UNWTO Executive Council discusses the links between tourism and culture

Samarkand, Uzbekistan, October 8, 2014 (STAT):-The UNWTO Executive Council has brought new governance models to foster closer cooperation between tourism and culture in order to advance the sustainable development of cultural tourism.

Other issues rose during the thematic discussion on tourism and culture included congestion management, financing, public-private sector cooperation, the role of local communities in tourism development and cultural preservation, as well as the promotion of events, creative industries and contemporary culture and history in enriching the visitor experience.

The debate took place against the backdrop of the forthcoming UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture, Building a New Partnership (Siem Reap, Cambodia, 4-5 February 2015), which will bring together, for the first time, Ministers of Tourism and Culture from around the world.

In this context, participating countries recalled the need to fight misperceptions about the Ebola Virus Outbreak in Africa stressing that the World Health Organization (WHO) does not recommend any ban on international travel.

The 99^th Session of the UNWTO Executive Council, chaired by Indonesia and co-chaired by Jamaica and Mozambique, was attended by 33 Members – 24 UNWTO executive council members and 9 UNWTO members attending as observers – and a total of 120 participants.

The 100^th Session of the executive council will take place in Croatia. Jamaica, Mozambique and Croatia will act respectively as Chair, first and second Vice-Chairs of the executive council for the year 2015