UNHCR’s Goodwill Ambassador, Praya Lundberg, meets with Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha
BANGKOK – Praya Lundberg, UNHCR’s Goodwill Ambassador, met with Thailand’s Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha at the Government House of Thailand. This meeting is the first of its kind since Praya’s appointment as Goodwill Ambassador in January 2017. During the meeting, Praya expressed her gratitude to the Royal Thai Government for generously hosting refugees for over three decades.
World Travel and Tourism Council to Collaborate With Jamaica for Global Conference
KINGSTON, Jamaica; August 22, 2017: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett says, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is to collaborate with the Government of Jamaica in the staging United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Government of Jamaica and World Bank Group Conference on Jobs & Inclusive Growth: Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism, being held in November at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, St. James.
During his recent trip to London, Bartlett met with the WTTC’s Senior Vice-President of Government and Industry Affairs, Helen Marano, who expressed strong collaborative support for the historic conference. This is in tandem with widening global support for the conference from major international institutions such as the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank.
According to Minister Bartlett, one of key expected outcomes from this global conference is the Montego Bay Declaration. “At the end of the conference, there will be the compilation of the Draft Montego Bay Declaration. From this will flow an action plan for tourism destinations to follow, as well as the publication of the second volume of the UNWTO Global Report on Public Private Partnerships,” explained the Minister.
The Conference will also incorporate a presentation of the Caribbean Legends Awards, the first of its kind, which will be a collaborative effort involving Jamaica’s Ministry of Tourism, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA), supported by UNWTO. These awards, in the categories of Land, Sea and Air, will be given to individuals that have made an indelible mark on the tourism industry, not just regionally, but globally, enhancing the Caribbean brand.
November’s global conference will also seek to identify successful models and future partnership initiatives that will contribute to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the publication of the second UNWTO Affiliate Members Global Report on Public-Private-Partnerships.
“I am proud of the strong partnership we have had with the WTTC, in particular, over the years. They are the movers and shakers in the travel and tourism industry and I am positive that when the details of this collaboration are finalized it will strengthen Jamaica’s presence as a tourism powerhouse on the global stage,” said Minister Bartlett.
The WTTC is an international organization that brings together all major Travel & Tourism stakeholders, including presidents, chairs and CEOs of over 150 of the world’s foremost companies spanning hotels, airlines, airports, tour operators, cruise, car rental, travel agents, rail and the emergent sharing economy.
UNWTO Launches ‘Travel.Enjoy.Respect’ Campaign
In the framework of the International Year on Sustainable Tourism for Development, 2017, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is launching a consumer-oriented campaign aimed at raising awareness of the value and contribution that sustainable tourism can make towards development. The ‘Travel.Enjoy.Respect’ campaign wants to engage tourists in making the sector a catalyst for positive change.
The main message of the campaign is summarized by the UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai: “Whenever you travel, wherever you travel, remember to: respect nature, respect culture, and respect your host. You can be the change you want to see in the world. You can be an ambassador for a better future. TRAVEL, ENJOY AND RESPECT.”
The campaign, which will run in various languages and outlets around the world, includes a manual of ‘Tips for a Responsible Traveller’, developed by the World Committee on Tourism Ethics in line with the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. The manual provides travellers with a set of recommendations to help them make responsible choices when travelling and have a positive impact on the destinations they visit.
“Today more than ever, ensuring that tourism is an enriching experience for visitors and hosts alike demands strong, sustainable tourism policies and practices and the engagement of national, as well as local, governments and administrations, private sector companies, local communities and tourists themselves,” added Mr. Rifai.
The message will reach consumers through campaign supporters including among others CNN International, the Government of Andorra, the Madrid City Council, Iberia, the Spanish National Railways System (Renfe), Minube, PR MEDIACO, Cleverdis and Air Mauritius.
Destinations and companies from around the world are invited to join the campaign and celebrate the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development with a commitment from the sector to ‘Travel.Enjoy.Respect’.
CTO calls for United States/Caribbean strategic alliance
Mechanism Incorporating Caribbean’s Tourism Working Group with Entities Tasked with Implementing the Act Will Be A Winning Formula, Says CTO Secretary General
NEW YORK, NY (Aug. 18, 2017) – The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has called for a formal partnership between the region’s tourism sector and those responsible for implementing the United States-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act, known as H.R. 2939.
The Act, which was passed in the United States Congress on Dec. 13, 2016 and signed into law by then U.S. President Barack Obama three days later, mandates a new long-term strategy to strengthen ties between Washington, D.C. and the Caribbean region. It is designed to increase the security, prosperity and well-being of the people of the United States and the Caribbean.
Addressing the importance of the Act to Caribbean tourism at a recent meeting in Washington, D.C., CTO Secretary General Hugh Riley referenced a tourism working group established by Caribbean Community (CARICOM) heads of government at their meeting in Guyana in February, to guide the development and marketing of Caribbean tourism.
This, Riley said, appears to align with the U.S. government’s strategy for the Caribbean on many areas related to sustainable development, and a mechanism that incorporates the Caribbean’s tourism working group with the entities tasked with implementing H.R.4939 would be a winning formula for both the U.S. and the Caribbean.
“What an accomplishment it would be for all of us and for the architects of H.R. 4939 if we could report back to our region’s prime ministers and presidents when we meet with them in February, that there is now a working partnership between the region’s tourism working group and the U.S. Caribbean Strategic Alliance. Our recommendation is that together, we waste no time in making that partnership a reality. Without doubt, shoring up the Caribbean’s main economic driver is the surest way to protect the third border of the United States,” Riley said.
His remarks were delivered during a panel focused on “building sustainable economies” as part of an event staged by the Caribbean-Central American Action (CCAA) titled: “Caribbean 2020 Implementing H.R. 4939 from Vision to Engagement.”
Select members of the U.S. Congress addressed the audience of Caribbean Diaspora, diplomats and public sector policy makers including the co-author of the legislation, Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY), Ranking Member, The House Foreign Affairs Committee; Congressman Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Chairman, The Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere; Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Ranking Member, The Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations; and Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett (D-VI), Ranking Member, The Subcommittee on the Interior, Energy, and Environment.
The Caribbean region is considered the United States’ “third border,” characterized by common interests and societal ties that yield daily, tangible benefits for U.S. citizens. The U.S. is the Caribbean’s primary trading partner, representing a vibrant economic partnership that, in 2016, saw a $4.6 billion trade surplus for the United States, 14 million U.S. tourist visits, and 11,042 Caribbean students studying in the U.S.
CCAA organized the half-day event to move discussions along between the U.S. and key stakeholders involved with the Caribbean region. The meeting began with a discussion of the Act followed by a panel about “The Security Agenda” featuring discussions on the need for stronger regional cooperation and public-private partnerships to advance citizen security. The second panel, “The Prosperity Agenda” focused on the outlook for regional investment, building sustainable economies, and finance and trade options. The final panel “The Well-Being Agenda,” dedicated its discussions to the health, education and future of the Caribbean.”
During his presentation, Riley called for a balanced approach to the development of strategies and policies that are designed to spur tourism growth while protecting the resource base on which tourism depends.
He advocated for a sector-specific tourism approach that would provide the greatest effectiveness and long-term sustainability which would be carried out with partnerships between the CTO and the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA).
ETOA reacts to attacks in Spain
ETOA offers its heartfelt sympathy to Spain following yesterday’s shocking and senseless attacks, to the people of Barcelona and Cambrils, and to our members and partners throughout Catalonia.
Regional and national authorities have acted promptly and efficiently. Daily life has quickly been resumed. Only the immediately affected areas have been cordoned off. Public transport systems are largely unaffected.
Visitors will see substantial additional police presence. Some temporary restrictions are in place: Las Ramblas is open with visitors subject to police controls; Plaza Cataluña in Barcelona may only be accessed on foot, and without large luggage; Paseo Marítimo in Cambrils is open. There is no wider disruption of any significance. ETOA will continue to monitor the situation.
Mario Bodini, Chairman of ETOA – the European tourism association, commented: “Spain reacted with impressive resilience to the terrible train attacks on Madrid in 2004; her admirable reaction to yesterday’s events in Catalonia underlines the determination for life to carry on as normal. Europe in general, and Spain in particular, remains a very safe destination.”
WTTC statement following attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils, Spain
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) strongly condemns the attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils, Spain on 17/18 August 2017.
Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC, said: “I am extremely saddened to hear about these callous attacks in Spain, my heart goes out to the victims, their friends, and families.
Barcelona and Cambrils are two beautiful and strong tourist spots. The Travel & Tourism sector offers its full support to all those impacted – both destinations, Spain, and its people – as it is going through these difficult times.”
UNWTO strongly condemns attack perpetrated in Barcelona
UNWTO strongly condemns the heinous attack perpetrated yesterday in the city of Barcelona and expresses its heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the innocent victims and to the people and government of Spain.
“We are deeply saddened by this act of terror and the tragic loss of innocent lives. In these difficult times, our thoughts are with the families and friends of the victims” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. “This is again a cowardly attack against all of us and a strong reminder that we need to be united, as an international community, in fighting these forces of darkness and all acts of terror”, he added expressing UNWTO’s full solidarity with Spain, headquarters of UNWTO, and its people.
Survey Finds Brexit Likely to Damage Productivity of the Travel Industry
ETOA has surveyed its members to establish the impact of any restriction on the employment of non-UK EU nationals among those based in the UK.
Over 100 companies completed the questionnaire. Collectively, they employ a total of over 35,000 people. Of these, one third would be classified as “Non-UK EU nationals”. 80% of the companies felt it would be “difficult to impossible” to replace these workers with UK nationals.
As many job roles which are difficult to fill from the domestic workforce can be filled, without administrative burden, by EU nationals, it is hardly surprising that only 16% of the companies have tried using the Tier 2 visa mechanism which is required to recruit workers from outside the EU. Of those that have, 85% found the process “difficult to impossible”. If this system were to be extended to EU workers, then nearly 80% of companies predicted a substantial detrimental impact on productivity.
Language skills are particularly important if you are buying from or selling to people in Continental Europe. ETOA members, broadly, need to recruit poly-lingual graduates who are happy to work in the UK. They may only represent 30% of their workforce, but the jobs of the remaining 70% are contingent on their roles.
Not only are their skills difficult to obtain within the UK, but the non-UK EU workers have proved that they are willing to travel long distances to work, and are prepared to adapt. This manifest motivation and flexibility mean that non-UK EU nationals make up the most productive part of the workforce. It is hardly surprising that any curtailment of the supply of these people will be detrimental, particularly to productivity.
“People are the most important asset of any organisation and our members’ exports are founded on their ability to employ the best”, said Tom Jenkins, CEO of ETOA. “It is not merely a matter of being free to employ people, it is also a question of deployment. Tour operators carrying UK clients need the freedom to employ UK nationals as tour managers and local representatives in Continental European destinations. Thousands of UK nationals work across Europe in all sorts of roles: the reciprocity of freedom of movement is coveted and needs to be retained in any Brexit deal.”
“But the greatest problem at the moment is uncertainty. Part of ETOA’s membership is optimistic about the situation, a greater proportion is very pessimistic, but the greatest proportion are extremely concerned. Brexit may radically affect their ability to function as a business, but they are hoping, if not for the best, at least for something which is not catastrophically bad. Currently, 20% of the companies are actively contemplating relocation.”
World Tourism Day 2017 celebrated on the theme Sustainable Tourism – a Tool for Development
This year’s World Tourism Day, held on 27 September, will be focused on Sustainable Tourism – a Tool for Development. Celebrated in line with the 2017 International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, the Day will be dedicated to exploring the contribution of tourism to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
World Tourism Day has been celebrated since 1980 on September 27, the day in which the Statutes of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) entered into force. Peace and Dialogue, Energy, Accessibility, World Heritage and Water and Tourism have been some of the topics tackled on the 37 previous editions of World Tourism Day.
“Last year alone, 1.235 million travellers crossed international borders in one single year. By 2030, this 1.2 billion will become 1.8 billion. The question, as we celebrate World Tourism Day 2017, is how we can enable this powerful global transformative force, these 1.8 billion opportunities, to contribute to make this world a better place and to advance sustainable development in all its three pillars. This World Tourism Day, whenever you travel, wherever you travel, remember to respect nature, respect culture and respect your host,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai.
The official celebrations of World Tourism Day 2017 will be held in Qatar, as decided by the UNWTO General Assembly. The event will be structured around two sessions, focused on ‘Tourism as a driver of economic growth’, and ‘Tourism and the Planet: committed to a greener future’. In addition, a high-level think tank will be conducted with the aim of opening the debate on the potential of the sector to enhance cultural preservation and mutual understanding.
On the Agenda will also be the presentation of the Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy, which advances sustainable approaches. The initiative is aligned with the Qatar National Vision 2030, which focuses on Economic, Social and Human Development and prioritizes tourism as a catalyst to progress towards a more diversified economy.
Together with the events conducted in Qatar, the World Tourism Day will be celebrated across the globe. UNWTO calls upon the tourism community, including travellers, private sector, governments and civil society, to join the celebrations and share them at www.wtd.unwto.org
Argentina’s Mendoza to host 2nd UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Ministry of Tourism of Argentina are pleased to announce that the 2nd UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism will take place on 29-30 September, 2017 in Mendoza, Argentina.
Following the success of the 1st edition, which took place in the Kakheti Region, Georgia, in September 2016, this upcoming edition will be held in the Province of Mendoza. This region, known as the heart of Argentine winemaking, accounts for 70% of the national production of wine and about 85% of the bottled wine sales. The identity of Mendoza is strongly linked to wine and it is an ideal venue offering participants the opportunity to experience firsthand a variety of wine tourism projects, linking both the public and private actors of the tourism and wine sectors. Against the majestic backdrop of the Argentinian Andes, Mendoza is located on one of the highest mountain ranges in the world which subsequently produces some of the world’s greatest wines.
Furthermore, as this second edition falls within the framework of the 2017 International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, the former will be the core overarching theme of the conference. The International Year aims to support a change in policies, business practices and consumer behavior towards a more sustainable tourism sector that can contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The link between wine tourism and sustainability also aligns with the 2030 Universal Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs. In that respect, the Conference will be dedicated to strengthening the relationship between sustainability and wine tourism, highlighting the valuable role of wine tourism on the sustainable development of tourism destinations.
The Conference will include working sessions taking place in wine tourism venues throughout the province, giving all participants the opportunity to further explore the topics addressed in the sessions and interactively share and exchange ideas. Participants will have the opportunity to participate in a technical visit of one of the listed wineries and participate in workshop following the visit. Said workshop will explore the concepts introduced during the morning sessions in a pragmatic way. Ultimately, the groups will participate in an interactive session to draw the most relevant conclusions that will later be incorporated into the conference brief.
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