World Tourism Organization What is World Tourism Organization? * is the leading international organization in the field of travel and tourism * is a specialized agency of the United ? Nations * also known as United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Where is UNWTO located? * Madrid, Spain History * 1934- International Union of Official Tourist Publicity Organizations (IUOTPO) * World War II- International Union of Official Travel Organization (IUOTO) * 1960- IUOTO realized the need for further transformation and enhance its role on an international level The IUOTO realized the need for further transformation to enhance its role on an international level. The 20th IUOTO general assembly in Tokyo, 1967, declared the need for the creation of an intergovernmental body with the necessary abilities to function on an international level in cooperation with other international agencies, in particular the United Nations. Throughout the existence of the IUOTO, close ties had been established between the organization and the United Nations (UN) and initial suggestions had the IUOTO becoming part of the UN.
However, following the circulation of a draft convention, consensus held that any resultant intergovernmental organization should be closely linked to the UN but preserve its “complete administrative and financial autonomy”. [4] It was on the recommendations of the UN that the formation of the new intergovernmental tourism organization was based. * 1970- IUOTO voted in favor for forming WTO * World Tourism Day September 27, 1970 * 1974- On November 1, WTO came into operation * 1976- The agreement is signed for WTO to become an executing agency of the ? United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), carrying out technical co-? peration with Governments. * 1980- The World Tourism Conference held in Manila (Philippines) adopts the Manila ? Declaration on World Tourism * Philippines became a member state of UNWTO 1975-1989 then 1991-present Organizational Goals The World Tourism Organization plays a role in promoting the development of responsible, ? sustainable and universally accessible tourism, paying particular attention to the ? interests of developing countries?. The Organization encourages the implementation ? of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, with a view to ensuring that member ? ountries, tourist destinations and businesses maximize the positive economic, ? social and cultural effects of tourism and fully reap its benefits, while minimizing its ? negative social and environmental impacts. UNWTO is committed to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, geared ? toward reducing poverty and fostering sustainable development. Mission The World Tourism Organization is an intergovernmental body, fully integrated into the United Nations system as one of its specialized agencies, with a central and decisive role in tourism and travel issues.
UNWTO has a twofold mission: • To provide leadership to the entire tourism sector, serving as a global forum for tourism policy issues and a practical source of tourism knowledge, and • To support its members in their efforts to develop tourism, improve competitiveness and achieve sustainability. Secretaries-General of UNWTO ?1975-1985 Robert Lonati ?? 1986-1989 Willibald Pahr 1990-1996 Antonio Enriquez Savignac 1998-2008 Francesco Frangialli 2009- Present Taleb Rifai
