ME grows with Education and Sports Tourism
UN Tourism’s Member States from across the Middle East have met again to guide the continued growth of the sector across the region.
Browsing Tag
Zurab Pololikashvili
UN Tourism at FITUR 2025: A milestone event for sector-wide cooperation
UN Tourism has returned to the FITUR international trade fair to advance the sector’s shirt towards greater accessibility and growth propelled by investments and innovation.
UN Tourism strengthens collaboration with Austria to further Sustainable Tourism
UN Tourism and Austria have discussed opportunities for further collaboration and for strengthening partnerships in the areas of sustainability, statistics and development.
Thailand’s Bo Suak Village earns spot in UN Tourism’s Best Tourism Villages 2024 list
Bo Suak, Thailand, joins an exclusive league of 55 rural communities around the world pioneering sustainable tourism development.
UN Tourism and TUI Care Foundation partner to support African artisans in rural areas
UN Tourism and TUI Care Foundation have solidified their ongoing partnership by signing an agreement at the UN Tourism headquarters in Madrid.
UNWTO to begin work on first regional office for the Americas in Brazil
UNWTO has continued to scale up its support for its Members across the Americas, with plans for a first Regional Office for the region advanced during an official visit to Brazil.
Diriyah joins UNWTO with a ceremony held during the 25th summit in Uzbekistan
Diriyah Company has today joined the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) as an Affiliate Member in a significant move towards fostering global tourism collaboration and…
UNWTO strengthens links between agriculture, gastronomy and tourism
UNWTO has held the 8th edition of its World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism co-organized with Basque Culinary Center (BCC), with a focus on the links between product, gastronomy and tourism.
WTTC G20 public-private dialogue shines light on travel & tourism opportunities
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) gathered leading Travel & Tourism stakeholders and G20 Ministers in a Public-Private Dialogue in Goa to address the sector’s vast potential…
World Travel & Tourism Council & UNWTO sign historic MOU
In an historic first, the world’s two leading Travel & Tourism organisations representing the global public and private sectors agreed to work together across a number of key objectives.…
UNWTO has opened applications for the third edition of its Best Tourism Villages initiative.
Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO was launched in 2021 as part of the Organization’s work to make tourism a driver of rural development and wellbeing.
UNWTO: Tourism set to return to pre-pandemic levels in some regions in 2023
After stronger than expected recovery in 2022, this year could see international tourism arrivals return to pre-pandemic levels in Europe and the Middle East.
UNWTO launches online gender equality training course
UNWTO, in collaboration with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and UN Women has…
UNWTO and European Commission share joint vision for tourism’s future
As the European Council presents the conclusions of the European Tourism Agenda, UNWTO has joined European Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean in emphasizing the importance of jobs,…
UNWTO welcomes 18 new affiliate members
The newly admitted UNWTO members reflect the diversity of the broad tourism sector, with private companies, Destination Management Organizations, universities, professional associations,…
UNWTO: Education and investments are cornerstones to transform tourism
Tourism leaders from every global region have met to advance plans to transform the sector against a backdrop of challenges old and new. UNWTO convened its Executive Council in Marrakesh,…
‘People and Planet’ the focus at UNWTO Gastronomy Tourism Forum in Japan from 12-15 Dec
The growing importance of gastronomy tourism as a driver of inclusive development will be celebrated in the Japanese city of Nara next month.
Women’s empowerment ‘centre stage’ of Tourism’s Restart
The four pilot countries have led the way in putting gender-equality centre stage of their tourism recovery plans and UNWTO is committed to taking this work further and wider.
UNWTO and ATP promote innovation through community tourism
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP) have launched the Innovative Community Tourism Experiences Competition to promote innovation through…
Towards more sustainable and resilient tourism
Destinations around the world are reporting significant advances in sustainable tourism, with timely evidence and analytics serving as key tools for transformation as the sector’s recovery…
What next for wine tourism?
Held in the city of Alba, Piedmont, Italy, the 6th conference on ‘Wine tourism: innovation, partnerships and technology’ brought together more than 300 leading public and private sector…
WTTC hosts dialogue between private sector and the G20 Ministers
The Travel & Tourism private sector was invited to the G20 Tourism Ministers’ meeting, when the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) addressed the Group of Twenty in Bali,…
‘Rethinking Tourism’ for people and planet
Held around the theme of ‘Rethinking Tourism’, the Global Day of Observation emphasized the sector’s unique potential to drive recovery and deliver positive change for people everywhere.
International tourism back to 60% of pre-pandemic levels in January-July 2022
According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourist arrivals almost tripled in January to July 2022 (+172%) compared to the same period of 2021. This means the…
UNWTO announces maiden Global Youth Tourism Summit
Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Zurab Pololikashvili has joined the Minister of Tourism of Italy Massimo Garavaglia to officially launch the first Global Youth…
Antigua and Barbuda becomes UNWTO’s 160th Member State
UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili met the Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda for the first time since the country became UNWTO’s 160th Member State
Zurab Pololikashvili re-elected Secretary General for UNWTO
United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has re-elected Zurab Pololikashvili to the role of general secretary of the organisation
Green shoots of tourism recovery this summer: UNWTO
International tourism enjoyed signs of rebound in June and July as some destinations eased travel restrictions and the global vaccination rollout advanced in many parts of the world
How UNWTO prepared Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action ahead of COP26
In preparation for COP26, two information sessions were held on the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism
Portugal sets stage for 5th UNWTO global conference on wine tourism
UNWTO, Visit Portugal and the city of Reguengos de Monsaraz in the Alentejo region is holding the 5th UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism, in collaboration with the Government of…
Technology for pandemic protection and preparedness can save leisure and tourism
“Looking ahead, it is essential to understand how we can invest in technology that supports pandemic protection and preparedness, not just for healthcare provision.”
Global economy could lose over USD 4 trillion due to COVID-19 impact on tourism
The crash in international tourism due to the coronavirus pandemic could cause a loss of more than USD 4 trillion to the global GDP for the years 2020 and 2021
UNWTO sets stage for 1st Global Youth Tourism Summit in Italy
1st Global Youth Tourism Summit from 23-25 August 2021 in Sorrento in Italy will be the first of this kind at the global level aiming to promote youth engagement in the tourism sector and…
UNWTO launches ‘Jobs Factory’ to kickstart tourism jobs recovery
UNWTO has launched Jobs Factory, powered by Hosco, the global hospitality network to connect talent with employers across the sector
Bon vivant rejoice! 6th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism unveils new dates
Held under the theme ‘Gastronomy Tourism: Promoting Rural Tourism and Regional Development’, the Forum will take place 31 October – 2 November 2021 in Bruges, Belgium
European tourism leaders meet in Athens to restart travel
European members of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) have met in Athens to advance the safe and sustainable restart of tourism across the region
UNWTO makes history with opening of first regional office in the Middle East in Riyadh
UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has opened its first regional office for the Middle East in Riyadh, bringing the United Nations specialized agency closer to its members and advancing…
Innovation and digital at centre of tourism recovery as UNWTO logs into Google
The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Google have signed a new agreement to work together and lead global tourism’s recovery through innovation, education, and market intelligence
G20 ministers welcome UNWTO guidelines for green transformation of tourism
UNWTO has served as tourism’s global voice as the Tourism Ministers of the G20 nations met to devise a way forward for an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable recovery for the sector
UNWTO reports 87% decline in tourist arrivals in January 2021
The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has stated that the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global tourism has carried on into 2021.
Tourist arrivals fall 87% in January 2021
The devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on global tourism has carried on into 2021, with new data showing an 87% fall in international tourist arrivals in January as compared to 2020
Global community should support small island developing states, says UNWTO
UNWTO) is calling for the international community to show solidarity with ‘small island developing states’ (SIDS) by ensuring they have access to Covid-19 vaccinations
UNWTO unveils guide to help women in tourism
UNWTO is marking International Women’s Day 2021 with the release of its Inclusive Recovery Guide for women in tourism, compiled in collaboration with UN Women
Morocco sets stage for first UNWTO general assembly after pandemic
The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Moroccan officials recently met to advance the organization of the 24th UNWTO General Assembly in October 2021, the first global high-level UN…
Morocco visit initiates preparations for UNWTO General Assembly
UNWTO and Morocco met to advance the organisation of the 24th UNWTO General Assembly in October 2021, the first global high-level UN event to be held since the beginning of the pandemic
2020 worst year for tourism, says UNWTO
Global tourism suffered its worst year on record in 2020, with international arrivals dropping by 74 per cent when compared to 2019 according to the latest data from the UNWTO
Secretary-general Pololikashvili nominated to lead UNWTO for four more years
The Executive Council of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has expressed its continued support for secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili
UNWTO to host key week for global tourism
Today in Madrid, the UNWTO Global Tourism Crisis Committee will hold its first meeting of the year to advance concrete plans to ensure the restart of tourism will take place
Bleak Affair: Tourism back to 1990 levels as arrivals fall by more than 70%
International arrivals fell by 72% over the first ten months of 2020, with restrictions on travel, low consumer confidence and a global struggle to contain the COVID-19 virus, all…
UNWTO launches global ‘restart tourism’ campaign
Centred around a 45-second film, the 'restart tourism' campaign affirms UNWTO as the unifying voice behind the global restart of tourism
UNWTO report reveals further reduction in travel restrictions
The number of destinations closed to international tourism has continued to fall.
70% of destinations have lifted travel restrictions but global gap emerging
According to the eighth edition of the UNWTO Travel Restrictions Report, 70% of all global destinations have eased restrictions on travel introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
UNWTO visits Brazil to support sustainable recovery
UNWTO has reaffirmed commitment to working closely with the government of Brazil to help the country’s tourism sector recover and become a key driver of sustainable development
UNWTO brings tourism sector together to plan for future
UNWTO) has once again brought leaders from across the sector together for high-level talks aimed at strengthening cooperation between the public and private sectors
International tourism to bounce back by 2022: UNWTO
Restrictions on travel introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic continue to hit global tourism hard, with the latest data from the UNWTO showing a 70% fall in international arrivals…
Canary Islands joins UN observatory network for tourism recovery
Canary Islands has been confirmed as the latest member of the growing International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO), overseeing the responsible development of tourism…
Coordination is vital for recovery, says UNWTO
Consistent and harmonised travel protocols, enhanced safety measures and the protection of jobs and livelihoods are the main ingredients needed for the restart of tourism
UNWTO and Expedia join hands to share data and insights for tourism recovery
UNWTO will work alongside the Expedia Group to strengthen ties between the public and private sectors and drive tourism’s recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic
How G20 tourism leaders have committed to intensify efforts towards sustainable recovery
Tourism ministers of the G20 nations have committed to stepping up their efforts to place sustainability and inclusion at the heart of tourism recovery and future growth
UNWTO to harness the power of AI to link tourism workers with jobs
UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) will work with California-based Eightfold.ai to help connect tourism jobseekers with employers and so drive the global recovery of the sector
More than 50% of global destinations are easing travel restrictions but caution remains: UNWTO
UNWTO has confirmed that a majority of destinations around the world (53%) have now started easing travel restrictions introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
World Tourism Day 2020: Global community unites to celebrate travel and rural development
The 2020 edition of World Tourism Day will celebrate the unique role that tourism plays in providing opportunities outside of big cities and preserving cultural and natural heritage all…
UNWTO observes safe restart of tourism in Egypt
A high-level delegation from UNWTO has concluded an official visit to Egypt to offer firm support for the government’s work to restart tourism and direct its benefits towards supporting…
No time for timid leadership! The safe restart of tourism is possible
The re-opening of borders to tourism is a welcome relief to millions who depend on the travel sector. But this alone is not enough, says UNWTO
Safe, Responsible and Accessible! UNWTO, ONCE Foundation and ENAT partner for tourism for all
UNWTO is calling on destinations to recognise the needs of travellers with disabilities or specific access requirements as they open up to visitors again
Tourism Restarts: 40% of destinations have now eased travel restrictions
The responsible restart of tourism is underway around the world as growing numbers of destinations ease COVID-19 related travel restrictions and adapt to the new reality. According to…
Impact of COVID-19 on global tourism made clear as UNWTO counts cost of standstill
The latest edition of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer shows that the near-complete lockdown imposed in response to the pandemic led to a 98% fall in international tourist numbers in May
How tourism sector aims to curb plastic pollution
A new set of recommendations published outline how the global tourism sector can continue in its fight against plastic pollution while effectively facing the public health and hygiene…
This is no time for complacency post COVID-19, says UNWTO chief
UNWTO head talks about how mere words will not do and concrete actions are needed for tourism recovery in post-COVID 19 times
UNWTO’s first official post-pandemic trip to Italy to kickstart steady restart of tourism
Against the backdrop of the re-opening of borders across Europe, a high-level delegation from the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has arrived in Italy to begin a first official…
UNWTO joins President Sánchez for revival of Spain’s tourism sector
The UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has welcomed Spain’s readiness to lead the way in restarting tourism. The head of the United Nations specialised agency attended a meeting with…
Restrictions on tourism travel starting to ease but caution remains: UNWTO
The world is slowly opening up again, new research from the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) indicates, with destinations cautiously easing travel restrictions introduced in…
UNWTO unveils global guidelines to reopen tourism
The UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has released a set of guidelines to help the tourism sector emerge stronger and more sustainably from COVID-19. The guidelines highlight the…
World tourism remains at a standstill as 100% of countries impose restrictions on travel
COVID-19 has placed the whole world on lockdown, with new research from the UN World Tourism Organisation showing that 100% of global destinations continue to have restrictions on travel…
Covid-19 response: 96% of global destinations impose travel restrictions, UNWTO reports
The scale of disruption caused by COVID-19 to global tourism is shown in a comprehensive new report on travel restrictions from the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). The landmark…
UNWTO launches call for action for tourism’s COVID-19 mitigation and recovery
The UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has released a set of recommendations calling for urgent and strong support to help the global tourism sector not only recover from the…
UNWTO: Covid-19 could push tourism back to 2013 levels
The UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has released an updated assessment of the likely impact of the Covid-19 on international tourism. Considering the unparalleled introduction of…
Healing Solutions: UNWTO calls on innovators and entrepreneurs to accelerate tourism recovery
In the face of an unprecedented challenge, the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), with the support of the World Health Organisation (WHO), calls on innovators and entrepreneurs to…
COVID-19 statement from UNWTO
As the COVID-19 situation evolves, the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) observes that full or partial travel restrictions have been – and continue to be – introduced across the…
Covid-19: UNWTO calls on tourism to be part of recovery plans
In an update on the sector’s response to the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) offers a first assessment pointing to a decrease in international…
UNWTO places tourism in European Parliament
Zurab Pololikashvili, secretary-general of the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) addressed the European Parliament in the context of several high-level meetings aimed at placing…
Greece welcomes UNWTO support for sustainable tourism growth
Zurab Pololikashvili, secretary-general of the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) paid a high-level visit to Greece to meet with the Prime Minister and minister of tourism and offer…
Snow and Mountain Tourism: Industry leaders to discuss links between travel, sustainability and innovation
The 11th edition of the World Congress on Snow and Mountain Tourism will take place on 11-13 March 2020 in Andorra, under the theme ‘Tourism, Innovation and Sustainability’. The congress…
UNWTO and Basque Culinary Centre launch 2nd gastronomy tourism start-up competition
The UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and Basque Culinary Center have joined forces again for the second edition of the Global Gastronomy Tourism Startup Competition. After the…
Global Tourism Plastic Initiative unveiled
The Travel Foundation has announced its commitment to tackle plastic pollution as part of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, led by the UN Environment Programme and the World…
UNWTO records 1.5 billion tourism arrivals in 2019
About 1.5 billion international tourist arrivals were recorded globally by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) in 2019 – a new record. According to the first…
World’s most disruptive sports tourism start-ups meet in Macau
The growing sports tourism sector took centre stage at the Global Tourism Economy Forum in Macau, SAR with the first 'SPORTSTECH' edition of the UN World Tourism Organisation’s Tourism…
Global city leaders adopt ‘Nur-Sultan Declaration’ on smart cities
City leaders from around the world met in the Kazakh capital of Nur-Sultan for the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Global Urban Tourism Summit. The summit enjoyed the highest level of…
New Australia’s South West joins UNWTO
Australia South West Sustainable Tourism Observatory (ASWTO) has officially become the latest member of the World Tourism Organisation’s International Network of Sustainable Tourism…
UNWTO teams up with EBRD for sustainable tourism
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) are joining forces to strengthen sustainable and inclusive tourism as a tool for…
Iberia and UNWTO team up for sustainable tourism
The secretary-general of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Zurab Pololikashvili and the CEO of Iberia, Luis Gallego, have signed a cooperation agreement in favour of sustainable…
Morocco to host UNWTO 2021 assembly
Morocco has been officially chosen as the host of the 24th Session of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) to be held in 2021. Members attending the 23rd General Assembly in St…
UNWTO and Globalia launch second global tourism start-up competition
The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has joined Globalia, a tourism group in Spain and Latin America, to launch the second edition of the UNWTO Global Tourism Start-up Competition.…
“Tourism sector needs to reflect the realities of a changing world” says UNWTO secretary-general
More than 1,000 participants from 124 countries have travelled to Saint Petersburg to be part of more than a dozen international tourism governance events during this week hosted by the…
UNWTO bats for strengthening aid flows for tourism
As the special event titled Aid for Trade Conference, hosted by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Geneva, Switzerland, got rolling, the unique potential of tourism as a tool for…
US to re-join UNWTO?
The US has highlighted its support of tourism as a driver of sustainable development. A high-level delegation of the government attending the World Tourism Organization…
UNWTO launches start-up competition in sports tourism sector
The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in collaboration with Barça Innovation Hub (BIHUB) and with the support of the Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC), has announced the launch…
Exports from international tourism hit USD 1.7 trillion
Exports generated by international tourism reached a whopping USD 1.7 trillion in 2018, 4% increase in real terms over the previous year, a new report from the UN World Tourism…
Gastronomy tourism in Japan on the rise
All the foodie travellers can now head to Japan as new culinary developments make the country a big hit in the gastronomy tourism map.
European Tourism Ministers meet in Croatia for innovation and partnerships
Innovation, partnerships and managing rising tourist numbers have been top of the agenda at the 64th Meeting of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Regional Commission for Europe,…
UNWTO: International tourism continues to outpace the global rate
According to the latest issue of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer from the World Tourism Organization, international tourism continued to grow in 2019.
Celebrating tourism in the digital age for World Tourism Day
Technology influences how we connect and inform ourselves. It has encouraged innovation and made the world a smaller, well-connected place.This has trickled and made its way across sectors,…
Qatar is the most open country for visas in ME – UNWTO
Qatar has become the most open country in the Middle East and the 8th most open in the world in terms of visa facilitation.
UNWTO launches an online platform to promote sustainable tourism
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) with the support of Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) launched a new online portal to advance the achievement of the…
Hilton commits to saving the world – one hotel at a time
Focusing on sustainability, Hilton Hotels announced its commitment to cut its environmental footprint in half and double its social impact investment by 2030.
