PR No.: PR12014

“Global challenges demand increased cooperation. Today’s agreement emphasizes the strong synergy between the work of our two organizations and is a step forward towards maximizing our efforts,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Mr. Taleb Rifai. “Since 2001, UNWTO and ETC have been working closely together to monitor trends in the ever changing tourism marketplace and help their Member countries to be more competitive. Under this new agreement, I am confident we can better respond to the needs of our Members and the tourism sector at large.” 

“We have made significant steps towards increasing competitiveness in tourism over the course of more than ten years of joint research carried out between ETC and UNWTO,” said ETC President, Mrs. Petra Hedorfer. “With a shift in global tourism trends fuelled by the emerging BRIC economies, Europe, as the world’s most visited travel destination, stands a lot to gain from this partnership. Research and market intelligence is of critical importance now more than ever, and today’s agreement not only strengthens the importance of collaboration at European level, but also on a global level.”

One of the major initiatives under the new cooperation agreement is the establishment of the Global National Tourism Organizations (NTOs) Think Tank, launched at the ITB Travel Trade Show in Berlin. The Think Tank will provide a forum for the heads of national tourism bodies from all world regions to identify and collaborate on issues of shared interest, from changing market conditions and trends to new technologies and consumer rights. It will further allow NTOs to speak with one voice on issues of common concern, namely travel facilitation.   

UNWTO and ETC will also combine efforts on issues such as trends and market research, products and segments, marketing methodologies, benchmarking, sustainability and crisis management. The two parties will continue their on-going series of best-practice handbooks and market studies which, to date, cover the most significant source markets for Europe, including China, India, the USA and the Middle East, and the topical issues of branding, e-marketing and product development.

 

Contacts:

UNWTO Principal Media Officer: Marcelo Risi

Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60

 

European Travel Commission

Nicholas Hall, Acting Executive Director

T: + 32 2 - 548 90 00

www.etc-corporate.org

www.visteurope.com

PR No.: PR 12012

“There are real prospects for tourism development in the Republic of Serbia, especially in thematic routes, city breaks, business and mountain tourism,” said President Tadic. The President highlighted tourism’s significant contribution to GDP and job creation, directly in tourism and in other sectors of the economy.  

“Serbia had some of the best tourism results in Southern Mediterranean Europe in 2011,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. “International tourist numbers were up 12% and tourism receipts, which currently account for 7% of Serbia’s exports of services, increased by 18%, showing that the sector can be a vital instrument in achieving the development goals set by the country.”

David Scowsill, President & CEO of WTTC, said: “Serbia has made huge advances in attracting tourists to the country where the sector now employs 97,000 people. Further investment is now needed to continue advancing this critical industry in Serbia – both marketing funds from the government and infrastructure investment from the private sector.  Recent news of Serbia possibly ascending to the EU will present new opportunities for Travel & Tourism in Serbia. Certainly by the President taking this step today in joining the Global Leaders for Tourism Campaign, Serbia is placing Travel & Tourism at the forefront of its development and job growth as it positions to reap the benefits from potential membership in the EU.”

Meeting with the President, Mr. Rifai expressed his confidence in the future of tourism in Serbia, in particular in the development of tourism products such as wellness, cultural and rural tourism, given that “tourists are increasingly looking to experience the countryside, engage in local activities and learn about traditions.”

Rural tourism provides opportunities outside of major cities, he said, generating employment and income for people where they live and stemming rural flight, as well as supporting the preservation of local traditions and economic activities such as agriculture or handcrafts.

The potential of rural tourism for development was the central theme of a conference held in the framework of the Belgrade International Tourism Fair. The conference highlighted the on-going US$4 million Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund (MDGF) project “Sustainable Tourism for Rural Development”, which joins five UN agencies (UNDP, UNEP, FAO, UNICEF and UNWTO) and national authorities to support the diversification of the rural economy in Serbia through tourism. The MDGF was established in December 2006, with a generous contribution of US$ 710 million from the Spanish Government. UNWTO is currently involved in eleven MDGF projects, promoting the potential of tourism to achieve the Millennium Development Goals around the world.

On the occasion, Serbia also became the first country to adopt the UNWTO Crisis Communications Toolbox, a step-by-step guide to effective crisis communications in tourism that helps destinations prepare their crisis communications plans and limit the impacts of crises on their tourism sectors. The Toolbox, which includes templates for press releases and other crisis communications formats, covers issues from interviews and press conferences to the use of social media, and is fully adaptable to individual country needs.

Note to Editors:

Through the Global Leaders for Tourism Campaign, UNWTO and WTTC are jointly presenting heads of state and government around the world an Open Letter which calls on them to acknowledge tourism’s key role in delivering more sustained and balanced growth and to prioritize the sector higher in national policies in order to maximize its potential. The Open Letter outlines Travel & Tourism’s value as one of the world’s largest generators of jobs, a powerful driver of socio-economic growth and development and a key player in the transformation to the Green Economy.

To date, over 20 heads of state and government have received the Open Letter from UNWTO and WTTC: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brunei, Burkina Faso, China, Colombia, Croatia, Gambia, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Mozambique, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Serbia and South Africa.  

 

Useful links:

Open Letter to Heads of State and Government

Further Information on the Joint Campaign

The UNWTO Crisis Communications Toolbox

 

 

Contacts:

Principal Media Officer: Marcelo Risi

Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60

 

WTTC Media Relations Manager: Anja Eckervogt

Tel: (+44) 20 7481 6484

www.WTTC.org

 

 

PR No.: PR 12008

Tourism is one of Armenia’s fastest growing economic sectors highlighted President Sargsyan on joining the UNWTO/WTTC joint campaign, which calls on world leaders to recognize tourism as a force for economic growth and development.

“Tourism is a reliable generator of employment and an irreplaceable tool for economic growth and territorial development,” said President Sargsyan. “Apart from being an important economic sector, tourism is for us an unparalleled means for intercultural dialogue and an effective catalyst for good international relations and mutual respect, a matchless tool for building tolerance and peace worldwide,” he added.

“Armenia clearly understands the need to actively support its tourism sector and we are most pleased to have Armenia joining the campaign as well as partnering with UNWTO on holding this conference on tourism’s contribution to cultural diversity,” said Mr. Rifai. “The Conference is, moreover, a good moment for the country to progress in its objective to increase its share of the meetings industry market,” he added.

UNWTO and Armenia further agreed to work together to promote the South Caucasus Tourism Development Initiative. This initiative links up the four countries of the region – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and part of Turkey – to jointly capitalize on their shared tourism assets and boost the strategic positioning of the region. The initiative is part of UNWTO’s strategy to strengthen regional cooperation in Europe as a means to increase tourism competitiveness. 

 

Relevant links:

Open Letter to Heads of State and Government

Further information on the Joint Campaign

 

Contacts:

Principal Media Officer: Marcelo Risi

Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60

 

UNWTO Communications Programme

Tel: +34 91-567-8100

Fax: +34 91-567-8218

 

PR No.: PR 12007

Congratulating Minister Soria of his recent appointment, Mr. Rifai spoke of the relevance of basing UNWTO, the United Nations specialized agency for tourism, in Spain, one of the world’s leading tourism destinations.

Discussions focused on the role of tourism in facing economic, social and environmental challenges, as well as areas of future cooperation between Spain and UNWTO.

Minister Soria congratulated UNWTO on the Global Leaders for Tourism Campaign, which, since early 2011, has been gaining continued support from heads of state and government for tourism as a key economic sector. “I am willing to present this initiative to the Prime Minister of the Spanish Government, Mariano Rajoy, and I am confident that he will gladly join, given his strong interest in this strategic sector as a motor for economic recovery,” said the Minister.

Minister Soria and Mr. Rifai also discussed Spain’s role as the official host of the 2012 World Tourism Day celebrations, around the theme Tourism and Sustainable Energy: Powering Sustainable Development. Spain, and in particular the Canary Islands, is the “ideal setting” to hold the 2012 celebrations, said Mr. Rifai, as a country leading the way in both tourism and sustainable energy. Minister Soria highlighted the event as the perfect opportunity to strengthen the relationship between both parties, advance the international tourism agenda and further the United Nations presence in Spain.

“UNWTO headquarters have been based in Spain for nearly forty years and the relationship between the Organization and its host country has gone from strength to strength,” said Mr. Rifai. “Given our discussions today, I am more than confident that they will continue to do so under the leadership and engagement of Minister Soria.”

 

Relevant links:

Global Leaders for Tourism Campaign

 

Contacts:

Principal Media Officer: Marcelo Risi

Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60

 

UNWTO Communications Programme

Tel: +34 91-567-8100

Fax: +34 91-567-8218

 

The visit was considered very useful to define the parameters of further cooperation between Azerbaijan and the World Tourism Organization. Both parties emphasized the importance of having the opportunity to share information and identify concrete joint actions that results from the meetings that were scheduled with various Departments of UNWTO.