNWTO first partnered with Instagram in 2021, firstly to help lead recovery from the impacts of the pandemic and then to empower destinations to embrace digital storytelling. In Punta Cana:

• From Instagram, Ernest Voyard, Director of Public Policy, noted how creators are increasingly moving beyond aspirational travel-related content and instead focusing on issues around sustainability and full immersion in destinations.
• From Meta, Sharon Yang, Director of External Affairs, noted how the platform has seen a shift towards creators providing informative tourism and travel-related content, again moving away from more aspirational images and films.

Tourism on the Agenda: The Case of Dominican Republic

Leading journalists and editors from the Dominican Republic assessed how to place tourism on the editorial agenda at every level.

• Leading the discussion were Director of Diario Libre, Inés Aizpún, Director of El Día José Monegro, and the Ambassador of the permanent mission of Dominican Republic to UNWTO Aníbal de Castro
• The panel highlighted the importance of diversifying the main messaging, with a focus on everything from film and TV tourism to gastronomy tourism

Content Creators: Raising Awareness

To round out the session, UNWTO welcomed leading content creators to give their expert insights into changing trends in tourism-related content: Instagram Creators Chloé Léger and Marion Payr, provided their experiences from the Dominican Republic from the point-of-view of tourism and travel-creators. They noted:

• A growing interest in content linking tourism with issues including women's empowerment, community development and wildlife conservation.
• An opportunity for creators to influence the travel choices and behaviours of tourists, in particular in influencing younger consumers to travel more responsibly and ethically

Related links

• Download the News Release in PDF
• 118th session of Executive Council
• UNWTO and Instagram Partner to Help Destinations ‘Recover and Rediscover’
• YouTube: Thematic session “New Narratives in Tourism”

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UNWTO Executive Council Meets in Punta Cana

• All Regions
• 19 May 2023

With global tourism on track to reach pre-pandemic levels by the end of the year, UNWTO convened its Executive Council to advance plans to place education, investments and sustainability at the centre of the sector’s future.

Ahead of the 118th session of the UNWTO Executive Council, the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer showed international arrivals reached 80% of pre-pandemic levels. The  first quarter global results of 2023 set the pace for this upward trend to continue.

Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: "In 2022, UNWTO asked the world to "rethink tourism". Now it's time to put those plans into action. Building a more sustainable, resilient and inclusive tourism sector will require more and better-targeted investments, skilled workers and more innovation. UNWTO is working closely with our Member States to make significant progress in all these areas and we leave Punta Cana with a clear focus around shared goals and a shared vision for our sector."

In 2022, UNWTO asked the world to "rethink tourism". Now it's time to put those plans into action.

Highest Political Support for Tourism

UNWTO welcomed delegations from 40 countries to its Council meeting, with the high-level political support reflecting tourism's heightened relevance.

• UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili met with President Luis Abinader of the Dominican Republic. The one-on-one meeting focused on tourism investments and education, both shared priorities.
• The 118th session of the Executive Council counted on the participation of high-level delegations from 40 countries, including 30 Council members.
• Secretary-General Pololikashvili was awarded the Association of Hotels and Tourism of the Dominican Republic's "Champion of Tourism" recognition for his leadership of the sector and friendship of the country.

Guiding Tourism Forward

The UNWTO Secretary-General gave Member States an overview of the Organization's work since the previous Executive Council (Marrakesh, Morocco, 25 November 2022) as well as UNWTO's priorities looking ahead:

• The Secretary-General's report provided an up-to-date overview of tourism numbers and trends, identifying potential challenges for 2023 and beyond, including the cost-of-living crisis and geopolitical uncertainty.
• Members were given an overview of UNWTO's key achievements around its main priorities (investments, education and jobs, innovation and tourism and rural development).
• Participants were provided with a update on UNWTO's status as an Organization, including plans to open new Regional and Thematic offices, and new approaches to tourism governance.

Focus on Sustainability

On the eve of the Executive Council, UNWTO participated in an International Forum on Sustainable Tourism organized by the Dominican Republic. In Punta Cana, UNWTO:

• invited the Dominican Republic and Maldives to become the first countries to sign up to the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, designed to reduce waste and increase circularity in the sector;
• provided an overview of its central role in advancing sustainability, including as part of the One Planet Network, which UNWTO will continue to lead in 2024-25; and
• announced progress on the creation of a landmark first global standard for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism

Education, Jobs and Investments: Priorities for Tourism

During its Executive Council session, the UNWTO Secretariat provided updates on progress made in advancing its key priorities of education, jobs and investments:

• UNWTO and the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts have partnered for a Bachelor's Degree in International Sustainable Tourism
• Reflecting the feedback of Members, UNWTO is set to launch a new Educational Toolkit to help make tourism a subject in high schools everywhere
• UNWTO Investment Guidelines are serving as the bridge between investors, destinations and projects, with editions focused on countries in the Americas and Africa
• Plans to create a Pan-African Tourism Fund, a Guarantee Fund to provide security for banks, investors and financial institutions, continue to advance

Within the framework of the Executive Council, UNWTO held the first ever Thematic Session on tourism communications and its role in building a new narrative focused on the sector's importance for economic development and social opportunity.

Related Links

• Download the News Release in PDF
• Tourism Bounces Back
• The One Planet network
• Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism
• Global Tourism Plastics Initiative
• Executive Council

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Dr. Jigang Bao Wins UNWTO Ulysses Prize for Excellence in Tourism Scholarship

• All Regions
• 11 May 2023

Dr. Jigang Bao has been named as the winner of the 16th Ulysses Prize, awarded by UNWTO for excellence in the creation and dissemination of knowledge in tourism.

As Professor and Director of the Center for Tourism Development and Planning Research at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China, Dr. Bao has played an instrumental role in growing domestic tourism in both size and significance and in establishing his country as a leading tourism destination. Alongside his pioneering role in advancing tourism education and research across China, Dr. Bao also serves as the Director of the Monitoring Center for Sustainable Tourism Observatories and has been engaged as an expert consultant for numerous destinations and projects, with a particular focus on theme parks, urban tourism and community participation.

Recognition of excellence and leadership

The formal presentation of the Ulysses Prize will be made at the 25th session of the UNWTO General Assembly, to be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan (16-20 October). Here, Dr. Bao will join a long list of Ulysses Prize Laureates recognized by the United Nations specialized agency for tourism for their vital contributions to knowledge creation and education. Among the 11 criteria for the Prize are demonstrated excellence and originality of scholarship, academic leadership in their chosen field, a record of supporting sustainability, inclusiveness and innovation through their work, as well as serving as a role model to present and future generations of tourism scholars and leaders.

Dr. Bao was selected according to the established long practice of the Prize. The selection process was conducted in a rigorous, transparent and unbiased manner and an extensive evaluation was made by Previous Laureates of the Prize.. Dr. Bao was then recommended to the UNWTO Secretary-General by the special Ulysses Prize Coordinating Committee, composed of three previous Laureates and one representative of UNWTO in his capacity as ex-officio.

About the 16th Ulysses Prize Laureate

Dr. Bao is credited with introducing Western concepts and approaches to tourism research and teaching to China and has translated several relevant books into Chinese. He pioneered tourism education and research at Sun Yat-sen University, and has held numerous high administrative positions, including Assistant Principal of the university. As a researcher, he has published more than 200 papers and more than ten books and holds editorial positions on several leading journals in his field. Dr. Bao has also worked with UNWTO to establish Sustainable Tourism Observatories in Huangshan, Guilin, Zhangjiajie, Kanas, Henan, Chengdu, Xishuangbanna, and Changshu.

Related Links

• Download the News Release in PDF
• UNWTO: Ulysses Prize

UNWTO’s New Assessment of Pandemic-Related Travel Restrictions

• All Regions
• 9 May 2023

UNWTO has welcomed the end of the public health emergency phase for COVID-19 with a summary analysis of the travel restrictions introduced in response to the pandemic.

The decision by the World Health Organization (WHO) to determine that COVID-19 is now an established and ongoing health issue which no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern represents a major milestone in the global effort to combat the virus. In this context, UNWTO has released its analysis of both the introduction and lifting of travel restrictions during all stages of the pandemic´s emergency phase. "The end of COVID-19 travel restrictions: Summary of findings from the COVID-19 related travel restrictions reports", highlights key findings of the 11 reports published by the United Nations Specialized Agency for tourism on the issue.

Guiding tourism through crisis

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, these reports provided the global tourism sector with timely guidance and assessments on travel restrictions, and examined factors influencing those restrictions, such as tourism's economic importance, the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) and a specific Health and Hygiene Indicator (H&H), as well as grouping destinations according to economic blocs. This allowed for a deeper analysis of the relationship between travel restrictions and sustainability issues.

This new UNWTO report will help in this endeavor and be another milestone in UNWTO's actions that guided the sector through these unprecedented times

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says "We welcome WHO's decision to end  the emergency status for COVID- 19. This is an important signal and a moment to stand back and reflect on how we can overcome challenges only in a collaborative manner. We must ensure that we learn the lessons from this phase of the pandemic, including the ones on travel restrictions. This new UNWTO report will help in this endeavor and be another milestone in UNWTO's actions that guided the sector through these unprecedented times."

Varied, dynamic approach to travel restrictions

The findings reveal a diverse response from destinations worldwide on travel restrictions. They show that those with better environmental performance, higher health and hygiene standards, and a greater reliance on tourism tended to lift travel restrictions earlier, which allowed for faster recovery in terms of international tourist arrivals. Conversely, emerging economies and SIDS (Small Island Development States) often imposed full border closures more quickly, maintained them for longer and introduced additional requirements for travellers.

The new report provides an overview on the evolution of travel restrictions, which peaked in May 2020 when 75% of all destinations worldwide had their borders completely closed, bringing international tourism almost to a standstill. With the better understanding on the virus, a more risk-based approach became possible and allowed destinations to replace complete border closure with softer measures, such as testing and vaccination requirements for tourists.

Finally, this new report highlights the current situation with nearly all destinations having lifted COVID-19 related travel restrictions. However, as of 22 March 2023 18 destinations still required vaccination as a condition for entry, which is not consistent with International Health Regulation provisions or current temporary WHO recommendations. UNWTO will continue its close cooperation with WHO monitoring the situation.

Noting the vulnerabilities exposed by the pandemic, UNWTO emphasizes the need for a comprehensive re-evaluation of travel restrictions, recovery strategies and the intricate interplay between the environment, health and tourism sectors.

Related Links

• Download the news release in PDF
• Fifteenth Meeting of the IHR Emergency Committee on the COVID-19 pandemic
• UNWTO: Travel Restrictions Reports
• “The end of COVID-19 travel restrictions: Summary of findings from the COVID-19 related travel restrictions reports”
• UNWTO IATA Destination Tracker