The tourism industry in Asia and the Pacific is growing at an unprecedented rate. It is stated that travel has greatly changed in terms of both supply and demand.

The Member States should adjust their tourism policies based on these new developments to better strategize their tourism management, which is undoubtedly important for managing the constant-developing tourism industry on a long term basis. These policies must consider, among others, crisis management, visa simplification, and sustainability.

UNWTO has been holding the Asia Pacific Executive Training Program on Tourism Policy and Strategy as a first step towards achieving better governance and effective tourism management for the Member States. With great support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea, this training program will serve as a forum for executives in the tourism sector of each Member State to share their knowledge and experiences in successful policy making and implementation which can later on become models for other Member States.

To download documents from past events please click on the links below.

9th 2015 - Bohol, Philippines

8th 2014 - Bali, Indonesia

7th 2013 - Busan, Republic of Korea

6th 2012 - Bhutan

5th 2011 – Brunei Darussalam

4th 2010 – Gyeongju, Republic of Korea

• Technical Note with presentations
• Final Report
• List of Participants

3rd 2009 – Langkawi, Malaysia

• Program with presentations
• Final report
• List of Participants

2nd 2008 – Maldives

• Program with presentations
• List of Participants

1st 2006 – UNWTO Sustainable Tourism Training Programme, Kyunghee University, Seoul, Korea

• Program
• Seoul Declaration on Sustainable Tourism

Article posted on ChinaDaily.com.cn

By Zhang Zhao and Shi Xiaofeng

The Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan Province has opened an observation site to monitor local environmental protection and social, cultural, economic and tourism development.

The site was inaugurated on July 14 under United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) auspices, as part of the Global Observatory on Sustainable Tourism (GOST) program. Luigi Cabrini, director of UNWTO Sustainable Tourism Development, signed the site's book with the words, "I hope Zhangjiajie will become a most famous destination in the world, for its beauty and also for the new observatory, inaugurated today." The observatory will collect data for use in scientific research on sustainable tourism development in the area.

Zhangjiajie is the third urban area in the Asia-Pacific region where UNWTO has established an observatory, after Guilin and Huangshan, also in China. All three of the observatories are monitored through a center at Sun Yat-sen University, in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.

The local government at Zhangjiajie submitted an application to UNWTO's Asia-Pacific regional representative in November 2009, and proposed establishing an observatory in the city, to the UNWTO secretary-general, last July. "Zhangjiajie's tourism authorities are well aware of the importance of their work to the local economy, and even more importantly, of the need to manage its growth," said the secretary-general, Taleb Rifai. "The observatory is a vital tool for doing this, by providing tourism organizations with the information they need to move forward in a sustainable way."

The GOST program began in 2004 to help establish a network of multi-level observatories around the world.

Zhangjiajie National Park

Zhangjiajie National Park was China's first national park. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage site, one that has seen tourism boom, stimulating economic growth, providing jobs and development opportunities for the locals. It has many scenic and historical sites such as Puguang Temple and Yuhuang Rock Cave, and receives up to 40,000 tourists a day during high season. The mountains, rock caves and karst formations have led people to call it a "fairyland".

The park was also the inspiration for the Hollywood blockbuster Avatar's floating Hallelujah Mountains are based on several seemingly levitating peaks in the scenic area, called Southern Sky Pillar.

Other major tourist draws include the Wulingyuan scenic area, known for its lush plant life, pristine waters and variety of animal species, and Huangshizhai, where tourists can get a view of around 1,500 of the park's stone obelisks from a cable car.

---

For more information and for the original article, click here.

PR No.: PR11064

The Zhangjiajie Observatory, located in Hunan Province, is part of a network of observatories assisting policy makers to ensure sustainable tourism growth. It will gather and report data on the environmental, social and economic impacts of tourism in the area based on UNWTO sustainable tourism indictors.

The Observatory is located at the entrance to the Zhangjiajie National Park, China’s first national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Park was also the inspiration for the Hollywood blockbuster ‘Avatar’. Thanks in large part to this natural attraction, tourism has boomed in the region, generating economic wealth, jobs and development opportunities for local residents. Zhangjiajie receives up to 40,000 tourists a day during its high season.  

“Tourism authorities in Zhangjiajie are well aware of the importance of tourism to the local economy, but more importantly, of the need to manage this growth sustainably,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. “The Observatory represents a vital tool for doing so, providing tourism organizations with the information they need to move forward sustainably”.  

The Zhangjiajie Observatory is part of the Global Observatory on Sustainable Tourism (GOST) initiative, established by UNWTO to support sustainable tourism policies.

The two other observatories currently in operation are located in Yangshuo and Huangshan, and are, alongside Zhangjiajie Observatory, managed by the Monitoring Centre based in Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.

More photos of the Zhangjiajie Observatory

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 11062

Following the bomb attacks in Mumbai, India, the UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, made the following statement:

“UNWTO was shocked to learn of the brutal bomb attacks in Mumbai that claimed innocent lives and wounded many civilians. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims and those injured in the attack. 

The Government and people of India can count on the full support of UNWTO in this difficult moment. India is deservedly one of the world’s leading and fastest growing tourism destinations, accounting for over half of all tourist arrivals to South Asia, and such attacks should not deter those travellers wishing to visit this amazing destination”.

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.: PR11053

Tourism has proven one of the most effective means to drive job creation and economic development in local communities. The sector contributes to not only wealth creation, but also increases access to essential services such as water, sanitation, telecommunications and transport. When not properly managed, however, the positive benefits of tourism run the risk of bypassing local residents.

The first UNWTO Seminar on Tourism Ethics for Asia and the Pacific highlighted some of the leading regional examples of tourism development which is respectful and inclusive of local communities. Best practices from Australia to Vanuatu were presented, alongside debates on some of the most pressing issues in tourism ethics and responsible tourism. The Spirit of Bali Statement adopted by the over 150 participants summarizes the main conclusions of the debate and pledges all stakeholders to work together to achieve the proposed recommendations.

The Seminar took place within the framework of the 10th meeting of the World Committee on Tourism Ethics – responsible for promoting and monitoring the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. In Bali, the Committee analyzed a wide array of ethical issues, many for the first time, including the impact of recent events in the Middle East and North Africa on tourism in these countries as well as in neighbouring destinations, the relationship between human rights and tourism, the voice of civil society in tourism planning and management processes, the economic empowerment of women through tourism, and accessible tourism for all, in particular for persons with disabilities.

 

In light of last year’s travel disruptions caused by the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud and the recent eruption of the Chilean volcano, the Committee placed special attention on the issue of tourist/consumer protection. Given the current lack of information and assistance afforded to stranded travellers in crisis situations, the Committee decided to support and assist UNWTO in the preparation of an international legal instrument in this area.

 

Note to editors:

Established by the UNWTO General Assembly in 2004, the purpose of the World Committee on Tourism Ethics is to promote and monitor the implementation of UNWTO’s guiding policy document, the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. Since this time, the body has discussed such topics as solidarity in tourism in the case of natural disasters, HIV-related travel restrictions, the protection of children against all forms of exploitation in tourism, and the ethical aspects of the impact of the global economic crisis and the H1N1 influenza on the sector.

Relevant links:

UNWTO Seminar on Tourism Ethics for Asia: Responsible Tourism and Its Socio-Economic Impact on Local Communities

The Spirit of Bali Statement

Global Code of Ethics for Tourism

 

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.: PR11051

The project will implement climate change mitigation and adaptation measures in Pangandaran – a popular tourism destination in Java, Indonesia – adopting an energy efficiency approach, while strengthening local structures for the long-term success of the destination. Measures include seminars and workshops to increase the knowledge and capacity of local tourism stakeholders; applying energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies in hotels and public buildings; low-carbon tourism planning tools; and adaptation measures such as the rehabilitation of mangroves and coral reefs which naturally capture and store carbon emissions.    

As such, the project will significantly increase the climate change resilience of Pangandaran and the competitiveness of its tourism sector, thereby serving as a model for other destinations in Indonesia and South-East Asia.

“This project is a clear example that the tourism sector is taking its responsibility to contribute to the reduction of global greenhouse gases emission and climate change adaptation seriously”, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.

The Indonesian Minister of Culture and Tourism, Jero Wacik, stressed the importance of local initiatives as a step towards national policy on climate change mitigation, adaptation and tourism development. “We are happy to cooperate with UNWTO in this project as its activities represent strategic development steps for Indonesia and its tourism sector, in line with our four-pronged strategy – pro-growth, pro-job, pro-poor, and pro-environment”, he said.

The “Sustainable Tourism through Energy Efficiency with Adaptation and Mitigation Measures in Pangandaran” project is part of the International Climate Initiative of the German Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.

The official presentation was held in Jakarta, Indonesia, at an event attended by the UNWTO Secretary-General, the Indonesian Minister of Culture and Tourism, representatives from other Ministries, representatives from the West Java province and the Ciamis district, and tourism associations. The event coincided with the presence in Jakarta of the UNWTO Secretary-General to participate in the World Economic Forum on East Asia 2011.

Note to editors:

The project Sustainable Tourism through Energy Efficiency with Adaptation and Mitigation Measures in Pangandaran (STREAM) is part of the International Climate Initiative. The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety supports this initiative on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag.This initiative supports climate protection projects worldwide in developing, newly industrializing and transition countries in order to contribute effectively to emission reductions and mitigation and adaptation to climate change.

Relevant links:

UNWTO Consulting Unit on Tourism and Biodiversity

See also: UNWTO Hotel Energy Solutions

Contacts:

Principal Media Officer: Marcelo Risi

Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60

mrisi@UNWTO.org

 

UNWTO Communications Programme

Tel: +34 91-567-8100

Fax: +34 91-567-8218

comm@UNWTO.org