PR No.: PR13027

The lasting support to the development objectives and the positioning of tourism as a central contributor to economic growth and sustainability in Asia are at the centre of the Strategic Partnership signed by UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, and PATA CEO, Martin Craigs.

“We are proud to further deepen our relationship with PATA, a leading voice of tourism in Asia Pacific”, said Taleb Rifai, attending the PATA Annual Summit in Bangkok, Thailand. “In providing market intelligence, setting global standards and joining our voices to advocate for the value of tourism, this partnership will help the continued growth of tourism in Asia and the spreading of its socio-economic benefits in one of the most dynamic regions of the world”, he added.

“On behalf of PATA members, public and private, large and small across the 17 time zones and 104 destinations we serve, I am delighted to initiate the new Strategic Partnership with UNWTO.” Mr Craigs said: “I’m warmly welcoming Taleb Rifai to PATA’s first Next Generation Summit and the 62^nd AGM. PATA’s balanced business building embracing the Complete Visitor Economy are closely aligned to UNWTO’s vital global mission”, he added.

The Strategic Partnership includes a series of projects, such as a PATA/UNWTO Forum on Marketing Outlook and joint research. The first research initiative will address air connectivity and its impact on tourism in the Asia-Pacific region, and is expected to be implemented already this year, in collaboration with the Tourism Promotion Organization for Asia-Pacific Cities (TPO). Other topics include visa facilitation, taxation, aviation policies as well as consumer and enterprise protection.

The UNWTO/PATA partnership builds on a track record of successful joint activities, such as the annual UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook, launched in 2007 in collaboration with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Municipal Government of Guilin in China.

Contacts:

UNWTO

Senior Media Officer: Marcelo Risi

Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60

PATA

Parita Niemwongse

Tel: (+66) 2 658 2000

PHILIPPINES DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM

MEDIA RELEASE

10 April 2013

Philippine Department of Tourism receives $7.1M grant from ADB, CIDA

The Department of Tourism (DOT) has received a $7.1 million technical assistance grant intended to help boost industry competitiveness from 2013 to 2016 from the Government of Canada, through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as the administering agency. The launch of the ABD-CIDA Technical Assistance on Improving Competitiveness in Tourism was held on 10 April 2013 at the Bayleaf Hotel in Intramuros, Manila.

Among the projects proposed under the grant are skills training programs for the private sector, local government units, civil society, and DOT agencies. Also included is the pilot implementation of the new system of accreditation and the development of standards for service quality.  The technical assistance will be piloted in Cebu, Bohol, Palawan, and Davao.

The ADB-CIDA program is envisioned to create more employment opportunities and advancement for the local workforce, as well as provide local government units with better capacity to improve their regulations in attracting more investments and tourism activities.

The technical assistance comes on the heels of the World Economic Forum recognizing the Philippines as the “most improved country” in its 2013 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index. The Philippines is up 12 spots from 94^th in 2011 to 82^nd in 2012 out of 139 countries. The index measures the factors and policies that contribute to the attractiveness to develop the travel and tourism sector in different countries.

“While we continue to receive recognitions from global organizations and publications, the challenge for all of us in the tourism sector is to ensure that the promise of FUN is complemented on the ground with competitive physical and social infrastructure: from our products to the cost of doing business and human resources. This gesture of the Government of Canada and the ADB is a recognition of the role of tourism as a key driver of economic development in the country.” Tourism Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez Jr. said.

Secretary Jimenez added that the ADB-CIDA technical assistance is in line with the strategic directions of the National Tourism Development Plan to improve tourism institutional governance and human resource capacities. The technical assistance will result in three key outputs over a four-year period: a) regulatory review b) service standards improvement and c) skills development.

“This comes at an opportune time when we need to scale up the development of tourism towards our bid of 10 million international visitor arrivals and 56.1 million domestic travellers by 2016.  We should be ready to improve the tourism plant and enhance the quality of our services to ensure higher visitor satisfaction levels, which will trigger word-of-mouth marketing. Through this undertaking, the Philippines will be more competitive with the rest of the destinations in the Asia-Pacific,” Secretary Jimenez concluded.

PR No.: PR13026

The strong link between sustainable tourism and the rich cultural heritage of the Silk Road was a major talking point during the meeting, which agreed on a range of actions to strengthen the Silk Road Programme.

Millions of cross border visits take place between the Silk Road countries, and a clear need has been identified to promote new sustainable tourism products, focussing on three pillars: marketing and promotion, capacity building, and travel facilitation

“Being part of the Silk Road offers destinations a unique opportunity to leverage collaboration on these key areas”, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, in greeting the Task Force Meeting. “This meeting will enhance cooperation between the countries along the Silk Road, raise the profile of Silk Road tourism and contribute to drive  sustainable and responsible development along this amazing route”, he addedd.

During the meeting, the delegates developed a range of creative ideas including the vision of a Silk Road Festival, interactive portal and the concept of creating a Silk Road Tourism Partnership, aimed at promoting the world’s longest trade and culture route.

UNWTO took the opportunity of the event to present a plaque in recognition of the Minister of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan, Abulfaz Garayev, for his 12 outstanding years of service. Minister Garayev is one of the world's longest serving tourism ministers and a passionate ambassador for the Silk Road.

The consolidated outcomes of the Task Force Meeting will be reported at the 6^th International meeting of the Silk Road Programme to be held in China on 1-3 August 2013.

Relevant links:

UNWTO Silk Road Programme

UNWTO Silk Road Action Plan

Pictures of the 3rd UNWTO Silk Road Task Force Meeting

Contacts:

UNWTO

Senior Media Officer: Marcelo Risi

Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60

PR No.: PR13025

The  Joint Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for East Asia and the Pacific and UNWTO Commission for South Asia (CAP-CSA) are UNWTO´s annual regional statutory events, and the largest, most important gathering of Member States from the region.

The focus on UNWTO priorities such as travel (visa) facilitation, intelligent taxation and air connectivity set the frame for the adjoining Sustainable Tourism Conference, hosted by the Ministry of Tourism of the Government of India in collaboration with the Government of Andhra Pradesh. At the opening, the Indian Minister State of Tourism, Dr. K. Chiranjeevi, emphasized the importance of intra-regional and inter-regional cooperation as a key to sustainable tourism development.

During the conference, countries shared their challenges and difficulties in developing sustainable tourism, including the call to increase tourism’s contribution to poverty reduction, the need for long-term impact monitoring and the prioritization of tourism in national development policies.

Mr. Zoltan Somogyi, UNWTO Executive Director for Member Relations and Services, noted that UNWTO is committed to standing by its members to advance the sustainability agenda by generating know-how, disseminating information and continuing to work closely with countries in the region to identify the challenges, needs and opportunities for sustainable development and formulate and implement effective sustainable tourism development strategies.

The events gathered senior tourism executives from over 20 UNWTO Member States, who were joined by representatives of India´s state governments, union territories and private stakeholders.

India accepts the Open Letter on Travel and Tourism

Ahead of the Meetings in Hyderabad, UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai presented the Open Letter on Travel and Tourism to the Indian Vice President, Prof Dr Mohammad Hamid Ansari, in New Delhi.

The Open Letter, a joint initiative of UNWTO and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), is presented to heads of state and government around the world calling 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.

Relevant links:

UNWTO Encourages Travel Facilitation and Connectivity in Asia Pacific

UNWTO Regional Conference: Asia-Pacific Tourism Growth Must Be Balanced and Sustainable

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

The Asia-Pacific travel & tourism industry now faces the challenge of ensuring that the surge in visitor arrivals globally and specifically in the Asia-Pacific is balanced by commensurate efforts to protect the environmental and cultural heritage on which the industry depends.

Such was the message at a one-day conference on Sustainable Tourism, convened in the Andhra Pradesh capital city of Hyderabad by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). At the conference, heads of national tourism organizations and chief executives of a number of private sector organizations and associations shared a broad diversity of plans, policies and projects that set the scene for the discussion on how sustainable growth through tourism can be best sustained (designed to ensure that both quantity and quality of the tourism experience remain on par).

Hosted by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, in collaboration with the Government of Andhra Pradesh, the UNWTO Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development was held in conjunction with the 25^th Joint Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for East Asia and the Pacific and UNWTO Commission for South Asia, UNWTO´s principal annual event in the Asia Pacific Region, and opened by Indian Tourism Minister of State Mr. K. Chiranjeevi. The Chief Guest was the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Mr. Nallari Kiran Kumar Reddy.

In his opening remarks at the meeting, UNWTO Secretary-General Mr. Taleb Rifai said that while global visitor arrivals had hit record highs in 2012 -- more than one billion international arrivals and 5.5 billion domestic visitors -- such growth did not have to be a zero-sum game.

Mr. Rifai noted that growth and sustainability are part of the same equation and that more growth must mean more preservation. He emphasized that more growth should never be allowed to damage culture, economies and the fabrics of communities and that the sector must utilize its knowledge base to continually improve the sector and ensure it is developed sustainably.

In his opening comments, Indian Tourism Minister of State Mr. K. Chiranjeevi said the need of the hour is not tourism growth alone but development of tourism in sustainable manner.

He said that the South Asian region has rich and varied tourism products to attract visitors from the world over – with heritage and culture dating back to thousands of years, architectural and natural marvels, an unmatched bio-diversity and a display of almost all the world religions.

Minister Chiranjeevi also said that intra-regional and inter-regional cooperation holds the key to the growth of the sector and that the tourism industry, with its established contributions towards economic growth, employment generation and social integration, will have to be made sustainable for drawing the benefits over a longer period of time.

Another point made by the Minister was that the importance of sustainability needs to be communicated throughout the industry. For example, policy makers should establish effective communication channels for sensitizing the masses and taking the stakeholders along. Local governments, local communities and youth, he noted, can be an instrument and the force to take forward the agenda of sustainability.

Conference presentations on tourism and sustainability were made by representatives of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Lao People ́s Democratic Republic, Malaysia and Thailand. Other speakers included senior executives of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), EATOF (East Asia Inter-Regional Tourism Forum) and Japan Association of Travel Agents.

In addition to the meetings, various events were organized to give the visiting delegates a glimpse of the rich culture and cuisine of the country. These included dinners and cultural programmes at the Taramati Baradari, Golconda Fort, Shilparamam and Ramoji Film City as well as a tour to the Buddhist Heritage sites at Nagarjuna Sagar and Nagarjuna Konda.

The event provided a great opportunity for the State of Andhra Pradesh and particularly the city of Hyderabad to showcase the varied attractions and facilities to the international tourism fraternity.

The World Tourism Organization is to press ahead with its agenda of promoting easier travel facilitation, intelligent taxation and better connectivity within the Asia-Pacific region.

The policy agenda was avidly discussed at the 25th Joint Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for East Asia and the Pacific and South Asia (CAP-CSA) held last week in the Andhra Pradesh capital of Hyderabad.

UNWTO Secretary-General Mr. Taleb Rifai noted that although Asia and the Pacific was the world's fastest growing region in 2012 (+7% to 233 million international tourists), further facilitation could ensure that the growth is maintained and perhaps even exceeded in 2013.

Visa facilitation

Briefing delegates representing UNWTO Member States and their tourism sectors from around the region, Mr. Rifai said that following the important reference made to tourism and to the role of visa facilitation in stimulating growth and jobs in the Declaration of the G20 Leaders (June 2012), UNWTO has continued to advocate visa facilitation as a means to grow the tourism sector.

The issue was the theme of the 2012 UNWTO/WTM Ministers Summit in London and object of a dedicated debate at the 94th session of the UNWTO Executive Council, which mandated the Secretariat to “maintain visa facilitation as a priority in the work of the Secretariat and advance it through advocacy at the highest political level and the identification and dissemination of case studies” and “to advance it in close cooperation with other international and regional organizations”.

In January 2013, UNWTO published an in-depth report on the current “openness” of each world region in terms of visas for tourism. UNWTO is also working with WTTC to conduct an evaluation of the impact of visa facilitation in the economies of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) countries to be finalized by September 2013 and with Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in the identification of case studies and setting of joint recommendations.

During the Joint Commission Meeting, Secretary-General Mr. Rifai noted that restrictive visa policies can mean lost opportunities for economic growth and jobs, which tourism can bring to destinations. Difficult visa policies can also be a deterrent to travel, as travellers view visas as an added formality involving a cost.

He said that improving visa processes could generate an extra US$ 206 billion in tourism receipts and create as many as 5.1 million additional jobs by 2015 in the G20 economies alone, as shown by joint research conducted by UNWTO and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

Asia and the Pacific is one of the world ́s two most "open" regions in terms of tourist visa requirements, with 20% of the world ́s population not requiring a visa to visit an Asian destination (19% can obtain visa on arrival and 7% can obtain eVisas when visiting Asia).

Data also shows that there has been significant progress on visa facilitation globally in recent years, particularly with the implementation of visa on arrival policies.

Mr. Rifai said that in preparation for a Special Tourism Ministerial Session of APEC to be held in October in Bali, Indonesia, UNWTO and WTTC are conducting a special study on travel facilitation for APEC economies.

UNWTO will also be working closely with ASEAN to pursue a similar agenda. At the ASEAN Tourism Forum (Vientiane, Laos, January 2013) under the theme of  ̈ASEAN: Hand in Hand, Conquering our Future," Mr. Rifai conveyed a message that encouraged the development of a common visa programme similar to that of the Schengen area to further facilitate travel within ASEAN countries.

Intelligent taxation

On the issue of taxation in the travel sector, Mr. Rifai told the CAP-CSA delegates in Hyderabad that UNWTO continues to advocate intelligent taxation, raising awareness of the need to evaluate the economic impact of the raise or introduction of new taxes on travel and tourism. A pilot project on a possible econometric model to assess the impact of changes in fiscal policies in tourism is underway.

Connectivity

As many as 51% of all international tourists arrive at their destinations by air, and the UNWTO Secretariat has started to work to raise global awareness of the importance of a closer relationship between tourism and aviation in order to ensure mutual benefits.

This agenda was launched with an address to the Member States of the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) at ICAO's Sixth Worldwide Air Transport Conference (18 March 2013) highlighting issues such as the need to review the current legislative framework, taxation, climate change and consumer protection, and appealing for increased cooperation between aviation and tourism both at national and international levels.

Delegates at the Joint CAP-CSA meetings warmly appreciated and applauded these moves.

India Accepts Open Letter on Travel and Tourism

Just before travelling to Hyderabad for the Joint Commission session, Mr. Rifai stopped over in New Delhi where, accompanied by Tourism Minister of State Mr. K. Chiranjeevi, he handed over an “Open Letter” to Indian Vice President Prof Dr Mohammad Hamid Ansari. The letter jointly signed by Mr. Rifai and Mr. David Scowsill, President and CEO, World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) urges world leaders to join hands with the leaders from the other countries as well as with UNWTO and WTTC to position travel and tourism higher on the global agenda.

The basic objective of this campaign is to send a message to the world to accord high priority to the development of the tourism sector for promoting employment opportunities and economic development. The campaign was launched in 2011 and till date 49 countries have joined by accepting the Open Letter.

Upcoming UNWTO activities in Asia and the Pacific

CAP-CSA delegates in attendance at the Joint Commission Meeting were also informed of the comprehensive list of upcoming UNWTO activities in 2013, including:

• Launch of Study: Air Connectivity and its Impact on Tourism in Asia and the Pacific
• UNWTO Affiliate Members´ Regional Summit (1-2 June, Seoul, ROK)
• 2013 UNWTO Asia-Pacific Executive Training Programme on National Branding and Communications (3 – 6 June, Busan, ROK)
• UNWTO International Conference on Silk Road Tourism (1 – 3 August, Dunhuang, China)
• UNWTO's support to the 2nd Global Tourism Economy Forum (18 – 20 Sep. Macao, China)
• World Tourism Day Celebrations (27 Sep. Maldives)
• UNWTO's support to the Special Ministerial Session of APEC on Travel Facilitation (4 – 5 Oct. Bali, Indonesia)
• 2012 World Tourism Conference (21-23 Oct, Melaka, Malaysia)
• 7th UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook (21 – 23 Oct, Guilin, China)
• UNWTO Regional Conference on Tourism Development in Cultural and Natural Heritage Sites (30 Oct. – 2 Nov. Siem Reap, Cambodia)
• UNWTO Intl Conference on Spiritual Tourism (21 – 22 Nov TBC. Bai Dinh Pagoda, Ninh Binh, Viet Nam)

PR No.: PR13018

The Outline for National Tourism and Leisure (2013-2020), issued by the State Council of China, focuses on promoting the taking of paid annual leave days and boosting the healthy development of the tourism sector in China, in particular by ensuring the coordination of different sectors.

Where previously cultural norms have stopped many in China from taking an annual leave, the Outline, which reinforces existing Regulations for Paid Annual Leave for Employees, encourages government agencies, social organizations, enterprises and public institutions to promote the use of leave days, giving moreover Chinese workers more freedom and flexibility on the issue of where and when to travel.

“The successful implementation of the new Chinese national tourism strategy will surely impulse both domestic and outbound tourism in China and we particularly welcome the decision to promote travelling at different times of the year” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai. “This document calls on a variety of sectors to strategically consider their actions in view of the development of tourism; it is another proof that China fully understands that sustainable tourism growth requires cross-cutting policies at a national level”, he added.

The Outline, advocated for a long time by the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), comes four years after the tourism sector in China was acknowledged as a ‘pillar’ industry of modern services and one of the major social and economic sectors on the government´s agenda.

Relevant links:

China´s New Landmark Tourism Strategy: The Outline for National Tourism and Leisure (2013-2020)

The Outline for National Tourism and Leisure (2013-2020)

Contacts:

Principal Media Officer: Marcelo Risi

Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60

China has embarked on a new era in tourism in its national agenda following the release of The Outline for National Tourism and Leisure (2013-2020), a landmark document which will see the complete redefinition of tourism development and management in the country, spark an increase in Chinese outbound tourism and promote a greater distribution of the economic, socio-cultural and environmental benefits of tourism.

The document, issued by the State Council of China, the country´s highest level of government, presents a roadmap for restructuring the current paid leave system across China and outlines the technical, multi-sector aspects of creating a more fruitful environment for sustainable tourism development and management in the country.

Where previously cultural norms have stopped many workers in China from taking annual leave, this outline, in enforcing the Regulations for Paid Annual Leave for Employees, not only encourages governmental agencies, social organizations, enterprises and public institutions to promote the use of leave days, but also gives Chinese workers more freedom and flexibility of where and when to travel.

The outline, which China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) has been advocating for a long time, was developed on the basis of The Opinions of the State Council on Speeding up the Development of the Tourism Industry (Guofa, 2009, No.41) to meet, as it says, ¨the people´s growing needs in tourism and leisure, [as well as to] promote the healthy development of the tourism and leisure industry, and build a Chinese-style national tourism and leisure system.¨

Its release comes four years after the tourism sector in China was acknowledged as a ´pillar´ industry of modern services, recognizing its role as one of the major social and economic industries on the government´s agenda.

The outline´s focus on promoting the taking of paid annual leave days and boosting the healthy development of the tourism and leisure industry in China is strongly aligned with UNWTO´s historical document, the Tourism Bill of Rights, released in 1985 as well as the UNWTO’s Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, adopted by the United Nations in 2001.

The successful implementation of the outline will lead to not only another boost in Chinese inbound tourism (especially through an increase in domestic holidays), but also, significantly, an increase in Chinese outbound tourism around the world.

More info:

• The Outline for National Tourism and Leisure (2013-2020)
• UNWTO Press Release