United Nations World Tourism Organisation Issues New Tourism Guidelines

United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has released a set of guidelines designed to help the sector emerge stronger and more sustainably from Covid-19.

The guidelines highlight the need to act decisively, to restore confidence and, as UNWTO strengthens its partnership with Google, to embrace innovation and the digital transformation of global tourism.

The guidelines were produced in consultation with the Global Tourism Crisis Committee and aim to support governments and private sector platers as they to recover from an unparalleled crisis.

Depending on when travel restrictions are lifted, the United Nations specialised agency warns that international tourist arrivals could fall by between 60 and 80 per cent.

This puts 100-120 million jobs at risk and could lead to US$910 billion to US$1.2 trillion lost in exports.

UNWTO secretary general, Zurab Pololikashvili, said: These guidelines provide both governments and businesses with a comprehensive set of measures designed to help them open tourism up again in a safe, seamless and responsible manner.

They are the product of the enhanced cooperation that has characterized tourism’s response to this shared challenge, building on knowledge and inputs from across the public and private sectors and from several UN agencies as part of the UN’s wider response.

The new guide, a follow up of the recommendations for action already endorsed by the Committee, is focused on seven priorities for tourism recovery based on the pillars of mitigating the economic impact, developing safety protocols and coordinated responds and fostering innovation.

These guidelines provide both governments and businesses with a comprehensive set of measures designed to help them open tourism up again in a safe, seamless and responsible manner

They highlight the importance of restoring the confidence of the travellers through safety and security protocols designed to reduce risks in each step of the tourism value chain.

These protocols include the implementation of check procedures where appropriate, including temperature scans, testing, physical distancing, enhanced frequency of cleaning and the provision of hygiene kits for safe air travel, hospitality services or safe events.

CHINA: Chinese tourists Spent 258 Billion US Dollars On International Tourism In 2017

China continues to lead global outbound travel, according to a report published by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Titled - The UNWTO Tourism Highlights 2018 Edition, the report noted that Chinese tourists spent 258 billion US dollars on international tourism in 2017, almost one-fifth of the world's total tourism spending.

According to the report, overall international tourist arrivals grew by seven percent to 1,323 million in 2017, the largest rise since 2010.

The growth in arrivals was echoed by a strong increase in exports generated by tourism, which reached 1.6 trillion US dollars in 2017.

The UNWTO explained that the 2017 results were driven by sustained travel demand for destinations across all world regions, including a firm recovery by those that have suffered from security challenges in recent years.

The organization also highlighted how the economic recovery of economies such as Brazil and Russia benefited both advanced and emerging destinations.

France remained the most popular tourist destination with Spain moving into second place, while Japan moved into the top ten earners from tourism after six straight years of double-digit growth.

Available data for early 2018 has confirmed international tourism continues to grow this year with a six percent year-on-year increase for the first four months of the year.

Chinese tourists visited domestic attractions over 2.8 billion times in the first half of 2018, up 11.4 percent year-on-year, according to a report released Wednesday by the China Tourism Academy.

The report said urban residents accounted for almost 2 billion visits, an increase of 13.7 percent compared with the same period last year, while residents from the countryside paid about 800 million visits, up 6.3 percent.

The revenue generated by domestic tourism was 2.45 trillion yuan (358 billion US dollars), a rise of 12.5 percent, the figures show.

Red tourism, which refers to activities and locations related to the Communist Party of China, has seen a boom over the past six months, according to the report.

Visits to the 436 registered scenic spots that highlight the nation's revolutionary history hit a record high of 484 million, up 4.83 percent year-on-year. Revenue reached over 25 billion yuan, a near 6 percent increase.

The outbound tourism market also saw growth in the first half, with trips to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan as well as foreign destinations reaching over 70 million, up 15 percent year-on-year.

The total number of China's domestic and inbound tourist trips will surpass 5.1 billion this year, up by more than 11 percent from 2016, a report showed Wednesday.

Tourism revenue this year will be more than 5.3 trillion yuan (about 802 billion US dollars), up 13 percent from a year earlier, according to a report jointly released by the China Tourism Academy and the data center of the China National Tourism Administration.

In 2016, the overall contribution of tourism to the national economy stood at 11 percent, with total tourism revenue up 13.6 percent to 4.69 trillion yuan.

With the fast expansion of tourism, China has become the world's largest source of outbound tourists and the fourth largest destination of inbound tourists.

In the first three quarters this year, the number of domestic tourists rose 13.17 percent year on year, with revenue from domestic tourism surging 16.55 percent.

The report forecast that China's tourism revenue would be more than 6 trillion yuan in 2018.


Tourism Observer

CAPE VERDE: The African Islands That Many Worldwide Want To Discover

Cape Verde has seen the biggest surge in Google searches worldwide over 12 years

As a holiday destination, Cape Verde has plenty to recommend it.

It’s a year-round sun spot with alluring beaches, volcanic hiking routes, and a lively music scene, not to mention direct flights from the UK at under six hours, and no time difference, so no jet lag to contend with.

These draws would appear to be common knowledge. Indeed, it seems that just about everyone is searching for it online.

According to the Global Travel Search Index, which ranks the holiday destinations that have shown the greatest increase in Google search interest over the past 12 years, Cape Verde takes the top spot, with a spike of more than 3,000 per cent since 2004.

Earlier this year the islands were named the second most searched-for spot on Earth for Britons, sandwiched between the perennial city break favourites of Barcelona and Amsterdam.

Not that all those searches are translating into visits. The latest stats on tourism reveal that the Atlantic archipelago covering around 1,500 square miles, only welcomed 644,000 tourists in 2016.

By comparison Tenerife, covering 785 square miles, had 5.7 million tourists that year.

True Luxury Travel, which assembled the Global Travel Search Index, found that Cape Verde had the biggest increase in Google searches since 2004 worldwide, looking at 2017 alone, it came in second, after Barcelona.

To accurately assess rises and falls in annual searches, Google Trends issues various geographical locations with a score based on the overall volume in searches, taking into account how many people have been using Google over time.

In 2004, Cape Verde’s score was 23, but by 2016, it was 713 – a 3,000 per cent rise. It was followed by the United Arab Emirates - a 681 per cent spike over 12 years, the Philippines - a 276 per cent rise, Pakistan - a 162 per cent rise and Nigeria - a 145 per cent rise.

Which destinations saw the biggest drop in Google searches?

Libya saw the most dramatic dip in search interest for holidays there - an 88.8 per cent drop over 12 years, for obvious reasons, having descended into civil war six years ago.

The Foreign Office continues to advise against all travel there, and Tripoli’s International Airport has been closed since 2014.

After Libya it was Tunisia - a 88.1 per cent drop, Paraguay - down 86 per cent, Somalia - a 85.9 per cent drop and Iraq - a 88.5 per cent fall.

Have visitor numbers in Cape Verde actually been climbing?

Yes, just not quite so dramatically. Cape Verde welcomed 644,000 tourists in 2016, a 13.6 per cent rise from the previous year.

Henry Morley, Founder of True Luxury Travel, says: A key reason for the increase in search volume for Cape Verde is due to much greater accessibility to the islands.

Recent years have seen greater availability of direct flights from the UK which will have brought the country to the forefront of people’s minds as a potential holiday destination.

Airports have been opening on all Cape Verde’s inhabited islands, the newest international hub being Cesária Évora Airport in late 2009.

Morley added: We found similar patterns with other destinations, with greater flight accessibility to south-east Asia and India from the UK making these once far-flung locations easier to visit.

Oman and Cambodia are two destinations which have experienced a huge influx in recent years and we have seen that reflected in a surge in recent bookings.

A visitor to Sal in Cape Verde this year, predicts its popularity will continue to increase. Its main selling points are that it’s a six-hour direct flight from the UK, with little or no time difference, and better guaranteed year round sunshine than the Canaries.

But it’s much cheaper and closer than the Caribbean.

Sal does have its disadvantages. It can be very windy for extended parts of the year, though this makes it a big kite-surfing destination, it’s very arid and doesn’t have a great deal in the way of culture or cuisine.

It also traditionally attracts an older demographic but I think this will change, with resorts and clubs opening that make it a cheaper alternative for those that flock to in the likes of Mykonos, Marbella and Ibiza.

Some regions are dry and arid, others lush and mountainous.

A visitor to cape Verde five years ago says flights were all full because one of only two planes serving the islands had broken down.

There was very little to do on the main tourist islands, Sal and Boa Vista, apart from park yourself on the beach and maybe try some watersports.

He was taken on a minibus tour of the highlights of Sal, including a fly ridden rock arch and cave, a down-at-heel fish market and a desert mirage.

Still, the islands do what they on the tin, he concludes, singling out Sao Vicente for music, Santao Antao for food, and Santiago for hiking.

If you want clear blue skies, a burst of intense winter heat, perfect white sand and tepid ocean, they’re all great in Cape Verde.

How can you get to cape verde?

Thomson Airways flies to the island of Sal from Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Gatwick and Manchester and to its neighbour Boa Vista from Birmingham, Gatwick and Manchester.

Thomson Cook Airlines follows suit, touching down on Sal from Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham, and on Boa Vista from Birmingham. Each of these services takes six hours or thereabouts.

Portugal’s national carrier TAP is a further option, serving Sal and Boa Vista, plus sibling islands Santiago and Sao Vicente from Lisbon. It offers UK connections to London City, Gatwick, Heathrow and Manchester.

The fastest growing tourist destinations in terms of visitor numbers:

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Sierra Leone tops the list.

The little West African nation welcomed 310 per cent more overseas arrivals in 2016, compared with the previous year, a steep rise that was no doubt helped by the country being declared Ebola-free in November 2015.

Just 24,000 people visited Sierra Leone in 2015; but UNWTO last reported estimated numbers of 74,400 for 2016. This is a recent spike.

In terms of the Global Travel Index’s 12 year data, however, Seirra Leone doesn’t even feature in the top 25 countries with the most dramatic rise in online interest.

Next on UNWTO’s list of fastest growing destinations was Nepal, which saw a 39.7 per cent uptick of visitors than the previous year, almost neck-and-neck with Iceland, which saw a 39 per cent spike.

Iceland was voted the 17th best country in the world by readers in the Telegraph Travel Awards 2017, up four spots from its position in the 2016 rankings.


Tourism Observer

GHANA: Tourism day - Accra Weizo For 23rd Of June 2018.

Catherine Afeku
The Minister of Tourism Culture and Creative Arts for Ghana Honourable Catherine Afeku will host the Tourism day of Accra Weizo on the 23rd of June 2018.

As Accra Reinforces its position as the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) capital of West Africa hosting Accra Weizo for the 4th time amongst other international events attracted to Ghana in the last one year speaks Volume of the Work done so far by the Ministry.

Accra is listed by ICCA the International Congress and Convention Association as the Top Conference Destination in West Africa.

Already many Major Tourism events have been hosted in Ghana in the last one year which includes the World Tourism Forum Africa and The UNWTO training for West Africa.

Ghana has just secured the rights to host part of AFRIMA the African Music Awards.

Accra Weizo is one of the events geared towards getting West Africans to Cooperate amongst themselves. .

West Africa is home to 15 countries of over 380 million people but Tourism and Travel is not the strong Suite of the Economic interaction in the region.

The Region receives among the lowest Tourism figures per Capita in Africa.

With a huge Population and over 40 Airports Aviation is dominated by Companies from outside the Region Accra Weizo is a Travel event now in its 4th edition aimed at creating a seamless travel environment in West Africa.

It brings together Travel professional in West Africa

Accra Weizo the Private sector event for West Africa offers another opportunity for Ghana to notch up its figures.

It is Already confirmed that the Honorable minister of Aviation for Ghana Hon.Cecilia Abena Dapaah will be Opening the 4th Accra Weizo event on the 22nd of June with a Paper titled ‘Harnessing the Opportunities in Aviation value chain in West Africa’

The first day will be the seminar on Aviation and the Second day will be dedicated to ‘Travel, Tourism and the Internet’ session to grow Travel Business and destination.

It will be taking place at ada Ekesi Hall at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel

The topics to be discussed on the first session of the event which is dedicated solely to Aviation in West Africa include

Interlining in West Africa, a possibility or a Mirage? Integrating West African Airport System, Standardizing Aviation Laws in West Africa for Regional Growth, Why West African Airlines fail easily and the future.

Confirmed panellists for that session are Capt Ado Sanusi –Managing Director of Nigeria’s oldest Airline Aero owners of the major MRO in the region, Chike Ogeah the Vice Chairman SAHCOL a leading Nigerian Owned Aviation handling and Logistics company.

Alex Nwuba, CEO of Ghana based Smile Aviation and former CEO of Nigerian based Associated Airlines, Richard Kyereh from Africa World Airlines the leading Airline in Ghana.

Other Airlines Chief Executives are expected to join the panel.

Because of the need to Organise the Tourism products available in the region to encourage Intra regional Tourism Atqnews will be hosting an Award for the Top100 Hotels in West Africa.

There will also be a Hospitality panel made up of Top Hotel Managers in West Africa to discuss “The Adapting of International Hotel Standards to the African Environment”

Already confirmed Panellists which is a mixture of African and non African Hotel Managers include Marigold Vivian Mingle of Ridge Royal Resort at Cape Coast. She was a former General manager of La Palm Royal beach Hotel in Accra.

Pastor Emmanauel Geadda-Asando Vice President -Ghana Progressive Hotels Association, Sajid Khan. General Manager, Tang Palace Hotel Ghana he is one of the most experienced Hotel. managers in West Africa having managed Fiesta Royal Accra, Golden Tulip Lagos, Golden Tulip Hotel Accra Ghana among others.

Malah Saleh is the CEO of Djembe Hotels and Balafon Hotels in the Gambia. Currently he is one of the biggest Hotel proprietors in West Africa.

Topics lined up for day 2 of the event on the 23rd include ‘How effective are travel bloggers, writers and influencers in promoting travel destinations in West Africa’ to be discussed by the following confirmed panellists will include Gabe Onah, Chairman Carnival Calabar Commission,

Steve Ayorinde ,Lagos state commissioner of Tourism, Mr Lehlohonolo Pitso, Regional Manager, West Africa for South African Tourism SAT, Akwasi Agyeman, ag.CEO Ghana Tourism Authority, Ebele Enemchukwu, Fmr Mrs Tourism United Nations.

Ghana’s Tourism promoter media Mogul and CEO of Kaya Tours Abeku Santana , Nigerian CNN journalist of the year Award winner and leading Travel Writer Obinna Emelike of Business Day,One of Ghana’s top Blogger Ameyaw Debrah of Ameyaw Tv.

The Instagram sensation, Nigerian star tour Operator Chiamaka Obuekwe, MD Social Prefect Tours, Ghanaian based Communicator Chris Koney

Also at Weizo a new association for Travel Trade in West Africa will be launched.

Four years after the launch of Accra Weizo as a West African Travel and Tourism platform for the growth of Seamless Travel in the Ecowas region a new association for Private sector Players in the region has emerged.

At the launch of Accra Weizo 4 years ago the Vision was to turn the 15 countries and its 380 million people into a Domestic Tourism Destination.

It has taken four years for the Organisers of Weizo to reach out to over 150 Travel and Tour Operators in West Africa from 6 countries enough to start a regional association that will drive Tourism in the region.

WATTA will be an association for any player in the Tourism and Travel environment.

The interim Board of WATTA will be announced and Inauguarated at Accra Weizo on the 23rd of June 2018 at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel Accra.

The ECOWAS region despite a protocol of free movement has not grown Intra regional Tourism and Travel.

According to Mr. Ikechi Uko CEO of AKWAABA African Travel Market and Organiser of Accra Weizo, “Our Events are geared towards capacity building and networking. After the success of Banjul Bantaba, we expect Ghana to Surpass the Gambia Experience


Tourism Observer

KENYA: Increased Tourist Arrivals Up To 723,000 , Kenya Ranked Among Top Tourist Destinations

International tourist arrivals around the world has hit 1.1 billion mark in 10 months to October this year, according to the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer.

The figure is a seven per cent increase compared to similar period last year.

International tourist arrivals to Kenya rose 10 per cent to 723,000 visitors between January and September.

The rise in tourist numbers had been partly bolstered by international airlines that had increased flights to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi and Moi International Airport in Mombasa between June and August.

The surge in visitor numbers was also as a result of increased visits to Maasai Mara Game Reserve for the annual spectacle of wildebeest migration.

Last year, Kenya got 1.3 million tourists, who spent Sh100 billion, a 17 per cent increase from Sh85 billion spent in 2015.

The strong tourism demand of the earlier months of 2017, including Northern Hemisphere summer peak season, was maintained through October.

Destinations worldwide received a total of 1,127 million international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) in the first 10 months of the year, 70 million more than in the same period of 2016.

Results were driven by sustained growth in many destinations and a firm recovery in places that experienced a decline last year.

In particular, destinations in Southern and Mediterranean Europe, North Africa and the Middle East showed extraordinary rise.

Growth in international arrivals exceeded seven per cent in all destinations of Southern and Mediterranean Europe, with a rapid recovery seen in Turkey, and double-digit increases for most of the region’s other destinations.

In North Africa and the Middle East, Egypt, Tunisia and Palestine rebounded strongly from previous years’ declines, while Morocco, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates all continued to report sustained growth.

These robust results, the best we have seen in many years, reflect the sustained demand for travel around the world, in line with the improved global economy and the rebound of destinations that suffered declines in previous years, said UNWTO secretary-general Taleb Rifai at the second UNWTO/Unesco meet in Oman.

North American destinations experts Goway Travel have declared Kenya s one of the top and upcoming must-visit locations in the world this year.

Releasing its list of most-sought after destinations by avid globetrotters, Goway Travel said they publicised the list after receiving favourable feedback from individuals, families and groups who agreed with the selection that Kenya was among top seven most favoured location on Goway Travel’s exotic destinations selections.

Repeat visitors described Kenyans as charming and the country as a home to the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth — the wildebeest migration, dubbed as the Eighth Wonder of the world that attracts global television viewership annually.

Kenya is a perennial favourite and very ideal for a first-time safari, but also sees its share of repeat visitors, as there is so much to see. Right now, there are many never to be repeated offers on Kenya, including Goway’s Jambo Kenya Safari Sale, it said.

The advance bookings have been confirmed despite the jitters related to the next General Election set for August.

Goway Travel’s disclosure of its early bookings’ register come amid the planned February 23-26 global meet for American Society of Travel Agents — ASTA Destination Expo 2017 — to be held in Nairobi where 2,000 travel agents from America and another 1,000 ASTA agents from other parts of the world are expected to attend.

Goway Travel has been in business since 1970 providing select on select travel destinations in Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Central and South America and Europe.

Its services targeting individuals, families and groups are offered from its Toronto, Vancouver, Los Angeles and Sydney offices as well as online portal.

Other locations in the selection of top destinations include Iceland’s city of Reykjavik, Sydney in Australia, Colombia in South America, Italy’s ancient city of Tuscany, The Islands of Tahiti — French Polynesia — as well as Conrad Bora Bora Nui region in French Polynesia.

UK’s travel magazine Rough Guide also named Kenya as the third most favoured holiday destination by UK tourists.




Tourism Observer

CHINA: UNWTO To Address Hurricane Irma

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is conveying a special meeting to address the impacts of Hurricane Irma and the way forward on the occasion of its 22nd General Assembly taking place next week in China, an announcement said on Friday.

The bi-annual event, which takes place in Chengdu, China, on September 11-16, is expected to gather over 1000 participants from around the world.

The UNWTO said it was deeply saddened by the tragic effects brought by Hurricane Irma across the Caribbean.

Dubbed the most powerful Atlantic storm in a decade, Hurricane Irma has killed 22 people in the Caribbean and left thousands homeless.

On behalf of the international tourism community, UNWTO conveys its heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the victims and stands ready to support the affected countries, where tourism is a pillar in the lives of so many people, to recover as swiftly as possible, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.

UNWTO will work alongside the affected countries in all the necessary measures to support them and trust that as in previous occasion the people of these countries will show their resilience as life gets back to normal and they open for business, added Mr Rifai.

Hurricane Irma is expected to reach the Florida Keys on Sunday morning and the southwestern coast of Florida on Sunday afternoon. A number of airports in Florida have announced flight suspensions due to the hurricane.




Tourism Observer

UNWTO & WTM Ministers’ Summit To Discuss Overtourism Caused By Overbookings, Like In Barcelona

The UNWTO & WTM Ministers’ Summit will debate the so-called “overtourism” at this year’s World Travel Market (WTM) London on Tuesday, November 7.

The so called ‘overtourism’ has become a hot topic in the news in recent months, with reports from around the world speaking of “tourism-phobia” and showing pictures of citizens protesting against the “invasion of tourists” and the expulsion of locals by tourism businesses.

Tourism growth can and should lead to economic prosperity, jobs and resources to fund environmental protection and cultural preservation, as well as community development and progress needs, which would otherwise not be available,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, underlining that “growth is not the enemy”.

The Summit will discuss how managing the growth of visitors to many popular destinations is critical for both hosts and visitors. It will look at how tourism growth and sustainability can and should go hand in hand.

According to Rifai, strong, sustainable tourism policies, practices, and the engagement of national, as well as local governments and administrations, private sector companies, local communities and tourists themselves, are demanded to ensure that tourism is an enriching experience for visitors and hosts alike.

The topic will also be the key theme of World Responsible Tourism Day – the largest day of responsible tourism action in the world – on Wednesday, November 8 and will feature throughout the responsible tourism program across all three day of WTM London.

“The so called ‘overtourism’ is the key issue in the industry at the moment, so it is right that ministers and senior private sector leaders debate the topic as part of the UNWTO & WTM Ministers’ Summit,” WTM London, Senior Director, Simon Press, said.

In previous years, the summits have offered insights into issues such as terrorism, crisis management, seamless travel, social media, branding and the legacy of “mega-events” such as the World Cup and Olympics.

“This year’s summit will discuss the so called overtourism the impact it is having on both tourists, destinations and local residents and look for solutions to help minimize the problem,” Press said, adding that WTM London is the only forum offering so many ministers alongside senior industry leaders discuss the big issues affecting the global tourism business.

WTM London 2017 will take place November 6-8 at the ExCeL exhibition center.



Tourism Observer

Barcelona, Venice Have Uncontrolled Floods Of Tourists, Others Have Nothing

According to the latest World Tourism Barometer report of UNWTO (UN World Tourism Organisation), international tourist arrivals grew by 3.9% to reach a total of 1,235 million last year. Some 46 million more tourists (overnight visitors) travelled internationally in 2016 compared to the previous year.

It was also the seventh consecutive year of sustained growth following the 2009 global economic and financial crisis. And, 300 million more international tourists travelled the world last year as compared to the pre-crisis record in 2008.

Tourism has shown extraordinary strength and resilience in recent years, despite many challenges, particularly those related to safety and security. Yet, international travel continues to grow strongly and contribute to job creation and the wellbeing of communities around the world, said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai.

Indeed, tourism has been one of the fastest growing industries worldwide in the past couple of years. The tragic incident in Barcelona recently when 13 people were mowed down and more than a hundred injured by a rampaging vehicle in the popular Las Ramblas area also in a way demonstrates the diversity of the nationals who go on holidays as the list of the countries affected show.

Have you been jostled by hordes of visitors while trying to get a better view of the artefacts in the beautiful Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg? Have you been to Venice recently and smelled the rotting water?

Or think of the hill stations in India now, most of which are wilting under the pressure of thousands of feet with people enjoying the ‘summer holiday’ with nary a thought before throwing an ice-cream cone or a plastic bag on the sidewalk.

But there has been a downside too to burgeoning sector. Unbridled tourism has created tension among local residents in some of the most popular destinations in the world in the recent past. And they have been striking back with anti-tourism protests. In Spain, for example, which saw a some 75.6 million tourists in 2016.

In Barcelona, protest group Arran, the youth wing of the radical CUP (Popular Unity Candidacy) have been vehemently opposing cheap- to- rent houses alleging they spoil the neighbourhoods and the environment alike.

The Venetians too have been demonstrating against unrestrained tourism in the last few months. The romantic city on the Italian lagoon sees more than 20 million visitors a year. Add to it the huge cruise ships anchoring to let hundreds of leisure travelers a day to explore the city. The local populace is only 55,000 in number.

No wonder, tired of losing their neighbourhood ambience , some even pushed to the fringe of the city by aggressive real estate developers, more than two thousand locals recently marched through the city putting their feet down and demanding that the mayor and local government take action and they can get their city back.

Popular destinations in India too have seen deterioration to local environment with increasing foot fall. With an expanding middle class and more disposable income in hand, domestic tourism has seen a surge in the last few years.

As a result, local residents, be it in Darjeeling, Shimla or Mussoorie, mourn the loss of their habitat and point out that irresponsible tourists spoil the very ambience of the hills stations where they rush in to escape the summer heat.

Rifai in an interview to media on the subject said that the people wanting to travel is not at fault, which is natural; rather the need of the day is the manage growth in a sustainable manner which the local authorities need to look into. Among measures UNWTO recommends to achieve it is taking into account the needs of the local community.

Striking a balance between the number of visitors who bring in revenue to the local market and make it sustainable is a tightrope walk, no doubt. But economists and environmentalists say that with policies with a long term view and concerted efforts by local authorities can manage to do so in a better way.

Bhutan, the kingdom at the Himalayan foothills, is often showcased as an example of this point of view. The country’s long-term strategy of controlled tourism with a focus on sustainability and quality has earned it praise worldwide. In the process, it has also been able to retain the pristine beauty of the land and its cultural ethos.

The happiest country in the world, according to a survey measured on its Gross National Happiness, introduced a framework for the development of tourism in 1974. With a high-value, low-volume focus its aim was to control the type and quantity of tourism right from the beginning. Even UNWTO recognised this step as commendable.

Of course, it has also meant that Bhutan remains a rather expensive destination for the average tourist. But then, uncontrolled tourism would have destroyed the very character of this tiny kingdom. One has to make a choice.

Meanwhile, the mayor’s office in Venice plans to introduce a ban on new tourist accommodation by this summer end. In addition, there would be monitoring agencies to check overcrowding and pinpoint areas that see high concentration of visitors.

Rome recently announced a ban on eating near its numerous beautiful fountains or paddling in the water. Milan too has taken steps to preserve its old quarters from getting spoiled by insensitive tourism.



Tourism Observer

UNWTO: Least Developed Countries Should Benefit From Tourism

Tourism can make a strong contribution to the economies of Least Developed Countries where the sector is a major exporter concludes the report ‘Tourism for Sustainable Development in Least Developed Countries’ launched on the occasion of the Aid for Trade Review held in Geneva.

The report was produced by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF).

Tourism represents 7% of all international trade and is of increasing relevance to the trade community. Tourism is part of services trade, accounting for 30% of the world’s trade in services.

This is particularly true for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), where it represents 7% of total exports of goods and services, a figure that stands at 10% for non-oil LDC exporters.

In view of the above, and as shown in the report, tourism has been recognized as a key sector for trade-related technical assistance in LDCs. Forty-five out of 48 Diagnostic Trade Integration Studies analysed for the report feature tourism as a key sector for development.

Yet, despite tourism’s value in the trade agenda, it is often difficult to direct trade-related technical assistance towards the sector because tourism and trade tend to fall under different line ministries.

Successful interventions in tourism require strong collaboration across government agencies as well as across different actors at the regional or local level.

The report aims to increase the commitment and investment in coordination and raise tourism’s prominence in trade-related technical assistance as to ensure the sector delivers on its powerful capacity to create jobs and incomes where they are most needed and for those who are most vulnerable – including youth and women.

As active partners of the EIF, UNWTO and ITC are working to contribute to this process of increased co-ordination and collaboration by joining forces in the design and implementation of tailored tourism technical assistance and tourism export strategies, and leveraging resources.

The report is launched to coincide with the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017.

In the context of the universal 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the International Year aims to support a change in policies, business practices and consumer behaviour towards a more sustainable tourism sector that can contribute to all the 17 SDGs.

Goal 17 sets as one of the targets a “significant increase of exports of developing countries, in particular with a view to doubling the least developed countries’ share of global exports by 2020”, to which tourism as service export can contribute.

Tourism and the Enhanced Integrated Framework are include in Goal 8, aiming at building inclusive and sustainable economic growth and creating jobs, thus contributing to the structural transformation of LDCs.



Tourism Observer
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UNTWO: Zurab Pololikashvili Recommended As Secretary General

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation executive council has recommended Zurab Pololikashvili for the role of secretary general.

If confirmed later this year, he will take up the role in January 2018, serving until 2021.

The decision was revealed during the 105th session of the UNWTO executive council, meeting in Madrid, Spain, earlier.

Pololikashvili is currently ambassador of Georgia to Spain.

The candidature was presented by Georgia in accordance with the UNWTO statutes.

The recommendation will be submitted to the upcoming 22nd UNWTO general assembly for ratification.

The event takes place from September 11th-16th in Chengdu, China.

Pololikashvili has broad experience of working in both private and public sectors at high-profile positions.

He has extensive diplomatic experience, having represented Georgia to the World Tourism Organisation.

He also held a position of the deputy minister of foreign affairs in his native Georgia from 2005-06.

In the elections held in Madrid, Spain, Mzembi polled 15 votes against 18 votes garnered by the Georgian in the second round of voting after the first round failed to secure a clear winner. The minister was battling it with Márcio Favilla (Brazil), Jaime Alberto Cabal Sanclemente (Colombia), Pololikashvili (Georgia) and Young-shim Dho (South Korea) for the right to lead the UN tourism agency from 2018 to 2021. In the first round, Mzembi came first with 11 votes followed by the Georgian with 8 votes, Dho 7 votes, Favilla 4 votes and Sanclemente with 3 votes.

Mzembi had the backing of the African Union, one of the largest blocs with 10 of the 33 members of the UNWTO executive council.

The Georgian came first in the last round with the backing of South Asia and Colombia.

Pololikashvili will succeed Jordanian Taleb Rifai, who is leaving at the end of the year after two terms at the helm.

Competing for this move with the outspoken Hon Walter Mzembi, Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Zimbabwe, the country of Georgia on named Zurab Pololikashvili, ambassador to Spain and permanent representative to the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), for the position of the organization’s secretary general.

Mr. Pololikashvili speaks English, Spanish, French, Russian, and Japanese
In 1998 he graduated from the Technical University of Georgia with an degree in International banking.
In 1993 he studies French at the International Language School in Paris.
As of April 15, 2012 Mr. Pololikashvil is Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia in the Kingdom of Spain
Prior:
March 2011-March 2012 General Manager of FC Dinamo de Tbilisi
July 2010 – February 2011 Vice President of Grupo TBC
August 2009 – June 2010 Minister of Economic Development of Georgia
June 2006 – August 2009 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia in the Kingdom of Spain
July 2005 – January 2006 Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia
February 2005 – July 2005 Head of Central branch of TBC Bank
February 2001 – February 2005 Director of the Mtatsminda branch of TBC Bank
March 1999 – February 2001 Assistant Credit Manager TBC Bank
March 1998 March 1998 Accounting Correspondence Manager, TBC Bank
November 1997 – December 1998 manager of international operations, TBC Bank

Courses completed
· 2008-2009 – Business Executive Course, Instituto de Empresa de Madrid
· January 2004 – JICA International Economics Program (Tokyo, Japan)
· October 2001 – KPMG Barents Group. Seminar of Management of branches (Varna, Bulgaria)
· December 200 – Banking Financial Academy. The New Accounting Standards (Tbilisi, Georgia)
· November 2000 – Financial Academy Banking. Marketing Banking (Tbilisi, Georgia)
· March 1999 – Credit Commercial de France (CCF, Paris) Internship in Commercial Management
· April 1999 – Program for small and medium-sized enterprises (Yerevan, Armenia)
· January 1998 – Banking Financial Academy, Business English Course
· April 1998 – Credit Commercial de France (CCF, Paris) Documentary Operations Seminar (Tbilisi, Georgia)
· March 1998 – USAID in Cooperation with the Barents Group LLC. Seminar on Documentary Operations (Tbilisi, Georgia)
· April 1997 – USAID in Cooperation with KPMG Peat Marwick. Credit Analysis Seminar (Tbilisi,Georgia)

The competition to become the new Secretary General of UNWTO is on. In the ring is the Hon. Walter Mzembi from Zimbabwe and the Hon. Zurab Pololikashvili from Georgia.

The outspoken Zimbabwe Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Walter Mzembi has been on a global campaign traveling the world back and forth. He has been doing this for many months seeking support for his candidacy. He got the endorsement of the African Union and was promised support from countries in many different regions of the globe.

Mzembi has been promoting a fresh new and global vision for UNWTO talking to heads of state, to ambassadors and ministers wherever he finds an opportunity.

The Georgian candidate shows a more local vision putting economic opportunities for his country in the foreground.Mzembi leaves no opportunity out to talk to media everywhere and has his PR team working hard on his case.

Mzembi leaves no opportunity out to talk to media and has his PR team working hard to get press coverage as a global leader.

The new and latest candidate to compete for the highest global post in travel and tourism is the Georgian Ambassador to Madrid, Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili. An event was held in Madrid this week. The event was attended by Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze and the current Secretary General of the UNWTO Taleb Rifai.

It was the first public lobbying by the Georgian candidate, and he put up a more national and regional approach compared to Mzembi who has been lobbying tireless for many months on a truly global platform to become Secretary Genera for UNWTO.

The competition to become the new Secretary General of UNWTO is on. In the ring is the Hon. Walter Mzembi from Zimbabwe and the Hon. Zurab Pololikashvili from Georgia.

The outspoken Zimbabwe Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Walter Mzembi has been on a global campaign traveling the world back and forth. He has been doing this for many months seeking support for his candidacy.

He got the endorsement of the African Union and was promised support from countries in many different regions of the globe.

Mzembi has been promoting a fresh new and global vision for UNWTO talking to heads of state, to ambassadors and ministers wherever he finds an opportunity.

The Georgian candidate shows a more local vision putting economic opportunities for his country in the foreground. Mzembi leaves no opportunity out to talk to media everywhere and has his PR team working hard on his case.

Mzembi leaves no opportunity out to talk to media and has his PR team working hard to get press coverage as a global leader.

The new and latest candidate to compete for the highest global post in travel and tourism is the Georgian Ambassador to Madrid, Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili. An event was held in Madrid. The event was attended by Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze and the current Secretary General of the UNWTO Taleb Rifai.

It was the first public lobbying by the Georgian candidate, and he put up a more national and regional approach compared to Mzembi who has been lobbying tireless for many months on a truly global platform to become Secretary Genera for UNWTO.

At the Georgian event in Madrid, the current UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai addresses the audience. The audience included high-level members of the diplomatic corps representing their countries in the Spanish capital.

UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai said:

“I think it’s very important, because this is the first of the events to open the opportunity for people to present themselves for candidature, and I think the presence of the Foreign Minister from Georgia who is here with us today and also the number of people who are here today, the variety of ambassadors that are represented in this room, it is very significant, and it is a very important sign.

Today’s event also is excellent in the sense that it gave an opportunity for Georgia’s Ambassador Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili to present some of his thoughts and some of his ideas.

I have been Secretary-General of this organization for the last 7 or 8 years, and it’s coming to an end. My only hope is that this position would be continued by a good candidate and a candidate that can take this organization to an even higher level than it is now. That’s why I’m very particularly happy to be here tonight witnessing the introduction of a new candidate.”

Mikhail Janelidze – The Minister of foreign Affairs of Georgia said:

Georgia is given the chance to bit for this high position in the UN and in UNWTO, a specialized agency.

We see the tourism sector as a very important industry and an opportunity for Georgia. Our country has been actively involved in UNWTO organized projects in Georgia.

For Georgia to be able to nominate a candidate to lead the UNWTO shows our commitment and priority we put on tourism in our country.

With UNWTO based in Madrid, Madrid is considered the capital of tourism. Therefore today we invited high – ranking guests representing UNWTO member countries in Spain to our event here.

Exactly this is the kind of vision Zurab Pololikashvili has as a candidate for this important position.”

Giorgi Chogovadze – the Head of Georgian National Tourism Administration added: “Let me remind you that tourism is not only important in Georgia but is important also all over the world is an important economic sector. If our Georgian candidate will win, he will not only support the Georgian tourism sector but all other sectors of our country, and the world.

The candidate Hon. Zurab Pololikashvili – Ambassador of Georgia to Spain finally added in promoting his candidacy: “Today was a very important day for me. Today is the official launch event for my candidacy to become the next Secretary General of UNWO.

I invited the diplomatic corp in the Spanish capital and key members of the diplomatic circle tonight. I am very grateful to our Foreign minister. I feel his huge support every day.

I also feel the support of our entire government. We had a similar event several weeks ago in Tbilisi, Georgia. It was attended by our Prime Minister, and we showed the audience what we are planning and what our vision is for the future. I think this is a step forward. My victory would not only be a big achievement for me but also for the entire region.

It would be a victory for our neighbors, as well as for Eastern Europe. To think even further we believe that I’ll be a good European candidate. For me, it is a great honor, an honor for our region and the entire European continent.”

The competition could get interesting. While Mzembi leaves out no opportunity to lay out his vision to the global media, Pololikashvili has been more reserved to talk to the press.

At the Georgian event in Madrid, the current UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai addresses the audience. The audience included high-level members of the diplomatic corps representing their countries in the Spanish capital.

AFRICA: Potential Of Chinese Tourism In Africa

Addis Ababa, has recently hosted the 59th Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for Africa. Held between 18-21 April, the Commission included a High-level Meeting on Chinese Outbound Tourism to Africa, where regional representatives debated the potential that the sector brings to the continent.

Attended by 21 tourism Ministers from the African continent, the UNWTO Regional Commission for Africa has become the best platform to discuss tourism trends in the continent and the potential that Chinese tourism can induce at regional level.

The attendees also included Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism, Entertainment of Jamaica and Hongtao Wei, Vice Chairman of the China National Tourism Administration.

The 59th edition of the Commission was complemented by a key interactive session on the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development which is being celebrated worldwide through 2017.

“We all come out of Africa, and went on to inhabit the world, making Africa the first source market in history. Africa is the future and Ethiopia is the soul and heart of Africa” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai, opening the event.

UNWTO Secretary-General received a Recognition Award from H.E. Mr. Muktar Kedir, Minister of Good Governance of Ethiopia to highlight his legacy to promote tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability.

During his intervention, Mr. Muktar Kedir, described his country ´as a unique land where the earliest ancestors of human beings first walks upright, we honestly expect Ethiopia to be one of the prime choices of tourists in the near future that makes them feel safe and enjoy their stay in this yet un explored land´, he said.

The Commission served to motivate African Member States to undersign the African Charter on Sustainable and Responsible Tourism as well supporting the African Caravan on Sustainable and Responsible Tourism led by Morocco through activities to be organized and celebrated during the campaign of the International Year.

China has become a major investor in the African continent, contributing to infrastructure development and reshaping the economic landscape, and is the world´s largest outbound market since 2012 after recording double digit growth in expenditure every year since 2004.

The meeting witnessed a high level of participation not only from African governments but also private sector stakeholders who discussed the dynamics of the Chinese outbound market together with ways to provide guidance for policies and strategies to African Member States, Chinese stakeholders and African businesses.

The event was a combination of keynote presentations from UNWTO, IVY Alliance Tourism Consulting, AVIAREPS and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), interactive panels and roundtable discussions.

The Commission was informed that the 60th CAF will be hosted in Chengdu China within the framework of the 22nd Session of the General Assembly, to be held in September 2017. In addition, members of the Commission unanimously welcomed Nigeria´s expression of interest to host the 61st CAF to be held in 2018.

UNWTO This Is Africa's Time, Dr. Walter Mzembi

“This is Africa’s time, and Walter Mzembi is Africa’s candidate to head the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).”

With these words, South African Minister of Tourism Ms. Thoko Xasa, reinforced the South African government’s “strong and principled” support for Mzembi’s African Union (AU)-endorsed bid for election to the post of UNWTO Secretary General.

Hon. Dr. Walter Mzembi

Ms. Xasa was delivering the keynote address at a gala dinner hosted yesterday evening by her ministry for the AU-endorsed candidate at the plush Sheraton hotel in downtown Pretoria, South Africa’s capital city.

Those invited to the dinner included Government Ministers, Ambassadors of all UNWTO Executive Council member states represented in South Africa, representatives of the South African tourism industry, and both local and foreign media houses.

Praising Dr. Mzembi for the strong leadership he has shown in formulating and driving Africa’s evolving tourism development strategies, and for seeking to institutionalize tourism as a stand-alone sector within African Union administrative structures, she expressed her own and Africa’s full confidence in his ability to provide equally effective leadership at the very apex of global tourism.

Retracing the selection processes at sub-regional and continental levels, by which Dr. Mzembi emerged, with the unanimous endorsement of all 15 SADC member countries and all 55 member states of the African Union, Minister Xasa noted that she had worked alongside Mzembi for many years and could personally attest to the caliber and integrity of Africa’s selected candidate for the UNWTO post.

“Hard-working, passionate, and deeply committed” is how Minister Xasa described her Zimbabwean counterpart. “I know he will bring these same qualities to the service of global tourism.”

Stressing again that “this is Africa’s time,” Minister Xasa appealed to African ambassadors present at the dinner for the continent to remain united and focused in its support for Dr. Mzembi, cautioning that “a divided Africa is a weaker Africa, open to exploitation and less able to resist the self-serving manipulations of others who would seek, themselves, to set Africa’s agenda.”

The minister noted that, notwithstanding its massive tourism potential and staggering natural-resource wealth, Africa’s share of global tourism arrivals and expenditures still hovered between 3 to 5 percent.

“Africa needs to work more closely together, as neighbors, as component parts of integrated regional structures, and as a continent of 55 nations, to ensure that African tourism grows and migrates towards more visible and more effective integration into global tourism flows.”

The minister said that although it was a global position he was seeking, Dr. Mzembi would strive to ensure that Africa’s tourism performance, along with that of other less well-performing regions, would be more fully accommodated into strategies to grow global tourism over the coming decade.

The election of a new Secretary General for the UNWTO takes place in Madrid, Spain, on May 12. The name of Secretary General-elect to emerge from that process will then be submitted by the Executive Council to a meeting of the UNWTO General Assembly, scheduled to convene in Chengdu, China, during the second week of September.

The new Secretary General will officially take office in early January 2018 with a mandate of 4 years, renewable once.

Should Dr. Mzembi succeed in his bid to head the UNWTO, it will be the first time in the 60-year history of the organization that an African has occupied the top office.

MEXICO: Mexico Ahead Of Turkey As Popular Tourist Destination In The World

Mexico has surpassed Turkey as the eighth most popular tourist destination in the world, according to a report of the UNWTO.

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) added that Mexico welcomed 35 million visitors last year, with a nine percent increase in foreign tourists arriving in the country. Due to political unrest and security concerns, Turkey welcomed 28.3 million visitors last year.

Mexico had dropped in the UNWTO rankings to 15th in 2013 but has since climbed back to ninth due to improved security and a steadily recovering tourism industry in certain regions. The country finished eighth for last year, with only 600,000 fewer visitors than the seventh-place United Kingdom.

Tourism revenue was also up in Mexico, climbing to $19.6 billion.

Dominican Republic’s tourism sector posted income of more than US$13.0 billion in the last two years, making it the Caribbean country’s main economic pillar, said official sources quoted by Spanish press agency EFE.

Tourism minister Francisco Javier García said the sector’s foreign exchange earnings skyrocketed 135% in the last seven years, from US$2.9 billion in 2000 to US$6.7 billion last year.

During the closing ceremony it was announced that the 2018 edition will be held in Cayo Santa María, Villa Clara, in the center of the country, a paradise of sun and beach, which is why that modality will be the fair’s protagonist. Meanwhile, the country guest of honor will be the United Kingdom.

Italy is a hot luxury destination to book for a family vacation, according to Virtuoso’s new 2017 Luxe Report.

While Millennials have been holding court as the leading force in the travel industry, Virtuoso says “Gen Z” is the new buzzword in tourism.

Consisting of young people born late in the 1990s to 2010s, this generation holds considerable sway over their families’ travel decisions, according to 88 percent of Virtuoso advisors polled.

By 2020, this generation will account for 40 percent of all consumers with disposable income to travel.

PHILIPPINES: World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) International Conference On Statistics For 21 - 24 June 2017

Policy leaders, statisticians, academicians and private sector will convene in Manila, The Philippines, on 21 - 24 June 2017, to discuss new methodologies to measure the full impacts of tourism.

The 6th edition of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) International Conference on Statistics, an official event of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017, will address the topic of ‘Measuring Sustainable Tourism’.

Supported by the United Nations Statistics Division, the UNWTO initiative ‘Towards a Statistical Framework for Measuring Sustainable Tourism’ (MST) underlines the need to measure the full effects of the tourism sector.

The UNWTO International Conference to be held in Manila will serve as a platform to discuss the first draft of the MST framework and its future implementation.

The Philippines has become a reference in the region with regard to tourism measurement and a role model in the development of effective inter-institutional collaboration to develop tourism statistics.

The commitment of the country, shown in the development of the Tourism Satellite Account framework, explains the decision to host the discussion on the MST initiative.

A Ministerial Roundtable will inaugurate the Conference in order to align efforts to advocate among governments the relevance of integrated and reliable data to manage and promote a more sustainable tourism sector.

Afterwards, a Panel of Statistical Institutes will provide the opportunity to share experiences and practices implemented at global, regional and national level.

Other technical sessions will focus on understanding data demands, the link between the economic, the environmental and the social dimensions of sustainable tourism, including job creation, sub-national measurement, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicators, and data sources including big data.

Besides policy leaders, statistical experts and private sector, representatives from international organizations such as the International Labor Organization (ILO), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) and Eurostat will also contribute to the discussions.

UNWTO Accesses Chinese Travel To Africa

Addis Ababa, has recently hosted the 59th Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for Africa. Held between 18-21 April, the Commission included a High-level Meeting on Chinese Outbound Tourism to Africa, where regional representatives debated the potential that the sector brings to the continent.

Attended by 21 tourism Ministers from the African continent, the UNWTO Regional Commission for Africa has become the best platform to discuss tourism trends in the continent and the potential that Chinese tourism can induce at regional level.

The attendees also included Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism, Entertainment of Jamaica and Hongtao Wei, Vice Chairman of the China National Tourism Administration

The 59th edition of the Commission was complemented by a key interactive session on the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development which is being celebrated worldwide through 2017.

“We all come out of Africa, and went on to inhabit the world, making Africa the first source market in history. Africa is the future and Ethiopia is the soul and heart of Africa” said UNWTO Secretary-General Dr. Taleb Rifai, opening the event.

UNWTO Secretary-General received a Recognition Award from H.E. Mr. Muktar Kedir, Minister of Good Governance of Ethiopia to highlight his legacy to promote tourism as a driver of economic growth, inclusive development and environmental sustainability.

During his intervention, Mr. Muktar Kedir, described his country ´as a unique land where the earliest ancestors of human beings first walks upright, we honestly expect Ethiopia to be one of the prime choices of tourists in the near future that makes them feel safe and enjoy their stay in this yet unexplored land´, he said.

The Commission served to motivate African Member States to undersign the African Charter on Sustainable and Responsible Tourism as well supporting the African Caravan on Sustainable and Responsible Tourism led by Morocco through activities to be organized and celebrated during the campaign of the International Year.

China has become a major investor in the African continent, contributing to infrastructure development and reshaping the economic landscape, and is the world´s largest outbound market since 2012 after recording double digit growth in expenditure every year since 2004.

The meeting witnessed a high level of participation not only from African governments but also private sector stakeholders who discussed the dynamics of the Chinese outbound market together with ways to provide guidance for policies and strategies to African Member States, Chinese stakeholders and African businesses.

The event was a combination of keynote presentations from UNWTO, IVY Alliance Tourism Consulting, AVIAREPS and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), interactive panels and roundtable discussions.

The Commission was informed that the 60th CAF will be hosted in Chengdu China within the framework of the 22nd Session of the General Assembly, to be held in September 2017. In addition, members of the Commission unanimously welcomed Nigeria´s expression of interest to host the 61st CAF to be held in 2018.

CHINA: Chinese Tourists Biggest Spendors

China is the world's fastest growing tourist source market, thanks to higher disposable incomes in the world's number two economy and looser foreign travel restrictions. Chinese tourists made 83 million foreign trips in 2012, compared to 10 million in 2000.

Chinese tourists spent US$ 262 billon on foreign trips in 2016, a 12 per cent increase over the figure in 2015.

Chinese tourists continued to spend more than any other country's outbound travellers last year, while more than doubling the spending by their US counterparts, according to data released this week by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Chinese tourists spent US$ 262 billon on foreign trips in 2016, a 12 per cent increase over the figure in 2015, while the number of outbound tourists rose 6 per cent to 135 million in 2016.

Meanwhile, outbound travellers from the US, the second largest outbound market for tourism spending last year, spent US$122 billon abroad. Travellers from Germany, the United Kingdom and France trailed behind and made up the top five spenders.

The UNWTO said that China has been the largest outbound travel market since 2012 and that 2016 marked the 13th consecutive year that China saw double-digit growth on outbound tourism expenditure.

The growth of China's outbound tourism benefited not only many short-haul destinations in Asia and the Pacific, most notably Japan, South Korea and Thailand, but also long-haul destinations including the US and Europe.

Chinese tourists are spending 6 times more than Japanese tourists while traveling abroad.

Chinese and Japanese people have a serious rivalry when it comes to the manufacturing of innovative and novel products. These two nations are considered as the most hardworking and sophisticated nations.

People of both nations travel all over the world to explore new places and learn new things. It is the secret behind the success of these nations.

Now, the question is tourists of which country spend more money in foreign countries. Generally, tourists of both countries are very versatile as some of them spend generously while others don’t spend too much in foreign countries. Here you are going to find tourists of which nation are more bighearted and why.

Chinese vacationers spend through six times more than their Japanese brothers when they pay a visit to the South Korean capital, a review done by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. As indicated by the Seoul Institute under the city organization, Chinese tourists visit Seoul 1.9 times normally yet spend somewhere in the range of 2.13 million won (US$1,800) when they are on vacations.

In the examination, Japanese tourist goes to Seoul 4.9 times normally, however, spend only 330,000 won. The survey was directed in December a year ago on 1,045 outside tourists who were leaving through Incheon and Gimpo air terminals after their journey here.

More tourists from Southeast Asian nations said they come to Seoul 1.9 times normally, spending around 790,000 won on every visit, the most recent survey said.

The discoveries then demonstrated that travelers from North America, Oceania, and Oceania spend about 660,000 won each, with every individual visiting by a normal of 3.1 times.

The report said each foreign visitor going by Seoul spend through 1.84 million won normally, generally during his or her visit. Of the aggregate, shopping represented the most with 1.06 million won or 57.6 percent of the aggregate.

It is also a fact that youngsters spend more money as compared to old people because they have energy and desire to live every second of life. The only issue is that most young travelers don’t possess enough money to spend generously. Due to this reason, middle age travelers spent maximum amount during traveling because they have enough energy and money for it.

As per age, visitors who are in their 30s spend the most on shopping with costs hitting 1.22 million won, trailed by individuals in their 20s with 1.18 million won. Tourists in the 40-something age category spend through 920,000 won and those in their 50s and more senior spend 650,000 won.

Female tourist spends more on shopping than means with every spending through 1.14 million won, which is more than the 970,000 won that men spend on the journey.

The survey, in the meantime, demonstrated that the more times travelers come to Seoul; the more outlandish they are to spend cash here.

Among first-time guests, total expenses achieved an average of 1.10 million won. This means to around 800,000 for individuals who were here 4-6 times and fell further to 780,000 won for individuals who were in the city more than seven times, as per the survey.

What is astonishing is the matter that how price-insensitive a considerable measure of these Chinese travelers is. Hardly recognizing what the cost of something is, they will simply top off carts with things that could possibly be great esteem for cash.

Korea spends a ton of its struggle advantageously devastating everything that western travelers would likely be curious about finding in return for the modern – including new makeup shops and shopping centers for Chinese individuals. It isn’t so much that individuals from western nations don’t have cash to spend, it’s that they don’t come to Korea to spend it.

Why should they? There are numerous closer and more appealing places if one’s expectation is just to shop. As another poster said, even “duty-free” is essentially insignificant to Americans.

Most likely a lot of Chinese vacationers doesn’t come here looking to simply be carried from duty-free shop to obligation free shop with the express reason for spending. That is exactly what they’re made to do. Cash doesn’t rise on trees; it obviously originates from Chinese pockets.

Japanese people also travel a lot but they are less generous than Chinese tourists. The social and economic relations also play an important role in this difference. China has a better economy than Japan.

Moreover, the economy of scale is also in the favor of china. In short, business should focus on Chinese travelers because it is evident from statistics that which market segment is more profitable.

The number of foreign visitors from China increased significantly in 2015, but the Tourism Board of Costa Rica (Spanish initials: ICT would like to see even greater growth.

According to a news report filed by Diego Perez Damasco of national newspaper La Prensa Libre, the year-over-year increase of Chinese tourists in Costa Rica was nearly 30 percent last year. Still, the overall number of tourists from China is still not significant in comparison to other markets, particularly when compared to the United States.

Less than 9,060 Chinese tourists visited Costa Rica last year, compared to more than one million from the United States, a North American nation that sent 81,112 additional tourists in 2015. Nonetheless, Minister of Tourism Mauricio Ventura explained that attracting more Chinese tourists is an economic priority.

Chinese tourists who visit Costa Rica tend to be more affluent and not as frugal as their North American counterparts, according to research published by the National Chamber of Tourism,CANATUR. ICT officials would like to attract the type of Chinese tourists who land on private jet charters and who arrange chauffeured private transportation during their entire stay at luxury resorts.

The effort to attract more Chinese tourism to Costa Rica dates back to the administration of former President Laura Chinchilla, who visited Shanghai in August of 2012. President Luis Guillermo Solis visited the People’s Republic of China in late 2014.

Plans to open Costa Rica consulates in Hong Kong and Shanghai date back to 2013, and tourism has been a major reason for establishing these diplomatic ties, particularly at a time when Cuba is becoming very attractive to Chinese tourists who would like to experience the Caribbean for the first time.

As recently reported by The Costa Rica Star, Air China began offering direct flights to Cuba in late December.

Chinese tourists spend up big in Australia $7.7bn in the past year.

Tourism Research Australia says Chinese visitors spent more than the combined figure of $7.5bn by Britons, Americans and Canadians

Spending by Chinese tourists rose 43% in the 12 months to September, compared with the previous year, says Tourism Research Australia.

Chinese tourist spending in Australia soared to $7.7bn over the past year, rising at more than three times the rate of increase in overall visitor spending.

Spending by visitors from China rose 43% in the 12 months to September compared with the previous year. A fall in the value of the Australian dollar helped make the country more affordable to overseas visitors.

Chinese visitor expenditure has exceeded the tourist industry’s annual target of $7.4bn – set in 2010 – five years ahead of schedule. It is more than the combined $7.5bn spent by Britons, Americans and Canadians.

Total inbound visitor spending grew 13% to a record $34.8bn, said Tourism Research Australia.

The tourist industry has received a welcome boost from the decline in the Australian dollar. Even after its recent mini recovery, the currency is down almost 15% against the US dollar compared with this time last year.

Tourism Research Australia’s managing director, John O’Sullivan, said the priority was to get visitors out of the capital cities and spending their dollars across the country.

“The tyranny of time, distance and cost mean that Australia will never be a high- volume destination,” O’Sullivan said.

“Our Tourism 2020 strategy is unashamedly focused upon yield: encouraging international visitors to stay longer, disperse further and ultimately do more and spend more while in our country.”

Food and wine spending by visitors is approaching $700m, far exceeding the $500m target the industry set when it launched a Restaurant Australia advertising campaign in December 2013.

Chinese overtake Germans as biggest spending tourists.

Chinese tourists have overtaken Germans as the world's biggest-spending travelers after a decade of robust growth in the number of Chinese holidaying abroad, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) said on Thursday.

Chinese tourists, known for travelling in organized tours and snapping up luxury fashion abroad, spent $102 billion on foreign trips last year, outstripping deep-pocketed travelers from Germany and the United States.

Chinese tourists spent 41 percent more on foreign travel in 2012 than the year before, beating the close to $84 billion both German and U.S. travelers parted with last year.

Tourists from other fast-growing economies with swelling middle classes, like Russia and Brazil, also increased spending in 2012. In recession-hit Europe, however, French and Italian tourists reined in their holiday budgets.

"The impressive growth of tourism expenditure from China and Russia reflects the entry into the tourism market of a growing middle class from these countries," said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai.

The German Travel Association (DRV) said it was to be expected that the Chinese would eventually overtake Germans in terms of spending, given that the country had more inhabitants than North America, Russia and Europe put together.

"But that they have overtaken us already is astonishing," DRV president Juergen Buechy said.

The Chinese make more long-haul trips than Germans, who typically go to Mediterranean destinations, meaning that the average spend per holiday was greater, he added.

Hoteliers, tour companies, restaurants and even taxi drivers will need to brush up on their knowledge of Chinese cuisine, culture and language if they are to tempt them away from favorite destinations like Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Maldives, European tourism officials have said.

Other countries in the top 10 including Japan and Australia posted growth in travel spending, though only Russia came close to China's huge growth, with a 32 percent increase in holiday budgets.

Russians are now the fifth highest-spending tourists, parting with $43 billion last year, according to the Madrid-based UNWTO, and catching up on the British, who spent $52 billion in 2012.

Italian spending dipped by 1 percent to $26 billion in 2012 and French tourists parted with $38 billion, a 6 percent drop year-on-year. The two euro zone peers were the only countries in the top 10 outbound markets to post declines.

NIGERIA: Nigeria To Make Visa Issuance Faster

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on Tuesday in Abuja reiterated call for a change in the nation’s visa administration to encourage tourists and investors.

The minister made the call when he received Jim Flannery, an international advisor to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, UNTWO.

The advisor was sent by UNWTO to assist in the review of Nigeria Tourism Master Plan.

The minister stressed that a new regime that allowed for easy access to visa for tourists and investors at point of entry was required for the tourism sector to grow.

He said he was glad that government had set up a committee on the ease of doing business which would look into it.

The minister also underscored the need for the nation to do away with bureaucracy and encourage full participation of the private sector in growing the tourism industry.

“We must begin to understand that tourism is the new oil that we have failed to discover and exploit.

“It is shocking that Nigeria with a population of about 170 million people and land mass of about one million sq km has only two world heritage sites.

“Whereas, Italy with population of about 50 million people has 51 world heritage sites.

“What that means is that people will not come to our country unless they see what they can be attracted to.

“That explains why France attracted 120 million tourists last year, while the whole of Africa attracted less than 50 million and why three out of five jobs in Italy, three are from the creative industry.

“This figure will show you the importance of tourism and Nigeria is the new tourists destination and we really need to work together to harness the potential in the industry,” he said.

The minister said he was glad to receive the UNWTO delegate whose coming was a fall out of his trip to the headquarters of the world tourism body in Madrid, Spain in July.

The minister recalled that during the visit, the UNWTO agreed to send an expert to help in the review of tourism master plan and to partner in revising the Presidential Council on Tourism.

He said the organisation also promised to assist in organising international conference with the theme; “Tourism as a Tool for Peace’’ in Maiduguri and train women on capacity building in tourism.

The minister urged members of the review committee to cooperate and work with Flanker for a successful review of the master plan.
He said in the course of his stay, Mr. Flannery would meet with major donors like World Bank and UNDP to exploit how they could assist the country in implementing the master plan.

Earlier, Mr. Flannery said the review of the master plan drafted about 10 years ago would not be a total jettison of the existing one.
“We are not here to write a new master plan, because we have a very expansive document before us that has never been implemented.

“This time, our attitude will be let us break it down to smaller steps and identify what can be done quickly to open new products and create new markets.’’

He said that unlike the manufacturing industry, tourism does not need special technical knowhow and huge investment to start.

He noted that tourism was a very viable industry that most countries were now realising and benefitting from and Nigeria would not regret the action taken to reposition the sector.

World Tourism Organisation Says Tourism Recorded 3.9% Growth In 2016

Demand for international tourism remained robust in 2016 despite challenges, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, UNWTO, has said in its latest report.

The UNWTO, a specialised agency of the United Nations, UN, said international tourist arrivals grew by 3.9 per cent to reach a total of 1.2 billion

According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, some 46 million more tourists, mostly overnight visitors, travelled internationally last year compared to 2015.

The report noted that 2016 was the seventh consecutive year of sustained growth following the 2009 global economic and financial crisis. A comparable sequence of uninterrupted solid growth has not been recorded since the 1960s.

As a result, 300 million more international tourists travelled the world in 2016 as compared to the pre-crisis record in 2008, the report added.

“Tourism has shown extraordinary strength and resilience in recent years, despite many challenges, particularly those related to safety and security. Yet, international travel continues to grow strongly and contribute to job creation and the wellbeing of communities around the world”, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.

Analysis of the growth by region revealed that Asia and the Pacific (8 per cent, respectively) led growth in international tourist arrivals in 2016, fuelled by strong demand from both intra- and interregional source markets.

Africa, which recorded 8 per cent growth, enjoyed a strong rebound after two weaker years. In the Americas (4 per cent), the positive momentum continued. Europe, which recorded 2 per cent growth, showed rather mixed results, with double-digit growth in some destinations
offset by decreases in others.

Demand in the Middle East was uneven, with positive results in some destinations, but declines in others.

Meanwhile, experts remain optimistic about 2017 as the latest survey of UNWTO’s Panel of Experts shows continued confidence in 2017, with the large majority of the respondents expecting ‘better’ or ‘much better’ results than in 2016.

The Panel score for 2017 virtually equals that of 2016, so growth is expected to be maintained at a similar level.

Based on current trends, the outlook of the UNWTO Panel of Experts and economic prospects, UNWTO projects international tourist arrivals worldwide to grow at a rate of 3 to 4 per cent in 2017.

Europe is expected to grow at 2 to 3 per cent; Asia and the Pacific, and Africa both at 5 to 6 per cent; the Americas at 4 to 5 per cent; and the Middle East at 2 to 5 per cent, given the higher volatility in the region.

“We need to work closer together to harness the contribution of tourism to economic growth, social inclusion, cultural and environmental preservation and mutual understanding, particularly when we live in times with such a deficit of respect and tolerance,” UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, stated .

MALAYSIA:Good News For Indians, You Will Have Free e-visas

not only can you get a visa for the beautiful Malaya land with just a click on the mouse, but it is free as well. Only a $20 (Rs 1,342) processing fee will be charged, while the visa fee has been waived.

“You can now apply for the visa online and you will receive it in the comfort of your home within 48 hours,” Malaysian Minister of Tourism and Culture Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz has announced. He was leading a delegation from the country and the announcement was made during a press conference organised by the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board at the Le Meridien Hotel in New Delhi on February 16.

Aziz further said the tourism board has waived the visa fee for Indian travellers and only a processing fee will be charged. One can apply for the visa by logging on to www.windowmalaysia.my.

Promoting sustainable and niche tourism at the 24th edition of the South Asia Travel and Tourism Exchange (SATTE) 2017, Aziz said that sustainable tourism development was no longer a mere cliche but a major contributor to a more environmentally responsible economy.

“With the right investment, tourism can be a lead change agent in the move towards a green economy. It simultaneously improves resource efficiency, minimises environmental degradation and raises environmental awareness among travellers,” he said.

With such niche tourism on a rise, Malaysia is also pushing its special interest packages for premium shopping, luxury travels, sports tourism such as golf, and the country as a wedding and honeymoon destination.

The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has designated 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development and Malaysia is keen to promote its four UNESCO heritage sites — Kinabalu National Park in Sabah, Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak, Melaka and George Town cities, and the archaeological heritage site of Lenggong Valley. India is the sixth top tourist generating market for Malaysia, with a total 7,22,141 Indians visiting the country in 2015. Last year, from January to October, Malaysia had received a total of 5,40,530 Indian tourists.

Tourism In Africa Rises But Still Lacking

For the third year running, the African Development Bank (AfDB) has published the Africa Tourism Monitor, an annual report on the tourism industry in Africa. This year’s report, a joint publication by the AfDB, New York University’s Africa House and the Africa Travel Association (ATA), is entitled “Unlocking Africa’s Tourism Potential”.

The report offers a comprehensive overview of the tourism sector in Africa, focusing on both opportunities and challenges. It features facts, figures and contributions from key tourism players across the continent, with tour operators, experts and industry representatives shedding light on key issues via a series of case studies.

One of the key findings of the report, as indicated in its introduction, is that the tourism sector in Africa is growing. In 2014, a total of 65.3 million international tourists visited the continent – around 200,000 more than in 2013. Back in 1990, Africa welcomed just 17.4 million visitors from abroad. The sector has therefore quadrupled in size in less than 15 years.

According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Africa’s strong performance in 2014 (up 4%) makes it one of the world’s fastest-growing tourist destinations, second only to Southeast Asia (up 6%).