About UNWTO | UNWTO (2024)

UNWTO’s leadership vision acknowledges the most pressing challenges facing tourism and identifies the sector’s ability to overcome them and to drive wider positive change, including the opportunities responsible tourism offers for the advancement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UNWTO members have endorsed the Management Vision of the Secretary-General which seeks to position tourism as a policy priority, lead in knowledge creation, enhance the Organization’s capacity through building new and stronger partnerships, and offer better value for existing Members while also expanding membership.

To realize the Management Vision, UNWTO’s work is based around five distinct pillars:

  1. making tourism smarter through celebrating innovation and leading the digital transformation of the sector;
  2. making tourism more competitive at every level through promoting investment and promoting entrepreneurship;
  3. creating more and better jobs and providing relevant training;
  4. building resilience and promoting safe and seamless travel; and
  5. harnessing tourism’s unique potential to protect cultural and natural heritage and to support communities both economically and socially.

As the leading international organization in the field of tourism, UNWTO promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability and offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.

UNWTO encourages the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, to maximize tourism’s socio-economic contribution while minimizing its possible negative impacts, and is committed to promoting tourism as an instrument in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),geared towards reducing poverty and fostering sustainable development worldwide.

UNWTO generates market knowledge, promotes competitive and sustainable tourism policies and instruments, fosters tourism education and training, and works to make tourism an effective tool for development through technical assistance projects in over 100 countries around the world.

UNWTO’s membership includes 160 Member States, 6 Associate Members and over 500 Affiliate Members representing the private sector, educational institutions, tourism associations and local tourism authorities.

Basic Documents

Our management

The management team works towards a comprehensive vision for development of the tourism sector. This includes positioning tourism as a policy priority, establishing thought leadership in knowledge and policy creation, increasing resources and strengthening UNWTO’s capacity through meaningful partnerships.

UNWTO management

Governing Bodies

The bodies of the World Tourism Organization are the:

UNWTO Governing Bodies

Member States

An intergovernmental organization, UNWTO has 160 Member States, 6 Associate Members, 2 Observers

List of the 160 Member States of the UNWTO

Working With the Private Sector

Bringing together over 500 companies, educational and research institutions, destinations and NGOs, theUNWTO Affiliate Members provides a space for members to engage in dialogue, share information and take further action.

Affiliate Members

UNWTO Liaison Office in Geneva

As part of the UNWTO Geneva Liaison Office (GVLO) scope of work to represent UNWTO to the UN System and Diplomatic Missions in Geneva and in building strategic partnerships for increased capacity, GVLO has participated in numerous United Nations System led activities.

Geneva Liaison Office

UNWTO Tourism Ambassadors

UNWTO’s Ambassadors for Sustainable Tourism are drawn from the worlds of sport, entertainment, business, gastronomy and more.

Ambassadors

About UNWTO | UNWTO (2024)

FAQs

About UNWTO | UNWTO? ›

creating more and better jobs and providing relevant training; building resilience and promoting safe and seamless travel; and. harnessing tourism's unique potential to protect cultural and natural heritage and to support communities both economically and socially.

What are the main points of UNWTO? ›

creating more and better jobs and providing relevant training; building resilience and promoting safe and seamless travel; and. harnessing tourism's unique potential to protect cultural and natural heritage and to support communities both economically and socially.

What is the full form of UNWTO answer? ›

United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

What is the importance of the UNWTO system of tourism statistics? ›

The UNWTO Statistics Department is committed to developing tourism measurement for furthering knowledge of the sector, monitoring progress, evaluating impact, promoting results-focused management, and highlighting strategic issues for policy objectives.

What are the benefits of joining UNWTO? ›

Benefits
  • Interactive Platform. ...
  • Networks. ...
  • Working Groups. ...
  • Partnerships with private and public stakeholders. ...
  • AM Newsletter. ...
  • Access to E-Library, UNWTO Barometer and UNWTO Statistical Data.

How does UNWTO defines tourism? ›

Tourism is a social, cultural and economic phenomenon which entails the movement of people to countries or places outside their usual environment for personal or business/professional purposes.

How many UNWTO sustainable development goals are there? ›

Building on the historic Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the ambitious set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 associated targets is people-centred, transformative, universal and integrated.

How many countries are in UNWTO? ›

List of the 159 Member States of the UNWTO and the year of admission in the Organization.

Is the United States part of the UNWTO? ›

A founding member of UNWTO, the United States is currently one of the world's biggest tourism markets, both as a destination and as a source of international tourists.

Which of the following is true of UNWTO? ›

Which of the following is true of UNWTO? It is a non-governmental organization.

What are the goals and objectives of the UNWTO? ›

Aims & Objective of UNWTO

To improve international understanding and contribute peace among all the nations of the world. To create intercultural awareness and personal friendships. To promote and develop responsible, sustainable, and universally accessible tourism.

Why is tourism important? ›

Tourism offers great opportunities for emerging economies and developing countries. It creates jobs, strengthens the local economy, contributes to local infrastructure development and can help to conserve the natural environment and cultural assets and traditions, and to reduce poverty and inequality.

How tourism affects the culture? ›

Tourism brings together people from different backgrounds, cultures, and traditions. Tourists share their experiences and memories about places they visited and people they met, which helps promote peace and tolerance.

What is the purpose of the tourism Alliance? ›

The Tourism Alliance seeks to establish and maintain a favourable operating environment for all businesses involved in the delivery of tourism, particularly in England. Our main purpose is to lobby government both in the UK and Brussels on the key strategic issues facing the industry.

When was UNWTO established? ›

What is the importance of UNWTO quest certification? ›

QUEST Certification that the UNWTO invigorates the pathway to promote quality and excellence in Destination Management Organizations (DMOs), in tourism development planning, management and monitoring.

What are the types of tourist according to UNWTO? ›

The three tourism categories

Broadly speaking, there are three main forms of tourism based on the destination and country of departure, according to the UNWTO: domestic tourism, inbound tourism, and outbound tourism.

What are the 4 types of tourists? ›

Cohen (1972), a sociologist of tourism, classifies tourists into four types, based on the degree to which they seek familiarity and novelty: the drifter, the explorer, the individual mass tourist, and the organized mass tourist.

What are the 4 types of tourism? ›

  • Types of Tourism.
  • Adventure tourism. As a kind of tourism in India, adventure tourism has recently grown in India. ...
  • Beach Tourism. India's vast coastline and islands provides ample opportunities for fun packed tourism. ...
  • Cultural tourism. ...
  • Eco tourism. ...
  • Medical tourism. ...
  • Wildlife tourism.

What are the 3 main principles of sustainable tourism? ›

The 3 main principles of sustainable tourism

Just like sustainable development, sustainable tourism is based on 3 main principles: environmental sustainability, social sustainability and economic sustainability.

What are the 4 components of sustainable tourism? ›

The 4 Pillar Approach To Sustainable Tourism
  • Enviromental Pillar: Enviromental Responsibility. ...
  • Social Pillar: Social Equity. ...
  • Economic Pillar: Economic Health. ...
  • Cultural Pillar: Cultural Vitality.

Who funds UNWTO? ›

These projects are implemented through funding obtained from a variety of major donor agencies such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank, the European Union, the Asian Development Bank, several bilateral donors and others.

Is UNWTO a government organization? ›

With its headquarters in Madrid, the UNWTO maintains an international staff of 90 tourism specialists. The UNWTO is an inter-governmental organization charged by the United Nations with a central and decisive role in promoting the development of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.

How do you become a member of the World Tourism Organization? ›

STEP 1 – Fill out the Application Form and submit the supporting documents
  1. Fill out the “Affiliate Membership Application Form. ...
  2. Submit to the UNWTO the signed statement of commitment to the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism and acceptance of the Statutes of the Organization and the obligations of membership.

Why USA is not a member of UNWTO? ›

The U.S. decided to withdraw from the UNWTO in 1995 after conducting a “comprehensive interagency assessment of U.S. membership in all of the international organizations to which it makes assessed contributions” and concluding that U.S. membership in the UNWTO was among three organizations in which U.S. membership was ...

What are the 6 UNWTO regions? ›

UNWTO has six regional commissions-Africa, the Americas, East Asia and the Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and South Asia. The commissions meet at least once a year and are composed of all the Full Members and Associate Members from that region.

Who is the father of tourism? ›

Thomas Cook: the father of modern tourism – archive, 1958.

Who founded UNWTO? ›

First WTO General Assembly meets in May in Madrid at the invitation of the Spanish Government. Robert Lonati is voted in as the first WTO Secretary-General and the Assembly decides to establish its headquarters in Madrid.

What is risk according to UNWTO? ›

Risk , according to UNWTO , is a situation that exposes someone or something to danger or loss.

Which is the supreme organ of UNWTO? ›

The General Assembly is the supreme organ of UNWTO. Its ordinary sessions are held every two years and is attended by delegates from UNWTO Full and Associate Members, as well as representatives from UNWTO Affiliate Members.

What is the strategy of the UNWTO? ›

In general terms, with this strategy, UNWTO aims to drive the digitalization of tourism and to create an Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem that will maximize the potential of the sector in terms of economic growth, job creation and sustainable development.

What are the 12 aims of sustainable tourism by UNWTO? ›

The 12 aims of sustainability in tourism have been defined by the UNWTO as: economic viability, local prosperity, employment quality, social equity, visitor fulfillment, local control, community wellbeing, cultural richness, physical integrity, biological diversity, resource efficiency, and environmental purity.

What is the background of UNWTO? ›

UNWTO is formed in 1975, and its headquarter is in Madrid, Spain. This agency is responsible for the“promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. At present it has 159 member states nad five hundred affiliate members around the globe.

What are 5 advantages of tourism? ›

There are several benefits of tourism on host destinations. Tourism boosts the revenue of the economy, creates thousands of jobs, develops the infrastructures of a country, and plants a sense of cultural exchange between foreigners and citizens.

What is the biggest problem in tourism? ›

Nowadays, society expects a lot, and in a short time. Management and planning procedures are proven not to be as fast as society wishes and, therefore, mass travel, undercapacity, and overtourism are together going to present the main challenge for the majority of growing tourism destinations.

How does tourism impact the economy? ›

Economic Impacts

Tourism generates income for a variety of businesses and creates a wide range of employment opportunities. At the global scale, tourism is seen as one of the world's largest and fastest growing industries.

How does tourism affect the environment? ›

Tourism often puts pressure on natural resources through over-consumption, often in places where resources are already scarce. Tourism puts enormous stress on local land use, and can lead to soil erosion, increased pollution, natural habitat loss, and more pressure on endangered species.

What are the positive impact of tourism on the environment? ›

Tourism and the environment can be mutually supportive

In a number of destinations, tourism helps to ensure higher water quality and better protection of nature and local natural resources. It can generate additional resources to invest in environmental infrastructures and services.

How would you promote or improve tourism in your community? ›

Improve The Quality And Quantity Of Attractions

One of the most important aspects of attracting tourists is having a good selection of attractions. Make sure that your city or town has various interests – from historical landmarks to family-friendly activities and everything in between.

What are the three main purposes of travel? ›

There are three main reasons for travel. These are: o Leisure tourism o Visiting friends and relatives o Business tourism Most tourist trips can be placed into one of these groups. Many leisure tourism trips are taken where the main purpose is relaxation, rest and enjoyment.

How tourism unites us all? ›

Tourism characterizes a particular country's culture, traditions, heritage, and history. People travel to different places to take in the customs and civilizations there as well as to share those experiences with their nations. Tourism thus promotes cross-national cultural exchange.

What is society tourism? ›

According to the International Social Tourism Organisation (ISTO) social tourism can be defined as "the connections and phenomena related to the participation of people in the countries of destinations as well as of holidaymakers, of disadvantaged layers of society or those unable to participate in tourism, holidays ...

What is the theme of UNWTO this year? ›

Tourism and Green Investments

For World Tourism Day 2023, UNWTO highlights the need for more and better-targeted investments for people, for planet and for prosperity. Now is the time for new and innovative solutions, not just traditional investments that promote and underpin economic growth and productivity.

What is the world's largest travel market? ›

Asia Pacific, the world's largest regional travel market pre-pandemic, slipped to second position in 2021 following the devastating effects of the pandemic, with the United States rising to the top spot. The APAC travel market is expected to make a slower comeback compared with other major regions around the world.

What is the name of UNWTO? ›

UNWTO. World Tourism Organization a UN Specialized Agency.

What is the purpose of UNWTO regional office? ›

Our mission is to support and assist UNWTO African members and other stakeholders from the region in their efforts to develop their tourism industry as a catalyst for sustainable economic and social development, and ensuring that the members fully benefit from the services of the organization.

What are the five pillars of UNWTO? ›

Our Focus
  • SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.
  • Innovation and Investments.
  • ETHICS, CULTURE AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.
  • TECHNICAL COOPERATION.
  • STATISTICS.
  • UNWTO ACADEMY.

What are the aims and objectives of UNWTO? ›

It aims to help its member states to create employment opportunities through tourism. One of the main objectives of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation is to improve international understanding among its member to prevail in peace among all nations through tourism.

What are the benefits of tourism? ›

Tourism offers great opportunities for emerging economies and developing countries. It creates jobs, strengthens the local economy, contributes to local infrastructure development and can help to conserve the natural environment and cultural assets and traditions, and to reduce poverty and inequality.

What is the structure of World Tourism Organization? ›

UNWTO has six regional commissions-Africa, the Americas, East Asia and the Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and South Asia. The commissions meet at least once a year and are composed of all the Full Members and Associate Members from that region. Affiliate Members from the region participate as observers.

What is eco tourism? ›

According to the UNWTO's definition, ecotourism refers to forms of tourism which have the following characteristics: All nature-based forms of tourism in which the main motivation of the tourists is the observation and appreciation of nature as well as the traditional cultures prevailing in natural areas.

How can we make tourism more sustainable? ›

13+ Ultimate Ways to Promote Sustainable Tourism
  1. Avoid the plane, or take non-stop flights. ...
  2. Go green. ...
  3. Spread awareness on sustainable tourism. ...
  4. Support local restaurants. ...
  5. Support legislation that promotes sustainable tourism. ...
  6. Buy souvenirs from local stores. ...
  7. Support the fight against illegal trade. ...
  8. Walk where possible.

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