The UNWTO European Commission held a meeting within the framework of the 25th session of the United Nations General Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The meeting, the second of the year, brought together high-level representatives from around 40 European countries to discuss challenges affecting the region’s tourism industry and the way forward.
UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili expressed his gratitude to the Government of Uzbekistan for the warm hospitality of all Member States and participants of the UNWTO’s Supreme Judicial Assembly: Samarkand, with its rich history and cultural importance, The future of European tourism provides an exciting backdrop for discussions on the future of tourism in Europe. Together, we can create a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient tourism sector.
European tourism agenda
Members of the European Commission, at the 66th session of the Commission, chaired by Greece, discussed the initiative “European Agenda – Tourism leading the change” proposed by Greece with the aim of boosting tourism activity in Europe. , was adopted. , increase the level of cooperation and strengthen cooperation with other regions of UNWTO.
The proposed Agenda for Europe was developed by a specialized working group consisting of representatives from Armenia, Cyprus, Greece, Lithuania, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine (current President of the European Commission). The Working Group consulted with other European Members and the Secretariat in this regard. The Secretary-General will report to the Board and the General Assembly on this proposed topic.
Uzbekistan hosts Silk Road tourism hub
The establishment of UNWTO’s Silk Road Tourism Thematic Office in Samarkand, Uzbekistan was also one of the key topics discussed at the 69th Committee meeting. Recognizing the important role of the Silk Road in promoting global tourism, the Government of Uzbekistan had submitted a proposal to establish the first UNWTO Thematic Office dedicated to promoting Silk Road tourism. He emphasized that this ambitious initiative is another expression of Uzbekistan’s commitment to sustainable and resilient tourism development.
Promoting youth and gender empowerment
The Secretary-General took this opportunity to appeal to the members of the European Commission on “Youth4Tourism: Youth Tourism at National Level”, an initiative to promote youth participation in tourism as part of the global youth tourism platform. Announced the release of “Handbook for Promoting Tourism Participation.” Youth participation in the tourism sector at national level. This handbook provides guidelines for hosting physical and virtual events, as well as examples of helpful activities.
As one of UNWTO’s key priorities, the Secretary-General urges national tourism authorities to implement these guidelines and provide children and young people with new opportunities to gain knowledge and develop sustainable skills. requested. Through the handbook, young generations will be able to explore different aspects of responsible and sustainable tourism and develop their own vision for the future of tourism in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. During the committee meeting, Slovenia and Uzbekistan announced their intention to host the World Youth Tourism Summit in 2024 and 2026 in the future.
Also in Samarkand, UNWTO signed a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Culture and the National University of Moldova on the implementation of skills training and gender and tourism training in the framework of the project “Empowering young women: Sustainable livelihoods through tourism” in the Republic. concluded. of Moldova.
Uzbekistan reaffirms tourism support
Aziz Abdukhakimov, Deputy Chairman of the Government Tourism Development Committee and Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan, emphasized the firm determination of the Government of Uzbekistan to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly tourism. He said: “Today, international tourism is demonstrating its efficiency and resilience to new challenges and perceptions. For our country, the tourism industry is a strategic industry, contributing to the growth of prosperity, creating new jobs and Strengthen social and humanitarian bonds in society.
As an integral part of the historic Silk Road, Uzbekistan is making comprehensive efforts to promote this tourist destination and is committed to its long-term development by establishing UNWTO’s first Silk Road Tourism Thematic Office in Samarkand. We aim to ensure that
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About the United Nations Tourism Office
The World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) is the United Nations agency responsible for promoting responsible, sustainable and accessible tourism.
As the leading international organization in the tourism sector, the United Nations Tourism Office promotes tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability, and provides leadership to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policy around the world. We provide support.
our priorities
Mainstreaming tourism in the global agenda: the value of tourism as a driver of socio-economic growth and development, the inclusion of tourism as a national and international policy priority, and level playing field for the development and prosperity of this sector Advocates the need to create conditions.
Promoting sustainable tourism development: Supporting sustainable tourism policies and practices. It is a policy that makes optimal use of environmental resources, respects the socio-cultural integrity of host communities, and provides socio-economic benefits for all.
Promoting knowledge, education and capacity development: Helping countries assess and address their education and training needs, and providing networks for knowledge creation and exchange.
Improving tourism competitiveness: through the promotion of excellence in areas such as knowledge creation and exchange, human resource development, policy planning, statistics and market trends, sustainable tourism development, marketing and promotion, product development, and risks and crises. Improve the competitiveness of tourism member countries. management.
Promoting tourism’s contribution to poverty reduction and development: Maximize tourism’s contribution to poverty reduction and achieving the SDGs by making tourism function as a development tool and promoting its inclusion in the development agenda.
Building partnerships: Work with the private sector, regional and local tourism organizations, academia and research institutions, civil society and the United Nations system to build a more sustainable, responsible and competitive tourism sector.
our structure
Members: An intergovernmental organization, the United Nations Tourism Organization has 160 member states, six associate members, two observers, and more than 500 affiliated members.
Institutions: The General Assembly is the highest organ of the organization. The Executive Board, in consultation with the Secretary-General, shall take all steps to implement the decisions and recommendations of the General Assembly and the reports to Parliament.
Secretariat: The United Nations Tourism Headquarters is located in Madrid, Spain. The Secretariat is headed by the Secretary-General and includes departments dealing with issues such as sustainability, education, tourism trends and marketing, sustainable development, statistics and tourism satellite accounts (TSAs), destination management, ethics and risk, and crisis management. is organized by. The Technical Cooperation and Silk Road division implements development projects in more than 100 countries around the world, and the regional divisions for Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Middle East act as bridges between UN Tourism and its 160 member states. doing. The Affiliate Member Division represents over 500 affiliate members of the United Nations Tourism Organization.
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