Despite representing 6-7% of the world’s employment, an estimated 5% of its GDP and US$ 1 trillion a year in export revenues, there remains a general lack of awareness of tourism’s role in addressing today’s global challenges. Meeting at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, UNWTO and the Government of Andorra announced the holding of the first Global Tourism Forum to promote the value of tourism to global decision makers (6-7 March 2011, Andorra).
Speaking at a Press Conference at WTM, UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, and the Andorran Ministry of Economy and Finance, Pere López Agràs, outlined the scope and objectives of the Global Tourism Forum/Andorra 2011: ‘Building New Models for Tourism Growth: Competitiveness & Responsibility’.
“We want this to be the first truly global forum where the tourism public and private sector meet other sectors of the economy and political leaders and work together to make the true value of tourism understood by top level decisions makers and business leaders” said Mr Rifai, announcing the event.
“Andorra has a strong tourism history. We are a small country in which the tourism sector plays a vital role and Andorra is very pleased to host the first Global Tourism Forum”, said Mr. Pere López Agràs. “I am sure that the relationship between Andorra and UNWTO, which has been based on strong collaboration since it began 10 years ago, will be further strengthened in the future through the holding of the first Global Tourism Forum in Andorra”, he added.
The Forum will be the first meeting of all the major players from the tourism sector, public and private, as well as economists, academia and civil society, allowing the tourism community to reach out beyond the sector and demonstrate its role in the post-crisis sustainable recovery, climate change and fair and inclusive development.
Relevant links:
More information on the Global Tourism Forum: http://www.unwto.org/pdf/GTFA.pdf
