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    120 countries participate in UNWTO General Assembly

    September 15, 2015
    Travel Conference /Marts / MICE News
    120 countries participate in UNWTO General Assembly

    TBN Report —

    Medellín, Colombia- The 21st Session of the UNWTO General Assembly opened in Medellín, Colombia, in the presence of President Juan Manuel Santos with participation of 900 delegates from 120 countries , including 70 Ministers and Secretaries of State for Tourism.

    President Santos , in his opening speech,emphasized Colombia’s vast tourism offer and the country’s commitment to share it with the world in a sustainable manner:

    “We give tremendous importance to tourism in our development plans and in our economy. The participants gathered here today know more than anyone how tourism can boost countries and be an agent of social transformation. In Colombia, so much so, that tourism now is our second largest source of foreign exchange, surpassed only by oil. Indeed, with falling prices on oil and coal, we are looking to replace the income from these smokestack industries with more environmentally friendly ones, such as tourism”.

    United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who greeted the participants in a video message, welcomed the Assembly theme – ‘fostering inclusive development and social transformation’ – and stressed that “As one of the largest and fastest growing sectors of the world economy, tourism makes vital contributions to employment generation, poverty reduction, women´s empowerment, environmental preservation and peace building “ .

    UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, praised Colombia’s commitment to tourism as well as the country’s remarkable transformation into one of the America´s fastest growing tourism destinations, Mr. Rifai underscored how tourism, alongside it’s economic weight, also has the power to generate significant social benefits: “Only those that understand the connection between tourism and peace can appreciate the real value of travel and tourism”, said Mr. Rifai.

    Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, President of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) highlighted the close relationship between tourism and air transport: “In 2014, some 53% of tourists travel by air to reach their international destinations. We must recognize the important fact that divergent policies for air transport and tourism ultimately hinder economic development”.

    Walter Mzembi, Minister of Tourism and Hospitality of Zimbabwe and co-chair of the 20th UNWTO General Assembly, called upon the Assembly to “emerge from Medellín with a greater resolve on how to protect our sector from all forms of threats and confirm it as a diplomatic bridge that connects people to people”.

    UNWTO and ICAO enhance cooperation in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals

    Meanwhile,UNWTO and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) have announced a new joint strategic statement on Tourism and Air Transport for Development.

    The Medellín Statement was agreed at the first joint UNWTO/ICAO High-Level Forum on Tourism and Air Transport for Development, held on the sidelines of the 21st UNWTO General Assembly in Medellin, Colombia. It highlights the potential of air transport and tourism to improving socio-economic prosperity and promote sustainable development in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) expected to be agreed at the United Nations SDG Summit next week in New York.

    “ICAO and the UNWTO have been actively engaged for some time in maximizing the cooperative opportunities for aviation and tourism,” stressed ICAO Council President Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu when opening the UNWTO General Assembly. “These efforts have been aided by our private sector engagement through the Global Travel Association Coalition (GTAC), and they are critical to realizing both the long-term economic growth and prosperity benefits for States and the related targets in the UN SDGs.” – UNWTO 

    Sept .14, 2015

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      The Embassy of India in China announced via its Sina Weibo account  that, starting from July 24, 2025, Chinese citizens can apply for a tourist visa to visit India after completing an online application, scheduling an appointment, and personally submitting their passport and other required documents to three Indian visa application centers in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou in South China’s Guangdong Province.

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      On February 2, 2020, India temporarily suspended its e-visa facility for Chinese travelers and foreigners residing in China amid coronavirus outbreak. – Global Times

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      The US government has ordered immigration officials to pause raids and arrests on farms, hotels and restaurants, according to a report by the New York Times.

      Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were sent a directive asking that they refrain from heading to such establishments, which also include meatpacking plants and aquaculture.

      Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin confirmed the report, saying in a statement that “we will follow the president’s direction and continue to get the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens off America’s streets.”

      The pause in the raids potentially reflects the government’s concerns about the negative impact these operations are having on vital economic sectors, as well as electoral support. The agricultural industry, particularly in states like California, relies almost exclusively on immigrant labour for its day-to-day operations.

      The recent protests in Los Angeles, which were triggered by large-scale immigration raids in local communities, have increased pressure on the government. This situation poses a dilemma for the president, who is seeking to maintain the support of key constituencies ahead of the upcoming congressional and midterm elections in 2026.

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      FACTS —

      Tourism helps in:

      👉Reducing poverty

      👉Reducing Inequalities

      👉Promoting gender equality

      👉Fostering decent work and economic growth

      World Tourism Day 2021: ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth’

      In 2019, Travel & Tourism’s direct, indirect and induced impact accounted for:
      -US$8.9 trillion contribution to the world’s GDP
      -10.3% of global GDP
      -330 million jobs, 1 in 10 jobs around the world
      -US$1.7 trillion visitor exports (6.8% of total exports,
      28.3% of global services exports)
      -US$948 billion capital investment (4.3% of total
      investment)