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UNWTO Secretary-General Calls Extraordinary Executive Council Meeting

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UNWTO Secretary-General Calls Extraordinary Executive Council Meeting - TRAVELINDEXMadrid, Spain, March 2, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General, Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili calls an emergency meeting of UNWTO Executive Council on 8 March 2021, following the request of several Member States to consider suspending Russia from UNWTO membership.

The military offensive of Russia against Ukraine contradicts the core of UNWTO.

Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili said:  “Following the request of several Member States to consider suspending Russia from UNWTO membership, I have called an emergency meeting of the UNWTO Executive Council 8 March, to address this issue”.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

UNWTO Returns to Geneva as World Begins to Open Up

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UNWTO Returns to Geneva as World Begins to Open Up - TRAVELINDEXGeneva, Switzerland, February 22, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / The Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) will be in Geneva this week for high-level talks focused on the restart of tourism as restrictions on travel are eased in many parts of the world.

Strong Relationship with WHO

UNWTO last undertook an official visit to the home city of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2020, just one day before COVID-19 was officially declared a pandemic. Now, as Switzerland joins growing numbers of countries in lifting or easing travel restrictions, UNWTO is back in Geneva for a week of meetings with key partners.

On Tuesday (22 February) Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili will meet with WHO Director-General Dr. Thedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to discuss shared actions and priorities as the world begins opening up again. The two UN agencies will discuss the need for the continued easing of restrictions, having repeatedly warned against their ineffectiveness and the damage that blanket bans on mobility can have on economic and social wellbeing. Talks will also focus on UNWTO and WHO’s shared vision for clearer, more consistent rules and regulations concerning tourism and health, with the aim of restoring trust in international travel and kickstarting recovery.

Deepening ties with the private sector

Strengthening ties with key private sector and civil society partners is crucial in the current circumstances. Secretary-General Pololikashvili will meet with the Director-General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Willie Walsh, as well as with Pierfrancesco Vago, Chairman and CEO of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). These meetings will be followed by an official visit to the headquarters of UEFA. Here, the sporting body’s President Aleksander Čeferin will sign a first-ever agreement with UNWTO aimed at promoting sports tourism as a driver of positive change and making the sector more inclusive and resilient.

Key partners in Switzerland

Against the backdrop of Switzerland announcing its plans to significantly ease restrictions on incoming travel, the UNWTO delegation will meet with Eric Jakob, Ambassador of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), whose brief includes tourism policy, as well as with Martin Nydegger, CEO of Switzerland Tourism. Highlighting Switzerland’s commitment to sustainable tourism, the UNWTO delegation will visit Gruyères. The medieval destination was named as a UNWTO Best Tourism Village at the 24th General Assembly in 2021, and this will be the first official visit to one of the locations recognized for their effective use of tourism as a protector of heritage, and as a driver of growth and opportunity. The visit will be hosted by the Mayor of Gruyères Jean-Pierre Doutaz.

In line with UNWTO’s focus on tourism jobs and education, the leadership will also tour the campus of the Gilon Institute of Higher Education and the Hotel Institute Montreux (HIM). Secretary-General Pololikashvili will meet with Benoit-Etienne Domenget, CEO of Sommet Education, UNWTO’s partner for online learning, and be welcomed to the new UNWTO International Centre Switzerland, located at the Bella Vista Higher Education Campus in Altdorf.

In another first, UNWTO will be addressing the UN Press Briefing at UN Geneva, providing an overview of the outcomes of the official visit and highlights on the tourism for development agenda for 2022, advanced by UNWTO.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

UNWTO Making Communities Central Part of Tourism’s Future

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UNWTO Making Communities Central Part of Tourism’s Future - TRAVELINDEXSkiathos, Greece, February 16, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / UNWTO is supporting communities as they prepare to welcome visitors back and realize the potential of tourism to kickstart recovery and drive sustainable and inclusive growth.

As restrictions on travel continue to be steadily eased or lifted, UNWTO is shifting its focus from supporting its Members as they mitigate the impacts of the historic crisis to rethinking tourism’s longer-term role in building resilience and providing opportunity. Through Technical Assistance packages, UNWTO is on the ground in every global region.

On the ground in Greece

Illustrating UNWTO’s commitment to working with communities themselves to rethink and restart tourism, a new partnership with the Municipality of Skiathos is advancing people-first policies. For decades, tourism has been a pillar of economic growth and opportunity for the residents of the island, one of Europe’s leading destinations. Now, as the sector restarts and recovers from the impacts of the pandemic, UNWTO is working alongside local authorities on a package of technical advice and practical assistance.

In the immediate term, UNWTO experts will work with the Municipality to assess the marketing strategy of the island and recommend adaptations and necessary improvements, with a particular emphasis on the destination’s commitment to using tourism as a driver of sustainable development.  At the same time, and in order to ensure the sector works for everyone on Skiathos, UNWTO will also study local residents’ views on tourism and assess how they can be more involved in tourism planning and development.

This represents the first Technical Assistance package developed by UNWTO in Greece. The Mayor of Skiathos Thodoris Tzoumas welcomed the initiative as a “significant collaboration regarding tourism recovery in Skiathos following pandemic. At present, we are waiting for the initiation of the collaboration. With the synergy and support from the leading bodies of the world and our country when it comes to tourism, we are certain that we will manage to achieve the best results to everyone’s benefit”.

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

World Leaders Call for Urgent Action to Protect the Oceans

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World Leaders Call for Urgent Action to Protect the Oceans - TRAVELINDEXBrest, France, February 12, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Tourism’s central role in advancing the Blue Economy was highlighted as UNWTO chaired a special session and joined a Heads of State panel at the One Ocean Summit, hosted by the French Presidency this week.

In a session on “Tourism in the Blue Economy” co-hosted with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and France, high level representatives stressed how implementing a blue economy can combat the threats of climate change, plastic pollution and over exploitation of resources. At the same time, the panel, representing Colombia, Kenya, Seychelles and Palau, made clear how a stronger focus on sustainability can help deliver more competitive and inclusive tourism activities.

Addressing the Summit, UNWTO Executive Director Zoritsa Urosevic, said: “Tourism is one of the pillars of the Blue Economy and plays a key role in the preservation of oceans by providing financial incentives and mechanisms to protect ecosystems. But we can, and must, do more. As part of the recovery, tourism shall play a key role in the regeneration of coastal and marine ecosystems for resilience, putting people at the center of our efforts.”

As part of the recovery, tourism shall play a key role in the regeneration of coastal and marine ecosystems for resilience, putting people at the center of our efforts

Opportunity out of crisis

At present, tourism represents 40% of the blue economy – as the largest share in export value according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Global tourism’s restart and recovery from the impacts of the pandemic represents an opportunity for the sector to support the transformation of coastal and marine destinations towards more sustainable and resilient models that are anchored on ocean protection and responsible use.

Sylvestre Ragedonde, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism of the Seychelles said: “The destinies of tourism and the blue economy must be intertwined to make responsible use of the limited resources. Our mother ocean should take a commanding role in tourism strategies. For the Seychelles, the blue economy represents a holistic approach for the tourism sector and local economy.”

Private sector transition

Corporate leaders from Accor, ClubMed, Costa Cruises, Iberostar Group, PONANT, TUI Group and the Blue Climate Initiative joined policy makers in the call to prioritize ocean protection and made bold commitments to address plastic pollution through practical solutions in line with the framework proposed by the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative which supports transitioning to a circular economy of plastics.

Hervé Gastinel, CEO PONANT said: “We are happy to announce our commitment to the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative with the goal of eliminating single use plastics in our operations by 2022. Following the example of the polar exploration ship Le Commandant Charcot, PONANT is rolling out its “Single use Plastic” objective on all its ships.”

The workshop was moderated by Jorge Laguna-Celis, Head of the One Planet Network and closed with a call to action from Brune Poirson, Director of Sustainable Development of Accor, for tourism stakeholders to join the collective movement around the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative and the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism. Mr Laguna-Celis said: “The One Planet Network is pleased to partner with the One Ocean Summit to raise ambitious commitments from tourism businesses and governments. The Tourism sector can be a vector of education and prevention of plastics pollution and a source of sustainable recovery from the pandemic and generation of decent revenues for millions of people”.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

UN Report Underscores Importance of Tourism for Economic Recovery

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UN Report Underscores Importance of Tourism for Economic Recovery

Madrid, Spain, January 14, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / The important role that tourism will play in the recovery of national economies and global trade has been highlighted in the 2022 edition of the World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) report by the United Nations. Drawing on data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), WESP underlines the sector’s importance for the world economy and particularly for developing economies, including Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Updates here.

After a global contraction of 3.4% in 2020 and a rebound of 5.5% in 2021, the world economy is projected to grow by 4% in 2022 and then 3.5% in 2023. Given its importance as a major export category (prior to the pandemic tourism was the third largest in the world, after fuels and chemicals), and recognizing its role as a source of employment and economic development, the sector’s recovery is expected to drive growth in every world region.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “The sudden halt in international tourism caused by the pandemic has emphasized the sector’s importance to both national economies and individual livelihoods. The flagship UN report makes use of UNWTO data and analysis to assess the cost of declining tourism and illustrates just how important restarting tourism will be in 2022 and beyond.”

Jobs, economic growth and equality all hit

The sudden halt in international tourism caused by the pandemic has emphasized the sector’s importance to both national economies and individual livelihoods

The latest edition of the UN World Economic Situation and Prospects report uses key UNWTO data on international tourist arrivals and tourism receipts to illustrate how the pandemic’s impact has been felt beyond the sector itself. International tourist arrivals plunged by 73% in 2020, dropping to levels not seen for 30 years. And while tourism did record a modest improvement in the third quarter of 2021, international arrivals between January-September 2021 were still 20% below 2020 levels and 76% below 2019 levels (full year 2021 results to be released by UNWTO on 18 January).

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Updates here.

The crisis has had a devastating impact on employment, including in hospitality, travel services and retail trade. It has disproportionately affected vulnerable groups, including youth and migrant workers, as well as workers with lower educational attainment and skills. Exacerbation of the gender divide is evident, especially in developing countries, with women seeing greater declines in employment and labour force participation than men.

Diversification for recovery

Further analysing the sector’s role in economic recovery, the UN report notes that many destinations, in particular tourism-dependent countries, will need to diversify their tourism throughout 2022 and beyond. Again drawing on UNWTO analysis, the publication shows how many destinations are developing domestic and rural tourism to help local economies in rural and depressed areas to boost job creation and protect natural resources and cultural heritage, while at the same time empowering women, youth and indigenous peoples. Additionally, the report notes how Small Island Developing States can take steps to ensure local businesses and workers retain more of the economic benefits that international tourism brings, noting for example that that “tourism leakage” amounts to an estimated 80% of all money spent by tourists in the Caribbean region.

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

UNWTO: Making Tourism Stronger and Ready for the Future

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UNWTO: Making Tourism Stronger and Ready for the Future - TRAVELINDEX - ZURAB-POLOKASHVILIMadrid, Spain, December 29, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / This has been another challenging year for our societies, our economies and tourism. Many millions of jobs and businesses remain in peril, at the mercy of an evolving crisis and of the actions of governments. However, we are by no means in the same place we were when the pandemic was declared in March 2020. In fact, we have succeeded in laying the foundations to restart tourism around the pillars of sustainability, innovation, people and investing for a resilient future.

Working together

Over the past year, much progress has been made in rolling out vaccinations and in both detecting and treating COVID-19. We have also seen significant progress made in finding the right balance between keeping people safe and keeping the vital lifeline of tourism intact, as illustrated by UNWTO’s effective collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) since the very start of the pandemic.

A collaborative and multilateral approach is and must remain at the centre of capitalizing on the lessons we have learned in such a short space of time.

Ensuring harmonized travel protocols has been our message since day one. They are at the heart of tourism’s restart in many parts of the world, most notably in the Northern Hemisphere destinations during the peak summer months.

We are also encouraged by the resilience and determination coming from the tourism sector itself, as well as from our Member States.

Like never before, the pandemic has made clear tourism’s relevance to our economies and societies. Tourism is now part of the global conversation and at the heart of both national and international recovery action plans.

Expanding on our mandate

Interest in UNWTO’s innovation and start-up competitions keeps growing, showcasing the talent we have unleashed, and our shared readiness to hear new voices and embrace new ideas.

Our global innovation ecosystem is now made up of more than 12,000 start-ups from 160 countries, with US$83 million mobilized and 300 corporate partners currently working on new tourism technologies.

And UNWTO’s education programmes are reaching unprecedented numbers of people, welcoming more than 20,000 students from 100 countries in just 18 months. We promote lifelong learning thanks to partnerships with the world’s top five institutions in tourism and hospitality. Together, IE university, Les Riches, Glion Institute, Ecole du Casse and the Swiss Education Group offer 19 online courses in Spanish, English and Arabic – a true ‘online university of universities’.

Underpinning it all are data analytics on tourism investments powered by our partnership with the Financial Times. Through this, we have produced the first UNWTO tourism investment guidelines, which we are now scaling up to create guidelines for doing tourism businesses by country.

Restarting tourism is unthinkable without green investments. We are collaborating with institutions such as the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation and the Inter-American Development Bank. To date, more than 200 investors are part of UNWTO’s global investment network advancing critical work such as supporting hotel chains from 50 countries to become more sustainable.

For people and planet

Tourism is ready to do the hard work and live up to its responsibilities to people and planet, as demonstrated by the huge interest we have received in the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, launched at the UN Climate Summit COP26. We are receiving a growing number of commitments to halve emissions by 2030 and to reach NetZero by 2050 at the latest, with Member countries, individual destinations, global companies and local players as well as media outlets, hundreds are on board, and counting.

And for people, we are making sure the benefits tourism offers are enjoyed as widely and fairly as possible. That includes establishing the sector as a driver of rural development, as celebrated through the Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO initiative. Launched to great enthusiasm this year, 44 villages from 32 countries were granted the recognition during our recent General Assembly, for showing a commitment to tourism development in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

The 24th UNWTO General Assembly in Madrid brought our Members together to speak with one voice. Members commended UNWTO’s work done during the pandemic and its vision for the future of both the Organization and the sector, endorsing key initiatives such as a first International Code for the Protection of Tourists. This landmark legal framework is designed to restore trust in travel, a vital ingredient for recovery.

I am very grateful for the wide support of our Members, who have put their trust in me to serve a second term as UNWTO Secretary-General.

Mainstreaming tourism

In a crisis, you realize both what’s important and who your friends are.

Like never before, the pandemic has made clear tourism’s relevance to our economies and societies. Tourism is now part of the global conversation and at the heart of both national and international recovery action plans.

And support for UNWTO has never been louder or more visible. Over the past 12 months, we have strengthened our key partnerships, among them the G20 and G7, as well as ICAO (the International Civil Aviation Organization), FAO (the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), the World Bank, IDB (Inter-American Development Bank), CAF, (The Development Bank of Latin America) and the EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development). We have further strengthened our voice at the top of the United Nations, including the landmark recognition of tourism and UNWTO by the UN Secretary-General.

Closer to our Members

UNWTO has made a significant leap to be on the ground next to our Members. This year we opened the first Regional Office for the Middle East in Riyadh, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Built and opened in record time, it will serve as the platform to deliver our commitment to education and as a global centre for tourism and rural development.

Moving closer to our Members in other regions is an ongoing task and we will also work towards opening the first regional offices in Africa and the Americas.

As we advance preparations for these new hubs, we also welcome new Member States. Antigua and Barbuda, a destination where tourism is an economic pillar, has joined UNWTO. This shows that tourism-dependent countries look to UNWTO and depend on us, and we are ready to live up to this responsibility. Alongside this our network of Affiliate Members of the private sector, local administrations, destinations and academia, keeps growing.

So too does our collaboration with media outlets through new partnerships with Euronews, Xinhua and Travel Index, which build on our existing relationship with CNN International. As a result, the message of tourism for development will continue reaching a global audience of unprecedented size and diversity.

The future begins now

The way in which the pandemic has developed over the closing weeks of the year gives us all reason for concern and to again put public health above everything else.

But recent developments again validate our initial position: the only way forward is through collaboration and actions that are based on evidence rather than on speculation or political strategy.

UNWTO is in a good place to use the achievements of 2021 as a springboard for building a better tourism in the years to come, with the sector ready to return once conditions are right.

It is in this spirit that I wish everybody a safe and healthy 2022. UNWTO stands by your side, to keep on working together for our joint progress.

Zurab Pololikashvili
Secretary-General

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

UNWTO and ADB Launch Report on Big Data and Tourism Recovery

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UNWTO and ADB Launch Report on Big Data and Tourism Recovery

Madrid, Spain, December 24, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / UNWTO and the Asian Development Bank have launched a joint report on the use of big data for better tourism planning and management. The report features examples from across the Asia and the Pacific region while also showcasing the main trends in the use of big data in tourism at the forefront of technology and innovation. The report also makes clear the the role that big data can play in recovery and the measurement of the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of tourism.

Data to empower decision makers

Tourism suffered the greatest crisis on record in 2020. International arrivals plunged by 73% in 2020. This is likely to followed by a 70% and 75% fall on 2019 levels for 2021. As the sector looks to  recover, data and market intelligence are critical to  empower destinations, businesses, and tourism workers to be better prepared in a rapidly changing landscape. The COVID-19 pandemic has also accelerated the shift toward digitalization and so further highlighted the need for relevant and reliable data and intelligence to manage tourism.

The joint UNWTO and ADB report will assist both governments and the private sector as they look to complement official statistics with big data so as to better understand changes in consumer behavior and to enhance recovery with targeted products, segments, and source markets. Big data will also be key to supporting seamless travel through the implementation of safety protocols, biosecurity technologies, and digital health certificates to enable the safe reopening of borders.

The report further addresses some of the key challenges standing in the way of fully realizing the potential of big data and digitalization for better tourism policy. These include ongoing concerns over privacy, skills gaps, data reliability, inadequate governance and infrastructure, the digital divide, accessibility barriers. These challenges make clear the need for comprehensive agenda to pave the way for the effective use of big data to assist tourism recovery and its transformation toward a greener, more resilient sector. Together, UNWTO and ADB will work to ensure tourism policies across the region are aimed at establishing measurement, monitoring, and management systems and frameworks, thereby ensuring harmonized, comparable, and reliable data and indicators.

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

UNWTO and Bellavista to Open Tourism Education Hub in Switzerland

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UNWTO and Bellavista to Open Tourism Education Hub in Switzerland - TRAVELINDEXAltdorf, Switzerland, December 21, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / UNWTO is to work with the Bellavista Institute of Higher Education on a new International Centre associated to the UNWTO Academy for tourism training in Switzerland.

Under the terms of a new agreement signed between the United Nations Specialized Agency and its Affiliate Member, the new International Centre will be associated with the existing UNWTO Academy and focus on providing research and training in a number of key areas. These include health tourism, mountain destinations management, exhibitions and conference management, and regional tourism promotion and management.

The partnership will go beyond empowering tourism professionals through giving them the knowledge to advance in their careers. The new International Centre associated to the UNWTO Academy will also provide governments, destinations and businesses with the right tourism human capital to meet current and future market demands and, ultimately, enhance levels of competitiveness and sustainability across the sector.

The new International Centre associated to the UNWTO Academy in Switzerland will further advance UNWTO’s goal of expanding its presence on the ground, with a particular focus on the country and regional levels. As an Affiliate Member of UNWTO, Bellavista Institute of Higher Education is a leading research and development centre for international programs, curricula, and textbooks, applied to tourism management and travel business.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

UNWTO Secretary-General, Climate Emergency is Bigger Threat than Covid’

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UNWTO Secretary-General, Climate Emergency is Bigger Threat than Covid - TRAVELINDEXGlasgow, Scotland, UK, November 5, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The head of the United Nations World Tourism Organization has warned that the “climate emergency is a bigger threat than Covid”.

Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of UNWTO, said the pandemic has hit tourism harder than any other sector. Tourism needs support from governments, through stronger public-private partnerships and through more and better-targeted financing investments, to rebuild in a sustainable and inclusive way.

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Updates here.

He made his comments during the UNWTO, WTTC & WTM Ministers’ Summit, held on the second day of WTM London, with tourism ministers from across the world discussing investing in tourism’s sustainable future.

“This summit gives us the chance to strengthen our advocacy on sustainability”, Pololikashvili said.

He told delegates that the recent Rome Leaders Declaration issued by the G20 specifically emphasized the need to restore travel and tourism, which in turn can help developing economies.

He said public investment will “encourage and leverage” private investment all over the world, adding: “Tourism can benefit if governments deliver the right support.

This summit gives us the chance to strengthen our advocacy on sustainability

“Going back to the old normal is not an option.”

He also said tourism represents a risk-free investment opportunity and highlighted the need to invest in education and youth on the way to net zero.

The UNWTO, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and other tourism and travel stakeholders will officially launch the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism at the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP26  on Thursday (4 November).

The WTTC is also planning to launch the Net Zero Roadmap for Travel & Tourism, to support the industry in combatting climate change, as part of the sector’s drive towards net zero by 2050.

The initiative is being run in collaboration with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and professional services and consulting experts Accenture.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President and CEO, told the summit: “We have no alternative; we have to go green.”

She said sustainable growth is a key priority for the WTTC, adding: “Investors and the public demand that we invest to protect the planet and people.

“We need to invest in making sure destinations are great places to live and not just great places to visit.”

Nigel Huddleston MP, UK Tourism Minister, agreed, saying: “The partnership between private and public sectors is spurred by the consumer.”

He said his government can offer tax incentives to encourage sustainable developments, such as deductions for solar power and electric vehicle charging points.

Rita Marques, Secretary of State for Tourism of Portugal, outlined how her country is investing in green services and new ways to develop tourism across the seasons.

Massimo Garavaglia,the Italian Minister for Tourism, talked about how Italy is tackling overtourism in places such as Venice and Florence, to encourage visitors to explore other parts of Italy and its varied attractions.

Dr Khaled El-Enany, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt – which will host the Cop27 climate conference next year – highlighted Egyptian sustainable initiatives, such as a project to protect the reefs of the Red Sea.

Memunatu Pratt, Minister of Tourism and Culture of Sierra Leone, talked about how tourism in the west African country is recovering from civil war and the outbreaks of ebola and Covid-19.

She said investments in infrastructure, transport, health care and education were being integrated with the need to develop sustainable tourism.

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Updates here.

Federico González, Chief Executive at Radisson Hotel Group, highlighted the need to ensure smaller hotel owners understand how they make their properties more sustainable, and David Lavorel, Chief Executive of airport technology firm SITA, outlined how technology can help the aviation sector optimise its current assets to be more environmentally friendly.

UNWTO will also partner with Arabian Travel Market – the sister event of WTM London – which will take place on 8-11 May in Dubai.

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News