Hotel Job Resource - World Tourism Organization UNWTO News

UNWTO welcomes the Declaration issued by the Tourism Ministers of the G20 economies (T20) calling for priority to be given to facilitating travel as a means to boost economic growth and create jobs.

International tourist arrivals grew by over 4% in 2011 to 980 million, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. With growth expected to continue in 2012, at a somewhat slower rate, international tourist arrivals are on track to reach the milestone one billion mark later this year.

International tourist arrivals grew by 4.5% in the first eight months of 2011 to a total of 671 million (29 million more than in the same period of 2010).

UNWTO & World Travel Market (WTM) Ministers' Summit is to have a sister event in 2012 - the UNWTO and Arabian Travel Market (ATM) Forum which will take place during the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai (30 April - 3 May 2012).

Current situation for travel and transport to and from Japan The United Nations organizations (WHO, IAEA, UNWTO, WMO, IMO, ICAO, ILO) closely monitoring the effects of the damaged Fukushima Daiichi plant remain confident that radiation levels do not present health or transportation safety hazards to passengers and crew.

Tourism has been identified by more than half of the world’s poorest countries as an effective means to take part in the global economy and reduce poverty. To maximize tourism’s role in helping countries reach their development goals, UNWTO has come together with seven UN agencies and programmes to boost tourism as an instrument for development.

A UNWTO international donors’ conference is looking to mobilize funds to support sustainable tourism development in cross-border parks and protected areas spanning ten countries in West Africa (Dakar, Senegal, 27-28 May 2011).

Radioactive material from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi plant is gradually spreading outside Japan into the global atmosphere but at extremely low concentrations that do not present health or transportation safety hazards, according to the United Nations organizations closely monitoring the situation.

The UNWTO Regional Commission for Asia and the Pacific has expressed its full support and solidarity with the people of Japan in the aftermath of the recent earthquake and tsunami. Holding their annual meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka (24-25 March 2011), UNWTO members from Asia and the Pacific also discussed individual country concerns regarding their tourism sectors in light of persistent global economic challenges.

The Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization, Taleb Rifai, and the President of the Banesto Foundation, Antonio Basagoiti, today presented the cooperation agreement signed by the two organizations, at UNWTO Headquarters in Madrid.