PR No.: PR12060

The Chengdu and Kanas Observatories join UNWTO’s network of tourism observatories which gather and report data based on UNWTO’s sustainable tourism indicators and assist policy makers to ensure more sustainable tourism growth.

“UNWTO’s Sustainable Tourism Observatories are providing decision makers with the information they need to make more responsible tourism decisions,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. “The establishment of the Chengdu and Kanas Observatories will allow these destinations to better understand the impact of their many visitors, evaluate the impacts of existing sustainable tourism initiatives and ensure tourism benefits both the people and environment of the surrounding areas for years to come.” 

The city of Chengdu receives tens of millions of domestic tourists each year and an increasing share of international tourists. These tourists generate over 8% of the city’s GNP and an estimated 600,000 direct jobs. The Kanas Lake Nature Reserve receives close to one million domestic tourists, supporting jobs and income among the local population. UNWTO’s Sustainable Tourism Observatories in China are managed and monitored by a Monitoring Centre at Sun Yet-Sen University in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province.  

 

Relevant links:

UNWTO Sustainable Tourism Indicators

 

Contacts:

UNWTO Principal Media Officer: Marcelo Risi

Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60

 

UNWTO Communications Programme

Tel: +34 91-567-8100

Fax: +34 91-567-8218

On the occasion of his visit to Macao early last month for the Global Tourism Economy Forum, UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai visited the Tourism Crisis Management Office in Macao to meet with Mr.  Joao Antunes, Director of Macao Government Tourist Office (MGTO) and other officials to discuss the importance of adaptation and mitigation to crises facing the tourism sector.

Macao´s Tourism Crisis Management Office (GGCT) is a best practice example of crisis preparedness for the tourism industry. Established as a strategic coordination committee on June 24, 2007, the office´s scope of work has grown from coordinating operational measures for Macao residents who were affected by crises or disasters during outbound travel to now also include managing the response to tourism crises which occur within the territory of Macao itself.

Aiding both Macao residents abroad and visitors to Macao, GGCT´s main considerations in activating a disaster or crisis response are the safety of those involved, coordination in the aftermath of the event, the impact on Macao´s city brand as a tourist destination and the impact on the local tourism industry.

One of the office´s most successful operations was the response to the political instability of Thailand in 2008. Due to the closure of Suvamabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, contingency procedures were activated on November 27 to contact the travel trade for information of stranded Macau residents and tour groups. At the same time, the Office contacted Air Macau for charter flight arrangements. The flight chartered by the Macau SAR Government brought home 173 Macau residents and tour participants on November 29. In the ensuing days, 5 other stranded Macau residents were given assistance with arrangements to fly home.

The work of GGCT aligns strongly with the work of UNWTO´s Risk and Crisis Management Programme, which continues to focus its activities in assisting countries to integrate tourism in their national emergency plans to better improve the handling of emergencies for the travel and tourism sector.  UNWTO is currently preparing a major set of guidelines on the integration of tourism into national emergency structures and processes for government institutions, national tourism bodies, and the private sector.

• Global Tourism Economy Forum, Macao S.A.R, 9 -11 September 2012: http://asiapacific.unwto.org/en/event/macao-global-tourism-economy-forum
• UNWTO Risk and Crisis Management Programme: http://rcm.unwto.org/en
• UNWTO Regional Programme for Asia and the Pacific: http://asiapacific.unwto.org/en

 

 

The winning of two prestigious accolades at the Sri Lanka Tourism Awards 2011 is a ¨triumph for ecotourism in Sri Lanka, ¨ says Sri Lanka Ecotourism Foundation (SLEF) after being awarded  ´Best Initiative for Ecotourism Research, Training and Education in Sri Lanka´ and ´Best Model Community Based Tourism Project in Sri Lanka´ at the awards ceremony held on 30^th August 2012 in Battramulla, Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Awards pay tribute to organizations and individuals for their excellence and inspired achievements whilst contributing towards the strengthening and empowering of Sri Lanka´s tourism industry. This annual event, held for the 5th consecutive year under the aegis of Sri Lanka Tourism, provides a firm platform for industry recognition. These Awards also present an opportunity for tourism operators to reinforce their commitment in perpetuating the visitor experience and celebrate their success in an evolving business environment. An objective of this year’s Awards was to recognize and reward excellence in the travel and tourism industry, thus promoting and enhancing the delivery of service standards.

SLEF, which recently contributed to the UNWTO publication ¨Compendium of Best Practices and Recommendations for Ecotourism in Asia and the Pacific, ¨ has been actively contributing to the development of ecotourism in Sri Lanka for 14 years.  Working hand-in-hand with other likeminded organizations in Sri Lanka, South and South-East Asia and the Asia Pacific Region more generally, SLEF has promoted community based tourism projects and poverty alleviation programmes through tourism.

SLEF has also introduced the concepts of ´Community Ecolodges´ and ´Community Camping´ to Sri Lanka Tourism. These programmes were initiated to promote community-based tourism development and provide opportunities to improve the life-styles of the poor communities in tourism generating areas in Sri Lanka. According to SLEF, Community Camping and Community Ecolodges can be vital tools providing tangible alternative incomes to communities through tourism.

In recent years, SLEF has promoted Community Based Ecotourism Enterprises (CBEs) in various areas of Sri Lanka to ensure that the benefits of tourism flow back into the local communities. These benefits include income from tourists and contributions to poverty alleviation and environmental and biodiversity conservation.

Ecotourists, as noted by SLEF, are higher spenders than ¨ordinary, mass tourists¨ and are thought of as more responsible travellers with a high appreciation for nature. Such tourists can provide an attractive target market for governments looking for ways of earning foreign exchange through tourism.

However, to fully take advantage of the potential of ecotourism to bring benefits to Sri Lanka, SLEF believes that education and training of its tourism industry workers is vital.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interesting Links

• Sri Lanka Ecotourism Foundation: www.ecotourismsrilalanka.net
• UNWTO Compendium of Best Practices and Recommendations for Ecotourism in Asia and the Pacific http://www.e-unwto.org/content/h38t5u/?p=c56a765ee8f54d3485434dbd49110957&pi=0

 

 

 

 

UNWTO’s Executive Director for Member Relations and Services – Zoltan Somogyi and Dao Shuming – the Chairman of Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Shanghai on 14^th September 2012 to build on the foundation of collaboration that had been laid earlier this year through a letter of understanding.

Shanghai and UNWTO have enjoyed a long-standing cooperation over the years in the organization of and participation in each other’s tourism events. The MOU is thus aimed at streamlining and defining the parameters of the collaboration in the promotion of tourism development, event organization and human resources development.

The importance both parties attach to this MOU was demonstrated by signing it within the framework of the International Symposium on Mega-events and Tourism which they organized jointly as a prelude to Shanghai’s Tourism Festival – an event that has been organized for over 20 years.

Shanghai epitomizes a harmonious blend of the East and the West. It is a vibrant world class destination which boasts natural charm and many years of expertise in the hosting of both international and domestic events. This stood it in good stead to compete favourably and successfully as the host of 2010 World EXPO.

Despite its proven experience in the organization of mega-events, Shanghai co-organised this Symposium in a bid to cater to its quest for excellence as well as the aim to position itself as a world destination and a point of reference for mega-events. Vice-Mayor Zhao Wen was very emphatic about these objectives when she met with UNWTO’s Executive Director Somogyi at Shanghai Muncipal Hall prior to the Symposium.

The case studies on Barcelona’s hosting of the 1992 Olympics and South Africa’s 2010 World Cup presented at the Symposium sought to provide Shanghai’s tourism administrations and travel trade insight into the power of mega-events in stimulating and enhancing the tourism industry and economy of the host destination. Participants were also apprised of strategies for positioning countries and cities as long-term mega-events destinations.