UN Tourism members from Asia -Pacific focus on resilience and sustainable tourism
Travel Biz News —
UN Tourism has brought together its members states from across Asia and the Pacific to guide the sector’s development beyond recovery and towards greater resilience and sustainability.
The Commission for Asia and the Pacific, alongside the Commission for South Asia, met jointly for the 37th time, with 17 countries represented in Jakarta.
According to UN Tourism’s data, after an initial slow recovery from the impacts of the pandemic, Asia and the Pacific has been rapidly returning to full strength. In 2024. Destinations in the region welcomed 316 million international arrivals between them, equivalent to 87% of pre-pandemic numbers, and up from 66% at the end of 2023.
South Asia saw the best results by sub-region, with a 92% recovery, and Maldives posted the highest growth in the region, welcoming 20% more tourists than in 2019, followed by Japan, with 16%, Fiji with 10% and Sri Lanka 7% more compared to 2019. The Commission’s host this year, Indonesia welcomed 13.9 million tourists in 2024, recovering 86% of 2019 levels.
Member States were brought up-to-date of the progress being made guiding the sector’s development in the region. The Report of the Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili outlined progress made over the past year, most notably in the priority areas of Tourism Insights, Knowhow, Investments and Innovation, Education, and UN Tourism’s support on the ground for its Members.
Asia and the Pacific is one of the most dynamic regions on Earth. It is a hub of digital transformation, new ideas and innovators. Between 2018 and 2024, Asia and the Pacific attracted over 640 greenfield tourism projects, worth a collective US$66 billion, and equivalent to more than one-third of global capital expenditure in tourism-related investment.
UN Tourism fulfilled its statutory obligations for the Organization, with elections held for key positions for the months ahead in Jakarta.
The Philippines and Maldives were nominated as Vice-Presidents for the upcoming 26th UN Tourism General Assembly. The Philippines was also nominated to Chair the Commission for South Asia, with the Maldives nominated to Chair the Commission for East Asia and the Pacific.
Japan and Fiji were nominated as Vice-Chairs for East Asia and the Pacific, and India and Bhutan were nominated as Vice-Chairs of South Asia. Iran and India were nominated to represent the Asia and Pacific region on the UN Tourism Executive Council. All nominations are to be ratified by the General Assembly.
UN Tourism will return to Asia and the Pacific in September as Malaysia is the official host of World Tourism Day 2025.
16 April 2025
Photo : UNWTO
