24th General Assembly officially opens

 

The 24th session of the UNWTO General Assembly opens today with over 1,000 representatives meeting in the Spanish Capital of Madrid to chart a new path for an accelerated safe tourism recovery. The all-important meeting is expected to launch new initiatives which will be inclusive in the quest to save livelihoods. Amongst the initiatives to be launched are the Digital Futures Programme for SMEs, designed to help small tourism businesses take advantage of the benefits of innovation. UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili will present his report to the Members, outlining how the Organization has led the global tourism response to the unprecedented crisis caused by COVID-19, in particular by providing vital support for jobs and businesses and ensuring harmonized standards and protocols to restore confidence in travel.

King of Spain Hosts Tourism Leaders at Gala Dinner Ahead of the official opening of the 24th  Session of the UNWTO General Assembly, the King of Spain Felipe IV welcomed Ministers and heads of delegation at a gala dinner at the Madrid City Hall. Addressing guests, His Majesty said that  the Royal House was happy to lend its support to the activities of UNWTO as it strives to get tourism moving again. The Secretary General highlighted the remarkable backing of the Kingdom and Government of Spain and said UNWTO had a strong ally in the country.

43rd UNWTO Affiliate Members Session kickstart activities at General Assembly This Plenary Session of UNWTO Members reviewed the work done in the past year. It also presented the Programme of Work of the Affiliate Members Department for 2022, which has benefitted from valuable contributions . Its principal mission is to foster synergies among Affiliate Members and Member States and to promote the exchange of knowledge among key stakeholders with the objective of contributing to the promotion of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

A Glance at Today’s Activities With the activities of the 43rd Affiliate Members meeting kickstarting  events at the 24th general assembly, the GA Daily brings you highlights of today’s activities. During the plenary session after the official opening, the Secretary-General UNWTO Zurab Pololikashvili will present his report detailing his stewardship of the Organization over the last two years.

Secretary- General confers with Tourism Ministers As Tourism leaders arrive in Madrid for the 24th session of the General Assembly, the Secretary General on the side-line of the events held bilateral meetings with Ministers of Tourism from Argentina, Morocco, Iran, Turkey, Nigeria and Russia.

UNWTO General Assembly Gets Underway in Madrid

Tourism leaders from every global region have arrived in Madrid for the 24th Session of the UNWTO General Assembly. Ministers of Tourism will be joined by representatives of international organizations and from across the private sector for the first truly global tourism meeting to be held since the start of the pandemic, with innovation, education and investments high on the agenda. In all, more than 1,000 participants, representing 135 countries and including 84 Ministers and Vice-Ministers of Tourism will attend the most important meeting of the United Nations specialized agency for tourism.