Armenia says no to UNWTO, why?
A month ago, the Armenian minister of Tourism, Hon. Vahan Martirosyan, joined 6 other candidates to compete in the race to be elected as the new Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
This week Armenia withdrew the nomination. The withdrawal of Armenia was not yet officially announced but leaked to eTN.
eTN sources suggested this decision to withdraw may have been the result of one of several questionable behind the scene deals between Georgia’s President, Giorgi Margvelashvili, and leaders of other countries.
Georgia nominated its current ambassador to the UNWTO in Madrid, Hon. Zurab Pololikashvili to run for the top post in world tourism. Georgia’s president Martisoyan had shown great support for Georgia’s candidate. An insider told eTN: “The real candidate appears to be President Giorgi Margvelashvi.”
Further eTN sources suggest the withdrawal by Armenia may have been based on such a discussion and on a handshake agreement between the President of Georgia, and the President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, to facilitate mutual needs not necessarily related to tourism.
Azerbaijan is known as a rival, some say as an enemy of Georgia. The Azerbaijan press reported today: “Joining the fight for the post of UNESCO Director-General, Azerbaijan evaded participation in the election of the UNWTO Secretary-General and is taking a risk to deteriorate relations with the World Tourism Organization, as a citizen of Armenia has a chance to lead it.”
eTN is relying on a known source, unable to independently confirm at this time.
Additional Information: Programme of the Conference UNWTO Global Code of Ethics Webportal of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development
The Waikato Tourism Monitoring Observatory, New Zealand’s first tourism observatory, has joined the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO). Committed to regular and timely measurement of tourism and its impacts and hosted by the University of Waikato Management School, the observatory is focused on two major tourist locations in Waikato region – Raglan and Waitomo.
“New Zealand is an example of tourism sustainability and thus the incorporation of the Waikato Observatory to the UNWTO INSTO Network adds immense value to this global initiative,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai.
“The Waikato Tourism Monitoring Observatory is a wonderful initiative that will provide valuable data over time to support the tourism sector to maximize its contribution to the economy, while ensuring our visitors enjoy high-quality experiences,” said Paula Bennett, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism of New Zealand.
New Zealand’s tourism sector is experiencing continuous growth and therefore requires an adequate measurement of tourism impacts. This observatory is crucial to providing tangible evidence for well-informed decision making in sustainable tourism development-related themes.
The Waikato Observatory seeks to support the strengthening of the world famous surfing town Raglan as a sustainable destination, while continuing to protect the unique landscapes and the biodiversity of Waitomo and its iconic tourist attraction the Waitomo Caves. Overall, the Waikato region received 357,000 visitors in 2015, most of whom were domestic visitors (approx. 200,000).
Due to an already existing strong sense of community and engagement of its members especially in the more mature seaside tourism town Raglan, the observatory will start with focusing its monitoring efforts on crucial socio-cultural aspects such as ‘local and visitor satisfaction’. Additional areas encompass ‘destination economic benefits’, ‘tourism seasonality’ and ‘development control’ in the short term, extending in the long-term to measurement activities related to waste management, housing issues, water supply, sewage management, among others.
INSTO is a network of tourism observatories monitoring the economic, environmental and social impact of tourism at the destination level, committed to regular monitoring of tourism in order to better understand destination-wide resource use and foster responsible tourism management. There are currently 18 observatories in operation worldwide.
The potential of mountain tourism: focus of UNWTO Conference in Georgia
The potential of mountain tourism to foster economic development, as well as to raise awareness on environmental protection, was the major topic addressed at the 3rd World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Euro-Asian Mountain Resorts Conference. The event was held in Tbilisi, Georgia on 4-7 April, under the patronage of the Ministries of Tourism and of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia.
More than 300 participants from 32 countries gathered for the conference.
Opening the event, Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikashvili said: “It is significant to note that mountains make up more than 65% of the country’s landscape, and the government has been active in effectively using the aforementioned resource and advancing opportunities in tourism. According to various studies, Georgian ski destinations have the potential to generate more than 300 million US dollars in revenues from visitors. In this light, the Government of Georgia has focused considerable financial resources on sustainable development of the country’s mountain destinations, including implementation of major infrastructural projects.”
“Besides its economic potential for remote areas and isolated regions, mountain tourism is a key catalyst to raise awareness on sustainable tourism and to help us become more committed travelers, institutions and enterprises, a challenge especially pertinent at the present moment as we are celebrating the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development,” said Taleb Rifai, UNWTO Secretary-General.
The conference was structured around five key sessions conducted by 25 international speakers from 17 countries:
1. Sustainable tourism in mountain destinations: challenges and long-term outlook
2. Mountain resort planning: an integrated planning approach and illustration of good practices in developing mountain destinations
3. Investment and incentive policies: legislative framework and investment-friendly practices
4. Product diversification and attracting new markets: a strategic approach to improve the positioning of mountain destinations
5. New revolutionary tools for mountain destinations: innovation and the digital media
Prior to the conference, eight companies and associations joined the Private Sector Commitment to the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism: Adjara Group Hospitality; Caucasus Travel; Explore Georgia; Georgian Events, Georgian Incoming Tour Operators Association; Georgian Tourism Association (GTA); Living Roots; and Tourist Agency ‘VisitGeorgia’.
On the occasion, UNWTO Secretary-General Rifai was awarded the Order of Honor by Prime Minister Kvirikashvili for his contribution to the development of tourism in Georgia, for strengthening the relationship between UNWTO and Georgia, and for raising awareness about Georgia as a tourism destination internationally.
Additional Information:
Webportal of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development
Jamaica ‘A Jewel’ In Cruise Shipping – FCCA President
FCCA President Michele M. Paige has branded Jamaica as “a jewel” and the ports of Ocho Rios, Falmouth and Montego Bay as among the “best in the world”, while commending initiatives being employed locally to make visitors happy with the experiences available to them on land.
Ms. Page made the comments during a press briefing at the Half Moon Hotel, Montego Bay, recently following two days of stakeholder meetings and port inspections by executives of the FCCA; the Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett; Director of Tourism, Paul Pennicook; Vice President, Cruise Shipping and Marina Operations at the Port Authority of Jamaica, William Tatham; and executives of the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) and the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF).
Citing Jamaica as “our home,” with a partnership spanning over 50 years of cruise ships coming to Jamaica, Ms. Paige said, “this is a new beginning,” in the wake of Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness’ meeting with CEOs in the industry last December and what had been seen over the two days.
“The whole experience in Jamaica is great. Jamaica is an established destination but there have been some impediments. Over the last two days what we’ve experienced is nothing less than amazing; the commitment from Jamaica, the people in Jamaica, they want to get to the next level of being a demand destination, they want to welcome tourists to their home and to show just how special Jamaica is,” she said.
Vice President of Strategic and Commercial Port Development at Carnival Cruise Lines, Carlos Torres de Navarra said the trip felt like “a marriage that has been in place for close to 50 years and it feels like a renewing of vows.”
He said the FCCA team came here with the objective of looking at every destination “and Jamaica has the benefit of having three distinctive ports. Not every country has that; they don’t have that ability to sell the experience of their country at three different points.” He said their intention was “to basically walk the same steps that our guests are walking and give some feedback in terms of what can you do as partners to improve what is the guests experience.”
As a marquee destination that resonated with guests as somewhere to visit at least once in a lifetime, Mr. Navarra said, “the important thing to remember is that people have high expectations and it’s all about delivering on those high expectations because if you got a big gap between that marquee value and what our guests are seeing at the end of the day that’s when you get the disappointment and the reduced demand for what is the Jamaican product.”
Minister Bartlett said Jamaica is seeking to increase cruise arrivals to 2.5 million over the next four years from the 1.66 million recorded in 2016 and was “committed to ensuring the guest experience is not just good, is not just excellent but exceptional.” He said steps had been taken to enable that by building out a discreet institutional arrangement to manage the resort and destination areas and to provide oversight for that management.
He then outlined the change from Resort Boards to Destination Assurance Councils and the appointment of Destination Managers, starting with Falmouth and the allocation of $1 billion to provide a safe and enjoyable environment. This is to be accompanied by a major public education programme to sensitize residents.
Minister Bartlett also invited the FCCA executives to explore employing more Jamaicans in the cruise industry.
Сarlos Vogeler: Why he chose to be #2 to Korea’s candidate for UNWTO Secretary General
On March 17th, 2017, the UNWTO officially released the names of countries putting forward their respective nationals as candidates for the position of Secretary General of the UNWTO. Seven candidates were announced: Armenia, Brazil, Colombia, Georgia, Republic of Korea, Seychelles, Zimbabwe. As stated by the UNWTO’s, the seven represented “candidatures complete and duly accompanied by the required documents (letter of the candidate, curriculum vitae, statement of policy and management intent and a certificate of good health signed by a recognized medical facility), along with the letter of support from the Government of the country endorsing a candidate.”
Seeing the list of candidates, many found themselves intrigued. Some of the names were familiar, others not. Some names were surprises. Some absences on the list were even more surprising.
One noted absence for the post of Secretary General: Carlos Vogeler, an assumed candidate to be put forward by the government of Spain. The UNWTO’s highly respected, greatly experienced, and well liked UNWTO Executive Director for Member Relations and Regional Director of the Americas and, formerly Chairman of the UNWTO Affiliate Members; Vogeler was deemed a natural name on the list.
Instead, his name appears as Deputy to the Republic of Korea’s candidate: Ambassador Dho Young-shim, known by many by name, but perhaps not so much by personality.
How did this happen? Why would Vogeler pass on the possibility to be Secretary General, instead choosing a supporting role to a candidate not immediately thought of as a front runner?
In a recent interview with Vogeler, the thoughtfulness of his actions was clear: he knew it was the right thing to do for the future of the UNWTO, and the future of the global tourism industry, because in his firm opinion Dho is the rightful next Secretary General.
“I know that some people think Dho is not necessarily the most sympathetic or jovial person you can imagine, that she might appear as not the easiest person to get close to. But I have discovered through my own interaction with her over the years in the UNWTO, and now in this campaigning process, who she really is – her commitment to the UNWTO, her genuine concern for all Members, and for the good of tourism as a vehicle for development. Even her humour. Many people judging, simply didn’t have the opportunity of knowing her and seeing her passion, energy and love for the organization and the tourism sector as the best instrument to make this a better world. They haven’t seen the amazing work that she has carried out in developing countries, mainly in Africa, to improve people’s lives and the love she receives when she visits. I have seen that, as well as her work across the wider UN system in both developed and developing countries as MDG and SDG advocate of the former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, and believe me there is no one more qualified, ready and determined to take UNWTO forward. She is a very dynamic person and delivers what she promises”
But why not Vogeler?
“Was I encouraged to put myself forward? Of course. Was I approached by other candidates to be a running mate? Absolutely. I thought very hard about my decision. I have a long professional career in the private sector and academia, and in the last 8 years I have put my past experience in practice at UNWTO and it has been the most gratifying exercise. My now being inside the Organisation made it clear to me what needs to happen next to make sure that tourism holds a seat at the top table of global development decision-making, as a lead sector, building on the exceptional work that Taleb Rifai has done for the image and appreciation of tourism outside of tourism, both with governments and business. As much as I could offer the UNWTO, it is important to return to the traditional structure of a head and a deputy, not only to ensure stability, but also to strengthen the resources at the professional level of the organisation. In my view, together we can take even further the great legacy received. Ours is a very serious and solid “ticket”. Believe me, it is not so much about being number 1 or number 2, it is not about us, and our personal interest or ambitions, it is really about bringing a clear and light management structure, with geopolitical and gender balance, and the type of leadership that the organization needs in these challenging times. Dho has the experience, vision and networks to lift the UNWTO within the wider UN system, and other international bodies, to give it the status, support and funding it needs to stepchange what the Organisation can do for our member states, and I want to help and support that.”
Is there not a risk in associating with a lower profile candidate?
“Listen, I took this decision seriously. My credibility is on the line. Never would I take such a position lightly. I am partnering with Dho because I have the information and direct experience with her to know she is the right person for right now. I have seen her passion, honesty and commitment to the UNWTO first-hand. No one else can offer her expertise, bold vision, network, and scope of resources to the UNWTO. I am confident that people who know and trust me will trust my judgment and look closely at what Dho can offer as the next Secretary General. And try to get to know her as a person. You will be as pleasantly surprised as I was.”
At the end of the day, it is not up to the global tourism community to decide the next leader of the UNWTO. It is up to thirty-three members of the UNWTO Executive Council who, this May at its 105th session in Madrid, Spain, will recommend successor to Rifai, as he ends his final term as Secretary General. Ratification is set for September at the 22nd UNWTO General Assembly in Chengdu, China.
For all candidates, competition is into high gear, with each candidate showcasing not just their vision and qualifications for the top job, but their character, in their own way. Having seen the different approaches being taken by candidates to lobby for votes, Vogeler is even more convinced that Dho is the right choice come May’s Executive Council meeting.
“At this point in my professional career, I am not going to gamble with the future of the organisation, or the sector. I understand the enormity of the responsibility of Executive Council voting for the next SG. Now is not a time for experimenting, taking risks or bringing revolutions. And this is not the time for ego. Neither Dho nor I are interested in ego. We are interested in delivering results. As she always says, leadership before leaders. I am hopeful that the Executive Council will see, like I have, that Dho is the responsible, confident choice for a stronger UNWTO for the direct benefit of our member states, and the tourism world as a whole.”
UN Statistical Commission encourages Statistical Framework for Measuring Sustainable Tourism
The 48th Session of United Nations Statistical Commission has supported the UNWTO-led initiative of developing an international framework for Measuring Sustainable Tourism (MST). The initiative, being implemented in cooperation with the United Nations Statistics Division, aims to develop a new statistical framework for tourism — one that integrates the various dimensions of sustainable tourism (economic, environmental and social) and across relevant levels (global, national and subnational).
Overwhelming appreciation was expressed to the work of the UNWTO Committee on Statistics and TSA and the Working Group of Experts on Measuring Sustainable Tourism, which is leading the development of the new framework. The Commission encouraged the development of a Statistical Framework for Measuring Sustainable Tourism as a priority to support more integrated policy in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in response to requests from Member States and various stakeholders.
It also highlighted the importance of linking the TSA to the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA), the elaboration of a TSA Compilation Guide, and the need to enhance capacity building for measuring sustainable tourism, notably in compiling TSA.
Established in 1947, the Commission gathers Chief Statisticians from Member States and is the highest decision making body for international statistical activities. The last time that the Statistical Commission discussed a UNWTO report was in 2008, when the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) framework was approved.
Measuring Sustainable Tourism (MST) will be the central focus of the 6th International Conference on Tourism Statistics: Measuring Sustainable Tourism, to be held in Manila, the Philippines, 21-24 June 2017.
The Manila Conference is an Official Event of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, 2017 and will be a landmark opportunity to discuss methodological advances, explore emerging issues and learn from pioneering country experiences. A Ministerial Roundtable will kick-start the Conference to underline the importance of measurement in better understanding the role that sustainable tourism plays in fostering economic growth, social inclusiveness, and the protection of cultural and natural assets.
UNWTO Silk Road Task Force Group discuss in Valencia a common framework for historic routes
Representatives from 24 countries of both private and public nature involved in the Silk Road Task Force have convened in the Mediterranean city of Valencia, Spain, to discuss strategies and best-practice examples on how to adapt the Silk Road to the challenges and opportunities of the globalized tourism age. The 7th UNWTO Silk Road Task Force event was held on 30-31 March 2017.
The discussions addressed the three pillars of the Silk Road Action Plan: i) marketing and promotion ii) destination management and capacity building and iii) travel facilitation. A specialised workshop session was also dedicated to the development of the Western link of the Silk Road. Greece, the host of the upcoming First Western Silk Road Workshop (Alexandroupolis, Greece; on 26-27 April 2017), and Bulgaria, who expressed its interest in hosting the Second Workshop, underlined their support and commitment to an initiative aimed at reviving Silk Road heritage located across Europe.
As expressed at the opening ceremony, by UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, “UNWTO is extremely grateful for the support and commitment of the region and the city of Valencia to our work and mission. As the only United Nations Agency with its Headquarters in Spain, it is always a pleasure to organize a meeting in our host country – a country that understands the value and benefits to be derived from tourism.”
The opening ceremony also counted upon the presence of the Mayor of Valencia, Joan Ribó i Canut, and the Valencian Minister for Tourism, Francesc Colomer, who underlined the international dimension of the meeting and the importance of the Silk Road as a vehicle for peaceful exchange and development: “The Silk Road surpasses the boundaries of geography and touches upon our inner self, thus making us more tolerant, humble and cultured,” he said.
Important input was also contributed by UNWTO Affiliate Member, TripAdvisor, who presented the findings of the TripAdvisor Travel Trends for the Silk Road 2017, and by Eulogio Bordas, President of THR, who addressed the challenges of joint Silk Road marketing. The Spanish Institute for Quality Tourism, the International Tourism Consulting Group – SOENT, the World Federation of Tourist Guides Association (WFTGA), the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation and the University of Valencia also contributed valuable input to the meeting.
Overall, the meeting showcased the good work being carried out by Valencia in terms of Silk Road promotion and public-private cooperation. Since Spain’s inclusion in the UNWTO Silk Road Programme in 2015, best-practice examples implemented by the Valencian region have included branding Valencia as the “city of Silk” in 2016 and the rehabilitation of important Silk Road heritage located within the region.
The 7th UNWTO Silk Road Task Force Meeting was jointly organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Agència Valenciana del Turisme and the Fundación Turismo València. Turkish Airlines supported the event and shared its actions in promoting route development and connectivity across the Silk Road.
Sustainable Tourism Observatories: UNWTO welcomes collaboration between Guanajuato and Paraguay
UNWTO welcomes the agreement reached by the Sustainable Tourism Observatory of Guanajuato (Mexico) and Paraguay to facilitate knowledge and technology transfer. Guanajuato is one of the 16 Observations in the UNWTO Network.
“We praise the agreement signed by the State Secretariat of Tourism of Guanajuato (SECTUR) and the National Tourism Secretariat of Paraguay (SENATUR) as an important step to increase the development of sustainable tourism observatories” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.
The State Secretary of Tourism of Guanajuato, Fernando Oliver Rocha said “through this alliance, we aim at fostering public policies with regard to sustainable tourism practices”.
The Executive Secretary of Paraguay, Marcela Bacigalupo, recognized the relevance of the work of the UNWTO Observatories and underlined the importance of engaging private sector in sustainable tourism initiatives. “UNWTO has referred to Guanajuato as one of the best Observatories in Latin America, so we are very glad to have undersigned this agreement,” she mentioned.
The Tourism Observatory of Guanajuato, the first in Latin American, became a member of the UNWTO International Network of Tourism Observatories in 2014. The first meeting held between SECTUR and SENATUR happened at the UNWTO International Meeting of Spanish Tourism Observatories, held in 2016.
The UNWTO International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO) is a network of tourism observatories monitoring the economic, environmental and social impact of tourism at the destination level, committed to regular monitoring of tourism in order to better understand destination-wide resource use and foster the responsible management of tourism. There are 16 observatories currently in operation worldwide.
Still Hope for Climate Sanity
It certainly hasn’t been a great month for Climate Resilience, as the new US Administration, led by global warming sceptics, started to gut environmental policies, people, programs, and budgets. At the same time, prioritising nationalism ahead of Internationalism, and publicly threatening to back out of US Paris Agreement leadership commitments and financial obligations.
This is seriously bad news, and it’s fair to assume that the kind of US global Climate leadership, that we saw under the Obama Administration – with its joint Heads of State and G20 outreach for progressively tougher Paris targets and its multibillion dollar US funding vision – is now history. In fact, the hidden agenda may be worse than has been revealed so far with short term politico-economic wins trumping long term planetary and humanity well-being. (pun intended).
But all is not yet lost there are several elements to add to the mix that yet may save the Paris dynamics.
First “Patience”– despite the proposed gutting of US climate programs it takes more than campaign trail rhetoric, 140 letter tweets and executive orders to destroy the action already in train. We can expect heavy legal, media and local political challenges, as well as countermanding State and City action for Climate resilience. This is a long transformation game, even though the short term has been dealt a very tough blow that is still unfolding.
Second “Business Acumen” – while oil and coal companies, as well as billionaire oligarchs support the rekindled fossil fuel love affair, the vast majority of business leaders don’t. There is no better example than Jeff Immelt, CEO of General Electric blogging employees that climate change is real, the science well accepted, GE is saving money by responding smartly with positive customer reaction.
Third “Market Forces” – the fact is the price trend of clean energy is moving sharply down as the availability is moving sharply up. And across the world business, citizens and governments are challenging vested fossil fuel subsidies. And then there are jobs – the new ones will be in the green growth sweet spot around the world, including the US, not in coal or oil powered infrastructure and consumption.
Fourth “Geopolitics” – even if the US were to renege on Paris, it would take some time to disentangle, and the other nations will still aggressively pursue clean energy over dirty. So despite the unhealthy potential alignment of autocrats, oligarchs and near-sighted politicians, there is still time to fight for a tough response to the one global challenge that is widely recognized as existential. We may yet be surprised, this week when President’s Xi and Trump meet to discuss a range of immediate massive global challenges, that the one concession that might come from the unpredictable US leader is that they can agree that climate change is a real near term jobs opportunity, as well as a long-term existential threat.
And that’s where SUNx has its place, in the vitally important Travelism sector, the multi-trillion-dollar Travel & Tourism ecosystem with its infrastructure, services, and supply chain. Our local focus on Climate Resilience and Impact -Travel, which is measured, green at the core and 2050 future linked, will hopefully serve as a beacon for smart lifestyle adaptation to today’s inexorably warming world.
Professor Geoffrey Lipman co-founder of SUNx – the Strong Universal Network – is also President of International coalition of tourism partners (ICTP) and former leader in IATA, WTTC and UNWTO. www.thesunprogram.com
The Sustainable Tourism Observatory of Sonoma, California, becomes the 17th member of the UNWTO International Network
Located in California (USA), the Sonoma County Sustainable Tourism Observatory is the latest member having successfully joined the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO). This comes in a very unique momentum as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development is being celebrated worldwide.
UNWTO has welcomed the incorporation of the Sustainable Tourism Observatory of the Sonoma County, in California, to the International Network of Tourism Observatories (INSTO). The observatory is the first of its kind under the umbrella of the Coalition to Observe and Advance Sustainable Tourism (COAST), aiming to serve as an anchor for a possible network of Pacific Coast observatories, connecting key tourism destinations along the Pacific Coast of North America, stretching from San Francisco and the Channel Islands in the south to Vancouver and Victoria BC in the north.
“We highly welcome the incorporation of the Tourism Observatory of the Sonoma County as a new member of the Network and we are sure that it will help us to achieve the mission of this platform throughout 2017 and beyond,” said UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai.
The Observatory of the Sonoma County is strategically based 45 minutes North of the Golden Gate Bridge and the metropolitan areas of San Francisco and Silicon Valley. Due to its proximity to major innovation hubs and its abundant variety of culinary and scenic attractions, the area attracts millions of visitors every year.
The new member will focus on areas such as the scarcity of water, the impacts of agricultural-tourism growth in a complex and sensitive environment, climate change responsiveness and resilience, the viable regeneration of essential public places such as state parks, employment and local living opportunities, among others.
The International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development prominently features the need for evidence-driven development of tourism that is based on participatory, inclusive and timely monitoring exercises.
“We’re honored to be included in the roster of INSTO Observatories. It is our aim to share the best practices which have been developed over the past 40+ years of conservation awareness in Sonoma County, which help drive the flourishing tourism industry here. Thanks to our premier position as a wine destination we have much to document but also much to learn,” said Pamela Lanier, Founder of COAST and Chair of the Sonoma Sustainable Tourism Observatory
”We are delighted that Sonoma County Observatory has been approved by the UNWTO and will join the Blue Community Observatory in Florida in the International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories. These institutions are expected to play an important role in adding to the global body of knowledge in sustainable tourism,” commented Isabel Hill, Director of the National Travel and Tourism Office at the U.S. Department of Commerce.