Today at FITUR in Madrid the 2017 International Year of Sustainable Tourism Development was officially opened with an all-star participation.

The presentation at the opening day of Spain’s largest travel and tourism trade show in Madrid was attended by more than 60 ministers of tourism, by Georgia’s prime minister, a First Lady from South America,  and a member of the Royal Family from Jordan, as well as many other dignitaries and tourism leaders.

Two days before a new uncertain beginning having a president in charge in the United States who doesn’t believe in climate change, this is an important step for the global travel and tourism industry.

After a short greeting by the UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai, H.E. Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili gave his keynote address.

It was followed by H.E. the Vice President of Honduras Ricardo Alvarez, a speech by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the host country Spain, Alfonso Maria Dastis.

Congratulatory remarks were presented by the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilization Naasir al Nasser, and by Fransesco Banadrin, Assistant Director- General for Culture, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). and by EU Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SME’s, Elzbieta Bienkovska.

UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai related remarks by the UN Secretary-General and appointed two ambassadors to spread the word around the the 2017  international year of sustainable tourism for development.