PR No.: PR 14083

According to UNWTO estimates, 300 to 330 million tourists visit the world´s key religious sites every year, with approximately 600 million national and international religious voyages in the world, 40% of which take place in Europe.  Being key tourism destinations, religious heritage sites not only drive international tourism and economic growth, but also provide important meeting grounds for visitors and host communities, making vital contributions to tolerance, respect and mutual understanding between different cultures.

With this backdrop, the International Conference on Religious Heritage and Tourism explored the main challenges and best practices for sustainable tourism development at religious sites in the city of Elche, Spain, home to the Mystery Play of Elx, the last living testimony of European religious theatre of the Middle Ages and declared a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

“Among the many motivations for travelling, visiting cultural or religious sites ranks high on travelers’ wish lists. Leveraging the growing interest for religious tourism worldwide is not only beneficial for the tourism sector, but crucial in building cultural dialogue and peace”, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, opening the Conference. “Religious tourism can also be a powerful instrument for raising awareness regarding the importance of safeguarding one´s heritage and that of humanity, and help preserve these important sites for future generations”, he added. 

The Secretary of State for Tourism of Spain, Isabel Borrego, highlighted the fruitful cooperation between UNWTO and Spain in further spreading awareness of the value of historical, cultural and artistic heritage, and stressed the importance of this particular tourism segment for Spain. "There is not a single town or city in Spain where you won’t find traditions, festivals religious celebrations, pilgrimages, monasteries, cathedrals or pilgrimages. Religious tourism boosts economic activity and helps safeguard our rich historic heritage, and will play an essential role in the future of the tourism sector."

The Mayor of Elche, Mercedes Alonso García, said: “Tourists are not only seeking to experience nature but also the most deeply rooted creations of the human spirit. In this sense, and as this conference has shown, a quality tourism offer consists of tangible cultural and religious heritage, as well as the intangible realities and cultural events fostered by them."

During the Conference, participants highlighted the role of religious heritage sites and religious traditions in educating future generations and creating a sense of belonging in host communities, the need to preserve the integrity and authenticity of these sites and having local communities benefiting from tourism development.

Participants also highlighted that tourism has become one of the forces driving preservation in many religious sites due to the growing secularization of society, and that for tourists interacting with other religions is a unique experience that can only happen within the full respect for host communities. 

Useful links:

International Conference on Religious Heritage and Tourism: Types, Trends and Challenges

UNWTO Regional Programme for Europe

 

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 

 

PR No.: PR 14081

The First UNWTO Conference on Accessible Tourism in Europe addressed how to advance quality, sustainability and competitiveness in accessible tourism with a special focus on cultural heritage and the use of smart technologies. Increased accessibility in tourism benefits people with disabilities and special needs while entailing important economic opportunities for the sector.

 “Accessible Tourism for All ranks high amongst the ethical challenges we have identified and which require our permanent attention and guidance”, said the Chairman of the World Committee on Tourism Ethics, Pascal Lamy, opening the Conference. ”Advocating for and advancing universal access in travel and tourism is both a question of rights and a question of ethics, a matter of quality and respect, of freedom and non-discrimination”, he added.

Echoing the legitimate right of access to tourism activities by people with disabilities, as established by the United Nations, the San Marino Declaration on Accessible Tourism was adopted unanimously, calling for all stakeholders to ensure universal accessibility in all the components of the tourism value chain. This includes the physical environment, the transportation system and information and communications channels, as well as to strengthen and engage public-private partnerships and other forms of cooperation among entities working in the field of universal accessibility.

UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai stressed that “People with disabilities and special needs should be able to actively take part in tourism just as any other traveller. Great strides have been made to advance universal accessibility, particularly in Europe, but there are still many opportunities to be seized. Accessibility for all depends much on the will of all players to work together, and we at UNWTO remain committed to advancing this fundamental agenda and implementing the necessary changes alongside our partners.”

While referring to the morphological features of the hilly mediaeval town of San Marino, the Minister of Tourism, H.E. Mr. Teodoro Lonfernini, pointed out that “San Marino is doing its best to make its territory accessible to as many visitors as possible, while also trying to enable an authentic travel experience to people with special needs”, adding that “if a country like the Republic of San Marino can achieve that, many other States should be able to follow the same path”.

The Conference was jointly organized by UNWTO and the Government of the Republic of San Marino in collaboration with Village for All (V4A) and the ONCE Foundation of Spain.

Useful links:

First UNWTO Conference on Accessible Tourism in Europe

San Marino Declaration

UNWTO Ethics and Tourism Programme: Accessible Tourism 

World Committee on Tourism Ethics 

 

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 

PR No.: PR 14080

Besides the issue of accessibility, the Committee also debated the ethical implications of the promotion of fair models of all-inclusive holidays, the impact on tourism of unfounded ratings on travel portals and the effect of the rise of sharing economy in tourism.

“Tourism makes a great contribution to economy, although in occasions it can be damaging at a local level, our Committee pays special attention to this. The tourism sector is undergoing great changes (online booking systems, user generated ratings, the use of ICT and social networks in tourism); topics which we have to understand and reflect in our initiatives”, said Pascal Lamy, chair of the Committee.

Welcoming the Members of the Committee, the Minister for Culture and Tourism of Italy, Dario Franceschini, said “In these difficult times, characterized by economic and financial instability, natural disasters and unpredictable socio-political events, we are all aware that development can only be addressed with a shared ethical framework”.

“I would like to thank the outstanding support received from the Italian Government in advancing the important agenda of the World Committee on Tourism Ethics. It is the fourth time that the Committee meets in Rome thanks to the excellent cooperation established with Italy and to the support of the Rome Centre for the Promotion and Dissemination of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. This collaboration shows the commitment of Italy to promote a more sustainable and responsible tourism development”, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.

The Committee further backed the “Be a Responsible Traveler” anti-trafficking campaign by UNWTO, UNODC and UNESCO in cooperation with the private sector, to stand against human trafficking and illegal trade in wildlife, cultural artifacts and drugs. In the sphere of Child protection, the Committee acclaimed the participation of UNWTO in the forthcoming Global Study on the Sexual Exploitation of Children in Travel and Tourism and will follow up with attention the progress of this research.  

As the organ responsible for promoting and monitoring the implementation of the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, the Committee applauded the growing number of companies and trade associations that have adhered to the Private Sector Commitment to the Code. By November 2014, a total of 356 signatories from 51 countries had committed to promote and implement the Code in their business operations.

The World Committee on Tourism Ethics is the independent body responsible for promoting and monitoring the implementation of the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. Its 14th Meeting was held in Rome, host city of the Centre for the Promotion of the Global Code of Ethics in Tourism, under the chairmanship of Pascal Lamy.

The next meeting of the Committee will take place in Istria, Croatia, on the occasion of the 100^th Session of the UNWTO Executive Council.

Note to editors:

The UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism (GCET) is a set of principles designed to guide the development of tourism in a way that maximizes the socio-economic benefits of the sector, while minimizing any negative impacts. It was adopted by the UNWTO General Assembly in 1999 and endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2001.

The World Committee on Tourism Ethics, a subsidiary organ of the UNWTO General Assembly, reports directly to the Assembly. Members are elected in their personal capacities and not as officials of governments or representatives of their countries.

Committee Chairman: Pascal Lamy (Former Director General of the World Trade Organization); members: Mr. I Gede Ardika (Former Minister of Tourism of Indonesia), Mr. Yoshiaki Hompo (Former Commissioner of Japan Tourism Agency), Ms. Fiona Jeffery (Former Chair of the World Travel Market), Mr. Khelil Lajmi (Former Minister of Tourism of Tunisia), Mr. Jean Marc Mignon (President, International Organisation for Social Tourism), Ms. Tanja Mihalic (Head of Institute of Tourism, University of Ljubljana), Mr. Ron Oswald (General Secretary, International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers´ Association), Mr. Eugenio Yunis (Executive Vice President, Federation of Tourism Enterprises of Chile); alternate members: Mr. Hiran Cooray (Chairman, Jetwing), Ms. Suzy Hatough (Director of Dar Al-Diafa for Tourism Human Resources Development Consultancy) and Ms. Gunnur Ozalp (Secretary-General, Association of Turkish Travel Agents).

 

Useful links:

UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism

World Committee on Tourism Ethics

UNWTO Private Sector Commitment to the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism

 

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 

 

PR No.: PR 14068

The new Youth Tourism Cluster, an initiative by the Ministry of Tourism of Romania, brings together state institutions, private companies and international organizations with the common goal of promoting youth tourism in Romania. Its aim is to position the country as a destination for young people.

Speaking at the Conference, “Youngsters meet clusters, tourism and innovation” in Bucharest, UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, highlighted the potential of young people as an emerging travel segment:

“Young people are travelling more than ever and there is great potential for governments to unlock the socio-economic possibilities emerging from youth travel. Romania is now strategically positioned to actively develop youth travel policies, products and marketing campaigns to encourage more young people to travel or to engage in tourism businesses, which is essential in order to foster youth travel as a means for development.”

“Romania is a fun and ’user friendly’ travel destination, with astonishing panoramic mountain views, parties by the seaside and cosmopolitan cities, always opened to people in search for a fun time. The aim of this cluster is to develop projects targeting young people all over the world and to grow this niche for tourism in Romania. I see in this cluster an example of partnership whose main scope would be that of attracting young travelers. I hope that our initiative will encourage the creation of similar clusters in Europe and, why not, a best practices model in the world" said Florin Nicolae Jianu, Romanian Minister for SMEs, Business Environment and Tourism.

UNWTO estimates that 20% of all international tourists are between 15 to 29 years old. By the year 2020, there will be about 300 million international youth trips every year. The UNWTO Recommendations on Youth Travel, endorsed by the Organization’s 20^th General Assembly, recognizes the positive impact young travelers have on host communities, destinations and countries. It further identifies joint initiatives and partnerships among public and private tourism stakeholders as one of the key issues in fostering knowledge development, policy measures and investments in youth travel.

In little over a decade, the number of international tourists visiting Romania nearly doubled to reach 1.7 million in 2013, while exports generated by the tourism sector grew threefold from less than 400 million euros in 2000 to 1.1 billion euros last year.

 

Useful links:

The Power of Youth Travel 

UNWTO Recommendatins on Youth Travel

UNWTO Regional Programme for Europe 

 

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 

PR No.: PR 14067

Facilitating travel for persons with disabilities is a vital element of any responsible and sustainable tourism development policy. Universal accessibility in tourism is not only related to respect for human rights, but also to the considerable economic opportunities that Tourism for All entails.

With a focus on heritage cities, the First UNWTO Conference on Accessible Tourism in Europe will address how to maintain and develop quality, sustainability and competitiveness in accessible tourism.

The Conference will feature best practices for universal accessibility and design in a wide range of European destinations. It will pay special attention to destinations that have developed accessible quality services for all while boosting their competitiveness, without neglecting the challenges of heritage protection. Other topics to be discussed include the development of adequate policies and the role of smart technologies in fostering universal accessibility in tourism infrastructures, facilities and services.

The Conference will be inaugurated by San Marino’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pasquale Valentini, Minister of Tourism, Teodoro Lonfernini, and the former Capitano Reggente (Chief of State) of San Marino, Mirko Tomassoni, who will be joined by the UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai and the Chairman of the World Committee on Tourism Ethics, Pascal Lamy, as universal accessibility in tourism has been defined as one of the top priorities of the Committee.

Speakers include representatives of the DG Enterprise and Industry of the European Commission, the League of Historical and Accessible Cities (LHAC), Salzburg, winner of the European Award of Accessible City in 2012, the Spanish ACS Foundation, the Spanish Agency for International Development and Cooperation (AECID), the ONCE Foundation, the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), the Portuguese Tourism Organization (Turismo de Portugal), the Regions of Veneto and Sicily in Italy, Village for All (V4A), Scandic Hotels from Sweden and Visit England. 

 

Useful links:

First UNWTO Conference on Accessible Tourism in Europe

UNWTO Ethics and Tourism Programme: Accessible Tourism

World Committee on Tourism Ethics 

Press release: San Marino to host 1^st UNWTO European Conference on Accessible Tourism 

Village for All (V4A)

ONCE Foundation for social inclusion of people with disabilities

 

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 

PR No.: PR 14066

The number of international tourists visiting Greece in the first half of 2014 grew by 17%, driven by the strong demand from key European outbound markets such as Germany and the United Kingdom.

Such results, which are well above the growth registered in Southern European destinations (+7%), consolidate the very positive performance of 2013 and confirm the importance of the tourism sector as a stronghold of Greece´s economy. In 2013, international tourists in Greece reached 18 million (+16%) generating US$ 16 billion (+13%).

According to UNWTO the strength of the tourism sector in Greece is the result of a robust tourism policy, of the implementation of fundamental competitiveness measures and of the immense capacity of the private sector to adjust to a fast changing market.

Prime Minister Samaras has expressed solid support to tourism recalling that Greece´s tourism sector is “the first locomotive that started and began to pull our economy out of a painful six-year recession.”

During the meeting, also attended by the Minister of Tourism Olga Kefalogianni, Mr. Rifai commended Prime Minister Samaras on taking key steps to support the tourism sector, including simplifying visa procedures to encourage travel to Greece, reducing the Value Added Tax (VAT) on hotels and tourism services, and supporting the cruise industry. “These measures enhance the competitiveness of Greece’s tourism while sending a very strong political message of support to the sector” said Mr. Rifai.

On behalf of UNWTO, Mr Rifai underscored the importance of giving continuity to the current tourism policy as a means to ensure the sector continues to play a key role in the country’s economic growth and stability and committed to continue supporting Greece in advancing its tourism sector. 

 

 

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 

PR No.: 14065

In his official message on the occasion of UN Day, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon underlined: “The United Nations is needed more than ever at this time of multiple crises. (…) At this critical moment, let us reaffirm our commitment to empowering the marginalized and vulnerable. On United Nations Day, I call on Governments and individuals to work in common cause for the common good.”

During the celebration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain, Minister José Manuel García-Margallo said: “Spain will continue to be committed to multilateralism, which means being committed to the UN.”

On behalf of the UN in Spain, the Secretary-General of UNWTO, Taleb Rifai, congratulated Spain for having been elected for a fifth time to serve as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and recalled that UN Day, aside from being a celebration, is “also a solemn reminder of the many challenges our world continues to face”. He added: “In today’s interconnected world, every local or regional conflict or crisis is a global concern, a global responsibility and people around the world are increasingly looking up to the UN for leadership, for answers, and for solutions.”

24 October marks the anniversary of the entry into force of the Charter of the United Nations in 1945.

Spain committed to the UN

As one of the major donors of the Organization, Spain's commitment is also embodied in the more than 130,000 Spanish troops who have participated in peacekeeping operations or the recent opening of the United Nations World Food Programme humanitarian depot in the Canary Islands.

Moreover, the Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund was created in 2007 thanks to a substantial contribution by Spain, supporting the fight against extreme poverty and promoting sustainable development worldwide. 

In hosting the headquarters of UNWTO, the UN Specialized Agency for tourism, in Madrid, Spain reinforces its leadership in the fields of tourism and highlights the value of the sector as a major contributor to economic and social development and the aims of the UN.

UN entities represented in Spain:

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), United Nations Support Base in Valencia (UNSB-V); United Nations Millennium Campaign in Spain; United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); United Nations University Institute; United Nations Support Office for the International Decade for Action “Water for Life” 2005-2015; United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA); United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); International Labour Organization (ILO); World Health Organization (WHO) - WHO Office for Health Systems Strengthening;  World Tourism Organization (UNWTO); The United Nations Global Compact (UNGC, LN Spain), United Nations World Food Programme  (WFP).

 

Useful links:

UN Day

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

Contacts:

UNWTO Senior Media Officer: Marcelo Risi

Tel.: (+34) 91 567 81 60

 

UNWTO Communications & Publications Programme

Tel.: (+34) 91 567 8100 +34 91 567 8218

PR No.: PR 14062

The report, jointly prepared by UNWTO and Norwegian Accreditation, an agency of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries of Norway, through its QualityMark Norway programme, looks into how hotel classifications and online guest reviews can be incorporated to reduce the gap between guests' expectations and experiences.

The report shows that a refined and integrated model, whether through full integration or in parallel, is expected to have positive financial impacts as consumer confidence in hotel classificationincreases purchase intention.

The emergence of user-generated content reviews has revolutionized the travel decision-making process as travellers are increasingly dependent on online guest reviews to make their purchase decisions. As online travel-related searches are on the rise, hotel classifications and guest reviews have complementary roles in the search process.

Data shows that before making an online hotel reservation, consumers visit on average14 different travel-related sites with about three visits per site, and carry out nine travel-related searches on search engines. Official hotel classifications are often used by consumers as a filter while guest reviews are key in taking a final decision.

In view of these trends, there is increasing interest in taking the classification process to the digital/social sphere, with regions and associations like Abu Dhabi, the German Hotel and Restaurant Association and Hotelleriesuisse exploring the integration of online guest reviews into traditional methods for hotel classification.

The report presents an integrated approach whereby guest reviews add a subjective dimension to the objective elements of hotel classifications, thereby refining the classification method.

The report counted on interviews conducted by QualityMark Norway, Cornell University’s Center for Hospitality Research, Tourism Ireland and AA Ireland as well as with the views of executives, managers and general managers of hotels, guest review providers and online travel agents.

Useful links:
Full Report: Online Guest Reviews and Hotel Classification Systems: An Integrated Approach

UNWTO Regional Programme for Europe

Norwegian Accreditation

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