UN Tourism receives high-level support after productive FITUR 2024

Dhaka: UN Tourism celebrated the first major tourism event of 2024, FITUR travel trade fair in Madrid, advancing its priorities for the sector for the year ahead.

Ahead of FITUR, UN Tourism—the new name for the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) released its latest data. The first World Tourism Barometer of the year highlighted the sector's recovery, with international arrivals back to 88 per cent of pre-pandemic levels at the end of 2023. With full recovery expected in 2024, UN Tourism again served as the bridge between public and private sector leaders to build a more resilient and sustainable future.

With the new UN Tourism name and logo officially announced to Members on the eve of FITUR, the Organisation then welcomed a series of high-level visitors to its Madrid headquarters. The visit of the President of the Republic of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa Azín underscored his country's commitment to tourism as a source of growth and development, also reflected in Ecuador being the official partner country of FITUR 2024. Secretary-General Pololikashvili commended President Noboa and Ecuador's Minister of Tourism Niels Olsen Peet, for making clear the role tourism can play in bringing hope and promoting understanding even in challenging times. In recognition of his leading role, President Noboa Azín was presented with an honourary UN Tourism plaque.

Within the framework of FITUR Secretary-General Pololikashvili also held bilateral meetings with the Ministers of Tourism of Albania, Argentina, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Czechia, Dominican Republic, Gambia, Gabon, Haiti, Jamaica, Iran, Jordan, Palestine, Tanzania, Jordan, Serbia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

UN Tourism has identified investment as a key priority for transforming the sector. Within the framework of FITUR, UN Tourism hosted "Invest in Zambia", bringing together public sector leaders from the country as well as from other African Member States, alongside high-level private sector representatives and investors.

Alongside this, UN Tourism further built on its partnership with the Investment Bank for Latin America (CAF). The two parties agreed to jointly publish "Tourism Doing Business" Investment Guidelines focused on Brazil, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico and Peru, while also re-launching the revised guidelines for investing in tourism in Ecuador.

Continuing its work to grow tourism as a pillar of rural development, UN Tourism opened applications for the 2024 edition of its "Best Tourism Villages" initiative.

UN Tourism Member States are invited to submit up to eight candidate villages. Applications are open until April 24, 2024, with the selected villages announced in the third quarter of the year.

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