UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, met with the Spanish
Minister of Industry, Energy and Tourism, José Manuel Soria, to
discuss tourism’s role in meeting the challenges currently facing the
sector (Madrid, Spain, 9 February). _
Congratulating Minister Soria of his recent appointment, Mr. Rifai
spoke of the relevance of basing UNWTO, the United Nations specialized
agency for tourism, in Spain, one of the world’s leading tourism
destinations.
Discussions focused on the role of tourism in facing economic,
social and environmental challenges, as well as areas of future
cooperation between Spain and UNWTO.
Minister Soria congratulated UNWTO on the Global Leaders for
Tourism Campaign, which, since early 2011, has been gaining continued
support from heads of state and government for tourism as a key
economic sector. “I am willing to present this initiative to the Prime
Minister of the Spanish Government, Mariano Rajoy, and I am confident
that he will gladly join, given his strong interest in this strategic
sector as a motor for economic recovery,” said the Minister.
Minister Soria and Mr. Rifai also discussed Spain’s role as the
official host of the 2012 World Tourism Day celebrations, around the
theme Tourism and Sustainable Energy: Powering Sustainable
Development. Spain, and in particular the Canary Islands, is the
“ideal setting” to hold the 2012 celebrations, said Mr. Rifai, as a
country leading the way in both tourism and sustainable energy.
Minister Soria highlighted the event as the perfect opportunity to
strengthen the relationship between both parties, advance the
international tourism agenda and further the United Nations presence
in Spain.
“UNWTO headquarters have been based in Spain for nearly forty years
and the relationship between the Organization and its host country has
gone from strength to strength,” said Mr. Rifai. “Given our
discussions today, I am more than confident that they will continue to
do so under the leadership and engagement of Minister Soria.”
