The UNWTO Asia-Pacific Newsletter 40th Issue, sponsored by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea, was produced in collaboration with the Kyung Hee University in Korea which is one of the UNWTO Affiliate Members.
In the 40th Edition, current tourism related activities of UNWTO, news from our Member States, destination report and other issues have been featured. The AP Newsletter is available at our website.
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Her Excellency the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, graced the occasion of the conference organized by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism of Bangladesh in collaboration with United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) on “Developing Sustainable and Inclusive Buddhist Heritage and Pilgrimage Circuit in South Asia’s Buddhist Heartland” that was held at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) in Dhaka on 27-28 October 2015 where Dr. Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General, UNWTO, was the chief guest.
Mr. Rashed Khan Menon, Honourable Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism of Bangladesh also honoured the event with his presence and presentation in which he stressed that Bangladesh for the first time had been included in the tourism circuit of Buddhist sites of India, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. Ministers and delegates from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Afghanistan attended the conference along with high level government and private sector stakeholders from India, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Nepal, China, Korea, and Japan.
While seeking support from multi-lateral development partners for policy reform and infrastructure and capacity building initiatives the conference concluded on a positive note of recommendations for a comprehensive regional Buddhist circuit road map. Dr. Taleb Rifai, thanking the Bangladesh government for their interest and support in organizing this unique conference stressed that one should not neglect the domestic tourism component since the benefits of tourism must also be enjoyed by the people of the country themselves as much as by the foreign visitors. The conference ended with the Chair’s Summary by Mr. Akhtaruz Zaman Khan Kabir, Chief Executive Officer of Bangladesh Tourism Board adopting a set of recommendations.
After the closing ceremony, a press conference was held at the conference venue for the local and international media at which UNWTO Secretary General Mr. Taleb Rifai, Hon. Minister for tourism of Bangladesh Mr. Rashed Khan Menon, Member of Parliament, Mr. Xu Jing, Director, Asia Pacific Regional Programme of UNWTO, Mr. Akhataruz Zaman Khan Kabir, Chief Executive Officer of Bangladesh Tourism Board and UNWTO consultant, Mr. Ludwig G Rieder, were present.
Besides the conference on 27th October and the technical tour of the 28th October which gave the delegates a glimpse of the vast Buddhist heritage of Bangladesh as well as the Sundarbans mangrove forest, UNESCO World Heritage site, UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai visited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and handed over an open letter on travel and tourism in recognition of Bangladesh's efforts to boost and diversify its tourism capacity thereby creating socioeconomic growth and employment.
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgMVhr3rTRPIFf8i8EXeMLALS_MeBlH-m
The above workshop is an integral part of a research study that analyses the potential for river-based tourism in the Mekong region, co-sponsored by UNWTO and ASEAN with the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) lending their support.
The study is a sequel to the “UNWTO Report: Initial Situation Analysis on River-based Tourism in ASEAN Countries” that was undertaken by UNWTO and ASEAN in 2014, and the findings of which were presented at the ASEAN Tourism Forum in Myanmar in January 2015.
Viet Nam as the coordinator of both ventures had the honour to host the Mekong river-based tourism development workshop in Dan Nang which was attended by ASEAN member representatives, National Tourism Administrations and Organizations and tourism sector stakeholders. The countries covered in the present study include Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam.
Mr. Harry Hwang, Deputy Director, Regional Programme for Asia and the Pacific represented UNWTO while Mr. Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Chairman of Viet Nam National Tourism Administration addressed the workshop on behalf of the hosts. Mr. Peter Semone, UNWTO consultant, outlined the key findings of his field trips and research with the final report to be presented at the ATF in the Philippines in January 2016.
Product development with a strategic action plan allied to marketing constitutes the major component of the present report though sufficient emphasis has also been given to a cohesive policy and integrated plan for the whole Mekong area covering the countries under study. In this respect 41 ports and landings along the river have been identified for infrastructure development including additional amenities such as visitor information centres, medical facilities, public toilets, fuelling stations and restaurants with international food safety and hygiene standards. Air and ground transportation by way of access, and accommodation both formal and informal are other sectors that supplement the various products.
The study also outlines 7 specific products with branded names that the public and private sectors could exploit as special marketable items. These are independent of the numerous tour packages that are already available in the market. Another special feature that appeals to the Western market but with potential for regional extension is the soft adventure component including cycling, trekking, canoeing/kayak and nature based products such as fishing and bird watching. All these go a long way to complement the rich cultural heritage of the Mekong which makes community based tourism products an attraction to both international and domestic visitors.
UNWTO deeply appreciates the role of Viet Nam as a host of the above workshop and is hopeful that the outcome of the Mekong river- based product development study will pave the way for greater investment in this lucrative market that will ultimately pave the way to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.
The China International Tourism Forum which was co-organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) was held on 13 November on the occasion of China International Travel Mart (CITM) 2015 in Kunming, China. The main objective of this event was to rally international support for the acceleration of the recovery process of Nepal’s tourism industry in the wake of the destruction caused by the recent earthquake.
The key highlights of the event were a series of actions which China intends to take as a continuation of its post-earthquake support of the recovery process of Nepal. These include the visit of about 100 Chinese tour operators to Nepal by the end of 2016 in order to have firsthand experience of its local tourism products. In addition to this, China will provide facilities to restructure and reinvigorate the Nepalese tourism industry, and offer training programmes to some 100 Nepalese tourism personnel in the next two years. Also, CNTA will provide Nepal with 2 free exhibition booths in CITM in the next three years to facilitate the tourism promotion of Nepal in China.
These measures will not only help the revival of Nepalese tourism but will also go a long way in building a bridge of goodwill between the two countries to foster political, social, cultural and economic relations in the future.
With over two hundred tour operators, media and international participants present, the forum became an ideal platform to transmit the most updated messages about Nepal’s tourism infrastructure rebuilding efforts and to draw the world’s attention to the country’s dire need for continued support. These messages emerged from UNWTO’s fact-finding mission which was carried out prior to the Forum in order to assess the extent of the damage caused by the earthquake and to formulate a comprehensive and up-to-date situational analysis of the impact of the earthquake on the tourism industry of Nepal.
Brunei’s Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, Dato Paduka Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, graced the seminar on the “Contribution of Islamic Culture and its Impact on the Asian Tourism Market” that was jointly organized by UNWTO and Brunei Darussalam, in Bandar Seri Begawan on the 16th – 17th of November 2015.
Brunei’s recent decision to upgrade tourism to ministerial status on par with its primary resource of oil and gas is ample proof of the importance given to the sector by the Government. Therefore, the presentation of the initial findings of the UNWTO study on the contribution of Islamic culture and its impact on the Asian tourism market in the form of an executive summary, which formed the basis of the seminar, is of special significance. The study included an overall assessment of the historical evolution, and the cultural and economic contribution of the Islamic tourism market in the region. In addition the study carries country monographs with incisive information and data on the potential of Islamic tourism of destinations in Asia and the Pacific ranging from Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
The seminar was centred around presentations and discussions with distinguished speakers and panelists on issues such as The potential of the emerging market for Islamic Tourism, Building bridges between Muslim and non-Muslim populations to promote a culture of peace, stability and understanding, and Policy recommendations/Marketing of Islamic Tourism Products.
The seminar was the first of its kind organized by UNWTO on this thematic subject and Brunei as the host had shown early interest in holding this event. As the Honourable Minister concluded, Islamic values are to be at the core of Brunei’s tourism drive.
Over 100 delegates and participants from the region and from Brunei included public and private sector officials and stakeholders.
The outcome of the seminar will no doubt pave the way for greater co-operation and understanding of the Islamic tourism market. It is hoped that this is a stepping stone for further research and analysis of the role and contribution of Islamic culture and its impact on the tourism market on a regional, intra-regional and global scale.
UNWTO wishes to extend its sincere thanks to China Chamber of Tourism (CCT) for their sponsorship and contribution to the Study and the Seminar.
PR No.: 15087
The UNWTO Global Report, produced in collaboration with the Griffith Institute of Tourism, highlights how Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) among tourism stakeholders drive socio-economic development (Madrid, Spain, 10 November 2015).
Through a wide range of case-studies, the UNWTO Global Report on Public-Private Partnerships: Tourism Development, provides a solid evidence base for the importance of effective PPPs in tourism, illustrating how partnerships across different destinations and market segments can be used as development tools.
The Report, a collaboration between UNWTO and its Affiliate Member the Griffith Institute for Tourism (GIFT), a world leading tourism research institute from Australia, was launched this week in Madrid, Spain, in the presence of UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, Virginia Greville, Ambassador of Australia to Spain, and Noel Scott, Deputy Director of GIFT.
“This Report clearly demonstrates that public-private collaboration plays a key role in advancing tourism’s contribution to inclusive development, particularly in emerging destinations where the sector can make a significant positive impact in local communities. I am confident that the findings will inspire effective cross-sector partnerships that can help maximize tourism’s development potential” said Mr. Rifai on the occasion.
Ambassador Greville highlighted Australia’s experience in building tourism capacity in the Asia-Pacific region, and emphasized the need of a partnership approach to tourism development: “truly sustainable tourism involves all stakeholders”.
Presenting the main findings of the report, Professor Scott noted that through PPPs, stakeholders can come together to achieve remarkable results in areas such as product development and capacity building. In order to succeed long-term, PPPs often require an external party or well-positioned stakeholder to lead partnership development and provide benefits to all stakeholders involved: “To demonstrate tangible outcomes is not only important in encouraging participation, but also for maintaining momentum and ensuring the sustainability of the project”, said Mr. Scott.
Note to editors
The Griffith Institute for Tourism (GIFT), a UNWTO Affiliate Member and partner of the UNWTO Knowledge Network, is located on the Gold Coast, Australia and is a strategic initiative of Griffith University. Its mission is to undertake and disseminate world leading research in tourism that will produce both an academic and industry impact. GIFT also work collaboratively within series of international partners to achieve research excellence and sustainability.
Useful links:
UNWTO Global Report on Public-Private Partnerships: Tourism Development
Griffith Institute for Tourism
Press release: UNWTO and Australia’s Griffith University join forces to advance tourism knowledge
Contacts:
UNWTO Media Officer: Rut Gomez Sobrino
Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60
UNWTO Communications & Publications Programme
Tel: (+34) 91 567 8100 / Fax: +34 91 567 8218
Iran’s Vice-President and President of Iran Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) Massoud Soltani Far presided over the closing ceremony of the UNWTO National Workshop on Tourism Satellite Account which took place in Tehran from 31 October-1 November 2015.
Soltani Far’s presence at the Workshop is testimony to the strong political will behind Iran’s plan to increase international tourist arrivals substantially over the next 5 years after registering the record figure of 5 million in 2014. This is further corroborated by the fact that for the first time in its history ICHTO, Central Bank of Iran, Statistical Centre of Iran and Immigration Bureau of Iran came together to ascertain from UNWTO’s experts and to discuss what needed to be done to set up TSA in Iran. These are the governmental institutions whose collaboration is imperative for the development of the Tourism Satellite Account.
The Tourism Satellite Account is the statistical instrument that UNWTO has been using for the past 15 years to help its member countries to understand tourism’s contribution to their economies and their national accounting systems. The Organization has been organising international conferences, national and regional seminars or workshops to bring this message home to its members and to provide them with the necessary capacity-building to equip them technically. Within the Asia-Pacific region, the most recent seminars and workshops on TSA took place in Bhutan, Maldives, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. All of these constitute a follow-up to the 2-year regional statistics capacity-building programme which UNWTO implemented in all the regions from 2010-2012.
The UNWTO National Workshop on Tourism Satellite Account was the first national workshop on the subject which it organised in close collaboration with ICHTO. The primary objective was thus to initiate the process of laying a foundation for the development of TSA for Iran. It drew the participation of over 80 officials from the relevant entities as well as representatives of the trade.
The Workshop marked the start of a new beginning as well as the declaration and demonstration of an inter-institutional united front in Iran’s quest for upstaging the economic importance of tourism through the Tourism Satellite Account.
