World Committee on Tourism Ethics Issues Statement on War in Ukraine

• All Regions
• 25 May 2022

The World Committee on Tourism Ethics (WCTE), an impartial body which reports directly to the UNWTO General Assembly, met under a new chair and with a new composition. After deliberations, the Committee agreed to issue the following statement:

The World Committee on Tourism Ethics, welcoming the statement of UN Secretary-General that “Continuing the war in Ukraine is morally unacceptable, politically indefensible and militarily nonsensical”, in firm belief that tourism is a vital force for peace and a factor for friendship and mutual understanding among the peoples of the world, urges the Russian Federation to end its invasion against Ukraine which is putting millions of lives at risk, threatening their peace and security. Guided by Article 1 of the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, the Committee calls on all efforts to be extended towards peace negotiations in accordance with the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter.

While the right to tourism is forcibly taken away during conflicts, tourism is always a reminder of the importance of dialogue, peace, tolerance, and sustainable development among countries.

The WCTE functions are to interpret, apply, and evaluate the provisions of the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, in addition to ensuring the promotion of its ethical principles and the monitoring of its practical implementation by governments and the private sector.

Related links

• Download the news release in PDF
• World Committee on Tourism Ethics
• World Committee on Tourism Ethics Members
• Global Code of Ethics for Tourism

International Code Informs Efforts to Boost Tourist Confidence in Americas

• All Regions
• 24 May 2022

Tourism leaders from the Americas have met to address the current challenges and opportunities around restoring confidence in travel across the region.

A special seminar on the UNWTO International Code for the Protection of Tourists (ICPT) featured interventions from the experts involved in drafting the landmark legal framework. The Code was approved by consensus by the 24th UNWTO General Assembly in Madrid, Spain, and is aimed at providing tourists with greater legal protection as the world opens up again following the pandemic.

To date, Ecuador, Guinea Bissau, Moldova and Paraguay have formally adhered to the ICPT, with the aim of integrating all of the Code in their national policies and legislation, and Uruguay has also announced it intends to do so. In particular, Ecuador is currently developing its national Organic Tourism Law (Proyecto de Ley Organica de Turismo) aimed at developing the necessary measures for the implementation of the ICPT within the country.

The technical seminar was held against the backdrop of the 67th meeting of the UNWTO Commission for the Americas and the 1st International Congress on Tourism and Law, organized by Uruguay in collaboration with UNWTO.. In addition to expert insights on the application of the Code, participants were also presented with the results of a recent survey assessing the potential impacts of the ICPT on ‘visitor protection legislation and policies’ conducted by the Association of the Caribbean States in collaboration with UNWTO.

Alongside this, a Panel of Ministries of Tourism addressed the specific challenges and opportunities for the recovery of the tourism sector in the Americas in the environment arising as a result of COVID-19. The panel discussion focused on emergency situations and consumer protection rights of tourists and explored opportunities for rebuilding confidence among tourism consumers in a post-COVID-19 world.

Related Links

• Download the news release in PDF
• UNWTO International Code for the Protection of Tourists
• UNWTO Regional Department for the Americas

UNWTO Enjoys High-Level Meetings with America Region Leaders

• All Regions
• 20 May 2022

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili has met with key figures from the Organization’s American Member States, to further strengthen international cooperation and advance a shared vision for the future.

Against the backdrop of the 67th meeting of the UNWTO Regional Commission for the Americas, held in Punta del Este, Uruguay, Secretary-General Pololikashvili enjoyed a productive meeting with the country’s President Luis Lacalle Pou. Joining them were Minister of Tourism Tabaré Viera, Minister of Foreign Relations, Francisco Bustillo, and high-level government authorities for the sector. The strong political presence reflected the commitment to tourism at the government level. The sector’s cross-cutting nature means tourism has been included in a wide range of government policies and initiatives, a position President Lacalle has further advanced since coming to office in March 2020.

In the meeting, the President reaffirmed Uruguay’s long-standing commitment to the goals of UNWTO and pledged its support as it works to advance tourism’s role in his domestic agenda and position the sector as a driver of sustainable development across the region.

Also in Punta del Este, the UNWTO leadership met with the Minister of Tourism of Brazil, Carlos Brito, to discuss ongoing cooperation and future plans as the country’s tourism sector restarts following the pandemic. Additionally, Secretary-General Pololikashvili met with Minister of Tourism from Guatemala, Ms. Anayansy Rodríguez.

RELATED LINKS

• Download the news release in PDF
• UNWTO’s Members in the Americas Advance Common Goals

UNWTO Launches Digital Futures Programme for SMEs

• All Regions
• 17 May 2022

UNWTO has announced the launch of the Digital Futures Programme, designed to accelerate the adoption of new technology among tourism enterprises.

Developed in collaboration with some of the world’s leading technology, finance and business companies as Mastercard the initiative is focused on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which make up 80% of all tourism businesses. UNWTO aims to reach at least 1 million tourism SMEs over the lifetime of the Programme, providing them with the foundational skills and knowledge needed to harness the power of new and emerging technologies.

The Digital Futures Programme will help them to recover from the impacts of the pandemic and drive the sector forward, powered by innovation and new technology

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: “Small businesses are the backbone of tourism. The Digital Futures Programme will help them to recover from the impacts of the pandemic and drive the sector forward, powered by innovation and new technology.”

In order to provide SMEs with tailored guidance and and tools, the Programme is built on a Digital Readiness Diagnostic Tool that benchmarks SMEs across five key digital dimensions – Connectivity, Business Growth, E-Commerce, Big Data and Analytics, and Payments and Security. The launch event, held at IE Tower in Madrid, was attened by around 200 participants including the Ambassadors to Spain of UNWTO’s Member States, as well as invstement and promotion Agencies, and SMEs themselves.

Related links

• Download the news release in PDF
• UNWTO Digital Futures Programme
• Investments Strategy
• Launch Event of the UNWTO Digital Futures Programme

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