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

• All Regions
• 25 Oct 2021

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).

The 2021 General Assembly will place a special emphasis on the importance of innovation, education and rural development, as well as tourism’s role in inclusive growth, the theme of World Tourism Day 2021. Additionally, delegates will be presented with the International Code for the Protection of Tourists, a landmark legal instrument designed to restore trust in international travel.

Other key items on the agenda for the General Assembly include proposed reforms to the UNWTO Affiliate Membership Legal Framework, the finals of the UNWTO Students’ League and appointment of the UNWTO Secretary-General for the period 2022-2025. The General Assembly will also see the winners of the UNWTO Best Tourism Villages competition named.

Alongside this, and in line with UNWTO’s heightened emphasis on digital communications and visual storytelling, winners of the 2021 UNWTO Tourism Video Competition, aimed at recognizing promotional videos of Member States and Affiliate Members that highlight the sector’s resilience and its contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will also be announced in Madrid.

Restarting tourism together

Following protocol, the Secretary-General will present his report to the General Assembly on the implementation of UNWTO’s Programme of Work, actions and new initiatives since it last met in 2019. The agenda includes the selection of the UNWTO Executive Council Members for 2022, the World Committee of Tourism Ethics, as well as choosing the location and dates of the next session of the General Assembly, with Egypt, Portugal and Uzbekistan all set to submit bids. The Kingdom of Morocco had been scheduled to host this year’s General Assembly but subsequently confirmed that changing public health considerations meant it was unable to do so. In accordance with the Statutes and the rules of the Organization, the 24th session will take place at its Headquarters in Madrid, Spain.

Members will also be provided with updates on the opening of Regional Offices, including a first Regional Office for the Middle East, to work alongside the UNWTO Secretariat in Madrid, Spain, and planned themes for World Tourism Day in both 2022 and 2023.

Related Links

• Download the news release in PDF
• General Assembly - Twenty-fourth session

UNWTO and ICAO Partner for Aviation and Tourism Recovery and Transformation

• All Regions
• 25 Oct 2021

UNWTO and the International Civil Aviation Organization have agreed to strengthen their partnership with the aim of supporting the safe restart of travel and tourism and accelerating the two sectors’ shift towards greater resilience and sustainability.

Confirmed a week ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), the new agreement underscores UNWTO’s call for enhanced collaboration in order to realize tourism’s potential to lead recovery and drive sustainable and inclusive growth. In the immediate term, UNWTO and ICAO will work to support aviation and tourism bounce back from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coordination at every level

Tourism and air travel are essential pillars of growth and opportunity, most notably for developing countries and communities

At the same time, the agreement illustrates a shared commitment to enhancing coordination at every level, from policy research and management areas, to border management and facilitation of safe and seamless travel, one of UNWTO’s long-standing priorities. The Memorandum of Understanding also recognizes the importance of securing relevant finance mechanisms to accelerate the shift towards greener travel and tourism, with a commitment to joint advocacy and fundraising efforts.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “Tourism and air travel are essential pillars of growth and opportunity, most notably for developing countries and communities. As air travel resumes and tourism restarts, both sectors must collaborate to support the livelihoods of today and to build a more resilient and sustainable future. The partnership between UNWTO and ICAO will allow exactly this.”

ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano added: “This agreement is an important step to help our organizations address joint data and research initiatives, the modernization and financing of aviation infrastructure, and the alleviation of economic regulatory constraints to enhance air connectivity and seamless travel.”

Building on past partnerships

ICAO has been part of UNWTO’s Global Tourism Crisis Committee, established at the start of the current crisis to unite the diverse tourism sector behind a common response and recovery plan. At the same time, UNWTO has also contributed to ICAO’s COVID-19 Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART), working to identify and recommend strategic priorities and policies for countries and aviation industry operators.  Moreover, ICAO has been part of the UNWTO’s Committee for the development of an International Code for the Protection of Tourists as an observer, actively contributing to the drafting of the Code together with 98 Member States, five non-UNWTO Members and several observers from a diverse range of international organizations and private stakeholders.

Related Links

• Download the news release in PDF
• Guidance for Air Travel through the COVID-19 Public Health Crisis
• Implementation of the General Programme of Work
• Governments Join Sector Leaders in Backing Principles for International Code to Protect Tourists

UNWTO, WTTC & WTM Ministers’ Summit commits to Investing in Tourism’s Sustainable Future

• All Regions
• 20 Oct 2021

Tourism leaders from around the world will once again come together for the UNWTO, WTTC & WTM Ministers’ Summit at WTM London this November, to commit to investing in the sector’s sustainable future.

The summit is the largest annual gathering of tourism ministers and will take place on Tuesday 2nd November during WTM London – the leading global event for the travel industry. Ministers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and experts are invited to take part.

For more than 10 years, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and WTM London have partnered to host a high-level summit, focusing on key challenges and opportunities facing the sector.

The 2021 Summit will also be presenting an opportunity for leaders to discuss ways to build back better and invest in a sustainable future for the travel and tourism industry.

The Ministers’ Summit 2021 could not be more timely and will provide a blueprint for promoting investments in tourism’s sustainable future, one of UNWTO’s key priorities as we guide the global restart of the sector

The UNWTO, WTTC & WTM Ministers' Summit 2021 will provide a practical platform for tourism leaders of the public and private sectors to share best practices and explore investment opportunities, uniting sector leaders and top thinkers to examine tourism’s sustainable future and the essential role that targeted ‘green investment’ will play in achieving this.

WTM London Exhibition Director, Simon Press said:

“This will be our 15th Ministers’ Summit and, as with previous events, what will be discussed and agreed will prove to be of paramount importance. We know how much destinations rely on the tourism industry for economic growth, jobs and wellbeing.

“Yet at the same time, this wellbeing is being threatened by weather that is becoming more extreme – as witnessed in recent news coverage of floods, heat waves, wildfires and other phenomena. We cannot simply sit back and do nothing. Urgent action is needed now to establish a sustainable future for the globe and the people who rely on travel and tourism.

“This will be the second opportunity for ministers and global industry leaders to meet in the wake of the pandemic and is a proven effective platform for exploring the best ways to work together.

“The Ministers’ Summit promises important debate and the exchange of ideas and best practice, to spur action for the good of the communities we support and the environment.”

UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili said:

“The World Travel Market provides UNWTO with a unique platform for bringing together the political influence of governments and public sector leaders and the dynamism of the private sector. The Ministers’ Summit2021 could not be more timely and will provide a blueprint for promoting investments in tourism’s sustainable future, one of UNWTO’s key priorities as we guide the global restart of the sector.”

WTTC President & CEO, Julia Simpson said:

“This Summit comes at a crucial time and will offer a vital forum for planning and sharing ideas for 2021 and onwards, as we begin to recover from this global pandemic. The aim of sustainable tourism is to increase the benefits and to reduce the negative impacts caused by tourism for destinations, and this year’s Minister Summit will address the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities”

The UNWTO, WTTC & WTM Ministers’ Summit – Investing in Tourism’s Sustainable Future takes place on the WTM Global Stage at WTM London from 10:30-12:30 on Tuesday 2 November 2021.

The Ministers’ Summit is available for anyone who has registered for WTM London to attend.

Related links

• Download the news release in PDF
• The climate emergency is a bigger threat than Covid
• UNWTO & WTM Ministers’ Summit 2021: Investing in Tourism’s Sustainable Futur