Discussions at the 112th session of the Executive Council Meeting of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) centered on how to make international travel safe again and the opening of a first UNWTO regional office.
The Executive Council met in-person and virtually for its 112th session in the first major in-person event involving tourism and the United Nations held since the COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. The Executive Council gathered 170 delegates from 24 countries, who all agreed to support the Tbilisi Declaration.
The ‘Tbilisi Declaration: Actions for Sustainable Recovery’ recognizes tourism as one of the worst-affected of all sectors by the pandemic and identifies the global standstill as a chance to realign the sector towards a more sustainable and inclusive future.
Declaring the meeting open recently, the Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Gacharia, posited that the restart of tourism will make the country a leading destination.
“The post-crisis era presents an opportunity for our tourism sector to showcase the uniqueness of Georgia and make the country into a leading destination, with the many social and economic benefits this will bring,” he said.
In his welcome remarks, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili underscored the importance of a tourism sector that works for everyone where sustainability and innovation are part of everything we do.
“The restart of tourism must be properly managed and that our sector lives up to its unique potential. This crisis has made clear the important role tourism plays in every part of our lives laying the ground to work together to build a tourism sector that works for everyone, where sustainability and innovation are part of everything we do” he said.
Pololikashvili also outlined the accomplishments of the past 12 months which included the provision of technical support to Members, tourism advocacy at the very highest political level, and furthering the sector’s contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals from within the wider United Nations system.
The members of the Council also confirmed plans to open UNWTO’s first Regional Office, to be located in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which recently announced its ambitious plans to open up its tourism sector to the world, including through the relaxation of visa rules for visitors.
Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism for the Kingdom, commended UNWTO for “its leadership during this challenging period.
“We are honored that Saudi Arabia has been approved as the location for the first-ever UNWTO Regional Office. This collaborative approach will help drive growth and build resilience across the tourism sector at national and regional levels” he said.
He announced that the Regional Office for the Middle East will be opened between this and next year.
Members also unanimously accepted Spain’s proposal to host the 113th session of the Executive Council, during which the elections for the Secretary-General for the 2022-2025 period will be held (19 January 2021).
To conclude the Session, UNWTO held an Investment Forum, bringing together experts from across the public and private sector to explore opportunities and challenges for investments in tourism in the post-pandemic landscape.
Recall that to further proving tourism’s global recognition, for the first time the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres sent a message of support to the Executive Council, remembering tourism’s key role for people and the planet.
“Tourism can be a force for good in our world, playing a part in protecting our planet in its biodiversity, and celebrating what makes us human,” he said.
He further stressed that “this Executive Council is an important platform for collaboration, to explore the way forward and to support the future of tourism”.