The Diplomat
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) brings together today and tomorrow in Madrid the leaders of the global public and private tourism sector to #Restart tourism when conditions permit.
The UNWTO Global Tourism Crisis Committee will hold its first meeting of the year today, in the context of the UNWTO Executive Council, with the aim of promoting concrete plans to ensure the resumption of tourism.
Key items on the agenda include the analysis of how to include vaccines against COVID-19 in a harmonised approach to restarting tourism, for example through the possible use of health passports, and other measures. The UNWTO will also ask the Committee members to join forces for a global campaign aimed at restoring confidence in tourism.
The UNWTO constituted the Global Crisis Committee for Tourism at the beginning of the pandemic to unite the sector and lead a strong and coherent response to the crisis. Taking advantage of the Executive Council meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, with Spain as the host country, the meeting will be a hybrid event, combining face-to-face and virtual participation. Once again, the Committee will bring together tourism leaders from around the world, as well as United Nations agencies and representatives of civil society and the private sector.
The Executive Council holds its 113th session
During the 113th Session of the UNWTO Executive Council, the representatives of the 35 Members of the Council will be updated on the implementation of the UNWTO programme of work and its plans for 2021.
The Executive Council will also explore the current trends in tourism, the impact the pandemic is having on the sector and its implications for employment and tourism’s contribution to sustainable development. More than 150 participants will attend this hybrid event.
The Executive Council meeting will include the election for the position of UNWTO Secretary General during the period 2022-2025. The current Secretary General, Zurab Pololikashvili, is standing for re-election for a second term, while the Kingdom of Bahrain has nominated the Chairperson of the Authority for Culture and Antiquities, Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed al Khalifa.
